Eurovision Song Contest 2011

[Ice Cream Skies]

I like the 3JS. As long as they do what they're good at and write a song that doesn't stray away from their usual sound, I'm happy.

[citoig]

I heard a good bit of their stuff last week actually, they're pretty enjoyable so I'm happy to hear they'll be there. Agree with Ice Cream Skies, I'd rather they stick with their own sound, and I think it'll work well.

[stevo_1988]

I read that Mika is in talks to write the british ESC entry for next year.

Oh God. I want a name performer, not necessarily a name writer. Did Joe Public read or even care who wrote Satellite?

I refuse to believe if the BBC put their name and weight behind really courting a name performer for 2010 that they couldn't get someone willing to take a chance on it.

Morrissey wanted to do it. Start there and build bridges. If that falls on its arse, don't give up. It's an opportunity to perform your new single in front of 100+ million people. It honestly doesn't matter about winning so long as you can hold your head high and be proud of your song and your performance.

By not dealing with the "what have I got to lose" questions they give the impression that there is everything to lose. But really, Eurovision hasn't ever killed a 'name' career that wasn't already dying anyway. Last time the UK sent a genuinely established star with any degree of career continuity was Sonia, and by 1993 she'd had a bit of distance since her last significant hit, and most former PWL acts (who weren't Kylie) were taking a nosedive. It didn't kill Sonia's career off; it gave it another album.

So really, this whole idea of the poison chalice is complete myth. Can't someone somewhere squash it?!

I'm guessing the hope is that Mika will write the song and perform it, that would be a real coup, no?

Totally agree with you about the poison chalice myth thing. I blame ALW for that, he's the one that termed it that back in 09, but look at that though hasn't done him any harm nor Jade so it can be done.

I think getting one of the girls from Girls Aloud to do it would probably be good given the right song. Although having said that i can only see Kimberly going for it as Chezza and NAdine have got their own things going on and i can imagine Sarah and Nicola wouldn't be bothered. But if it was something like "Memory of you" (For non GA followers, this was a Kimberly lead dancey/snythy b-side of theirs) i'd be ecstatic!


stevo_1988

[Charley]

Nadia Almada wants to do it...

http://bb-cache.channel4.com/bigbrot...vision/play.c4

[duckface]

I think getting one of the girls from Girls Aloud to do it would probably be good given the right song. Although having said that i can only see Kimberly going for it as Chezza and NAdine have got their own things going on and i can imagine Sarah and Nicola wouldn't be bothered. But if it was something like "Memory of you" (For non GA followers, this was a Kimberly lead dancey/snythy b-side of theirs) i'd be ecstatic!

Kimberley holding her own for two and half minutes, singing live and probably dancing too?

Nil points!

[stevo_1988]

much as i want to disagree with you, i fear you might be right, ho hum.

she'd nail the dancing though, no question.

[bosley0604]

Worst Idea Ever.

If I won Eurovision, the last thing I'd do would be to ruin it by setting myself up for failure. She won't win again. The only time I was okay with a winner defending 'their' title was when it was rumoured that Elena would be using Mambo for 2006.
But it's her life, etc.

I remember that Rumour. I Think the performace as the interval act proved that Elena could do the double with Mambo...She was just there to show everyone else how it was done!!!

[stevo_1988]

Wow this rumour completely passed me by. That would have been awesome, however not too sure if they'd have done the double with it. Let's not forget that Anna Vissi was supposedly doing that and she only came something like 9th. No matter who was there for Greece in 06 i don't think anything could have stopped the Lordi machine. Having said that think Elena would have given them a run for their money.

Might have to listen to mambo now...

[MadeInHeaven]

Mambo completely whups the tush of My Number One (ew, sorry; unfortunate juxtaposition of words there). Didn't Terry Wogan interrupt the UK streaming (no change there then!) during that performance to say that she was just proving she could do it again if she really wanted to?

It was epic. Seem to recall she mimed it though...

Speaking of interval songs which could have won, would Madcon have stood a chance this year?

[bosley0604]

Mambo completely whups the tush of My Number One (ew, sorry; unfortunate juxtaposition of words there). Didn't Terry Wogan interrupt the UK streaming (no change there then!) during that performance to say that she was just proving she could do it again if she really wanted to?

It was epic. Seem to recall she mimed it though...

Speaking of interval songs which could have won, would Madcon have stood a chance this year?

Yes Mambo was mimed...Just like all the interval acts...the only live vocals are the participants...I also recall Terry playing Mambo! when it was released as a single in the UK

[Charley]

I keep hearing that Katerine Avgoustakis will be competing for Greece again!

Another hopeful is said to be Eleni Foureira, who did the Greek version of Dan Balan's 'Chica Bomb'.

