Sara Hammerzmith

Alright! Now we are hitting the last part of the Eurovision Song Contest…. The Grand Finale! I was pretty pleased with the starting entries today: Sweden, Moldova, Ireland and Estonia had all qualfied so I was well pleased! Today it was time for us yet again to attend a eurovision dinner, and we actually made it this time!

However we couldn’t stay long. When Liz (from Swe Ogae) took up her ticket I realized that I had forgotten my ticket at the hotel… In Cologne… And we were right now in Düsseldorf. I was like No no no nono…But after taking a look at the watch I figured that if I left NOW I’d make it back. And gladly, and for god know what reason, the trains were departuring every 30 minute on Saturdays (on weekdays it was every hour… weird!) So I was back in Cologne already 18.30, and back at the station at 19, and in Düsseldorf at 19.30! I had counted with being back in DD at 20.00 or even 20.30, so it was well an improvement!

So yeah. We pretty much hit the first subway we could, so we were even at the arena and inside before 20. If that is not called skills, I don’t know what is! We went and bought some candy and drinks before finding our seat in the arena. This time it was section E row 9, still pretty decent seats I have to say! This time we shared with the british and danish delegation, how lovely isn’t that?

I must say, that even though this years line up must have been one of the best, I think the entries ended up a bit badly. We had Ireland right before Sweden, and having Estonia following Sweden up. I don’t know – I think it was bad for Saade to follow the red-teamed Jedward, as well as it was quite a big difficultie to go on stage after the audience favourite Saade!

It was also… very… weird… to see the Zdubs again. But I was thrilled like hell to see them again… I can’t really describe it to ANYONE what that is like… Ok. Anyway. The entries pretty much passed by and it was soon time for people to vote.

And I can honestly say… I’m sincerely sorry for you who have to watch this at home. We get to see the fast re-run of all the entries on a big screen, and the sound, and effects sucks for you guys. I have a few liveclips I might share with you one day, so you get to see what this really is like. Cause yes. It sucks. FOR REAL.

And yes..Then we have the voting. This is as exciting wheter you are at home or in the arena, but yeah… It tickles even more when you are there. The votes and points came in and after a while I figured I’d try to see WHERE THE FUCK Sweden was placed. I looked in the first section, where the last positions is. No Sweden there. Okay, moving on…

Looked at the other section, beginning from down. No Sweden…. No Sweden…. No Sweden…WHERE THE FUCK IS SWEDEN? 3. Ukraine…. 2. Azerbaijan…. 1. Sweden…. WHERE THE FU-
Wait.
Wait a second.
What?
No…Wait. Hold on.
3. Ukraine. 2. Azerbaijan. 1. Sweden.
Wait. What?
HOLY SHIT!
SWEDEN IS IN THE LEAD?
No… YES. SWEDEN IS IN THE LEAD!!

I certainly did not see that one coming!! By this time, and especially after seeing the little rerun of “the top 3” with Sweden as number 1, just made the excitement even higher!

But as the votes kept coming in… Italy and Azerbaijan passed us. And after a chilling 30 minutes, Azerbaijan was crowned the winner, in what must have been the most EVEN game ever. Azerbaijan won with 221 points, second was Italy with 189 points and Sweden was third with 185 points. That is well even!

Yeah. Eurovision was over for this year, and now it’s a whole year until we do it again, this time in Baku, Azerbaijan!
Congratulations Azerbaijan, and see you next year!!

// Sara

SHIT. The internet at the hotel broke down! So I couldn’t blog from there… So yeah, here comes the sum up from the Semifinal no 2,and I’ll take the finals tomorrow!

Ok. We were actually supposed to go to a Eurovision dinner with the Swedish Delegation this evening, however, I managed to trip on my already damaged foot and injuried it even worser than it was from the beginning so it was bye bye to that… Good thing we managed to get to the arena!

You know, the first reason I signed up for the tickets for Eurovision, was because I was sooo sure Stala&SO. would win the finnish selection (Paradise Oskar did) and HELL NO that I’d miss my dear Sampsa(Kita) in Eurovision! But yes… he lost. Pretty hard. So I was like NOOOOO, I don’t wanna go : (…. Until I heard the small words: Zdob Si Zdub is in for Moldova.

I was like, Wait what. Zdob si Zdub… _THE_ ZDOB SI ZDUB?! THAT I HAVE LOVED AND ADORED FOR _SIX_ YEARS?!??!?! Dear god. That was even better news than if Sampsa would have been in! So I was really excited for this semifinal. My darlings in Zdub, and also Sweden! And not to forget – my babygirls darlings Jedward from Ireland. I was pretty certain they’d get through, but I was very unsure about both Zdub’s and Saade.

Either way, haha, now I’m just rambling away! We got to the arena and took us the time to purchase official scarves (MOLDOVA!) and pins and programme before we went inside and looked up our section. For todays event we were seated in section E row 4. Still fucking close! A friend of mine from the OGAE came and said hi and we had a short chat before it all began.

