One Direction on stage with Chris Evans and Fearne Cotton at the BBC Music Awards (Photograph: Guy Levy/BBC)
The second year of the BBC Music Awards was hosted by Fearne Cotton and Chris Evans and featured an eclectic mix of music, covering generations and different musical genres, from classic dance anthems of Faithless to the modern Afro-beats of Omi.
The demographic of the crowd definitely reflected the music, with the stands shaking from what looked like 30 plus year olds raving to Faithless, the pre-teens (and secretly, some of the parents) getting excited by One Direction and Little Mix, then lastly the over-50’s singing along to Rod Stewarts classics.
Music legend Rod Stewart performs in Birmingham at the BBC Music Awards 2015 (Photograph: Guy Levy)
This was one of their last performances before their hiatus, and still as popular as ever, the crowd erupted into cheers and every mention of their names and glimpse of them on the screens.
Artist Omi performs with a beach-theme on stage, at the BBC Music Awards (Photograph: Sarah Jeynes)
Surprises for the crowd came during many of the performances with Omi’s beach-themed set, releasing a number of beach balls that were left to bounce around the crowd, a confetti cannon at the end of Little Mix’s performance; and fireworks that shook many in the crowd during Rod Stewarts performance.
Maxi Jazz of Faithless performs at the BBC Music Awards in Birmingham (Photograph: Sarah Jeynes/BBC)
Girlband Little Mix on stage at the Genting Arena in Birmingham for the BBC Music Awards (Photograph: Guy Levy/BBC)
Keeping it local, the Artist of the Year award was presented by Birmingham’s very own Citizen Khan, Adil Ray, who greet Chris Evans with an “As-Salaam-Alaikum”, telling the crowd how much Muslims love One Direction and insisting the legend Rod Stewart (whose career has spanned 4 decades) could be Pakistani as he ‘never stops working’.
So I met @NiallOfficial from #onedirection at #bbcmusicawards #1d he going to be in my show #citizenkhan #NiallHoran pic.twitter.com/bZv1Cp2j0e
— Mr Khan (@therealmrkhan) December 10, 2015
Khan also made reference to Chris Evans giving other minorities such as “Ainsley Harriot, correction… Lenny Henry, a chance”.
Different to many other pop music awards, a section was dedicated to some of music stars lost over the past year, including Cilla Black, Ben E King and Joy Beverley.
Newcomer Jack Garrett electrifies the crowd at the BBC Music Awards (Photographer: Guy Levy/BBC)
Newcomer Jack Garrett performed in one of his first theatre performances, electrifying the crowd, and putting so much into his one many band performance, that it left him short of breath by the end of his piece.
All in all, a great second BBC Music Awards, great line up, great staging and sound; and something for nearly everyone.
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Davina James
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