Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Yesterday's news was YLE was unable to "pay everybody" to Lisbon 2018 Eurovision song contest and thus leaving the entry's writers home, read more here . That caused quite a social media stir and for the reason. After all this is a SONG contest and without the song and who wrote it there was no entry (even if sometimes one wonders if there's a song at all in some performances...)  Today YLE announces it was all a misunderstanding and Linnea Deb, Joy Deb and Ki Fitzgerard all are travelling to Lisbon and will be in the Green room with the artists as well. One wonders who had the guts and common sense to stay away and give room to those you really deserve it....  Well done YLE, whether it was due to the negative flashback or just commom sense. Still I have to press it's more of the first as in the statement they still insist "usually YLE hasn't paid the songwriters to the spot due to the delegation limits set by EBU". So you do mean you have...

Frans is Sweden's youngest artists since the days of 16-year-old Carola back in 1983. The fact is he's still at school and guess what? He's back to school even between his Eurovision duties!  We can read from his schedule that he does arrive in Stockholm today, Sunday May 1st. Tomorrow Monday he's involved in Humorgalan and Tuesday he has his first day of interviews, his first rehearsals and the Meet & Greet with the media. But then he's off back to Ystad for two days for school.  He's back in Stockholm on Friday night to perform at Nordic Light night at Euroclub. The day after you can find him in the grand opening of the Good evening, Europe! exhibition at ABBA museum.  On Sunday he has his second rehearsals, press conference, the Red Carpet and Welcome Party followed by performance at the Euroclub's Welcome party. On Monday he's at Eurovision Village meeting fans at 14-15. And on it goes. He has also a role in the semifinals Green...

Today's exactly a year Conchita Wurst won the 2014 Eurovision in Copenhagen and this annoversary also means kick off for a new season as today the delegations have started arriving in Vienna. Things get serious tomorrow when the first countries take the stage for first rehearsals (Moldova, Armenia, Belgium, Netherlands, Finland, Greece, Estonia and Macedonia). It seems all is ready and people already arrived and checking things out seem to be more than pleased. And indeed it all looks fine. The city of Vienna seems ot have put a lot of effort making the event visible all over the town and the press center and the rest looks nice and cozy. Let the show begin! Few facts on the stage: it's in the form of an eye, 43 meters wide, 14 meter high and 22 meters deep. 1270 individual steles surround it, all equipped with LEDs just like the stage floor. Behind it all a LED wall that is 30 meters wide and 9 meters high that can be hauled apart in the middle.  And let's see w...