Ida Maria @ The Garage, 13 Feb

NME Awards gigs are usually more about observing the posing specimens in the crowd than whoever is on stage, but then these shows rarely feature performers as utterly fascinating as Ida Maria. From the moment she stumbles onstage and thumps out a few ramshackle drum fills, it’s clear she’s not exactly sober. Her between-song ramblings cover such subjects as how masturbation would keep God happy, she drains a bottle of wine during Keep Me Warm, and then proceeds to snog her guitarist for five solid minutes. Yet somehow, this makes for a great gig. Her band does a stellar job of reigning in the chaos, and while she barely hits a note (Queen Of The World and the throat-shredding Stella are almost difficult to listen to), she throws her heart and soul into every single moment. Maria might not be the most coherent singer, but she certainly knows how to pull off an unforgettable performance. [Heather Crumley]