Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

  Swiss televisions have launched officially the search for the host city for Eurovision 2025 with a logo that made me think of Istanbul 2004 immediately. I have no idea what skyline is supposed to be there but it certainly doesn't make me think of Switzerland! Istanbul hasn't been the only city to feature the skyline or similar in their Eurovision branding as also Helsinki 2007 did so, as you can clearly see even today in this blog, lol. Eurovision song contest is coming back home after this rather chaotic and disastrous 2024 edition as the very first edition took place in Switzerland's Lugano in May 24, 1956 in attempt to unite post-war Europe and bring some entertainment and excitement for the new media called television. Loosley modeled after Italy's Sanremo festival seven countries took part, each with two songs: Switzerland, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Switzerland won but the next contest moved to Frankfurt in Germany. And ever...

After Ukraine's win at Eurovision song contest the president Zelenskiy congratulated the winners on Instagram and welcomed everyone back to Ukraine next year. Our courage impresses the world, our music conquers Europe! Next year Ukraine will host Eurovision! For the third time in its history. And I believe - not the last.We will do our best to one day host the participants and guests of Eurovision in Ukrainian Mariupol. Free, peaceful, rebuilt! Thank you for winning @ Kalush.official and everyone who voted for us! I am sure that our victorious chord in the battle with the enemy is not far off. Glory to Ukraine! This is all we hope and pray for but at the moment it looks very unlikely. The Eurovision 2023 preparations should start as soon as tomorrow as usual but the thought it beautiful and will lift the spirits, I hope, of those still wrapped there under Russian bombardments and fire. The fact that Mariupol maybe didn't have a suitable arena etc even before war to start with m...

What a surprise! Not. This blogger has been sure since last May Turin is the one and couldn't be more happy about it. Torino, as I wish to call it in every language,  the home of Italian coffee, chocolate, movies and cars among other things, a royal city that has been heavily out shadowed in  touristic sense by Rome, Venice and Florence has so much to offer without the touristic hell that I just fell in love with its elegance and tranquility, beauty and atmosphere so different from the others. Torino is cool and chic like no other! The twist of fate is also its close to Eurovision 2021 runner ups France and Switzerland, so it's even more fitting. The land mark Il Molo gives a stunning sight against the Alps and after Naples and Rome Italy and Rai will be able to showcase something different, modern and vibrant that isn't Milan. The best possible choice indeed. Torino PalaAlpitour, May 10 and 12 for the semis, 14 for the final.

Apparently Rai and Ebu have been to the location of the suitable Eurovision bidding cities after having dropped from the race the ones that didn't fulfill everything needed for a successful event, including the capital Rome.  The front runners Turin and Milan are still there, as is Bologna that has been gaining support and quite surprisingly also Rimini (that wants to engage also San Marino in the party) and Pesaro. Could this mean we ae in for a somewhat unusual and surprising end, an Italian Millstreet perhaps? As we remember a total of seventeen cities wished to host Eurovision 2022, and after some over optimistic and ex tempore candidates we had eleven left. And now they are only five.... Five cities but seven venues: Torino - Pala Alpitour Rimini - Rimini Fiera Pesaro - Vitrifrigo Arena Bologna - Fiera di Bologna Paviglione 37 Bologna - Unipol Arena Milano - Mediolanum Arena Milano - Palazzo delle Scintille

Hours after Måneskin won Eurovision 2021 in Rotterdam and well before they went to dominate the global streaming charts (and not only) starting to collect gold discs from all over several cities stepped ahead in line to announce they are able and willing to host Eurovision 2022 in Italy. Or in most cases willing but not able. Check out EBU's requirements here Italy being the football nation (and soon European champions again, this blogger hopes) it does have countless arenas but for football, not indoor arenas suitable for Eurovision that can be counted by the fingers of one hand really.... That didn't stop a total of 12 cities shout out their willingness but I suppose once they actually take two minutes to read the requirements to drop out from this official bid and we can say grazie, ma no grazie already at this stage to Bari, Firenze, Napoli, Pesaro, San Remo, Reggio Emilia, Rimini and Verona.  We are left with Torino, Milano, Roma and Bologna. Bologna may be in trouble at t...

