The Q Awards shook off some of the criticism traditionally directed towards it for being a bastion of male, pale and stale guitar rock by announcing a number of surprising winners at its 2018 ceremony last night – including new punk acts IDLES and Goat Girl.

The Best Breakthrough Act was shared by the two groups after voting became too close to pick an outright winner between them.

Comedian Mo Gilligan presented the gongs on Wednesday night (October 17th) at the iconic music venue the Roundhouse in north London.

Other awards went to young female duo Let’s Eat Grandma for Best Album for their excellent sophomore effort I’m All Ears, while Underworld and Iggy Pop took home Best Track for ‘Bells & Circles'. Mike Skinner’s The Streets picked up the Innovation in Sound gong, and Mercury Prize winners Wolf Alice won the prize for Best Live Act before performing in front of a VIP crowd.

Chic hero Nile Rogers was honoured with the Q Legend award, while Ian McCulloch of Echo & The Bunnymen was named an icon and Suede frontman Brett Anderson received the Q Lifetime Achievement Award.

However, this being the Q Awards, the primary winner of the evening unsurprisingly was Noel Gallagher. The 51 year old took home the gongs for Best Solo Artist and for Outstanding Contribution to Music, as he celebrated with his wife Sara MacDonald and friend Matt Smith.

The Kinks icon Ray Davies picked up the Q Classic Album award for the band's sixth studio album, The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society, and Paul Weller, currently promoting a brand new studio album at the age of 60 and with no signs of slowing down, won Best Act in the World Today.

U2’s Bono, Jess Glynne, Professor Green, Jarvis Cocker, Shaun Ryder and Roger Daltrey were among those presenting the awards.

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