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NME Awards 09

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NME Awards 09

As usual, this year’s NME Awards was a mixture of the great, the good, the drunk and the annoying, all presented by a once great title currently struggling to be all things to all (younger and younger) people. One look at the winners gives a clue to just how un-alternative the 2009 notion of alternative music really can be with Kings Of Leon, The Killers, Muse (best live act yet again) and MGMT picking up the main prizes. Spot the difference between this and the Brits and quite probably the Meteors? No, neither can we.

The night wasn’t without its bizarre moments. Peter Doherty (fast becoming one of our favourite people) kept hugging Carl Barat before pointing out that receiving the award for the best solo performer was a bit premature given that he hadn’t released anything, Dizzee Rascal stage dived award in hand, Noel Fielding again caused us to wonder how such a funny man can be in such a deeply unfunny TV show and Oasis were roundly booed for winning best British band. What a funny old world.

Yet it was the live performance that for once lifted the whole thing out of the realms of curio. The much heralded Damon Albarn / Graham Coxon reunion was sweet but, let’s face it, a bit wobbly – as was the Franz Ferdinand and La Roux collaboration. Far far better were Friendly Fires and their samba dancers, the stately Elbow, an amazing Glasvegas and Florence doing an Elvis classic and The Cure’s fiery closing set.

Enjoy it all here in handy bite sized chunks…..

Elbow

Franz Ferdinand & La Roux

Glasvegas & Florence

Friendly Fires

Damon Albarn & Graham Coxon

The Cure

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  • http://sweetoblivionlovesmusic.blogspot.com sweet

    Phil – agree with almost everything there except “an amazing Glasvegas and Florence doing an Elvis classic” – to my poor ears it was an abomination! Florence has a fantastic voice, but the whole thing just didn’t work. It was like a funeral dirge, plodding along with the two of them singing out of tune over it. Terrible.

    “Noel Fielding again caused us to wonder how such a funny man can be in such a deeply unfunny TV show” – hey, series 3 was terrible indeed (it was practically written as they filmed it, and edited in a few days, not a good recipe) but get back to the early stuff (typical ;) ) for some comedy gold, seriously.

  • http://www.state.ie Phil Udell

    The Glasvegas thing starts off awfully I grant you, but I did think that it really took off. And I just don’t get the whole Boosh thing I’m afraid but maybe I’m missing something.

    No arguments on Blur not being very good then?

  • http://sweetoblivionlovesmusic.blogspot.com sweet

    No argument there – whilst it was great to see Albarn and Coxon together on stage, the vocals were very shaky. Perhaps they didn’t do much rehearsals, if any, but it was hardly polished. Hopefully they’ll have tightened things up by the time they do the big gigs this summer….

    As for the Boosh, it is an acquired taste alright – it takes a few episodes before it starts to click. I remember when I first started watching it, ‘Electro’ from series 1 was the one that made me think ‘aha! NOW I get it!’ The intro is fantastic.

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/strangelove1981 Aaron

    Suspicious Minds didn’t wash well with me either and I like Glasvegas & don’t mind Florence though I haven’t bought into the hype yet till I hear more and/or see her live.
    Franz do a great version of Call Me on the Warchild record but La Roux… WTF?? She ruins it here.

  • http://www.myspace.com/lpxireland Leigh O’Gorman

    the word “vacuous” comes to mind

  • http://www.thehappinessmachine.blogspot.com ChrisNoise

    Elbow with orchestra freakin’ amazing. Haven’t hear much of Glasvegas but I like the idea of turning Elvis into a short of shoegazy rock track but the execution left a little to be desired in the form of drums and vocals. As for The Cure they are just infallible in my eyes…

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