NME AWARDS 2007 LAUNCH NIGHT, LONDON INDIGO2

Read the article on channel 4 music here...

With Take That rocking out next door in the mindzone (or whatever it's now called) of the Millennium Dome (or whatever it's now called) there are some jealous glances over the hall as we are forced to head into the little IndigO2 (this IS what it's called) for the launch of the NME Awards. The IndigO2 is not your average venue: housed in one corner of the Dome's enormity, it feels like the room set aside for roller-discos at your local sports centre, writes Harold Shiel.

Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong stumble through a quick set that suffers from the lack of character in Joe Lean's voice, but they look pretty cool.

Whispers that something is missing filter through to our ears just at the same time as presenter George Lamb announces that the surprise headliners "might be Babyshambles!" (woop woop, cheer cheer). It turns out the whispers are facts; ol' Dead Eyes Doherty has pulled not a guitar, but a snotty tissue, from his pork-pie hat and cried off sick.

The Wombats take the stage, and the crowd by the scruff of the neck and turn up the pace with wonderful jangle pop. A kind of Busted for the cool kids. Singer Murph leads them through triumphant favourites 'Moving To New York' and 'Kill The Director', and a whirlwind set is extended to include 'Let's Dance To Joy Division'.

The biggest cheer of the night is saved for Jamie. Not heard of him? Jamie is the Babyshambles fan that their long-suffering bassist Drew McConnell dragged out of the crowd to play and sing and great rendition of 'Carry On Up The Morning', in a remarkably accurate Pete voice.

Drew and drummer Adam Ficek bravely played a set that included covers of 'Janie Jones' by The Clash and (Nirvana favourite) 'Molly's Lips' by The Vaselines, joined by Josh Hubbard from the Paddingtons.

We guess this means there'll be no more cancelled 'Shambles gigs now the band have a sub on the bench.