{"id":813,"date":"2012-05-21T09:27:23","date_gmt":"2012-05-21T08:27:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.edgehill.ac.uk\/eurovision\/?p=813"},"modified":"2012-05-22T17:50:56","modified_gmt":"2012-05-22T16:50:56","slug":"eurovision-is-back-b-a-c-k-baku","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edgehill.ac.uk\/eurovision\/2012\/05\/21\/eurovision-is-back-b-a-c-k-baku\/","title":{"rendered":"Eurovision is back, b-a-c-k, BAKU!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hi friends, colleagues and euro-fans \u2013 it\u2019s that time of the year again (can you believe it!) when otherwise sensible people get a bit giddy, rather partisan and obsessed with key changes and wardrobe malfunctions. Yes, the Eurovision Song Contest is back \u2013 and this year the euro-bubble has travelled to Baku in Azerbaijan.<\/p>\n

As you may have realised I am not travelling to the host country this year.\u00a0 Whilst I have enjoyed the last four Contests I always felt like a year at home, and so for this year at least you can share the build-up to the Contest with me from, erm, sunny Ormskirk by day and Southport by night!<\/p>\n

As you must surely be aware by now, Eurovision takes place this week, with the two semi-finals on Tuesday 22 May and Thursday 24 May (on BBC Three) followed by the Grand Final on Saturday 26 May (on BBC one\/BBC HD).<\/p>\n

Even though I am not \u201cyour man in Baku\u201d this year a few interested parties have been asking that I blog once again and set the scene – and so I\u2019m happy to do that. Coming up we\u2019ll take a look at the runners and riders, the frocks and the shocks, the musical highs and the musical lows that will follow this week.<\/p>\n

It really is a strong year for songs (luckily!), and I think that any number of countries will be up there in the mix (Russia, Italy, Germany, Romania, Serbia).\u00a0 Regular readers of the blog will remember that I am rather a fan of Swedish entries and this year is no exception, and even better that they are the hot\u00a0favorites\u00a0this year \u2013 more on that later.<\/p>\n

It will be interesting to see how Engelbert Humperdinck does this year. Have the BBC lost the Eurovision plot, or is it an inspired move? Time will tell.<\/p>\n

Whilst I am not in Baku, my good friend, and now \u201cDr Eurovision\u201d, Paul Jordan is.\u00a0 He has been there for over a week taking in the rehearsals and press conferences.\u00a0 Click the links below to enjoy his week in Baku, and to get a sense of the build-up to the Contest…<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.dreurovision.blogspot.co.uk\/2012\/05\/to-baku-and-beyond-eurovision-2012-day.html<\/a><\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.dreurovision.blogspot.co.uk\/2012\/05\/eurovision-2012-day-one.html<\/a><\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.dreurovision.blogspot.co.uk\/2012\/05\/eurovision-2012-day-two.html<\/a><\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.dreurovision.blogspot.co.uk\/2012\/05\/eurovision-2012-day-three.html<\/a><\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.dreurovision.blogspot.co.uk\/2012\/05\/eurovision-2012-day-four.html<\/a><\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.dreurovision.blogspot.co.uk\/2012\/05\/eurovision-2012-day-five.html<\/a><\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.dreurovision.blogspot.co.uk\/2012\/05\/eurovision-2012-day-six.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Like I said earlier, more from me later, but in the meantime, time for a musical interlude to start your Eurovision week\u2026<\/p>\n

Engelbert<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hi friends, colleagues and euro-fans \u2013 it\u2019s that time of the year again (can you believe it!) when otherwise sensible people get a bit giddy, rather partisan and obsessed with key changes and wardrobe malfunctions. Yes, the Eurovision Song Contest is back \u2013 and this year the euro-bubble has travelled to Baku in Azerbaijan. 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