The NME AWARDS TOUR took over the VIRGIN MEGASTORE in LONDON’s OXFORD STREET this afternoon (February 9), with hundreds of fans flocking to meet their heroes.
The triumphant 12-date tour, which comes to a close at London Astoria tonight, has been hailed as one of the best yet, with Interpol, The Thrills, The Datsuns and the mighty Polyphonic Spree spreading the word the length and breadth of the country.
At this afternoon’s four-hour instore shebang, Interpol played in front of 400 fans, many of whom were sporting the New Yorkers’ slick noir fashion. The band played a half-hour set, before settling down to meet around 200 devotees at a signing session, where some of their younger female followers were visibly trembling with the excitement of having come face to face with their idols.
Next up, The Thrills played a chirpy three-song set including their signature ‘Santa Cruz’ track, getting an enthusiastically warm welcome from the audience assembled in the basement, before it taking their turn at the signing desk.
Sadly, the practicalities of space – being unable to squash 25 robe-clad happy-clappers on the compact megastore stage – meant that Polyphonic Spree couldn’t do a live set. But while time limitations didn’t allow The Datsuns to play live either, they rounded off the afternoon’s signing sessions, with hundreds of fans hanging on to see them in the flesh. An air of real excitement had built to a palpable buzz by the time they appeared at 4pm, and some fans who had been excitedly trailing Christian around the store earlier were nearing fever-pitch by the time their turn came to meet the New Zealanders.
The four bands take the stage for the sold-out show at the Astoria, kicking off at 6.30pm tonight.