On the red carpet: NZ Music Awards [+pictures]

Hip Hop artist Scribe arrives at the New Zealand Music Awards. Phil Walter / Getty Images

You could hardly call it a frenzy but the few spectators that did turn up to watch the red carpet arrivals at tonight's New Zealand Music Awards were treated to the delights of manufactured pop group, Boyband, performing live - complete with a bare-chested 'Fat Boy'.

Frontline were the first to arrive in matching jeans and black jackets, hopeful that they would take home an award tonight. They are nominated for Best Urban/Hip Hop album and Breakthrough Artist of the Year.

Frontline's Nick MacLaren said he was looking forward to "getting the perfomance out of the way".

"I'm also looking forward to seeing Concord Dawn perform," said McLaren.

Pluto were looking slick in black suits but frontman Milan Borich was stuck for words about his expected highlight of the evening.

International guest for the evening, James Morrison, was casual in a brown leather jacket, and even showed the crowd his black Calvin Klein undies.

"I'm really pleased to be here", he said. "I've never been to an awards thing before, and I've never been to New Zealand, so it's good to combine the two".

Scribe was the sharpest dressed of the evening in a black Crane Brothers suit and Nike Max Ltd shoes. "I'm looking forward to the whole night, it's the biggest night of the year," he told us. "I love New Zealand music and I love the after parties!".

Brooke Fraser strutted the red carpet in a grey woollen romper suit but was apparently too busy to stop and chat with anyone.

Jo Lindsay from Fat Freddy's Drop said he was looking forward to playing with Open Souls and "catching up with everyone". Of the group's three nominations he said: "It's a close race but there's a couple I think we've got a good chance with".

Wearing a black, yellow and green full-length gown, Aaradhna said: "I don't really have any expectations [of winning tonight] I'm just happy to be nominated. I'm up against the queens of New Zealand music, so I'm just proud to be nominated."

Elemeno P's lead singer Dave Gibson, also sporting a Crane Brothers jacket, said he was looking forward to playing at the awards with a group of friends. "We've formed a sort of super group. The night's all about catching up with friends, it's a bit like band camp, its just one big party".

2006 NOMINEES

PlayStation 2 SingStar Album of the Year

Don McGlashan - Warm Hand
Bic Runga - Birds
Dave Dobbyn - Available Light
Concord Dawn - Chaos By Design
Elemeno P - Trouble in Paradise

The New Zealand Herald Single of the Year

Bic Runga - Winning Arrow
Goldenhorse - Out Of The Moon
Mt Raskil Preservation Society featuring Hollie Smith - Bathe In The River
Pluto - Long White Cross
The Feelers - Stand Up

Kiwi Best Group

Bleeders - As Sweet As Sin
Elemeno P - Trouble In Paradise
Fly My Pretties - The Return of Fly My Pretties

Best Male Solo Artist

Che-Fu - Beneath the Radar
Dave Dobbyn - Available Light
Don McGlashan - Warm Hand

Best Female Solo Artist

Aaradhna - I Love You
Anika Moa - Stolen Hill
Bic Runga - Birds

Breakthrough Artist of the Year

Aaradhna - I Love You
Bleeders - As Sweet As Sin
Frontline - Borrowed Time

C4 Best Music Video

Mark Williams - Wandering Eye (Fat Freddy's Drop)
Alyx Duncan - Fuji (Minuit)
Adam Jones - Long White Cross (Pluto)

Best Rock Album

Bleeders - As Sweet As Sin
Blindspott - End The Silence
Elemeno P - Trouble In Paradise

Best Urban/Hip-Hop Album

Frontline - Borrowed Time
Nesian Mystik - Fresh Men
Opensouls - Kaleidoscope

Best Dance/Electronica Album

Concord Dawn - Chaos By Design
Recloose - Hiatus on the Horizon
Sola Rosa - Moves On

Best Aotearoa Roots Album

Anika Moa - Stolen Hill
Fly My Pretties - The Return of Fly My Pretties
Rhombus - Future Reference

Best Maori Album

Mahara Tocker - Hurricane's Eye
Rodger Cunningham - Toto
Te Reotakiwa Dunn - Te Reotakiwa Dunn

Best Gospel/Christian Album

juliagrace - juliagrace
Mumsdollar - A Beautiful Life
Shooting Stars - Over The Water

Best Classical Album

Bridget Douglas and Rachel Thomson - Taurangi
The New Zealand Trio - Spark
Tower Voices Of New Zealand - Spirit of the Land

People's Choice Award

Pluto
Frontline
Elemeno P
Bic Runga
Goodnight Nurse
Fat Freddy's Drop