Results tagged “Russia” from Boom Bang a Blog

I will never forget watching the 1997 Eurovision Song Contest. I was in my second year at Glasgow University, staying in a tenement flat not too far from the Botanic Gardens or the famous Byres Road (you really should try and do the pub crawl) which had rooms as big as ballrooms that were just as difficult to heat. Two days before the Contest was screened, Labour had swept to power after 18 years in the shadows and Tony Blair looked like the sort of bloke who could make Britannia cool again. With such a momentous seachange for Britain, it's understandable that the goings on between acts from 25 nations across the Irish Sea in Dublin's Point Theatre weren't going to register much on neither media radar nor national consciousness. But somehow, it did.

Topping off a week when, for Britain's non-Tory populous, things really could only get better - they only went and did. As though it was written fresh on the statute book in the burgeoning daylight of May 2, as though everyone had decreed it so to welcome in a new age, as though the rest of Europe suddenly realised we weren't so bad after all on this sceptred isle. On May 3, 1997, the United Kingdom won the Eurovision Song Contest.

And it's still the only one I've ever watched on my own.

The film celebrating 40 Eurovision Song Contests which opened the 1995 event. Think of it as reminder of most of your Bluffer's Guides so far...

I wasn't impressed when Ireland won Eurovision for the third successive year in 1994. I therefore refused point blank to support the Irish squad who got to the World Cup in the USA that year (despite it being the tournament Graham Taylor couldn't lead England into) and, being young, naive and foolish, refused to like anything remotely linked with Ireland for the next 12 months. As I say, I certainly was young, naive and foolish as I have an Irish surname for a start.

Anyway, I'm sure you can imagine my reaction when smiley host Mary Kennedy appeared on stage at The Point - the only time the same venue has been used in two successive years - and welcomed viewers to "What has almost become the annual Eurovision Song Contest from Ireland."

I booed. Loudly. But the slightly smug tone Mary used when introducing everyone back to Ireland (again) would soon backfire on her. This was the year when some canny countries realised it was time to play the Irish at their own game. And win.

Loaded magazine once described the result of the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest as having the most blatantly rigged juries since the original Rodney King trial. It's a brilliant analogy, but it is unlikely that the bean counters at Irish telly would have thought a third successive win for the country would be a financial plus.

Although hindsight and hopefully, maturity, has enabled me to see the 1993 Irish victor as a worthy winner, I'm afraid I am still perplexed how the ploddiest-of-plodding songs won in 1994 - and won by such an epic margin.

Not that it really mattered. The bit everyone remembers from 1994 came directly inbetween the entries and the voting.

A report here shows exactly how much staging the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest cost Russian television.

Let's hope nobody at the BBC sees it. With the latest news about cost-cutting all round at the Corporation, Auntie will offer Jemini a golden handcuff deal to be our entrant for the next five years to completely avoid any chance of winning.

All of the semi-finalists have now rehearsed in Moscow's Olimpiskiy Arena. Sakis fell over, Svetlana from Ukraine's Hell Machine consists of three giant cogs with naked men in it and the Toppers remain as camp as Christmas.

So that just leaves the five finalists. Here's the first two.

FRANCE
Patricia Kaas: Et s'il fallait le faire

Depending which aisle of HMV you choose to wander through, there's a chance you may have heard of this chanteuse.

Breaking news from Russia. A well-known clairvoyant has been gazing into her crystal ball - and handling photographs of each of this year's 42 entrants - to determine which act will walk away with the trophy on May 16.

Make of this what you will, but she has Jade and the UK as the act to walk away with the trophy, with Sakis Rouvas for Greece not far behind.

Now all we need to know is how many of this psychic's previous predictions have come true.

EVEN though the result of this year's Melodifestivalen has been signed, sealed and delivered - a controversy from Saturday's show still lingers - and it's all about this, which was played while the organisers totted up the votes from the viewers:

(Please be warned, there are occasional instances of naughty swear words in this clip)

The film about Tingeling's visit to Moscow, complete with underworld dealings and women in peasant wear, coupled with the subsequent musical presentation (a chorus of Red Square guards, a dancing bear and swaying Russian dolls) has - allegedly - caused outrage.

The Russian Embassy in Sweden weren't too impressed with proceedings, with spokesman Anatoly Kargapolov saying: "It makes no sense to me why Sweden would show such ignorance in misinterpreting this image of Russia. If Russians could see what happened on the stage of (Melodifestivalen venue) Globen on Saturday, I'm fairly certain it will reduce the number of votes they give to the Swedish singer."

The ambassador was, apparently, informed of the complaints - but decided not to get involved.

Sveriges Television's Ronnie Lans responded: "It wasn't our intention at all to offend anyone. It was a comedy sketch. Satire is what it is, and sometimes it can be edgy. We've all been to Russia and know that's not how it really is."

The matter seems to have been resolved, however. Earlier this week, Swedish Television sent a bouquet to the Russian Embassy and the matter appears to be closed.

AND so the Georgian mischief-packed dream comes to an end.

