Will MTV Awards Be Tamer?

If there is an awards show that taps the pop culture pulse of youth, it’s the MTV Video Music Awards, which is gloriously gaudy, irreverent, snarky and about as loud and fun as a staged television special will allow.

But tonight’s edition (originating from Radio City Music Hall at 8 p.m.) may sneak in a little somber maturity, even with funny man Jimmy Fallon as host.

Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band will bring a different kind of backstreets to the channel’s flagship awards show, which is usually geared more toward teen tastes. Considering the Manhattan setting, the looming anniversary of the terrorist attacks and the fact that Springsteen’s new album is a poignant, at times wrenching, record of post-Sept. 11 America, there’s a good chance the show’s usual vibe will be tamed down a bit.

But for those looking for escapism, the night promises an intriguing rock moment of a lighter variety: The Vines and the Hives, two of the buzz bands that have kids talking about guitars instead of turntables, will both perform, marking the first time they have shared a stage. The Vines, an Australian band with chaotic intensity, and the Hives, cocky Swedes with a playful sneer, may not be the saviors of rock, but they sure are ... well, fun.