{"id":1301,"date":"2015-05-23T10:22:15","date_gmt":"2015-05-23T09:22:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.edgehill.ac.uk\/eurovision\/?p=1301"},"modified":"2015-05-23T10:34:23","modified_gmt":"2015-05-23T09:34:23","slug":"climb-every-mountain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edgehill.ac.uk\/eurovision\/2015\/05\/23\/climb-every-mountain\/","title":{"rendered":"Climb every mountain…"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"dress1\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Well, today is a historic day for the Eurovision Song Contest. Firstly, it will be the 60th<\/sup>\u00a0Grand Final. This has been celebrated far and wide, and is a marker of how important it has become\u00a0for popular culture in Europe since 1956. Secondly, it marks the first (and hopefully only) time that Australia will participate (although we are led to believe that is may become a permanent invitation) to mark the 60th<\/sup>\u00a0anniversary. Thirdly, this will be the biggest final ever \u2013 with (wait for it) 27 countries ready to entertain us this evening. Climb every mountain, indeed! \ud83d\ude00<\/p>\n

\"balls\"<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Watching the dress rehearsal of the final yesterday afternoon did become something of an endurance test. I had walked around Vienna for a couple of hours before going to the press centre, and ultimately the arena. Once again we were watching from the standing area in front of the stage, which was great fun. The only thing is, after watching the performances for a couple of hours I was feeling a little fatigued! Yeah, I\u2019d been on my feet\u00a0for about six hours, but also getting through 27 songs is a test of resilience! For those watching at home tonight, at least you can refresh your drinks\/nibbles\/put the bins out during the songs which may not exactly float you boat. For us there is that sense of having to endure songs which you find a bit bland\/boring\/cringe.<\/p>\n

I will be quite happy to never hear some of these songs again after tonight, but let\u2019s stay on the positive side of things (or as Graham Norton would say, the left hand side of the scoreboard). As Europe decides tonight it is clear that there are a clutch of songs that will do well: Sweden, Russia, Italy, Australia, Estonia, Belgium, Norway amongst them. It might be a really close race, and what I like about the Grand Final in recent years is that most of the songs are really, really good. Yeah, some are a bit naff and a bit cringe, and yep, this might be how the UK\u2019s entry might be seen, but all in all, we all have a thoroughly entertaining evening ahead of us.<\/p>\n

There are a few things to look out for tonight: a wonderful opening sequence, with pre-recorded orchestra doing a \u201chooked on classics\u201d kinda medley. Throw in some school kids, singing presenters and a flying Conchita, and you know that you\u2019re in for an excellent evening!<\/p>\n

\"conchita\"<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

No really, a flying Conchita, here filmed by me yesterday\u2026<\/p>\n