Eurovision 2015

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 25 May 15 - 03:51 PM

Did anyone else think Fanny Sausage's face looked like it was done by CGI? My wife and I thought it did.

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 25 May 15 - 02:14 PM

Conchita Wurst.. interestingly.. during the Green Room interviews
was looking less flamboyantly transgender than last year,

but an almost identical clone of Prince and his stage costumes
during his stubbly beardy phase...

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 25 May 15 - 01:45 PM

Perhaps Austria may have got some votes if that monstrous bearded thing from last year was left out!

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 25 May 15 - 09:09 AM

Eurovision is one of the many competitions which do not give their winners the reputation of being "the best" according to their (pretended) criteria. Thus, anyone who competes in order to win such a reputation, is not in her/his right mind.

Most entertainers want to sell their records, and for that purpose, ESC is perfect.

Commercial entertainment as such is inevitable, and therefore not to be criticized wholesale. (I have worked for it, like presumably other Mudcatters.) However, state-run TV should insist on honesty and culturally valid criteria. More importantly still, it should resist nationalist tendencies rather than fostering them actively.

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: Teribus
Date: 25 May 15 - 07:46 AM

Eurovision the only international competition that no-one in their right mind wants to win.

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 24 May 15 - 04:17 PM

Whatever scale the Albanian entry was singing in was not even tempered tuning; unfortunately the instruments were in it.

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 24 May 15 - 08:48 AM

What BWM said :-)

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: melodeonboy
Date: 24 May 15 - 06:47 AM

zzzzzzzzzzz........

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 24 May 15 - 05:50 AM

Nobody is forced to read or contribute to any thread.
Anyone who doesn't want to hear about the topic of this one is perfectly free to avoid it.
IMHO, YMMV.

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 24 May 15 - 04:50 AM

Damn you Sweden. Nowhere near as good as Abba!

Hootenanny. Lighten up for heavens sake. There are probably a lot of things I like that you don't and vice versa. Anything belongs on Mudcat, but if things like this upset you so much, maybe you don't?

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: Will Fly
Date: 24 May 15 - 04:30 AM

All bollocks, innit?

I was doing the sound desk and playing guitar at a pub charity bash last night with some great musicians, including Herbie Flowers.

The sight and sound of the whole pub going "Doo, do-doo, do-doo, do-do-der-do ooooh" - pretending to be the black girls - was hugely funny and great fun.

More fun than the telly.

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 24 May 15 - 03:53 AM

If I say that the voting system is utterly ridiculous, I am not telling news to anyone, but it must be mentioned from time to time.

The ESC's task of "building bridges" in the entertainment business has been accomplished long ago, to the extent that we actually miss the waterways. Thus, nationality becomes a playground of nationalism, where an entirely different sort of bridges would be needed badly.

At least the worst case of political boycotting by the juries has been averted, but why run such completely unnecessary risks?! The BBC just told us that the live audience booed at the performance "for Russia", and TV covered that up by canned applause. Wars have started for lesser incidents.

Flag wavers should stick to team sports with (more or less) objective rules, such as football or cricket. Individual athletes cannot reasonably be considered representatives of their political entity, all the less artists and entertainers.

Ethnic cultures would be well worth communicating (not competing against each other) - we saw very little of that.

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 23 May 15 - 07:48 PM

Norway crashed my SKY+ box.... I'm still trying to fix it...😠


Luckily, watched most of the rest of the show
on the Humax freeview box...
until the recording buffer ran out during the big percussion band extravaganza.
and cut to the last part of part of the voting.

At least the aggravation of box failures prevented me falling asleep

Really surprised Austria didn't get a single vote,
I thought he had the strongest male voice in the contest
and the song nicked enough good bits from John Lennon songs
to sound like a pretty solid late 60s Beatles out-take...

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 23 May 15 - 06:52 PM

Well, I've been out all evening enjoying live music: Barbara Dickson concert in Linlithgow: fab stuff. Got home in time to see the last half hour of results come in, but then can't even see the figures on the screen, even with my best glasses on - so what's the point - unless you're Swedish....?

