With a legend's performance from Sir Paul McCartney, an on-song Amy Winehouse and the Arctic Monkeys dressed as country gents, the 2008 Brit Awards ceremony was one of the most entertaining in years. In the pantheon of British music, they do not come much bigger than Sir Paul McCartney, who received a standing ovation from the Brits crowd. Until his performance at the end of this year's Brit Awards, the annual back-slapping ceremony was a mindlessly enjoyable, visually spectacular and mildly chaotic affair. But when the former Beatle stepped up to collect his lifetime achievement award, it was a real event. He ignored the contests for most outrageous set, dance routine and outfit that had taken place alongside the real award battles all night. His was an solid, old school performance - but it created the most excitement of the night in the aircraft hangar that is Earl's Court. It takes a lot to get the record company suits - who were sitting on the tables covering most of the arena - to stand on their chairs and wave their arms in the air, but Macca managed it. He started his medley by playing his recent solo hit Dance Tonight from his platinum selling and critically acclaimed album Memory Almost Full, before launching into the Oscar nominated Bond theme Live and Let Die before starting a sing-a-long that filled the whole hall during Hey Jude. The set came to a rousing conclusion a stunning rendition of Lady Madonna followed by the four to the floor romp that is Get Back. It also takes something special to eclipse Amy Winehouse these days, but he managed that too. Making up for lost time after cancelled gigs and a spell in rehab, Winehouse appeared to be back on form and performed two songs. In her first, singing Valerie with Mark Ronson, it took her a few bars, shimmies and tousles of hair to hit her stride. In her second, Love Is A Losing Game, she hitched up her skirt, looked longingly into the camera and gently gyrated in front of the microphone stand - delivering a personal show for her jailed husband. Her request at the end to "make some noise for my husband, my Blake", though, fell largely on deaf ears. But despite the diversion of her personal problems, Winehouse provided a reminder of her true talent. Take That were double winners on the night picking up a deserved best single for Shine and best live act. The other Brit performances were more notable for their dazzling sets and routines. The Kaiser Chiefs performed Ruby as rock 'n' roll Godzillas amid miniature Manhattan skyscrapers. Mika had several theatrical backdrops - one of which disgorged The Gossip's Beth Ditto, bedecked like a gaudy doll with a giant pink bow, for a duet on Standing In The Way Of Control. Rihanna appeared in a hooded cloak on a platform above her collaborators Klaxons, who were wearing primitive sci-fi-style costumes, as if they were all part of a post-apocalyptic pagan pop cult. Unfortunately their duet of Umbrella sounded less interesting than it looked. Rhianna for her part sounded fine but as to whether the suually sloppy, ou tof tune, over-hyped Klaxons were actually playing live is still up for debate in my opinion. Best international female winner Kylie, meanwhile, was her usual glamorous, gracious self, although her latest single Wow! Isn’t really vintage Kylie but it was nonetheless a good performance, this is Kylie after all. The Arctic Monkeys blew a hunting horn to celebrate their win but fortunately given their inebriated state they did not perform, thank the lord. Instead, they were predictably shambolic and sarcastic on accepting their trophies dressed as country gents with tweed breeches, flat caps and pipes. Best British album and group, really?? See you again in five years? No? Thought not. The Osbourne family shared the ceremony's hosting duties Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne were billed as the event's hosts, but in the end Ozzy only appeared a few times - presumably being either too likely to wear out ITV's bleep button or too incapable of stringing a sentence together. Ozzy's main contribution was introducing "Mr Sir Paul McCartney" several minutes early. So that’s it for another year see you in 12 months. If you have any views or comments on the awards or the winners let us know.

The BRIT Awards always makes a star out of someone, and is a real push for an artists career. It can turn a normal chart act into a true star. For collectors it is a great indicator of future artists to collect so...

TAKE A LOOK THROUGH OUR '2008 Brits' PAGE FOR ITEMS FROM ALL THE WINNERS & NOMINEES

outstanding contribution...this year the winner is Paul McCartney

history...a short history of the Brit Awards