Access All Areas at the VO5 NME Awards 2018

Taking one last wander around the now deserted VIP tables is rewarding. Beverages of every kind sipped by none other than Naomi Campbell, Liam Gallagher, J Hus, Haim, Professor Green, Skepta, Muse and more need finishing. The role of a 'runner' has taken its tole on a pair of feet who have covered 4.5 miles in one night across the South London venue holding NME's most important event to date. On exit from the Brixton Academy, it is easy to take in the scale of an event which has broadened NME's appeal to new audiences online and on the very tables they have provided for.

Rewind to the hours of construction, bossing and then bombardment of Liam Gallagher's rider and you would think that NME are putting on the biggest show in their near seven decade history. The awards ceremony has always been a finishing touch to gratify those who have become in-house favourites of the magazine. The dozens of sponsors who have heavily contributed to the funding of tonights splendour have a noticeable but not over-dominant presence. Par the sticky VO5 hairspray products littered on every corner.

Brixton O2 Academy provides the perfect charm. From the immaculate Red Carpet entourage to the three tiers of VIP tables, it flows beautifully. The endless rat runs to backstage are flowing with adrenaline, from the secretive Green Room to the freezing concrete Production Area, where the NME Editorial are sat in for eight hours of intensely solid work. SD cards are stacked in towers, uploads are processed by the second for a ceremony that is just kicking off.

'Dated' is one word that usually leaps to mind with awards ceremonies; awkward jokes, sexist slurs and the odd catastrophe just become expected. Yet the atmosphere back and front stage of the NME Awards couldn't have been further away. Management, PR and the general wankery of the music industry were kept in their own happy quarter leaving all the focus to shift towards empowerment.

Big Narstie with Loyle Carner after presenting him with Best Solo Artist.
Jordan Hughes/NME

Compared to its peers such as the Brits, Grammy's or Q Awards, NME has the benefit of reputation that sticks to all artists who knew the magazines style; NME would go down with a band into the gutter and emerge with an unbeatable intimacy of reporting. Not forgetting some iconic photography. A tone of respect is prevalent between both parties artists and Journalists from the get-go. Big Narstie doesn't floor me when I abruptly barge into him whilst both Skepta and Stefflon Don just about tolerate using me as an escort to get back to their tables.

The range of awards helps shift the focus on to the creators rather than labels and the rest of the music business swamp. 'Best Small Festival' and 'NME Icon' gives voice to those in the music industry who urgently deserve it, and they don't bother with the typical 'Best Female' and 'Best Male' . Everyone is a creative artist not a gender. This was perhaps best introduced by the winners of 'Best International Band' Haim.

The three sisters galloped onto the stage as absolute worthy winners, with exquisite performances over the past year at Glastonbury and worldwide tour of second album 'Something To Tell You.' Bassist and Vocalist, Este Haim in typical fashion, sets the tone of the night.

"To anyone who identifies as a girl whenever you walk into a guitar shop or a soundcheck or a recording studio don't let anyone there intimidate you or make you feel like you don't belong because you DO belong there."

Haim accepting Best International Band.
Andy Ford/NME

The feeling of inclusivity for all parties of the music industry from whatever role, whatever gender or race was particularly strong in comparison to other ceremonies. Skepta thanked Boy Better Know's female members in management and support of partners for making the grime collective successful, rebranding themselves 'Girl Better Know'. Presenter of the NME Innovation Award, Annie Mac, stated BBK as having "100% Authenticity" when it came to representing the game-changing genre of Grime.

The NME Icon award is the unique selling point of this year's ceremony, unlike Liam Gallagher's 'Godlike Genius' award, it is less ego fuelled. The 'NME Icon' is rightfully the lengthiest feature of the ceremony. A gutsy video montage was presented of Shirley Manson and Garbage tearing up the stage more than any of the live performances. A certain aura surrounded Manson's table, with both Faris Badwan of the Horrors and Manson excitedly exchanging conversation before standing to receive her award. Certainly the highlight of the night, a unification of women in music couldn't be better presented by the tres chic Jehnny Beth of Savages.

"Shirley herself designed an aesthetic, an attitude for women who felt different about themselves in the world. An inspiration to push open the doors that were usually slammed shut."

Despite the huge success of Garbage as defining the sound of a 90s Rock band, Beth continues that "Fame has not changed Shirley, it has not changed her beliefs and by god it hasn't even changed her accent."

