Dinner and margaritas at the Border Cafe in Cambridge

After years of watching glitzy awards shows on TV, last month I finally attended one in person. The Boston Music Awards was held at the Orpheum Theater, and my boyfriend Bleu -- a local rock legend -- was nominated for Outstanding Vocalist on an Independent Label. The nod came for his charity album "Bing Bang Holidang," which benefits the Boston Institute for Arts Therapy. Of course I could have bought a ticket easily for approximately $13 at Ticketmaster, but it was more fun to go on the arm of a nominee to this exclusive minor celebrity event.

The Beautiful Orpheum

The Orpheum Theater didn't exactly roll out the red carpet with the gusto of the Grammy's (although had we been there earlier we would have seen an honest to gosh battalion of screaming teens and picture-snapping paparazzi for former New Kids on the Block members Jordan Knight and Joey McIntyre, among others), but we, as well as plenty o' Boston musicians turned out in style. The atmosphere of the event was laid back and I was surprised to find that the real celebration was not upstairs in the cheap seats (or even in the expensive ones), but in the lobby of the theater. This was, not so coincidentally, the only place you could drink your $5 Buds (the only offered alcoholic beverage) and smoke cigarettes in true rocker style. Presenters, nominees, winners and friends gathered downstairs to talk, people watch and guzzle our Buds.

MTV's Dave Holmes hosted the event, which I'm told was a great improvement over last year's co-hosts, a "comedy" team of ill-received losers. Dave was mildly charming and certainly patient with the loud and oblivious audience. The only quiet moment came when Peter Wolf presented the first Ertegun Impact Award to its namesake Ahmet Ertegun, founder of Atlantic Records. Ertegun received a standing ovation -- and they say today's kids have no respect for their elders. Performers ranged from The Sheila Divines, an area indie fave, to Disco diva Donna Summer -- who I realized I have always confused with Diana Ross. Bleu's big moment came and unfortunately went. No dice, no award. Waxing poetic about the whole thing, Bleu modestly quipped "it was an honor just to be nominated."

The author and her Bleu

The ceremony's after party was held at local club The Big Easy. Once there I immediately spotted the VIP room and eyed it with suspicion and curiosity. I made a halfhearted attempt at charming my way in, but was easily thwarted by the doorman. My only recourse was to be outraged at the lack of advertised free beer. Later in the evening I was slipped the password into the VIP room (Satchmo) and although I felt ridiculous relaying it, I let the doorman in on my upgraded status. It was unfortunately anticlimactic: no big stars, no nudity, no flashy signs, only free cheap champagne, which was almost good enough for me.

The whole night might not have been as glamorous or celebrity-filled as the Oscars (perhaps more on par with the lower-rent Blockbuster Awards) but in the end, it was a good time and a fun experience.

For a complete list of the night's winners go the the official site at www.nemo99.com/kbma.html.

--Ursula Murphy