Results tagged “2008” from Boom Bang a Blog

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.

Aw, well done Poland. They've just scooped their first ever Eurovision title, 14 years after their impressive debut at the Song Contest (they took silver in 1994) by sort-of-moonwalking their way to the 2008 Eurovision Dance Contest trophy.

The United Kingdom finished ninth (not a double-digit position - let joy rain down upon us all) out of, umm, 14 competing nations, but let's not be churlish. Instead, we shall concentrate on the winners.

Right, there may not be much in the way of blanket promotion across the airwaves for the competition, but the 2008 Eurovision Dance Contest begins at 8pm BST tomorrow (Saturday) at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre in Glasgow.

We know who's taking part, but when exactly are they playing? And do we know what moves each couple will be showing off to a watching continent?

Of course we do. We're Boom Bang a Blog.

Isn't the alphabet marvellous? By listing the entries taking part in this year's Eurovision Dance Contest in that fashion it has enabled us to be all patriotic and save the UK until last. Huzzah.

Taking on the burdenous mantle this year is actress (note: 'actress'. Not 'professional dancer'. Oh yes, we know how to play by the rules...) Louisa Lytton, who is taking a break from chasing naughty teenagers down alleyways full of really big bins in The Bill to give a potential hometown victory in the Eurovision Dance Contest a shot. Well, look how well the Chinese athletes did in their own back yard at the Olympics.

These two look like they know a thing or two about style. It's the Ukraine, the 13th of 14 nations taking part in this year's Eurovision Dance Contest.

If you've read the entry for the Russian couple, you'll be aware that there are actually two couples hailing from Ukraine (goodness knows why, it's not as though Russia has a population of Monaco-esque proportions), which will probably make for some interesting votes on the night.

It's usually the case that former Pop Idol contestants go for a second nibble at fame's cherry via the Song Contest, not the Dance one. But Sweden's Danny Saucedo is relying on his toes and not his vocal chords in an attempt to scoop a trophy for his homeland.

He is joined by professional dancer Jeanette Carlsson (not Krankie, despite the Contest taking place in Scotland) in an attempt to light up the scoreboard for Sweden on Saturday night.

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.

Now, this dynamic duo has a lot of responsibility weighing down on their 20 talented toes.

If they score the most points in Glasgow on Saturday night it will be the first time Portugal has ever won a Eurovision Contest, dancing or otherwise.

No pressure then.

Polish pair Martin Mroczek and Edyta Herbus hope to "conquer the European hearts" at this year's Dance Contest, which has lost them the cardiac surgeon vote already.

Boom Bang a Blog is assured their performance on Saturday will not involve sitting in the corner of a Glaswegian pub with their thumbs aloft, as the above image suggests (Pher-yewee, that wouldn't have gone down well with the judges).

Shall we have a nosegay at their biogs? Oh, go on then...

Boom Bang a Bloggers, allow us to introduce Mister Danny Lynch.

Glasgow resident and fan of all things Eurovision, Danny has only gone and bagged himself a shiny new press pass for the goings on at the SECC, so he can report on-the-spot (especially for Boom Bang a Blog) about all the backstage gossip/rehearsals/snapped shoe straps.

Keep an eye out for his first report in the next few days.

It is four years since the Netherlands last showed up in a final of the Eurovision Song Contest, but with no pesky semi-final system to worry about here, the Dutch are loud and proud and straight through to the final in Glasgow.

Singer Thomas Berge takes on the amateur role in this partnership, having had experience in musicals such as Oliver and The Secret Garden and his popularity is such, a nosey Dutch camera crew followed his every move for a wee while to make a six episode fly-on-the-wall documentary all about him.

Finland was the last nation to pick its entrant for the 2007 Eurovision Dance Contest - and won the whole thing. This year, it is the Lithuanians who brought up the rear in the couple-picking stakes, so will this prove ominous?

Dancers Saulius Skambinas and Karina Krysko certainly hope so. Bless 'em. There wasn't a lot of meat on the bones of their biography, but we'll do our best with what we've got...

In a turnaround from recent Irish Eurovision entries, we have it on good authority that neither of these two dancing lovelies are feathered hand puppets.

Time was when the Eurovision relationship between Ireland and the UK was strictly one-way traffic. The call of: "And finally, Ireland... 12 points" could be heard regularly from the London-based jury, whereas the Dublin spokesperson would usually relish the announcement of "...and we give one point to the United Kingdom" with a rather smug grin.

But with the Eastern European love-in the Contest has now become, something rather marvellous has happened. The now-neglected former Eurovision powerhouses of Royaume Uni and Irlande have forged a voting relationship of Greek/Cypriot proportions.

Continuing our run-down of the lads and lasses doing pointy toes and twirly arms with aplomb in order to take the Eurovision Dance Contest trophy, let's have a shufty at the Greek couple.

Once again, controversy rears its Medusa-like head, as the twosome shaking their tushes for TV Greece are both professional dancers - a blatant flout of the rule which states one half of a couple must NOT be a professional dancer. Boom Bang a Blog wishes it knew the Greek for 'how naughty'.

By the way, this bit isn't against the rules, but for some reason, the pair representing Greece also happen to be Australian.

Shock developments in the world of the Eurovision Dance Contest.

Spain has pulled out. That's because this year's competition does clash with a number of important national football fixtures for the countries taking part in Glasgow and, to be brutally honest, this newest addition to the Contest family isn't going to tempt too many viewers away from the pitches.

