From dead heros to living legends, Sir Paul McCartney was on Michael Eavis table, the bloke with no hair, a trendy beard and a bloody big back garden which for three days a year is home to Glastonbury Festival which has won the best Live event for years and probably will do until the cows come home! We manage to have a quick chat with Macca at his table where he was getting on quite well with Pet Shop Boy Neil Tennent, who told us that we get into more events then he does - and you know what, he's right! The electo legends were there to honour New Order who, after picking up a well deserved Godlike Genius Award, performed four of their tracks on stage. Other live acts included Bloc Party, Kaiser Cheifs and The Bravery as well as accoustic sets by Graham Coxon & Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody.
The NME awards are growing every year and what used to be a small get-together each February called The Brats has now esculaeted into a mini Bit Awards ceremony. The event was televisied for MTV and Channel 4 and a full stage showed some of the newest and most promising live acts playing to a roomful of celebrity guests at tables. All of which had been nibbiling on a three course meal. Although one tale had Pot Noodles, this was a personal request from the Goldie Lookin' Chain. They guys told us that their current tour was a blast and they were heading down to Southampton the following day to play and then go drinking out on the town. Another table with sign of activity belonged to The Libertines. For those of you who don't your Libs to your Babyshambles allow us togive you a brief background. The Libertines have been around for a couple of years fronted by Carl Barat & Pete Docherty. Pete robbed Carl's house and was arrested, this was probably related to his drug addiction. Upon release the band became mates again, until Pete started going AWOL at various Libertine gigs, this, again, was related to his drug addiction. Pete was then kicked out the band and formed his new one called Bayshambles. All was going well in the Baby shambles camp, for a few days - then Pete didn't show up at a few gigs. He was recently involved in a fight at a hotel and is now on baill with a 10pm curfew over him. He hasn't spoken to Carl since and 'was' going to make an appearence tonight, but didn't. He did manage however to bed Kate Moss, which just goes to show that drug addiction isn't such a bad thing after all!
Because of Pete's reported attendence Carl took three minders with him - three more than McCartney! These guys looked pretty bloody dangerous. So straight after when we joked to Cral that we would put him on the guest list for the next Babyshambles gig we made a fairly quick exit, although luckily for us Carl and his minders saw the funny side. Somebody else we joked with were Saturday morning hosts Dick and Dom. The two lads presented an award and told us later that they had permission to swear from their agaent as long as they didn't say the word 'cunt'. They also confessed that they wanted to play a game of 'Bogie' using thhe C word. If you have no idea what the game 'Bogie' entails than you obvisouly not worthy of being a Bungerlowhead!
The stage this year was extremley impressive with a backdrop of somebody's lounge complete with a bookcase and a fire. Once the winners had accepted their trophey they entered a door which was part of the set and made their way upstairs to the press room. Also upstairs was the VIP balconey where other guests had a birds eye view of the ceremony.
The hosts of the night were comedians Nick Frost and Simon Pegg. Towards the end of the ceremony the comedy duo had to hand an award to new indie bad, 'The Others'. The said band have a reputation of playing gurellia gigs, their most famous being on the London Underground last year. Today a series of gurellia gigs had culminated in the 'NME Arms'. A converted pub right next to the Palias which allowed guests and competition winners to watch the awards on a large TV screen whist enjoying a few pints. Frost & Pegg raced round to the pub to give Dominic (the lead singer) their award and then returned to the Palias itself to scoop best film award for 'Shaun Of The Dead'. Another non-music award was won by 'Little Britain' for best TV Programme, we mange to catch up with Matt Lucas fresh from his Mark Owen impression last week at the Brit Awards. Lucas is busy rehearsing the forthcoming Little Britain tour later on this year with David Walliams.
After the last award was handed out the party started at two seperate venues. The main NME party took place at the Palais itself whist The Bravery held their own bash ten minutes walk away at a Workings Men club. Ending yet another fantastic NME Awards which John Peel, where ever he is would had been damned proud of.
SO, WHO WON ONE OF THOSE NME TROPHIES?
Best British Band – The Libertines
Godlike Genius Award – New Order
Best Album – Franz Ferdinand’s ‘Franz Ferdinand’
Best Event – Paul McCartney/Glastonbury 2004
Best Live Band – Muse
Best New Band – Razorlight
Best Solo Artist – Graham Coxon
Best Track – Franz Ferdinand’s ‘Take Me Out’
Best International Band – The Killers
The Phillip Hall Radar Award – Kaiser Chiefs
Best Video – Green Day’s ‘American Idiot’
Best Music DVD – Oasis’ ‘Definitely Maybe’
Best Film – ‘Shaun Of The Dead’
Best TV Show – ‘Little Britain’
Best Radio Show – Zane Lowe