Activision took over the Staples Center Monday with its pre-E3 extravaganza that delivered plenty of firepower from artists with songs in its upcoming games.
A roster of video game industry types mixed with Hollywood celebs like Seth Green and Vanessa Hudgens, perpetual partymistress Paris Hilton and former NBA player/now announcer Jalen Rose.
Rose was front and center on the floor of Staples when Usher opened the live performances with four songs including Yeah and OMG, joined by will.i.am.
Also on the bill: Pharrell Williams and N.E.R.D.; DJ David Guetta.
Other highlights:
— Tool lead singer James Maynard Keenan sang Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody as video from the Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock played in background. A choir joined him onstage for much of the song.
— An orchestra backed Soundgarden lead singer Chris Cornell who performed Black Hole Sun.
— The reformed Jane’s Addiction fronted by Perry Farrell with Dave Navarro and Duff McKagan on guitars played Been Caught Stealin’ and Mountain Song.
— A world champion pole dancer did a captivating performance on a three-story pole.
For the finale, Call of Duty: Black Ops footage played on the big screen, then there was an explosion of fireworks, blasts of fire and other pyrotechnics to augment the onscreen helicopter fight.
One final blast and, boom, headliner Eminem took the stage to play songs old and new.
A fine musical kickoff to E3.
