Results tagged “Eurovision Song Contest 2008” from Boom Bang a Blog

Or... how we celebrated the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest

Here you can see Jason Southam proffering an ABBA Russian doll (Russian...spooky) to fellow partygoer Catherine Flower during the sweepstake at the beginning of Saturday's Euro-adventure.

Tragically for Cath, Russia wasn't among the five nations she plucked from the innards of the Super Swedes (I'm ashamed to say, I got my mitts on that), but come with us now as we guide you through our evening of Eurovisioniness. Bet you can't wait.

He's been a busy, busy boy this past week, but before Chris Knight settles into his seat at the Beogradska Arena for tonight's Eurovision Song Contest, he has one more file to report. A quirkier Eurovision personality - and someone with a North West connection - stopped by for a chat, but we won't spoil the surprise.

Wherever you watch tonight's show, hope you enjoy it. I've just been cutting up the official BBc scorecard to make out sweepstake, Glyn is preparing punch - and wait until you see the photos of his trifle.

We'll be back later on - or tomorrow morning - with the results and the reaction from the Aigburth panel.

As these words are being writ, bloggers from across Europe are placed in strategic points about the Beogradska Arena reporting on the chances of the final 25 as they undertake their first dress rehearsal as a complete 'Contest'.

Unlike the Olympic 100m, World Cup, Crufts, Miss World and Britain's Got Talent, this is one event where even the hardiest experts struggle to predict the winner year on year.

In fact, Eurovision fans get so immersed in listening to the entries over and over in the months leading up to the big show, they're really quite rubbish at picking what the vast majority of viewers - listening to the songs once and once only - will plump for.

Andy Abraham will be smiling a bit after this evening's draw.

Here is the running order for the Eurovision Song Contest 2008. And just look who's following the UK...

December 23, 2005, Southport Theatre.

I was granted a three minute interview with Chico in his dressing room moments before he went out on stage to entertain a very enthusiastic crowd in the aftermath of his X-Factor success.

I asked him if the rumours he was trying to represent the UK in the 2006 Contest were true.

His reply, although I must point out, he wasn't rude about it: "Don't be silly. I'm into PROgression. Not REgression."

Erm. Did you notice who gegged in on the Andy Abraham interview in the middle of the Beogradska Arena during the BBC Three coverage tonight?

Just an observation.

Not long to go now until the second semi final. What has Chris Knight been up to today?

This is Boom Bang a Blog's prediction for the 10 nations making it through tonight's qualifier for Saturday's Eurovision Song Contest final.

A fair few bookies' faves crop up in this little lot - so we're expecting at least one shock Saturday non-starter once all 10 envelopes are open.

Iceland
Sweden
Turkey
Ukraine
Croatia
Bulgaria
Denmark
Georgia
Hungary
Portugal

Swapped Belarus and Malta for Denmark and Georgia at the last moment. Might just regret that in two-and-a-half hours.

With hours to go until the remaining semi finalists assemble in Belgrade to battle for a place in Saturday's Eurovision Song Contest final, why not have a listen to our second blogcast.

John Siddle, a man who know a thing or two about lyric and tune - but not necessarily very much about Eurovision - picks his Top Five nations for progress to the final shake-up on May 24.

Do you agree with him?

This face full of culinary mischief belongs to Glyn Ellis Hughes, the proud Welshman responsible for providing the menu at our Eurovision party on Saturday night.

Glyn is keeping the final dishes a surprise until the night, but he has agreed to share a few hints and tips with the Boom Bang a Blog readers.

(I can tell you the final recipes contain a lot of vegetables, as I went to ASDA with him last night to buy them).

Don't worry, the winner of this week's other great big European final will be far more likeable than Manchester United.

And the winner of Saturday's showdown could come from tomorrow's second semi-final.

Our smashing man on-the-spot (sorry if that reference upsets any Chelsea fans), Chris Knight was there in the Beogradska Arena today to savour all the action.

