All the talking points from tonight’s Brit Awards ceremony at London’s O2 Arena, from Kanye’s latest controversy to Madonna stacking it.
Thrills, spills and Lionel Ritchie getting down to Kanye – yes, this year’s Brit Awards had it all. Held at London’s O2 Arena, there wasn’t much in the way of surprise winners at this evening’s ceremony, but there were plenty of meaty talking points that no doubt will have the nation’s jaws flapping at work tomorrow. Here’s what you might have missed.
Royal Blood
Flying the flag for big bruising stomp-rock a year after that Alex Turner speech at the 2014 Brits were Royal Blood. Frontman Mike Kerr wore a gold-trimmed leather jacket, no doubt a nod to the sparkling colour of his mum’s Worthing mantlepiece following last week’s NME Awards triumph. Aren’t they just so moody and mysterious?
Ant and Dec
Your nan’s favourite tea-time TV cheeky chappies Ant and Dec replaced James Corden as this year’s hosts. You’d think replacing a man roughly as popular as ISIS would give them a leg-up, but no: the pair were savaged on Twitter for their cringey dad jokes. HA HA HA! Kanye West has interrupted awards speeches a few times! HA HA HA! They literally made that joke three times.
Alt-J
Winsome art-pop polymaths Alt-J weren’t among tonight’s winners, but looked pretty fucking dapper in their tweed suits, skinny ties and oversized polka dot scarves that look a bit like the sleeve to that Animal Collective album, so here’s a photo of them anyway.
The War On Drugs
The War On Drugs woz robbed! Nominated for Best Album, the ‘Lost In The Dream’ swoon-rockers went home empty-handed tonight sadly. On the plus side though, they looked hella dope striding down the red carpet in their dashing suits and rugged manes of hair. We still love you, War On Drugs.
FKA Twigs
British Female Solo Artist nominee FKA Twigs also made her way down to the O2. Here she is on the red carpet, by the looks of it coming to grips with the fact she’s about to lose out to Paloma bleedin’ Faith.
Taylor Swift
After a weird introductory skit in which Ant and Dec’s heads were served on silver platters (answers on a postcard if you have any idea what that was all about), International Female Solo winner Taylor Swift booted onstage to perform ‘Blank Space’ flanked by dancers dressed like Alex from A Clockwork Orange if he worked in Ikea, assembling flat-pack furniture for old people.
Ed Sheeran
No surprise here: having released 2014’s best-selling UK album, Ed Sheeran was the night’s big winner, collecting British Album of the Year and Best British Male Solo Artist (from Gladiator himself, Russell Crowe). He later hopped back onstage to perform a track.
Kanye West
Fuelled by a cheeky trip to Nando’s, Kanye West performed a brand new track, ‘All Day’, joined by a tonne of flamethrower-flaunting grime artists. Unfortunately, the song proved a bit too sweary for the prudes at ITV who censored the song into oblivion, to the point where no one was able to hear what it sounded like. Thanks ITV.
Royal Blood
Here’s Royal Blood thundering through a rendition of ‘Figure It Out’ – a track they played at last week’s NME Awards. This time though, they were accompanied by a retina-scarring laser show. Chill out Brits, it’s not a competition, stop trying to outdo us, yeah?
Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page presented Royal Blood with their prize for Best British Band. He’s spending so much time with them these days you’d think he’s trying to edge into the band. “You know fellas, you could really do with a guitarist. If only I knew one…”
Sam Smith
Sam Smith had a busy night too. Having won last year’s Critics’ Choice prize, he picked up the Brits Global Success Award and British Breakthrough Act this time around, and also performed. The poor dude barely had a minute to rest the entire night, he was up and down to the stage so often.
George Ezra
Here’s gravel-voiced folk charmer George Ezra doing his thing onstage, after awards for Pharrell Williams (International Male Solo Artist) and Foo Fighters (International Group). Quite nice it was, too.
Take That
Take That also performed, but my dear old mum taught me if I don’t have anything nice to say, not to say anything at all, so let’s just leave this caption here shall we.
Paloma Faith
Paloma Faith won Best British Female Artist, and was subsequently drenched when it pissed it down during her performance. Might want to trade that award for an umbrella, Pal.
Mark Ronson
Mark Ronson picked up his award for British Single (for ‘Uptown Funk’, duh) from Lionel Ritchie. Hope he parties “aaaaalllll niiiiiiiight loooooong (all night!)” to celebrate.
Madonna
The unofficial award for Best Wipeout of the night goes, undoubtedly, to Madonna, whose closing performance was marred by an unfortunate incident involving her cape, a stack of stairs and gravity. She’s since taken to Instagram to insist she’s okay. What was it you sang in ‘Like A Prayer’ again, Madge? “I close my eyes, Oh God I think I’m falling”?