[duckface]

Eleni doesn't have that great a live voice though, does she?

I'd like something a little less formulaic this year. Eleftheria Arvanitaki, Rallia...

Or just Tamta, so we can get some votes from all the Russian-domain countries.

[Charley]

The article I read also mentioned Ivi Adamou and Antigoni Psihrami.

[cjwhite1]

Does anyone have any tips or advice for guaranteeing getting tickets to the final in Germany? A little early I know, just DETERMINED to get there next year!

Does anyone think it's worth joining the OAGE group who claim to have give members the chance to buy tickets before the general public?

[KamikazeHeart]

(This is slightly off-topic, but it feels like a better shot at asking here than Q&A, if the mods feel it's too irrelevant, go ahead and delete this.)

Is there any online CD store which is good at Eurovision-related music? Specifically, I've been looking for Lovebugs' compilation. It is available at their official store, but quite expensive with shipping, so I just thought I'd ask first.

[londoncalling]

Does anyone have any tips or advice for guaranteeing getting tickets to the final in Germany? A little early I know, just DETERMINED to get there next year!

Does anyone think it's worth joining the OAGE group who claim to have give members the chance to buy tickets before the general public?

It's too late to join the UK OGAE fan club and get tickets for 2011. Join this year and you'd qualify for tickets in 2012 (it's a draw for tickets that you pay for (ie tickets aren't free)...no guarantee of one as there are usually more members wanting tickets than there are tickets available.
Apart from buying tickets on ebay the other way to get tickets is this:
book a day off work, be in front of a computer at 8am the day the tickets go on sale and join the mad scramble for tickets. Final tickets normally sell out within 30-60 minutes and cost up to £120, semi tickets there's no rush. It pays to have other friends on their computers too to increase your chances of getting through. Tickets normally go on sale Jan/Feb, sometimes as late as March. Start checking esctoday.com in the New Year for details of ticket sales.

Good luck!

[londoncalling]

and judging by the ads on this page for hotels in Dusseldorf we can safely conclude the show won't be in Berlin next May!

[cjwhite1]

Does anyone have any tips or advice for guaranteeing getting tickets to the final in Germany? A little early I know, just DETERMINED to get there next year!

Does anyone think it's worth joining the OAGE group who claim to have give members the chance to buy tickets before the general public?

It's too late to join the UK OGAE fan club and get tickets for 2011. Join this year and you'd qualify for tickets in 2012 (it's a draw for tickets that you pay for (ie tickets aren't free)...no guarantee of one as there are usually more members wanting tickets than there are tickets available.
Apart from buying tickets on ebay the other way to get tickets is this:
book a day off work, be in front of a computer at 8am the day the tickets go on sale and join the mad scramble for tickets. Final tickets normally sell out within 30-60 minutes and cost up to £120, semi tickets there's no rush. It pays to have other friends on their computers too to increase your chances of getting through. Tickets normally go on sale Jan/Feb, sometimes as late as March. Start checking esctoday.com in the New Year for details of ticket sales.

Good luck!

Thanks for the tips!

Seems a bit late to be deciding the host city, doesn't it?

[londoncalling]

[/quote] Thanks for the tips!

Seems a bit late to be deciding the host city, doesn't it?
[/quote]

Yes it's very late and they finally announced today it's Dusseldorf. The delay was down to doubts about Berlin's bid (which involved building a big plastic bubble onto a hangar at Berlin's old airport!) and Dusseldorf's negotiations with its football team about booting them out of their stadium for the weeks prior to Eurovision.
A tip if you're thinking of going. Stay in Cologne 30 mins train ride away. Hotels in Dusseldorf are now asking sky high prices (there's a big trade fair on in town during Eurovision week so accommodation is at a premium).

[londoncalling]

It seems that the first tickets might be going on sale as early as 4 weeks time... keep checking esctoday.com

[cjwhite1]

It seems that the first tickets might be going on sale as early as 4 weeks time... keep checking esctoday.com

Ooh exciting! I'm thinking this is all going to get ridiculously expensive isn't it....good tip staying on Cologne.

[popknark]

Can someone get this woman to represent Germany next year? PRETTY PLEASE?!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7tpL7xnKzw

[KamikazeHeart]

Theo in Hurts says:

Finally, what do you have planned for 2011?

Try and win the Eurovision Song Contest, try to take over the world, try and write a second album, everything really!

Should we take this seriously?

[Charley]

Didn't Vasilios once say they're huge in Greece or am I making that up?

Wikipedia says they also did well in Switzerland and I know they are allowing international performers this year.

[duckface]

Wonderful Life was huge. Not once have I heard Better Than Love or Stay on the radio, though...