Isn't this great? Good to see a country really embrace a win. Love it.

I had some really lovely feedback from people about The Boom Bang a Blog Book. It was a bit of nonsense that I wanted to put together and that I hoped other people would like as well. Fingers crossed it hit the mark. Anyway, this is where all you Boom Bang a Bloggers come in. I'm planning The Boom Bang a Blog Book 2013 and I'd love it, if you're willing, to include contributions from as many different fans as possible. I'd especially love it if anyone out there who is a dab hand at illustrating can turn some ideas into striking comic strips as my attempts in the 2012 edition were a bit... well, if you've read it you'll know. If you want an idea of the sort of tone to adopt (think 'Viz' rather than 'Last of the Summer Wine'), the link to the 2012 Boom Bang a Blog Book is here. Interested? I'm afraid I can't pay anyone who contributes but by the time the 2013 edition is out in December, hopefully we'll have the rosy glow of a team effort! If you want to get involved, please email me at jamiemcloughlin@hotmail.com

I have to be honest. I never got Euphoria from the moment I heard it. At Melodifestivalen it just looked and sounded like a woman mumbling in her pyjamas while doing yoga. My appreciation for it never exactly sprouted from there.

However. When I first saw it performed on stage at Thursday's semi final with the intimate camerawork and unexpected outbreak of flakes (you can get a medicated shampoo for that), something suddenly made sense. I still didn't reeeeeally like it but I suddenly understood why so many other people loved it. And if a song that's loved by loads of people goes on to win the Contest that's fine by me because that's what it should be about.

But the best thing about Eurovision is that even after the show is over there are still stories to tell. As I type, Loreen and her Euphoria has gone all the way u-u-u-u-u-up-up to #1 on the iTunes charts in the UK and bags of other European countries too - including Luxembourg who don't even enter the Contest anymore.

Have smashing fun at the Contest this evening, however you're experiencing. Reports from rehearsals suggest that a Top 5 place for The Hump is looking unlikely (but you never know, stranger things have happened) so if it's not going to be Liverpool 2013, I've got my fingers crossed for any Italian city you care to mention. But if the rumours rumbling from Azerbaijan are to be believed, we may be heading to Spain again next year for the first time in 44 years...

I'm still miffed that Joan Franka never got through (so much better than Bosnia & Herzegovina, so much better than Turkey, so much better than Lithuania.... Grr!).

Anyway, the 10 finalists from this evening have drawn their balls from the bag and this is how the running order for Saturday night looks. Zjelko will get a nose bleed, shifting from #1 to #24 in one fell swoop and now looks a likely contender for the prize, as does Loreen for Sweden. She's on 17, a position which has produced the winner on a fair few occasions.

It all depends on tomorrow's jury dress rehearsal now. That's when half the result of this year's Eurovision Song Contest will be decided. Good luck to The Hump - but I think Stockholm, Belgrade, or any one of a number of Italian cities is now looking likely for 2013.

We had a go on Tuesday night and we're doing it again this evening (well, why wouldn't we). This time around, Glyn and I agree of six of the songs going through to Saturday night.

Whatever happens, in a few hours from now, we will know the full line-up of the 57th Eurovision Song Contest and exactly who'll be singing where in it. Ooh, it's excitin'.

Have fun during tonight's viewing and I'll be back with an update after the show.

Azerbaijan may be a four-hour time difference away but if you're a Eurovision fan living in the North West of England, there are still some events taking place this weekend to peak your interest. In Liverpool, FACT on Wood Street will be projecting the Contest live from Baku on to its cinema screen as a fundraiser for Liverpool Pride. As their lovely publicity people say: "Why point and laugh at the TV screen when you can point and laugh at the big screen, dance in the aisles and have alcoholic refreshments served to you from the bar!
"There will be DJ's, raffles and refreshments available so join Liverpool Pride as Picturehouse@FACT host the biggest and best Eurovision Party in Liverpool."

It all sounds smashing fun and if I weren't doing my own Contesty thing at my house on Saturday night I'd be there like a shot, mainly because Pride is still a fledgling event in my home city and I like to support it in whatever way I can. Tickets are £12, concessions & FACT members pay £10 with £1 of the proceeds going to Liverpool Pride and Children in Need (Terry would approve). For more details, go to www.fact.co.uk or book tickets at the FACT box office.

That's Saturday night. If you can't wait until then there's some smashing disco action to be had in Chester on Friday night.

Our ten finalists have drawn their spots in the final. It's looking good for Jedward although I must confess, I would rather Belgium or Israel had been in the golden envelope. The Hump now knows which songs are following him and he has a good chance of sticking in the memory when followed by the very different offerings from Compact Disco and Rona Nishliu. Russia are going from slot six - but I have to be honest, the Grannies could perform from the trailer advertising the final three hours before we first hear Te Deum and still finish Top 5. They're the definition of drawproof.

Now we have to wait for Thursday when these 16 become 26. If Sweden qualifies and draws slot 25, could it still be Goodnight Moscow?

UPDATE: I think I let my heart rule my head when it comes to Eurovision. No Belgium or Israel, which would have chuffed me to bits. Bit miffed Jedward qualified too as I don't think they deserved it. Between the pair of us, Glyn and I did somehow get all 10 of the qualifiers right so it hasn't been as surprising a qualifying round that there's been in recent years. I'll be back in a bit to let you know which positions our lucky 10 from this evening will be singing from in the grand final. Slot two is still going begging...

Tonight's the night Eurovision gets well and truly underway for fans across the world. With that in mind, my other half and I have had a go at predicting which 10 nations from the 18 competing this evening will go through to Saturday's final.

We only agree on five (Jedward is one of them and neither of us are too keen on the song) - and we both have at least two correct. I'll be back later to let you know who's through and who's won the bragging rights in our house.

If there's one man showing them all how it's done in Azerbaijan this year than it's Terry Vision (pictured, left. But you knew that). Known to millions across the globe - and very possibly beyond - the much-loved commentator has foregone his much publicised retirement from microphone duty to join Ewan Spence and his ESC Insight team to document all the goings-on in Baku. We at Boom Bang a Blog are privileged to have been given a few moments of Sir Vision's time in an attempt to both get some info out of him and shamefully try and benefit from a spot of fabulousness osmosis. It didn't work, yer man is far too clever to give anything away.