Oasis snubbed the first major awards ceremony since the band split, after failing to win either of their two nominated categories at the Q Awards yesterday.

The Mancunians had been tipped to land the Best Act award at the ceremony, organised by Q magazine, but neither Liam Gallagher nor his brother Noel, who quit the band in August, turned up for the event.

The band were up against their old rivals Blur in the Best Live Act category, but the award, voted for by readers of Q, went instead to the Arctic Monkeys.

The Q Awards, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel, in Central London, are known in the industry as the most intimate of the music award ceremonies because the guests are predominantly made up of famous musicians.

Cameras are also banned from the auditorium, and the event is not televised, so any bad behaviour from guests – who this year included Lily Allen and Amy Winehouse – is kept behind closed doors.

Winehouse had been booked into the hotel the previous night, in a bid by her management to make sure that she turned up at the awards, but when her turn came to present a prize, she was nowhere to be seen.

Al Murray, the event’s host, was forced to ad-lib that she was “stuck in a lift”, for two minutes before she finally arrived, tottering on to the stage to present The Specials with the Q Inspiration award.

Terry Hall, the band’s singer, used the ceremony to protest against Nick Griffin, the leader of the British National Party, who appeared on the BBC’s Question Time last week.

Clutching his gong, he said: “I’d like to use this award to stick up the a*** of that fat Holocaust-denying c*** Nick Griffin.”

Muse were the major winners of today’s awards, beating Oasis, Coldplay, Kings of Leon and the Arctic Monkeys to take the Best Act prize.

Kasabian took home the other blue-chip award, for Best Album, for West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum, their second No 1 record.

As well as contemporary artists, the awards also honoured a number of classic acts. The Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant was presented with the Outstanding Contribution to Music award, and Yusuf, formerly known as Cat Stevens, won the Classic Songwriter prize.

Marianne Faithfull and Edwyn Collins, who have both battled back from serious illness to perform again, were also honoured, with Faithfull taking the Q Icon prize and Collins the Q Legend award. Faithfull told the crowd: “This means an awful lot to me.”

Other winners included Lily Allen, who won Best Track for her No 1 single, The Fear. Frankie Goes To Hollywood were awarded the Classic Song prize for Relax, 25 years after its release. The song was initially banned by Radio 1 upon its release.

Paul Rees, editor-in-chief of Q magazine, said: “Q remains proud of the fact that its awards recognising musical achievement and excellence during the past 12 months are decided by the nation’s music fans, who once again have voted in their thousands.

“We are equally delighted to honour the enduring influence of those artists who have shaped our musical landscape and continue to do so. Collectively, I hope the awards not only highlight the unique breadth of Q’s musical world but also the fact that great music remains timeless, enduring and ongoing.”

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