On Sunday night (November 7), some of the biggest names in music gathered together in Madrid, Spain for the biggest party in Europe. The 2010 MTV Europe Music Awards went live across the continent (and on MTV2), and you can catch them again this Friday night (November 12) at 9 p.m. on MTV. There's an awful lot to look forward to, as there were some big winners (including Lady Gaga, Linkin Park, Justin Bieber, Ke$ha, Paramore and Katy Perry), some tremendous performances (from the likes of Rihanna, Kings of Leon, Miley Cyrus and Shakira) and at least one extremely memorable moment (which we'll get to in a bit).
The show, hosted by "Desperate Housewives" star Eva Longoria Parker, was packed from end-to-end with stars, spectacle and an awful lot of pyrotechnics. Parker's entrance was full of smoke and sparks, and things continued that way when Shakira took the stage for the night's first performance. She blew through her new single "Loca" (with an assist from British garage rapper Dizzee Rascal) before launching into her World Cup anthem "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" (an appropriate performance for the nation that won this past summer's soccer tournament).
But the night's true highlight came during the pre-show, when 30 Seconds to Mars took the stage to perform their current single "Hurricane." But they weren't alone, as they welcomed Kanye West to the stage for an assist (a logical move since West collaborated with the band on that song). Following the conclusion of "Hurricane," West blasted through an efficient version of "Power" that got the night started on a truly epic note.
Catch the 2010 MTV Europe Music Awards this Friday (November 12) at 9 p.m. on MTV. Stay tuned to MTV News for more from Madrid!