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 23 May 15 - 05:35 PM

Multiple pancreatitis attacks plus a pancreatic pseudocyst for me Steve, plus other serious complications and two major open hepatobiliary surgeries. Started with the first pancreatitis hospitalisation on 21/12/05, haven't had a drink since. Don't miss it, except for my two or three sherries that I used to have while we cooked Christmas Lunch.

I learned the hard way that it's perfectly possible to have a great time without booze, and the added benefits are that I never get a hangover, and I never wake up next morning wondering what kind of a c**t I made of myself the previous night! 😄👍

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 23 May 15 - 05:35 PM

Apologies the post above was from me.

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: GUEST
Date: 23 May 15 - 05:33 PM

To Dave the Gnome,

Yes I do read a few posts here that seem as if they might be of interest and there are a few but as you appear to suggest there is also a lot of crap too. I find it hard to understand why anybody would watch such a programme as this.
You might think the thread is sensible but does it belong on Mudcat?

I believe it was Val Parnell who said that you wouldn't go broke by underestimating the taste of Joe Public. Perhaps he was right.

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 23 May 15 - 05:16 PM

Hmm I liked that bit of negative sexual chemistry from Estonia...

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 23 May 15 - 05:15 PM

Serbia!

You heard it here first...

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: GUEST,Ed
Date: 23 May 15 - 04:57 PM

Georgia. Brilliantly bad!

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 23 May 15 - 04:47 PM

Hey, Latvia! I LIKE it!

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 23 May 15 - 04:28 PM

I've liked one so far, but I'm buggered if I can remember which one...

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: GUEST,Ed
Date: 23 May 15 - 04:14 PM

Australia was bloody rubbish!

Electro Velvet weren't great, but the standard is pretty dire so far...

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 23 May 15 - 03:54 PM

ust is just...

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 23 May 15 - 03:53 PM

As a matter of fact, strictly speaking I'm supposed to be medically teetotal for life after an attack of pancreatitis. But I just know that the quacks got that one wrong. So I'm ust being very careful!

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 23 May 15 - 02:12 PM

Anyone seen Google's Eurovision Theme BTW? Be quick - It will be gone tomorrow!

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 23 May 15 - 12:31 PM

Shame you're so far away, Steve, otherwise I'd be round (I'm medically teetotal, so yer wine would be safe!). 👍😜

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 23 May 15 - 12:20 PM

Cheeses from France and England, wine from Italy, Italian ciabatta, humous made in England from stuff that won't grow here, peppers from Holland, celery from some polytunnel in Europe somewhere, olives from Sicily, cherry toms from Spain, Cornish butter. None of your foreign muck here!

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 23 May 15 - 12:10 PM

I'm out for din-dins with the out-laws tonight, but I should get home in time to shout and swear at the telly when those filthy foreign Johnnies start to cheat in the voting! 😄😄

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 23 May 15 - 12:05 PM

My mrs is sat on the sofa memorising the words of all tonights contestant songs
in readiness for her sing and dance along evening out getting pissed up with the 'girls'..

.. yes she's even attempting to phonetically approximate the non english language entries !!!??? 😬

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 23 May 15 - 11:55 AM

Right, not quite everything but the buffet is, working from memory

German Salami
Polish Boczek
French Sausage
Italian Ham
Norwegian Salmon
Unpsecified Mediterranean Anchovies
French Brie
Spanish Marchengo
British Wensleydale
Italian Ciabata
French Stick
Belgian Waffles
Austrian Struddle
Greek Humus
Greek Olives
Italian roast peppers
I may make some British Chips

Oh, and for the Aussies, Barbeque flavoured crisps :-P

Drinks
Selection of British real ales
French lager
German Lager
French wine
Russian Vodka (To mix with British Tonic or Italian Lemon)

I may be some time...

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: GUEST,Desi C
Date: 23 May 15 - 06:15 AM

For a rare change I actually like the British entry. but I can't understand why anyone still watches what is a completely crooked contest where the majority of countries have no possible chance of winning. Actually on rellection that goes for The XFactor too!

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 23 May 15 - 06:04 AM

Not many, Michael. Probably only 90% of the viewing public :-)

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 23 May 15 - 05:05 AM

Ah well better late than never Dave. Who else knew?

