Nickelback cleans up, Lady Gaga wows 'em

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TORONTO -- Nickelback took home the most hardware, but provocative electro diva Lady Gaga was the talk of the MuchMusic Video Awards on Sunday.

Just a few months after dominating at the Juno Awards, Nickelback nabbed a leading three trophies in front of thousands of frenzied fans at an award show that also featured appearances from the Jonas Brothers, Black Eyed Peas and such teen-approved celebs as Twilight actors Taylor Lautner and Montreal's Rachelle Lefevre.

But it was Gaga who stole the show. Showing some serious imagination -- even while clad in a studded one-piece that left little to it -- Gaga performed a surreal medley of a remixed version of LoveGame and Poker Face during the indoor-outdoor streetside show.

Billed as a tribute to New York, Gaga began the performance trapped inside a fake subway car -- which she later exploded with a stick of pyro dynamite -- and followed with a raunchy setpiece that featured fake police officers (they later stripped), gyrating, leather-clad dancers and finished with Gaga posing with sparklers shooting from her bustier.

While the screeching throng outside MuchMusic headquarters on Queen Street West was clearly agog for Gaga, they also heaped plenty of love on the Jonas Brothers, who co-hosted, performed twice and won the "UR Fave" people's choice award for international video of the year for Burnin' Up.

Fans began lining up for the show as early as 6 a.m. ET on a hot, sticky Toronto day. By mid-afternoon, an imposing queue of determined teens went all the way around the block.

"I thought the Junos were crazy but this is madness," marvelled reigning Canadian Idol champ Theo Tams as he walked the red carpet.

-- The Canadian Press

Some winners...

Best Video: Nickelback, Gotta Be Somebody

Best International Video - Artist: Lady Gaga, Poker Face

Best International Video - Group: Black Eyed Peas, Boom Boom Pow

Pop Video of the Year: Danny Fernandes, Private Dancer

Best International Video - Canadian: Billy Talent, Rusted from the Rain

MuchLOUD Best Rock Video: Nickelback, Gotta Be Somebody

MuchVibe HipHop Video: Classified, Anybody Listening

Best Director: Marianas Trench, Cross My Heart

Best Post-Production: Nickelback, Gotta Be Somebody

Best Cinematography: Bedouin Soundclash, Until We Burn Into the Sun (The Kids Just Want A Love Song)

VideoFACT Best Independent Video: The Midway State, Never Again

MuchMusic.com Most Watched Video: Girlicious, Like Me

UR Fave International Video of the Year: The Jonas Brothers, Burnin' Up

UR Fave New Artist of the Year: The Midway State, Never Again

UR Fave Video: Simple Plan, Save You

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition June 22, 2009 D2