BY NOW the eagle-eyed among you will presumably have noticed that the drama
– or, more accurately, the brief period of mild curiosity – surrounding the
bill for the Q Awards Launch Night is now at end.

So let me, like some sort of echo, merely reiterate here that, on the
evening of 12 September, Manic Street Preachers, Athlete, Kate Nash, Cherry
Ghost and O2 Undiscovered gent Eoghan Colgan (bless you!) will all grace the stage of Indigo2 at the O2, by way of opening the curtain on what we – and as yet no one else – fondly refer to as, ahem, the Q Awards season. As if
that little lot weren’t enough to whet the most demanding of appetites, and
to retain a soupcon of mystery, there’s still one further act to be
confirmed. British, very much Q approved, likely to prove popular.

And… there’s more. Oh yes. A limited number of lucky ticket holders will be
allowed to loiter around the Indigo2 with intent once the Manics have done
their thing, because no less a personage than Prince will also be gracing us
with his presence for an aftershow party that is likely to run into the very
small hours. Could it get any better?

Actually, it could. The Q Awards nominations will be announced for the very
first time on the night by – and here, alas, the drum roll comes to a
juddering halt – me. You may be non-plussed about this news; some of you
(the man, for example, who sent an email to BBC Radio 6’s Round Table when I
made my second appearance on the show, bemoaning the fact that – and I quote
from terrible memory – “the c**t from Q was back”) may even be indignant
about it. But none of you will have required a change of underwear upon
hearing about it, as I did. Unless the “c**t from Q” really does get to you,
that is.

Doing such things can be an ordeal. During my tenure as Editor of Kerrang!,
I recall the dread horror of being asked to interrupt one of London’s more
popular rock club nights – at the stroke of midnight – to stand alone on a
stage and read out the Kerrang! Awards nominations (see, we’re all at it).
Because, obviously, the 600 assembled metalheads – as we fondly referred to
them – wanted nothing more than to have their favourite Korn track
interrupted by a shifty looking bloke, who proceeded to read out a long,
long list of names for what seemed like a century. In no way surprisingly, I
went down as well as a fart in an astronaut’s suit.

Conservative estimates have it that 1500 folk will be gathered at Indigo2.
With the express purpose of watching popular beat combos perform on stage.
Should you be one of those ticket holders, I apologise in advance for, well,
for me.

What else can I tell you? Well, a couple of other artists of no little
repute have confirmed to attend the Q Awards on 8 October. Which is always
nice. So has our host. And – rejoice! – the good people at the Awards venue
of choice have let it be known that there’ll be an abundance of three-point
plugs on offer this year. Or something. So all in all, we’re happy little
campers. And long may it continue.

Short of a suitable – or indeed any – segue with which to look ahead to the
fifth of the awards categories you – yes, YOU! – have voted for, let us
simply take a sharp right turn into it. Best Act In The World Today (and
that’s ‘Today’ in a more general sense, rather than on 8 October, 2007
specifically) is one of the day’s most prestigious awards.

Notwithstanding that Best Act In The World is a far better garland to throw
around one’s neck than, say, Decent Indie Band From Yorkshire, it’s an award that bestows size and status upon the winners. Which in most years has meant that either U2 or Oasis or Radiohead were going to win. But – and be still my beating heart – 2007 may see a changing of the guard, if only because none of the aforementioned triumvirate of Very Fine Bands have noticeably done anything this year.

Hence, your 2007 shortlist may well take on a different look. Arctic
Monkeys, The Killers, Muse, Scissor Sisters, Kaiser Chiefs and – yea Gods,
whatever would it do to the J. Borrell ego?! – Razorlight could all be
contenders. The Foo Fighters’ mighty showing at the otherwise cack-handed
Live Earth affair may have reminded just enough people that they are a
proper big rock band to secure them a place on the list. Kula Shaker’s
impending reunion tour, by contrast, will probably amount to too little too
late, in the same predictable way as day following night. And U2 and Oasis
will assuredly still attract votes by the truckload.

A winner? Ooh, now you’re asking. I’ll see you an Arctic Monkeys and raise
you a Killers.

Till next time…

Paul Rees – Editor, Q