Brit awards 2012: live coverage 8.53pm: It's time for the Amy Winehouse tribute now - she's speaking about her life over a montage of black and white photos. It lasts for two minutes, James Corden says "she will be missed" and then we're back in the room with Plan B who is presenting the award for best British solo male artist. He can't remember what year it is, which is a good start. 8.44pm: In other news, Florence's stage set apparently cost £80,000! And now Noel Gallagher is playing with a stage set that looks like it cost about £8.50. Although Chris Martin is on the piano. 8.41pm: Rihanna is the winner of the best international female solo artist award. But we're having a few "IT problems" here so apologies if this news is rather delayed ... 8.38pm: According to Caspar in the thick of the action Adele received a standing ovation, which is unprecendented so early on in the ceremony. He would know, having been to every single one since 1843 8.35pm: We're back from another ad break and Tinie Tempah is about to announce the best British single ... the winner is: One Direction! In your face Someone Like You! 8.33pm: I'm being mean about Ed Sheeran but what do I know? Compared to Leyton Orient's Jimmy Smith, absolutely nothing, that's what. What could be more glamorous? Certainly not porcini truffles and roast lamb with pea puree at the O2 Arena 8.29pm: I was saving the red wine for a celebratory drink near the end. Then Sheeran came onstage and things didn't quite work out as planned 8.27pm: They like this whole standing on stage and singing your song thing at the Brits (see last year's Adele performance). It shows you're unaffected by fame, you're totes authentic and you're ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC (we'll ignore the big light display of a rotating house and the suits scoffing roast lamb and truffles down the front). Ed Sheeran is now doing that thing with his song Lego House 8.26pm:It's what Peter Blake would have wanted ... 8.22pm: Murs has lots of female dancers with him. What's the point in Murs if he's not doing his trademark jelly legs dancing that the nation fell in love with back in 2010? Rizzle Kicks - or the Rizzly Kicks as Louis Walsh likes to call them on Twitter - have joined him for a verse. It's pulse-racing stuff 8.21pm: Olly Murs. Performing live. What did I do in a previous life to end up covering this? 8.19pm: Another award time. The winner of best international solo male is Bruno Mars. Mars is rocking a quiff modelled on the one I attempted for a day in the Guardian office before everyone asked me why I was trying to look like La Roux/Tin-Tin/Joey Barton/someone who had received a harsh electric shock 8.17pm: Adele says she looks like "a drag queen next to Kylie." She thanks XL for giving her creative freedom and all her fans. She walks off with her Peter Blake-designed statuette. Oh god what is going on? James Corden has made me laugh out loud! He said "That's one hell of a succesful tranny" as Adele left the stage. I'm not sure if I'm laughing for the right reasons, but still. 8.15pm: It's Kylie time. And it's British female solo artist award time. Who will win? We have a winner of best British female solo artist: Adele! Easy this, innit? 8.12pm: While we're on an ad break, here's some pop gossip from top music writer Pete Paphides ... ... you just wouldn't get this kind of thing from your "Lester Bangs versus Lou Reed" era. 8.05pm: If you're playing Peter Robinson's Brits bingo then tick off #43 "Extreme James Corden Adele Introduction Seriousface." I'm not sure what happened to the album award I promised. It moved on to a Whitney tribute and now it's Florence performing No Light No Light. Am I drunk already or is this making literally no narrative sense? It's like a William Burroughs novel or something 8.03pm: I will resolve to leave my cynicism at the door as best as I can for the next two hours. After all, here's James Corden to present, and there's definitely nothing annoying about that guy. Right, here comes the award for best British album ... 8.02pm: The giant disco ball has just let off a few sparks. Is that the pyrotechnics we were promised? Now the walls are exploding with fire. It's either an impressive opening show or Chris Martin left a cigarette lit 8.01pm: And so we kick off with the award for best Arcade Fire tribute act. And the winner is ... Coldplay! Here they are, doing their epic, atmospheric, inoffensive thing. 7.58pm: We're about to start and this news is quite exciting 7.50pm: Here are the results of the Guardian readers poll, then. And you lot are hoping that ... er ... Adele and Ed Sheeran clean up. I think you might be in for a fun night! In other news, Noel Gallagher has told Keith Lemon on the red carpet that he's actually duetting with Olly Murs. He's joking, I think, but if he did do the duet it would be a case of THE BLAND LEADING THE BLAND HAHAHA!!!!! 