Eminem set to open MTV Awards (From Crewe Guardian)

Eminem set to open MTV Awards

11:02am Thursday 9th September 2010 in

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Eminem is getting ready to take centre stage at the MTV Video Music Awards.

The rapper - who is nominated for eight trophies - will open Sunday's ceremony at the Nokia Theatre in LA, which has been transformed with a sprawling white set.

MTV general manager Stephen Friedman said: "We thought that there's no better way to kick off the show than a performance from Eminem."

The stage design includes a giant rotating billboard, curvy catwalk, circular performance space and two massive video screens that will serve as curtains.

VMA executive producer Jesse Ignjatovic said the undulating space, created by German designer Florian Wieder, required about 2,000 orchestra seats to be removed from the theatre.

"Every year, we try to have a theme and purpose beyond just giving awards away," said Ignjatovic. "This year, being back in Los Angeles, we really gravitated toward mid-century modern architecture and the pop culture of the 50s, like the youth-oriented rebellion films Rebel Without A Cause and Wild Ones. It's a very LA kind of a set."