Well… The first entries passed and the only one I found interesting was Ukraine, but it was neither the singer or the song that made me interested, but the girl who drew in sand! That was pretty amazingly done. After Ukraine it was time for my darlings, and I must say I was quite nervous and excited about it.

Eurovision may just be Eurovision, and it may just be “one” song, but… it’s enough for me. They mainly play around Moldova / Romania / Russia and now have a few gigs in Germany, but that’s as close as they come. So yeah, it migh just be ONE song, but for me its more than anything. It’s Zdob Si Zdub. My very very first favourite band. Shit. And the fact that the song was beyond amazing (and a few inches better than ‘Boonika Bate Doba’ 2005) doesn’t make it any worse, does it?

After Moldova, it was time for Sweden. This was also really exciting – In the Swedish selection finals, The Moniker with ‘Oh My God’ was my personal fave, however I wished sincerely for that Eric Saade or Danny Saudeco would win if  The Moniker didn’t. I was quite excited to see how it was live and how it works in the arena, and I can pretty confidentelly say… it was the big arena favourite.

I feel sorry for Cyprus who had to enter the stage after Eric Saade, especially since they, Sorry Nik, and in my opinion, had a pretty boring song and routine. The next song to genuinely catch my attention was Israel’s Dana International and her ‘Ding Dong’ – both because the song is pretty GOOD, and, hello, it’s Dana International! Was really nice to see her live! (as live as Eurovision can get that is)

Estonia was also quite a favourite for me, Getter Jaani ‘Rockefeller Street’ and… I said it so many times by now, these songs are so much more amazing in the arena than on screen! Denmark was also pretty appriciated and at last the twins from Ireland conquered the stage. They are so adorable!

So yeah.. then it was time for result.

I was so certain Ireland and Israel would make it at least. I was very worried about Zdub’s and Saade…So guess how relieving it was when Moldova was announced! I pretty much sank into a bag of potatoes when I saw it. It ment I got to see my darlings just one more time. Awesome.

The countried kept coming. Like Ireland, like I predicted.

I got pretty worried when it was only one country left. Nor Israel or Sweden had gotten through, and I already started to get bitter and sink down to the floor with the words “Sweden wont get through, sweden wont get through” and even started to get teary eyed when I looked up and saw the blue with the yellow cross…

I can’t describe for you guys, how relieving THAT was. The entire delegation snapped, and I bet we were the biggest and loudest delegation there.

Sweden, Moldova AND Ireland through. I was well satisfied.

// Sara

Mkay, this happened a few days ago but still. The very first semifinal of ESC! Just as last year, I’m attending the whole shit.

We can begin with that we had a pretty decent travel here, but I must say, after being on TWO FLIGHTS.. I felt molested! It was like I had been to a half-rough concert! What is that?! Ugh. I’m not really looking THAT much forward to that on Sunday! Either way, we finally got down to Köln (where I happened to run into Zdob si Zdub the first thing that happened!!! How awesome is that?) to check in the hotel, get ready and then pretty much RUSH to the arena to pick up our tickets, since they are provided by OGAE.

I’m always pretty amazed over how many people there is coming to this you know. It’s far more people than on a concert, obviously, and I’m also amazed over how many nations there are. We even ran into some Australians, and that is just insane! The queueing system kinda sucked, not as hard as Dark Decadence of course, NOTHING can suck as hard as that, but it could’ve been organized a bit better.

Once inside we just looked around for I don’t know how long until I located…. CANDY!!!!!! Yeah. First time I bought candy for over 100 SEK! After that we went into the arena, located the section and was gonna find our row… which… turned out… TO BE FRONT ROW!!!!!!! FUCKING FRONT ROW!!!!!! That is hilarious!

So yeah… That’s pretty what’s there to say about that! Right on time, OBVIOUSLY, since it’s live, it started and for god know what reason they had today put the hosts on another platform than the regular stage.. And they didn’t show them on the big screens.. So it was like sitting there, watching an empty stage, and just listen to the host. After that… the entries began!

I’m gonna be straight honest with you, I hadn’t listened too much more than snippets off the songs. I love ESC more than MGP, yet since last years Eurovision I stopped care a bit about the entries but more about the thing itself. I did however enjoy pretty much the same that I wrote in the entry below, but I think I fell abit more in love with Hungary, Georgia, Armenia and even Norway(!!) after seeing it live.  Kinda fun – We talked a little about Sampsa, you know, Stala&SO. and how badly we wanted them to be there.. And just when we discussed that, the host said “In 2006 LORDI won with HARD ROCK HALLELUJAH!!!”…  HAHAHA, talking about timing or what?!?! I still would have wanted Sampsa to be there instead of Paradise Oskar.

The result of the voting is somewhat surprising. I don’t, in any kind of way, and no offence to Finland – understand, how FINLAND could get through, and NOT Norway? Same with Iceland – but I guess the heartbreaking story behind the entry somewhat helps them a bit. And Serbia, what was that…? Either way, I’m glad Hungary and Georgia got through.

Myes… That is pretty much it. Tonight it’s the second semifinal, and I really hope Sweden and Ireland gets through.. I met a few irish people in a store yesterday… I guess we will see what happens!

Stay tuned!
// Sara