An annual package tour of the must sees and might bes, the NME Awards Tour is about as far removed from red carpet glamour as you can get...
Like a Radio One roadshow for the next generation of indie kids, it showcases artists at the sharp end of the music scene, usually throwing in a few offerings from left field to keep us all on our toes.
The bill for the prestigious tour is specially selected each year by NME magazine, and this year The Cribs were supported by art-rockers Joe Lean & The Jing Jang Jong, Does It Offend You, Yeah? and The Ting-Tings.
Interestingly, it is traditionally often it is the acts placed lower down the bill - including in recent years Arctic Monkeys and the Kaiser Chiefs - who have gone on to the biggest success.
The opening slot, which in the past has helped launch bands like Coldplay and Franz Ferdinand, went to Manchester electro rock duo The Ting Tings, hotly followed by the equally rubbish-named Does It Offend You, Yeah?.
But the name on everyone’s lips was arty pop outfit Joe Lean and The Jing Jang Jong, whose melancholy harmonies and lyrics of longing shone out, despite a decidedly wonky sound set-up.
Singles Lucio Starts Fires and Lonely Buoy saw the mosh-pit kick into gear, accompanied by an airborne cascade of beer.
Others were less familiar, but then again, they still haven’t had an album out so that can’t be too much of a surprise.
And the final act of the night was The Cribs, three hard-living Yorkshire brothers who gave up work in their dad’s napkin factory to pursue the rock’n’roll dream. Frequently injuring themselves in the line of duty, they had their fans out in force.
They’re certainly becoming adept at working the crowd, shown by the tremendous surge to the front arm waving antics of the assembled adoring indie kids.
As a barometer of the current indie hopefuls rising to the top, this year’s NME Awards show demonstrates that while we’re not at pressure-cooker point yet, the scene is bubbling up to perfection...