The 2006 Vodafone Live Music Awards

It's hard to imagine a more perfect venue for the inaugural Vodafone Live Music Awards than the legendary Roundhouse in Camden

A building that's played host to the likes of Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd seems a fitting altar on which to worship live music, and everything that goes with it. As the event's compere, the spectacularly un-PC Chris Moyles (most of whose jokes had to be edited out of the ‘as-live' broadcast on Channel 4), puts it: "We're not here to celebrate any of your miming, lip-syncing rubbish – but the sweat, the stage-diving and the guitar smashing of real, live music." And to prove the awards' down and dirty credentials, squeezed between the high profile accolades, there's even one for 'best roadie' (won by Primal Scream's topless, heavily tattooed gear shifter, 'Fatty').

But first, let's rewind. At 6pm on a crisp autumn evening, a succession of swish cars is pulling up to the red carpet leading inside and, amid a blaze of flashing paparazzi bulbs, the (surprisingly early) Dirty Pretty Things are chatting to reporters. A newly bobbed Aleisha Dixon (ex Mystique babe, whose solo career is flying high) sashays in, wearing a cute green mini-dress, Avid Merrion fleetingly baffles everyone by shambling out of his car as a scarily convincing fat Russell Brand (neckbrace snug under a trade-mark Brand silk scarf), and the newly reformed Take That prove they still have the power to make the girls scream as they stop to wave at fans and beam at the cameras.

Inside, you might expect it to be wall-to-wall rock 'n' roll royalty and polished popstrels quaffing canapés and champagne – with fans lucky enough to have bought over-priced tickets tucked away in the back. But the ever charming Chris Moyles puts that one straight immediately: "I hear your tickets were free…" he announces to the excitable crowd pressed up against the stage, "…you tight b******s!"

Between awards (the first, and most coveted of which goes to Muse, for Best Live Act – and if you've seen one of the trio's mind-blowing stage shows recently, you'll understand why) the night is peppered with the sort of electrifying performances you'd expect from bands headlining their own gigs. Razorlight, who turn out to be band of the evening (pocketing two awards, for Live Impact and Live DVD) kick off. Johnny Borrell, head to toe in white, oozes his usual rock god arrogance as the band performs their recent hit, ‘America'. Since the band's exclusive Vodafone Live show on Brighton Beach back in the summer, this tune has become something of an anthem, surging to Number 1 in the singles chart last weekend.

Maximo Park, complete with a new, roughed up image for the usually neekish singer Paul Smith (messy hair and a trilby – unofficial headgear of the night) treat us to trademark scissor jumps and a lot of dashing about the stage; the Automatic, performing crowd-rousing hit, ‘Monster', unusually, refrain from destroying the set, though keyboardist Alex Pennie does nearly fall off the stage while clambering over a monitor. And then – when the band scoops an award for XFM Live Breakthrough Act – he brilliantly wrestles presenter, Alex Zane, to the floor in gratitude. Carl Barât and the Dirty Pretty Things boys opt to play their reassuringly rowdy set from amid fellow VIPs at the top of the stairs instead of on stage.

Sadly, for guests of a certain age, Take That – who win Best Live Return award – don't perform, though we are indulged with swoonsome flashbacks and interviews with one-time superfans (including Alisha's Attic).

Meanwhile, up in the VIP area (no canapés, but free-flowing champagne – which the celebs are not shy about downing by the tumbler-full) it's air-kisses a-plenty. There's Sadie Frost chatting to Alex Zane, Queen's Brian May and his unfeasibly large hair looking suitably regal, Jo Whiley, My Chemical Romance, exuding neo-gothiness and, er, Jade from defunct boyband Damage, aka Mr Emma Bunton (trilby-ed up). Oh, and, in the loos, Girls Aloud (performing later) are having a panic because Sarah Harding's dropped her ear-piece down the toilet. Meanwhile, Boy George proves his rock ‘n' roll credentials backstage, hurling his pint glass at some passing hecklers and giving them a dose of their own medicine.

But all good things must come to an end and to round things off, Queen's Brian May and Roger Taylor present the final gong of the night – the Freddie Mercury Lifetime Achievement in Live Music Award – which goes to decade-spanning Brit rock legends, The Who. Various younger bands pay tribute: "I probably owe Pete my arm swing," acknowledges Muse's Matt Bellamy; "They've influenced pretty much everyone," say the Dirty Pretty Things; "Footage of their shows is just a fraction of actually seeing them live," says Beck.

"As a student," concludes Roger Taylor, "I saw them perform in this very hall… Tremendous edge and power: everything rock ‘n' roll should be." And long may that sentiment be celebrated at many more nights like tonight.

See the winners