This is likely to have an impact on the viewing figures, but we will stoically carry on by telling you a bit more about this twosome, who are hoping to make it two-in-a-row for Finland at non-singing, all-dancing Eurovision.

These two think they're well flash with their stretch limo outside Tivoli Gardens. These two are, in fact, Patrick Spiegelberg and Katja Svensson, the Danish hot-hoofers who will soon be heading off to Glasgow for this year's Eurovision Dance Contest.

And this is another pair (like the Azeris we met last week) who don't seem to be strictly conforming with the ethos of someone who's not especially good at dancing joining forces with someone who is, in the spirit of good fun across the Eurovision network.

Katja is a dancer and Patrick is, hmm... a choreographer.

Look at this smashing pair. You don't need the likes of Boom Bang a Blog to tell you that it's Dorian Steidl and Nicole Kuntner (I'm so glad I'm not a commentator), who will represent Austria at this year's Eurovision Dance Contest in Glasgow.

Shall we get to know them a bit more? Do come this way.

A press release has reached Boom Bang a Blog Towers from the nice people at HMV.

It promoted their Single of the Week - a song Steve Wright has played on his Radio 2 show every day for a 30-day period (we're assuming that doesn't include weekends).

The song is Lay Your Love on Me performed by Swedish pop trio Bodies Without Organs (or BWO).

Aah... I attended the University of Glasgow between 1995 and 1999 so I am chuffed to bits that the city is hosting this year's Eurovision Dance Contest on Saturday, September 6.

Here is the venue. It was called the Armadillo when it opened (while I was living there) but now goes by the name of the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre. But you can see why it had its original moniker from the pic.

Proper Eurovision may be over for another 11-and-a-half months, but don't fret, if you like nothing more than watching a national spokesperson reading out votes from one to 12, there are two more helpings coming your way this year.

First up - and get this, we're the host country (wahey!) - is the Eurovision Dance Contest, which takes place in Glasgow on September 6. Details are few and far between about this at the moment (I couldn't find a logo for it on the interweb, anyway) but a shoe-in for hosting responsibilities has to be the extra-smashing Lorraine Kelly, since the show comes from her own backyard. Let's hope so, anyway.

Following that, is the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in Cyprus at the end of the year. Now, it's ITV, not the BBC, who organise the UK entrant for this, but despite Britain finishing third, then second, in the first two years of the competition, we haven't entered since 2005. That's probably because the Junior Eurovision is quite rubbish - and even the most determined of Song Contest fans struggles to sit through a dozen-or-so performances of overly earnest youngsters either making a plea for world peace or carrying out some worryingly provocative dance moves.

However, it's still Eurovision - so qualifies for inclusion on Boom Bang a Blog. We'll keep you posted as and when each entry is picked. We're so good to you.

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.

Think we got eight out of 10 correct - called Belgium and Ireland incorrectly and didn't figure on Finland or Poland.

Here are the 10 countries which made it through tonight's semi-final for a spot in Saturday's Eurovision Song Contest, in order of how they were ripped out the various envelopes:

Boom Bang a Blog predicts the following 10 nations will qualify this evening for Saturday's Eurovision Song Contest proper:

Israel
Belgium
Azerbaijan
Norway
Ireland
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Armenia
Romania
Russia
Greece

We'll be back at just after 10pm with the result - and presumably much egg on face.

Don't forget: 8pm - BBC Three. Let us know what you think/thought!

Here's a scoop from our gold star-deserving roving reporter Chris Knight.

Chris is one of a handful of British delegates in Belgrade to scoop an interview with Swedish entrant Charlotte Perelli. Lotte was named as the favourite to win the 2008 trophy on the BBC News website earlier today, but she has to get through Thursday night's qualifier first.

Find out what Charlotte has to say about being back in the Song Contest, winning the homeland phenomenon that is Melodifestivalen and getting a five-way marriage proposal from some San Marinese gentlemen.

Day Four - Digesting and Cogitating

So, things in Belgrade are gearing up for the first semi-final tonight. I went to see the technical rehearsal yesterday afternoon and here are my thoughts on who's worth a punt and who isn't.

THIS cherubic little face belongs to John Siddle. Not only is John the man behind our Open Mic blog, he is also a Southport Visiter reporter and a touring singer/songwriter. John also dislikes the Eurovision Song Contest. Intensely.

This is why Boom Bang a Blog hit upon the wizard wheeze of threatening asking John to listen the the 38 songs competing in the semi finals of this year's Eurovision Song Contest. Once we promised to return his favourite guitar unharmed, John was delighted to do it.

Click below to listen to John ruminate about his top five choices of the songs competing in tomorrow night (Tuesday)'s semi and find out what a Eurovision-disliker (how impudent!) makes of this cornucopia of dodgy pop. Click here to have a listen.

Note: We like to think that in the picture above, John is really, really enjoying listening to the Estonian entry Leto Svet. However, since that entry is really rather rubbish, that's probably not the case.

Day Three - Anyone fancy a Danish?

Our man Chris is doing sterling work out in Serbia.

On his third day at the forefront of Belgrade's Eurovision action, Chris has caught up with this year's Danish entrant, Simon Mathew.

To find out what the man who'll have Copenhagen crossing its fingers on Thursday night has to say about the UK's chances (note: if you're Andy Abraham, don't read any further), Liverpool and Manchester's music scene - and the Eurovision experience as a whole, feel free to carry on.