Young the Giant had the distinction of being the only rock performance of the night (Lil Wayne notwithstanding), and their performance of "My Body" at tonight's 2011 VMAs showed a group having as much fun as their fans.
Frontman Sameer Gadhia began the performance with his band, but that didn't last long. As the singer made his way down the catwalk, eying the excited fans around him, Gadhia's frenetic energy spurred the singer to jump into the crowd, crowd surf and roll around on the stage. For a band with such intense fan interaction as Young the Giant, Gadhia's unbridled energy and spontaneous actions contrasted nicely against his peers' rehearsed-to-within-an-inch-of-their-lives performances.
Despite a performance broadcast to millions, tonight's performance of "My Body" could have been at any small all-ages rock or punk show in the country. It was a raw performance, unmoved, unconcerned and unrestricted by conventional award show tactics and gimmicks. Just a band and a few hundred fans, magnified for the world stage.