There’s no business like Mobo business in Glasgow

FOR many reasons, the best way to enjoy the Mobos, actually, make that any awards ceremony, is on television: edited for time and pace, you don’t have to sit through the endless between-award lulls, the sound is crystal clear and the toilets are, generally, close to hand and clean.

And so to sit down to watch the Scottish Mobos – the Smobos? – with an estimated 250 million global viewing audience to partake in a shared experience: Glasgow again?

The last time the Mobos wagon rolled into Scotland’s biggest city two years ago, there was a general reaction of bemused disbelief.

Opening the show this time, singer Jessie J gave it her all – having apparently hit the stage in just her t-shirt, knickers and combat boots, pursued by a bunch of street kids – to belt out a suitably aggressive Do It Like a Dude.

Actually, given that Jessie suffered a grievous injury falling off stage in May, it was a miracle to see her moving without the aid of crutches, but this was her evening, scooping four trophies.

Taking time off from her day job judging ballroom dancing Alesha Dixon was joined by US singer Jason Derulo as hosts – hanging on to their autocue scripts for dear life.

But rappers Dappy of N-Dubz and Tinchy Stryder seemed to be everywhere, providing the strangulated, awkward backstage skits and interviews, collecting trophies and storming the stage.

The strongest performance of the evening had to go to rapper Wretch 32, whose raw version of Traktor with minimal glitz – well, a bunch of drummer girls but that in the context of the evening, it was a comparatively sparse performance – drew a great reaction.

But amongst all the high gloss glam and heavy jewellery there was a really touching tribute to Amy Winehouse by the late singer’s goddaughter Dionne Bromfield, singing Love is Losing Game.