Chris Knight has put the personal upset of Andorra not qualifying behind him. Instead, he has channeled his energies into a chat with BBC Three semi final commentator Paddy O'Connell, whom you may have heard getting a bit agitated about whether Norway was in the final envelope or not during last night's coverage.

Read on to find out what Paddy thinks of Serbia's organisation of the Contest and if - surely not - this is Terry Wogan's last year behind the mic at a Eurovision final...

At the press conference following tonight's semi-final, the qualifiers were allocated their places in the draw. After answering a couple of questions, each entrant picked a number at random.

We say random - there has been much gossip about how Russia got such a good draw and Eurovision's organisational team is bending over backwards to accommodate its every whim. We couldn't possibly comment.

There's only so much I can write about a Contest that's taking place hundreds of miles away from my desk at the Southport Visiter.

What Boom Bang a Blog really needs is someone on the scene, someone who can tell us how many sugars the old bloke from Croatia puts in his tea or how many fans haven't actually left the Belgrade Arena since rehearsals began.

What Boom Bang a Blog really needs is that man in that photo there; Chris Knight.

Chris, who has accreditation for this year's event, is now in Serbia and will be keeping us updated with all the gossip and atmosphere. Get in.

I'll stop typing now, so you can read what Chris has to say. Mr Knight, it's over to you.

Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of meeting senior media lecturer at Edge Hill University - and unabashed Eurovision fan - Phil Jackson. That's him in the picture, being lifted up all high by those people.

Phil is going to Serbia this weekend as an invited guest of the BBC - he'll get to go backstage and everything - to further his research into how the Contest can be linked up with lots of important cultural and political issues. You see, it's not all about mirror boxes and turkeys.

You can hear our chat by clicking on the link below all this blether. Don't worry, we talk about daft European pop music as well as the Eurovision-related academia.

If you enjoy that, there's more to come on the Boom Bang a Blogcast front.

Keep an ear out for reviews of both semi-finals in the coming days from Southport Visiter's Church News reporter (and Eurovision-disliking, touring singer/songwriter) John Siddle.

Georgia: Diana Gurtskaya - Peace Will Come

When the big TV bosses of Europe got together in the mid '50s to throw ideas about for a show that would be seen by everyone across the Continent at the same time, the one thing they agreed on was that it should embrace peace, unity and harmony (ANORAK MOMENT: We almost ended up with the Eurovision Party Trick Contest).

With that in mind, you'd think a blind singer performing a musical plea for peace would sweep in bucketloads of votes from across Europe.

Well, you'd think that.

This was Russian entrant Dima Bilan at rehearsals in Belgrade yesterday (Monday).

In the 30/45 seconds gap between the Romanian song and his, the Serbian stage crew has to wheel a fully frozen ice rink in to position. One of Russia's champion skaters will whirl about on it while Dima is singing.

Alongside both of them is someone playing a 400-year old violin.

At the end of three minutes, by which point Dima will have scaled an onstage ladder for the money notes, all that has to be wheeled back out again before the Greeks come on.

People are now checking how much flights to Moscow in May cost.

Albania: Olta Boka - Zemren e Lame Peng

Twas the week before Christmas, and all through the Continent, nobody was thinking about Eurovision at all - except the Albanians.

Maybe they think their chosen entrant will be so bad they need six months of rehearsal to nail a good performance, maybe their calendars have May in the wrong place, but for whatever reason, the impatient folk of Albania selected their entrant for 2008 in December last year.

And in keeping with that lovely, warm, Christmassy feel, Zemren e Lame Peng really is fun, fun, fun.

Except, umm, it's not.

Norway: Maria Haukaas Storeng - Hold On Be Strong

The rivalry between Sweden and Norway is almost as fierce as that between He Man and Skeletor, particularly where this Contest is concerned. And with Norway's two victories to Sweden's four, it always seems to be that Stockholm lot who end up victorious outside Castle Greyskull in the final cut, hands on hips, laughing their heads off at one of Orko's rubbish jokes.