≈M≈

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 23 May 15 - 04:22 AM

What was the European Folk contest that Jim Mageean and Johnny Collins won?

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 23 May 15 - 04:07 AM

You're only a year late Michael! Striking a blow for transvestite and transgender people everywhere with humour :-)

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 23 May 15 - 02:39 AM

After watching last night's semi-final, I looked up last years's winner Conchita Wurst, who appeared as a pundit/anchor in it, in Wikipedia. Interested to learn a probable reason for Tom Neuwirth's choice of performing pseudonym and transvestite image: "Conchita" is a Spanish idiom for vagina [cf our "Fanny"]; "Wurst" (= 'sausage') is one of the German idioms for penis.

≈M≈

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 23 May 15 - 01:31 AM

Please, God, no-o-o-o-o!!

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 22 May 15 - 08:06 PM

"The Eurovision Hootenanny 2016" !!!???

Why not.. might work...

..then again, if the entire potential audience for it throughout the entirety of Europe
turns out to be only 3 tone deaf banjo pluckers and a sheep dog...😬


In the meantime, let's look on the bright side.. Australia this year..

Maybe the USA should be invited next time to show us pop-tart Europeans how the show ought be done..😜

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 22 May 15 - 06:55 PM

Hootenanny - Have you ever actually read any of the other threads on Mudcat? This one is quite sensible compared to most.

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 22 May 15 - 06:20 PM

What the **** is this thread doing on Mudcat? Am I misguided in thinking that Mudcat was set up for people with an interest in blues and what is broadly understood to be folk music? or at least music and not circus acts and manufactured crap from the so called "music industry".

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 22 May 15 - 06:19 PM

bubblyrat has put a brilliantly idiotic idea in my head...

Considering the potential parade of misguided souls
and completely unpredictable deranged foaming at the mouth nutters
who might show up on stage...

I'd certainly get a perverse pleasure watching a "UKIP-vision Song Contest" !!! 😜

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 22 May 15 - 06:10 PM

I quite like the idea of guest continent. Could catch on. Or is it a guest island? Hmmm...

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 22 May 15 - 06:05 PM

I thought Australia was next to Switzerland and Hungary anyway...

(I dropped geography at 13...)

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 22 May 15 - 05:59 PM

Bubblyrat - Eurovision has nothing whatsoever to do with membership of the EU. Australia is in it this year for heavens sake. Please do not use it as a political soapbox.

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: bubblyrat
Date: 22 May 15 - 05:56 PM

A magnificent reason (among others ) for withdrawing from Europe.I remember the heady days (long gone ) of Cliff,and Sandy, and Abba, and Nana Mouskouri singing "Colouring Book " ( nice song, that ), but today's Disney-fied ,frenetic, soul-less, insanity leaves me cold, I am afraid.

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 22 May 15 - 02:06 PM

It's easy to shoot the horse after the door has stapled it's bolts!

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 22 May 15 - 02:01 PM

Yeah, mixed metaphors, Steve! 😄
Easy done for a Yellowbelly Backwoodsman! 👍

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 22 May 15 - 01:43 PM

'those cheating Eastern European bastards sticking together like shit to a shovel'

Heheh. Oop north, and Dave may confirm, it was "going like shit off a shovel" (as with a fast car) and "he sticks to me like shit to a blanket" (as in I can't get shut of him).

Subject: RE: Eurovision 2015
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 22 May 15 - 11:38 AM

imho - it was only after the East Europeans entered that the show became worth watching.
10 - 15 years ago there were a few years of really excellent dancey eastern/balkan pop songs.

Actually, this year the UK entry is is our best for years, and one of the strongest in the competition.

'We' might be cynically jumping on the popular euro electro swing jazz bandwagon
in desperate hope of a few more votes;
but even so, it's a bloody good catchy pop song.

Mrs punkfolkrocker breaks with tradition this year and leaves me home alone
while she watches it with the 'girls' round one of her mates house.

3 very 'mature' ladies dancing round the telly and getting pissed up on shots & home mixed sangria...

She'll be a right pain in the arse when she eventually comes home.

I pity the poor taxi driver... 😬😜