Mobo Awards 2013: Stars flock to Glasgow Hydro

SOME of the biggest names in the music world flocked to Glasgow as the city’s £125 million concert arena played host to its first major awards ceremony.

Winners on the night included soul singer Laura Mvula and rapper Tinnie Tempah. Pictures: Getty

Tinie Tempah, Ms Dynamite, Rudimental, Laura Mvula, Naughty Boy, So Solid Crew and Iggy Izalea were among the acts to take the stage at the Hydro for the MOBO Awards.

Other stars to grace the event - the biggest awards ceremony ever staged in the city - included Craig David, Kimberley Wyatt, Gabrielle, Jazzie B, Labrinth, Alexandra Burke and Diversity frontman Ashley Banjo.

Earlier in the evening, the stars - many of them dressed for much warmer conditions - had to be brave torrential rain on the red carpet on their way into the VIP pre-event reception at the SECC, with hundreds of screaming fans waiting waiting to welcome them.

DJs Trevor Nelson and Sarah-Jane Crawford hosted the two-and-a-half hour spectacular - which featured everything from pyrotechnics, acrobatics, showgirl dance troupes and carnival dancers to a fairground scene.

However the Hydro was well short of its 13,000 capacity, with several swathes of the venue unused and sealed off by large black screens to disguise the empty seats for TV coverage.

Tickets for the main arena, priced from £25-£49, were still on sale at the Hydro box office before the event. It is understood VIP packages costing up to £4500-a-table failed to sell out.

The big winners on the night included English soul singer Laura Mvula, with the 27-year-old winning the coveted best female award, as well as best soul/R&B award.

English rapper Wylie, known as “the godfather of grime,” was named best male act, with fellow Londoner Tinie Tempah picking up the UK hip hop award.

Summer hit La La La, by Shahid Khan, aka Naughty Boy, which was one of the fastest selling songs of the year, won the MOBOs for both best song and best video.

MOBOs founder Kanya King said: “It has been an exciting road this year that has seen artists both new and established demonstrate their worth and talent.

“For us at MOBO, the awards are about recognising the exciting and inspiring artists out there and giving them a platform to perform on.

“This year has been a great representation of the wealth of talent MOBO music has to offer. It’s an amazing industry to work in and we love being at the forefront honouring the past and supporting the future.”

Among the highlights of the live show in Glasgow were Tinie Tempah’s appearance at the top of the show, a special collaboration between Ms Dynamite and Shy FX, a Las Vegas-style routine from Australian rap star Iggy Azalea and Rudimental’s tribute to the Fugees, double award-winners at the first MOBOs in 1996.

The event was rounded off by the long-running garage and hip hop group So Solid Crew, performing their iconic number one hit 21 Seconds.

The MOBOs, now in its 18th year, is renowned for helping to elevate the careers of up-and-coming acts, with Amy Winehouse, Emeli Sande and Rita Ora among those to wow audiences in previous years.

The Hydro - which bosses expect to stage around 140 shows a year - was hosting the MOBOS, one of the biggest in the UK’s music industry calendar, less than a month after it was completed.

Veteran rocker Rod Stewart staged the first gig there at the end of September after months of uncertainty over whether it would be ready on time, with building work dramatically halted by a blaze at the complex in June.

The MOBO Awards, which recognise “music of black origin,” were being held in Glasgow for the third time after the successful staging of the event at the nearby SECC, most recently in 2011.

It is hoped the exposure from this year’s event, which is broadcast on TV to more than countries around the world will help the Hydro secure major music industry events for the first time - including the Brits and the MTV Europe Music Awards, neither of which have previously been staged in the city.

The MOBOs are already booked to return to the Hydro in 2015 under a deal which has seen the event partially bankrolled by the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise, EventScotland and the Glasgow City Marketing Bureau. It is also lined up as a major venue for next year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

City council leader Gordon Matheson said: “This is another fantastic achievement for the city to be able to attract the MOBOs for a third time.

“As a UNESCO City of Music, Glasgow enjoys an enviable reputation as one of the world’s top music cities and we’re home to the best audiences for music events in the UK, which is why shows likes the MOBOs want to come here.

“Hosting the MOBOs is a fantastic endorsement of the city’s ability to successfully deliver major music events and demonstrates increasing recognition by event organisers that coming to Glasgow will enhance their brand on the world stage.”

Paul Bush, chief executive of EventScotland, added: “Glasgow is known globally as a city of great style and great music, and this reputation was enhanced by hosting the MOBOs in 2009 and 2011.

“Scotland is the perfect stage for events and the awards boost our international reputation through their ever-increasing profile and broadcast reach. With this year’s event taking place in the Hydro that promises to be bigger and better than ever.”

Full list of winners

Best African Act – Fuse ODG

Best Album – ‘Home’, Rudimental

Best Female in association with Tresor Paris – Laura Mvula

Best Gospel – Lurine Cato

Best International Act – Kendrick Lamar

Best Jazz – Sons of Kemet

Best Male – Wiley

Best Newcomer in association with HTC – Krept & Konan

Best Reggae Act – Sean Paul

Best RnB/Soul Act – Laura Mvula

Best Song in association with PRSforMusic – ‘La La La’, Naughty Boy

Best UK Hip Hop/Grime - Tinie Tempah

Best Video in association with SBTV - ‘La La La’, Naughty Boy

Be MOBO – Stephen Lawrence Trust