MTV Europe

Mondo Times editors    Boulder Colorado USA

Posted at 2:26pm on Monday, November 9th, 2009

Former Soviet leader President Mikhail Gorbachev was awarded the 2009 EMA Free Your Mind Award in Berlin last night on the eve of the 20th anniversary celebrations of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

President Gorbachev received the prestigious Award from Bill Roedy, Chairman & Chief Executive, MTV Networks International, at a private gala dinner hosted by the Cinema for Peace Foundation, which was also attended by singer, songwriter and political activist Sir Bob Geldof, classical singer Placido Domingo and former German Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher.

MTV's global Free Your Mind Campaign aims to highlight humanitarian issues and encourage freedom from all kinds of intolerance and prejudice. The Free Your Mind Award is intended for any individual or organisation that embodies the ideals of MTV's campaign.

President Gorbachev received the award in recognition of his contribution to new attitudes and democracy in the Eastern bloc and for bringing about change in Europe.

Mondo Times editors    Boulder, Colorado USA

Posted at 11:38pm on Sunday, November 8th, 2009

Beyonce was the major winner of the evening at the 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs) in Berlin. The singer, writer and producer took home a total of three EMA trophies - Best Female, Best Song and Best Video - from the music celebration, held at the O2 World on 5 November 2009.

Eminem won the coveted Best Male category at the Awards, which honours and celebrates Europe's contemporary music stars, while Jay-Z triumphed in the Best Urban category. U2 clinched a well-deserved Best Live Act - scoring their third EMA award win since the MTV Europe Music Awards debuted in 1994.

Lady Gaga was honoured in the Best New Act category while Green Day won for Best Rock. Best Group went to German rockers Tokio Hotel, who also wowed the 9,000-strong crowd with a rendition of their hit The World Behind My Wall, culminating in an explosive pyrotechnical display and the band's instruments consumed by flames.

Placebo captured the Best Alternative prize while Turkey's maNga carried off the crown for Best European Act. Best World Stage Performance was won by Linkin Park while Pixie Lott was pronounced the first ever MTV Push Artist - both categories were added to this year's EMAs for the first time in recognition of the artists who have been championed by MTV.

Held in Berlin to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, the 2009 EMAs featured live performances from Beyonce, Jay-Z, Green Day, Leona Lewis, Tokio Hotel, Foo Fighters, Shakira and U2 - broadcasting to more than 500 million households around the world.

Host Katy Perry brought her energy and humour to the awards, appearing in a dazzling array of costumes and looks inspired by burlesque and Liza Minnelli's Oscar-winning appearance in Cabaret, the novel which lifted the lid on decadent 1930's Berlin.

Rock icons U2 brought Berlin to a standstill with a performance beamed into the show from the city's historic Brandenburg Gate, a symbol of peace and reconciliation and site of the first ever MTV Europe Music Awards. In front of 10,000 music fans, the music legends performed a short set comprising some of their best loved songs including a rendition of Sunday, Bloody Sunday and a medley of Magnificent and One - the anthem inspired by the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

Mondo Times editors    Boulder, Colorado USA

Posted at 11:02pm on Sunday, November 8th, 2009

The MTV Europe Music Awards for 2009 will be broadcast to a global audience of 532 million homes around the world via the MTV global TV network.

MTV has commissioned over 120 Limousines/MPVs to move artists around the city of Berlin, 70 buses to transport VIP guests to and from the O2 World and the surround events and parties/hotels.

Crew, guests, media and talent attending the Awards have so far booked 1,400 flights to Berlin. More than 1,500 hotel rooms have been booked in the city, representing over 5,000 individual room nights.


The backstage area at the MTV Europe Music Awards 2009 contains 6625 meters-squared of temporary office structures. Over 40 artist dressing rooms will be equipped with a long list of furniture including a total of 50 sofas, 70 tables, 130 chairs, 51 mirrors, 30 coffee tables and 45 dress rails.

The MTV production team will be creating 1,800 laminated passes for crew, talent, executives and media working at the MTV Europe Music Awards.

The set has been designed by celebrated German stage and set designer Florian Wieder who previously worked on the MTV Europe Music Awards in Munich and Edinburgh.

Artists and dancers involved in the show will use 600 false eye lashes, more than 25 different glitters, 60 eye shadows, 300 nail polishes, 20 pots of loose powder, 200 powder puffs and 125 different shades of lipstick. They will be applied by makeup artists using 1,000 makeup sponges and 1,200 makeup brushes.

Makeup for dancers and artists will be supplied by over 40 makeup.

To keep the artists coiffed, MTV is providing 200 wigs, 500 hair pieces, 1,500 hair products, 20 wig blocks and 60 poly heads.