Having a reliable P&S can sometimes do as much as a bulky SLR with an expensive lens.

Handheld shot over people's heads in order to see the stage. Setting up a tripod was impractical with everybody watching the stage and waiting for the clock to turn 12:00 so ISO 400 would have to do. Shutter speed barely fast enough to freeze motion of the performers.
Exposure setting on M than using an automatic setting with exposure compensation.