The stage is set. The iTunes playlist of twelve amazing British pop tunes has been synchronised with a portable media playing device. The invited judges are choosing what to wear and, more importantly, how to get to the venue if the tubes are still in a state of being tits up by the time this evening comes around. Whatever mode of transport is chosen by 11pm tonight the best British pop single of the last twelve months will have been decided and a crisp twenty pound note will be on its way to the winner.Those nominations in full:‘Bad Boys’ by Alexandra Burke‘One Touch’ by Mini Viva‘Left My Heart In Tokyo’ by Mini Viva‘Bittersweet’ by Sophie Ellis-Bextor‘I Won’t Kneel’ by Groove Armada‘Kickstarts’ by Example‘Wonderful Life’ by Hurts‘Real Late Starter’ by Nerina Pallot‘Never Leave You’ by Tinchy feat Amelle‘I Wish’ by Mini Viva‘Once’ by Diana Vickers‘I Am Not A Robot’ by Marina & The DiamondsAlso tonight, judges will choose the winner of the 2010 Popjustice Twenty Quid Invoice Prize (for the worst British pop single of the last twelve months - the winner of that one has to cough up a twenty).With tragic inevitability Twitter WILL be involved - @Popjustice's followers will be consulted during the evening and their votes may end up settling any arguments in the room. Keep watching the #twentyquid hashtag.More info over at the Twenty Quid Music Prize minisite at http://twentyquid.popjustice.com (#mce_temp_url#).

For the 2004 Twenty Quid Music Prize we produced a programme featuring, quite amazingly, interviews with each of the shortlisted acts.The interviews included Cheryl Cole, Brian Higgins, Rachel Stevens, Richard X, Keane, Will Young and Emma Bunton. (And Javine Hylton.)It was a lot of hard work for not much in the way of reward in that we only ended up printing about 150 of them, so we thought that with the 2010 Prize being held tonight it might be nice to make the 2004 programme downloadable. A few years on some of the interviews make for really interesting reading. We've done it as a PDF so you can print it out and read it at lunchtime if you fancy.Right click here to download the programme as a PDF.Amazing.

39vshft6UAI

"I asked several people in Paris, What can you say about New Zealand? 'It's small, it's clean, it's green.' These are the 3 things that most people know," says Catherine McMahon, owner of Kōkō, a boutique that will open in...

How amazing to be sitting stage right near the American Flag in front of several thousand people waiting for the red curtain to rise. I had given Terry a ticket but she went to the Tears for Fears concert in front of City Hall instead. Several friends kept texting me from the audience and I responded back. The two sign language interpreters came out and sat next to me. I introduced myself to them. Finally a video was projected on the movie screen high above the stage. From where I was seated the image was a thin sliver since the screen was right above me.The announcer introduced the Bach Festival choir who sang the Start Spangled Banner. I stood along with the interpreters and the entire audience faced the flag which was right beside me. The choir was amazing the song resonated in a way I have never felt it before. The signer in front of me was waving her hand like a flag and her hands sparked upwards and sprinkled down just like fireworks. Viewing the signing of this song was a new experience for me.The next act is when I started to sketch. Jugglers from La Nouba by Circue du Soleil came out and the balls were flying. I quickly caught the clownish character known as the Green Bird. According to the La Nouba website, "She has escaped her cage and desperately wants to fly. She can't fly away and join the circus. She is trapped in the urban world like a marionette with tangled strings." I was mesmerized by her quick angular movements.As the next acts came on the stage I continued to work on this sketch. I loved a performance where Tod Caviness read poetry while Emotions Dance performing behind him. I recognized one of the dancers from having sketched several Emotions Dance Rehearsals before. Sitting so close to them on the main stage was thrilling. Several times a dancer would charge right at me diagonally across the stage and I had to move my feet to avoid a collision. As they ran off stage whey were panting audibly and I could see the sweat on their brows. These intimate details aren't always seen from the audience.The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra's Sovereign Brass performed lively 1920's tunes from "Chicago." Their lively performance had the audience laughing and clapping along. The trumpeter used a cup over his bell to create the raucous sounds of a jazzy tune. The audience loved it. When the last brass note silenced the audience bust up in a standing ovation.