Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

The Dome in Brighton hosted the 19th Eurovision song contest on April 6, 1974. BBC took over the contest after Luxembourg declined to host for the second year in a row after their win in 1973 at home. All of 17 countries took part when Greece debuted, and France withdraw in the middle of Eurovision week after the death of president Pompidou, whose funeral fell on the day of the contest. Their entry was ment to be number 14, Dani's La vie à vingt-cinq ans . Also Malta withdraw without giving reasons but before the contest. Their chosen entry was Enzo Guzman's Paci fid dinja . Portugal's entry literally started a revolution. It being payed on radio on April 24 was a signal to get ready and start the coup! Italy also had some drama when their entry titled Si (Yes) was banned from RAI for over a month due the divorce referendum. Italy didn't even broadcast the contest until summer. Shame, as Italians missed the excitement of the 1964 winner Gigliola Cinquetti almost...

Sammarinese Valentina Monetta had a busy weekend. First she was again, for the third time in a row, in the Eurovision in Concert in Amsterdam performing her entry this year, Maybe . And also meeting a lot of familiar faces, giving interviews and also having some fun. The day after she was a guest star in The Dome in Brighton where the 40th anniversary of ABBA's win with Waterloo was celebrated. She sung of course Maybe , but also Gigliola Cinquetti's runner up in 1974, Si . Dressed in a blue dress just like Gigliola, she gave a lovely Valentinalised version of that fantastic song and the audience loved it. Maybe her next project could be an album full of Italian classics performed in her style? How about Dio come ti amo as bossanova?

April 6, 1974 a historic moment was relived in the Eurovision song contest. ABBA won at The Dome in Brighton. It changed the contest and started the international career of one of the most influencal and succesful pop bands ever. Like them or not, you can still hum several of their big hits. Those hits will relive again this Sunday again in Brighton's Dome marking the 40th anniversary of that date. Join writer, performer and life-long ABBA fanatic Christopher Green for a unique opportunity to remake ABBA’s historic Eurovision Song Contest win on the very spot it happened, 40 years to the day. Christopher will also be joined by Brighton Gay Men's Chorus , who'll be delivering their unique take on ABBA's repertoire. In this party performance lecture celebrating ABBA and their momentous triumph, you’ll discover more about the history of the group and their cultural significance, experience their finest moments on film, and witness some extraordinary cover versio...