Their song which wasn't so much a thinly vieled jibe at Vladimir Putin, more a jibe which hadn't been anywhere near a veil and had flashing neon arrows pointing to its jibeness from every conceivable direction, has now been chucked out of the show by the big EBU bosses. And with that chuck goes Georgia itself, it would seem, as the representatives have no interest in changing the lyrics and Georgian telly don't seem too bothered about picking a song to replace the offering from Stephane and 3G.

You'd think that was that, wouldn't you? This year's Contest has had its get-rid-of-this-song-by-crikey incident. You'd think that, but it's so not true.

Wait until you hear the fuss about this little number from Belgium...

DOESN'T tempus fugit?

It is now five weeks since the nation decided to send Jade Ewen to Moscow in May with Andrew Lloyd Webber and Diane Warren's My Time - but our girl certainly hasn't spent the time inbetween eating Pringles and watching Diagnosis Murder.

For a start, here she is performing My Time at the Greek national final. And it may just swell your heart to know that the winner of Your Country Needs You was the only act on the night who didn't mime. Even the Greek entrant used playback for all three of his shortlisted songs.

...the BBC begins its Saturday night search for the artist who will represent the UK at Eurovision 2009 in Moscow.

According to media reports, Andrew Lord Webber has already found the six acts he wants on the shortlist for the Your Country Needs You competition, with the winner going forward to represent GB in Russia.

It should all get going on Saturday, January 3 (unless the schedules change) - and the first episode is set to include a film about Lord Andy's trip to the Russian capital to meet Vladimir Putin himself.

Goodness blimey.

Saturday sees the sixth running of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest, live from Lemesos, Cyprus.

There is minimal interest in this Minipops version of the main event in Western Europe, although the host nation, Belgium, The Netherlands and Malta are doing their bit in Cyprus to stem the tide of Eastern European bloc voting on behalf of the Eurovision old school. We don't fancy their chances.

Over the next four days, we'll preview the 15 acts clamouring (but not running with scissors) towards the prize. Of course, one day, there will be one act who winds up winning both Junior and Grown-Up Eurovisions. A bit like Roger Federer winning the Australian and French Open five years apart.

If you can bear it, have a click to preview the entries from Romania, Armenia, Belarus and Russia.

As you may (or may not) know, Boom Bang a Blog HQ is not that far from Liverpool. The city is aquiver with anticipation today as it gears up to host the MTV European Music Awards at its spanking new ECHO Arena with stars like Beyonce, Bono, and perhaps even Val Doonican, turning up to be seen on the red carpet.

Only ticket holders are allowed near the venue itself (we don't have one), but it would be super fun to go along and boo this year's winner, Dima Bilan (named as Best Russian Act) for inflicting almost the dullest Eurovision victory-scooping song in history on we poor viewers as he strutted in to the ceremony.

As you are no doubt aware, the Echo Arena in Liverpool hosts the MTV Europe Music Awards on Thursday, November 6 - but what does all that trendy music which young people listen to in their bedrooms have to do with the Song Contest?

We'd ask those two people in the photograph, but to be frank, we don't know who they are and we're not entirely sure they'd know anyway.

Now, although Dima Bilan's barefoot-performed ballad was by no means a worthy winner of this year's Eurovision Song Contest, the inclusion of Russia in the Dance Contest line-up means TV Moscow could wind up with the very first Song/Dance Contest double.

Imagine the excitement. It won't be long before Manchester United start entering both Contests as well.

And they're hoping to pull it off with the obligatory professional dancer and a former Olympic ice dancing champion.

Although Eurovision voting is so often referred to as political, it's very rare that world politics actually makes itself felt at the event.

This could all change in 2009.

Russia's victory in Belgrade means next year's Contest is bound for Moscow. Reports are now circulating that, following the recent unrest, Georgia will boycott the Contest.

Boom Bang a Blog must stress that this news has not been officially confirmed by the Eurovision organisers and is based on a statement carried on an Estonian news site, but we will keep you posted on any developments.

Ah well.

Firstly, Boom Bang a Blog wants to send its commiserations to Andy Abraham.

The only thing wrong with the UK entry last night - which came across really well on screen - was that it was stuck at the wrong end of the draw.

If Even If had been performed towards the end of the show, there's no doubt in our minds that Andy wouldn't have been equal last (however, the way the Eurovision placing system works, there are no shared placings, and with only two countries voting for him, we may have finished absolute bottom again. Yah boo).

But let's get on to the winners.

Here's something to get your most patriotic parts swelling with pride. This was Andy Abraham's first rehearsal on the Eurovision stage in Belgrade yesterday afternoon. It must be hot out there, judging by the pants the bearded backing singer is wearing.

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.

Romania: Nico & Vlad - Pe-o Margine de Lume

Time was the Romanians' stock Eurovision trade was something rather dreary performed by raven-haired beauties or stocky gentlemen with Kevin Keegan perms and pigtails.

At some point five years ago, the Romanians realised that uptempo stuff can go down well with your average Eurovision voter. Since then, the bpms from Bucharest have increased considerably.

This brought them bronze in 2005 and a top five finish with the quite superb Tornero in 2006. This year, however, Romania has fallen between two stylistic stools.