Good evening Europe, may we have your votes please…

Hello!  This is Phil Jackson here, signing on for the first time to get this blog up-and-running for my trip to Serbia on 17 May 2008 to attend the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) for the first time.  I’ve been a fan of the ESC for over 30 years, as man and boy (don’t look that old, do I?) and so it’s awesome that I’ll be attending for the first time this year.  I’ve been doing a large amount of research around the ESC and its role as a media event, how fans consume if throughout the year, and what (heaven forbid) a contest such as this can tell us about European music and European culture.To some, the Eurovision is an excuse to over indulge and judge Europe from a distance, but for me and many, many more people around our continent and the World it is much more than that. I was lucky enough to participate in the first international ESC conference in Volos, Greece earlier this year, where I presented my work on the branding of the Eurovision. Indeed, I’m very lucky that I can combine my love for all things ‘Eurovish’ with my academic research in this area, and so far I’ve been very well supported by EHU.  And so it came to pass that, following my attendance at the Eurovision conference, I was persuaded to attend the ESC this year. Not only that, as I’ve been accredited by the BBC, so I’ll be experiencing the build up for the two semi-finals (on 20 May and 22 May, broadcast on BBC3 at 8.00pm) and the final (24 May at 8.00pm on BBC1). So, this blog aims to give you the scoop on all things Eurovision live from Belgrade.I’m sure there will be laughter, tears, tantrums, drama, unexpected events… just as well as I’m not flying through Heathrow!  So, be sure to check back here over the next couple of weeks to enjoy with me the climax of the Eurovision calendar … to Eurovision, and beyond…