After a string of top-10 places since their return to the contest back in 2011 (2nd, 9th, 7th, 21st, 3rd, 16th, 6th, 5th, 2nd) Måneskin managed to finish the business Raphael Gualazzi, Nina Zilli, Marco Mengoni, Il Volo, Francesco Gabbani, Ermal Meta, Fabrizio Moro and Mahmood started nor forgetting Francesca Michielin and Emma. Now it's time to Rai to show what they can do and put the legend "Rai doesn't want to win" to rest for good. Italy has hosted the contest twice before but that was a long time ago and a different concept. In 1965 Naples had the honors in Rai's tv-studios there, and in 1991 originally planned Sanremo changed to Cinecittá studios in Rome due to the Gulf war in the last minute that caused some hick ups to the Italian style already a bit confused organisation. But that was and this is now.  Back then it was much small event and could be held in a theater or big studio but not now. And here comes the problem with Italy: the lack of suitable, bi...

It didn't take long but here it is, the first candidate city to host the contest next year: Bologna!   Bologna is situated in the heart of Italy, youthful University city, Unesco's Citta della musica or Music city, they have an arena, hotels, flights... everything! This blogger would be thrilled, I love Bologna, one of my favorites in Italy - with many friends! Previously when the Gabbamani was wild in Europe it has been made public that Italy was planning to host in Turin/Torino should they win.... Also Milan and Pesaro have already showed interest......  UPDATE: During the Sunday after also Turin aka Torino has confirmed they are interested and that they have been waiting for this already for years!

Fans were complaining before about everyhting but NTU has come up with the logo, slogan, stage and allocation draw in January. Just as promised. :-) And even the ticket sales will start in a week or so... The stage (on top) looks very much inspired by Vienna and Helsinki with the Baku backdrop. But then again it's the same designer. Except for Helsinki of course! Looks promising. The semifinal allocation is sorted out as well today with the Host City insignia ceremony, passing the contest officially from Stockholm to Kyiv. A nice tradition started after Helsinki 2007 from the initiative of the Helsinki city people.  Italy, Spain and United Kingdom will vote in the first semifinal which is bad news for San Marino. Germany. Ukraine and France will vote in the second semifinal which is good news for San Marino if they send Serhat again..... And Finland? AGAIN first semifinal and AGAIN first half! This is 8th semifinal one in ten years, and the starting numbers have ...

The allocation draw and official handover from Stockholm to Kyiv  with Host City Insignia - a tradition introduced in Helsinki 2007, btw - will take place next Tuesday in Kyiv, January 31, 2017 (Who said Ukrainians can't make it? They said January and January it is, lol. Some fans.... sigh) As usual, first the Big5 and host Ukraine will be drawn into which semifinal they will broadcast and vote in. Germany has asked and granted the Second semifinal.  Next the countries in semifinals will be drawn into First or Second semifinal. Switzerland has asked and granted the Second semifinal. There will be 19 countries in the Second semi, 18 in the First. The 37 Semi-Finalists have been allocated into six pots, based on historical voting patterns as calculated by the contest’s official televoting partner Digame. Drawing from different pots helps to reduce the chance of so-called neighbourly voting and increases suspense in the Semi-Finals. POT 1:  Albania, FYR Macedon...

Odessa beach Today the announcement of the host city got cancelled and postponed again. The fourth time I suppose, but who's counting? Anyways, until the fat lady aka EBU sings there's no official date or whatever but after today's failure to provide the news has angered the mayor of Dnipro first, and Kiev next. Odessa stays silent so far... Anyways, the time is running out. That has been said loud and clear by both mayors in the past 24 hours to prepare and make it work as they want it. Later today we also found out that Dnipro shouldn't worry about that as apparently they are out of the race that is now between Kiev and Odessa alone. NTU director Alasania has stated it takes another week to value the bids of Odessa and Kiev and then we will have the final decision.  This makes me think my initial idea from long ago that EBU wants it in Odessa, and now they are trying to make it work despite the missing roof and the tent city solution. Kiev came up with a bett...