7.37pm: A word on the nominees, then. Ed Sheeran is actually nominated for more awards than Adele, although he's probably less likely to win them all. Sheeran gets the nod for best male solo artist, best breakthrough artist, best album and best single. And if that information doesn't reveal the thrilling, vibrant health of the British music industry right now, I don't know what will. I reckon Sheeran will get best male and maybe breakthrough (although Jessie J is looking good for that too). Adele will surely win all hers - best single, best album and best female solo artist. That leaves categories such as British group (I'm tipping Kasabian to beat Coldplay, Arctic Monkeys, Chase & Status and Elbow) and so many international categories I'm not even sure why this is called the Brits. I am going to go out on a massive limb and tip Blur for outstanding contribution to music. 7.34pm: Rihanna is backstage and has just revealed that her dress cost a thousand pounds and is from Givenchy. I thank you, and look forward to blogging live from Paris Fashion Week after this successful audition. 7.29pm: Puppriss says below that the thought of Noel Gallagher duetting with Coldplay is a case of "the bland leading the bland" If they hadn't posted that underneath this very article, I'd have nicked that for myself. 7.23pm: Kieran Yates is on red carpet duty for us tonight and I'm pleased to say she's not letting the excitement of meeting Ed Sheeran overwhelm her ... 7.12pm: In other news, Blur's Dave Rowntree is on the red carpet. He says being at the Brits is actually "a really nice thing to do." He sounds like someone on a mission to shrug off that "boring" tag. 7.05pm: So Caspar Llewellyn Smith, our man embedded in the beast of the music industry's belly, is using his undercover skills - which involve eating lots of food and drinking even more booze, just like a real member of the music industry (he's so good at camouflage) - to bring us the following info: Dizzee Rascal has trod in a bread roll; David Arnold is spilling the beans on his secret Olympic closing ceremony plans; most punters are still locked outside while the industry stuff their faces with the following ... Starter A trio of 'truffles' - porchini, spelt and broad bean with homemade tomato chutney and crostini (v) Main Course Cannon of English lamb in green herbs on pea puree, with spiced red cabbage, and a little lamb and mint Cornish pasty Dessert Mojito jelly with tequila mousse, effervescent lime sugar I could give you the vegetarian option as well, what with this being the Guardian and everything, but really ... is that what you want from a live blog? Is that the kind of pioneering, liberal-minded, open journalism the Guardian prides itself on? Ok, ok, here's the vegetarian menu ... Starter A trio of 'truffles' - porchini, spelt and broad bean with homemade tomato chutney and crostini (v) Main Course Wild mushroom ragout in puff pastry case with pas puree and spiced red cabbage 5.43pm: Ok, here's some required reading/clicking/viewing to get you in the mood for tonight ... 1) Ten top Brits moments, as chosen by Observer writer Tom Lamont 2) You still have time to vote in our poll - let us know who you think should win in each category. 3) Watch Guardian critics discuss their encounters with the one and only ... Adele! Featuring Caspar Llewellyn Smith, Tom Lamont and Rosie Swash reminiscing on their favourite Adele moments. 4) A classic 1994 interview with outstanding contribution to music winners Blur, from our wonderful Rock's Backpages series 5) Most importantly you need to get your Mecca daubers and betting pencils at the ready to play Peter Robinson's Brits bingo game! Will Alex James mention cheese? Will I locate the key combination that does that little accent above the "e" on the end of Emeli Sande's name? Make up some bingo cards using a site like this and play along ... Of course, Brits bingo could also double up as a drinking game - simply take a swig each time something on the list is mentioned. Although given that one of the things included here is "Adele looks sad near a piano" you might need a liver the size of Charles Bukowski to take part 4.00pm: "And the winner is ... Adele! Anna Calv ... no, sorry, we read the wrong line, it's actually ... For those of you who haven't got time to watch the Brits tonight, I have handily summarised the next few hours above. For everyone else, get ready to join me from about 7.30pm tonight for your fully interactive (er, tweet me @timjonze and stuff) live Brits commentary. We've got a fair few Guardian people there, including Kieran Yates on the red carpet and Caspar Llewellyn Smith at the free bar. As for me I'll be blogging until my fingers bleed from the Guardian offices with a nice bottle of Côtes du Rhône (I refused to do this sober) and some bonus free hot chocolate from the machines. Some treats to look forward to tonight ... Blur are going to receive the outstanding achievement award and play some songs! Like they did at Glastonbury when everyone cried! Emeli Sandé is going to do the critics choice slot that Adele did last year when she redefined the whole concept of what a pop star could be by standing on a stage and singing her most popular song. Noel Gallagher is rumoured to be doing "something" with Coldplay. Lots of awards will be given out to some of the people on this list of nominees I will get drunk and forget how to spell I'll check in every now and then with a bit of preview stuff before the show starts (it's live on ITV from 8pm with James Corden presenting, whoop!) so join me for that or return here when the main event starts ...