Embracing Eurovision – Stratford man’s musical journey to Liverpool and the competition final
By Dean Asker
Eurovision is over, and this year you just couldn’t escape it.
Owing to the war, last year’s winners, Ukraine, were unable to host, so the UK stepped in with Liverpool as the location for the annual song fest. I was in the city for a week in the lead up to the contest, and I’ve never known somewhere to embrace Eurovision so wholeheartedly. There were cultural events, a massive Eurovision village that had a daily programme of musical acts, all besides the actual contest itself.
This was the 26th Eurovision I’ve been to, and as a member of the UK’s fan club, OGAE UK, I helped organise the official Euroclub, where everyone came to dance the night away to Eurovision music. Sounds like bliss, right? We also arranged for singers from previous contests to perform there – somehow I managed to persuade Samantha Womack (best known as Ronnie Mitchell in EastEnders) to come and belt out her glorious 1991 UK entry, A Message To Your Heart. It was one of many highlights, which also included watching Sam Ryder, who took the UK to second place last year, gigging in the famous Cavern club. I also hosted press conferences with the French, German and Ukrainian acts – I’m still not quite sure how that happened!
Then, one night at 2am in the Euroclub I found myself talking to Peter Grönvall - the son of Benny from ABBA and who, as part of One More Time had represented Sweden in 1996. And it got even better when I was able to meet Elisabeth Andreassen, who, as one half of Bobbysocks, Norway’s 1985 winners, kickstarted my love for the contest.
I was also lucky enough to get tickets to the contest (my bank balance is groaning as a result). The BBC did a superb job on the show, and one of the presenters, Hannah Waddingham, was a real hit with the fan community. Sadly my favourite song, the wonderfully bonkers Cha Cha Cha, performed by Finland’s Käärijä was pipped to the post by Sweden’s Loreen with Tattoo. But I wasn’t too down about it. Tattoo is a great song, and Loreen now joins Ireland’s Johnny Logan as the only person to have won the contest twice.
All in all the contest magnificently lived up to its slogan, United by Music. Shall we do it all again next May somewhere in Sweden? Yes please!