The introduction of the NME Icon Award certainly gave the ceremony a better focus towards talent rather than a cooperate aspect, musicians appreciating other musicians. The room was at its most silent as Jehnny Beth addressed a worldwide audience.

"I hope this marks the beginning of an era for music journalism and beyond, where women can enjoy long careers and remain as vivid and as relevant today as when the world first recognised them."

NME Icon Award Winner Shirley Manson with Jehnny Beth.
Dean Chalkley

Words from the icon herself, Shirley Manson, are equally endearing. It set a tone for the remainder of the night that this is not just an award ceremony, this is a celebration of continuing to do what we do, whatever role as a woman you are in the music industry. Manson remarked that "any decent person" would find the past 12 months shocking in terms of the devastating reports of sexual abuse. None of the speeches made by tonights winners related to women as victims. Instead to reinforce the will to pursue long and successful 35 year careers such as Manson, who described her NME award in its middle finger shape as something else "To stick up for me!"

Manson also used her Icon Award to also celebrate others; in Red Carpet interviews and on stage the she spoke of the importance of Journalism in her career, adding mutual respect with the NME team who had worked so hard to create the awards.

"I want to thank the writers who dedicate their lives to magnifying what we all do and who we all are in this room. Without music writers we'd all be a pretty sad bunch of people spending most of our days thinking that we're not good enough."

In summary, the award seems to idolise not just Manson but all who had been part of her success and continue to give a voice to those like herself, who change the music landscape for the better.

Rival awards ceremonies struggle with the same level of enjoyment. Perhaps not having the pressure of live TV channel broadcast, instead using social media live streams, makes the occasion less focused on perfect BBC/James Corden style production value which quite frankly, we're all very bored with. Presenter Huw Stephens has always brought a relaxed tone to the NME awards and is a big friendly face to many attending. Most importantly, there's a strong emphasis on the magazine and artists working hand in hand to celebrate a vitalising music industry.

Annie Mac presenting the NME Innovation Award to Boy Better Know.

What the awards ceremony achieved most, was to reinforce a believable support of artists not just for image, but for diversity and pure talent. After the publication's shift to a more commercial direction traditional NME fans, artist or reader, may have felt alienated for some time. From the moment of picking up a AAA pass to handing in the last camera SD card, the occasion legitimised what NME are now about. The whole night whether intentionally or not screamed 'LOOK AT WHAT WE CAN DO' , 'HOW FUCKING COOL WE STILL ARE" . Even in the production room there was a sense of overwhelming achievement among the editorial team. There was an utter between writers that this was the best one yet. The main reason being, NME has had the time to settle under its new image and has produced the goods.

Being the runner gave a unique experience, crossing the bridge between Journalists, Artists and Photographers. The showbiz element of the night was strong, but not artificial. It actually felt that artists were relaxed enough to be themselves which made the night's 'work' far from what you might expect.

And yes, the whole night weighed heavily on NME's old reputation of being what teenage Shirley Mansons and Naomi Campbells once indulged in all its heavy writing. Manson remarking on the red carpet that "There was so much power in the weekly publication," as she was growing up, where it was the only place to "See our heroes". There is no mention of the magazine's drastic changes; reducing meaty reviews and the famous 'radar' section, reporting from toilet venues to pick up on new talent. Yet when you look on at what the company have achieved since 2015 it's not the sort of nit-picking that you'd want to bring up. It's understandable; how many Indie Rock bands can you put on a front cover every week and still make profit? audiences change. This adaptation to new readers and genres hasn't always come easily, with Grime star Stormzy accusing NME of using him as a 'Poster Boy' for depression on their front cover.

To be perfectly honest, is the magazine still the forefront of what NME are about?

There is nothing nicer than to pick up a physical copy and read start to finish reviews, revelations and new releases. It is distressing that they are commercialising this aspect of the publication. However, NME.com is more user-friendly and interactive than ever. Online is now the easiest place for new artists to be heard, it is also the easiest place to promote and stream the award ceremony to millions. They are one of the main sources for entertainment news in the UK with approx 12 million global users a month and a 30 million social network reach. Statistics that they proudly projected at the start of the ceremony. It was a quality example of self-promotion, any advertiser would drool over NME's effort to showcase themselves still as a major multi-media establishment. Out of an uncertain future a few years ago, it's easier to comprehend the changes they have had to make. The ceremony boasted a very strong unification with Artists, Photographers, Journalists and all other NME Staff to celebrate the diversity of today's industry.