Sweden calling

The immediate post-Eurovision period is always a bleak and desolate time of the year.

Having gorged ourselves on a feast of pop, culminating in the Grand Final, we're suddenly forced to go cold turkey.  

I'm irritable, fatigued (after those 5am starts for the live telecast), have lost my appetite and am just a little depressed.

Now I know what heroin addicts must go through.

This year's symptoms are particularly severe having experienced the high of Australia's first (and only?) participation in the contest.

But if I'm forced to be a little "cup half full", then I can at least take comfort that next year we're all off to Sweden for Eurovision.

Hello Sweden!

Sure, we weren't there that long ago thanks to Loreen's Euphoria.  

On that occasion Sweden's third-largest city Malmo was the host.   While the host city has yet to be confirmed, Sweden is one of those places that deserve multiple visits.

The capital Stockholm is a surprising delight in itself, spread across 14 islands.

Wandering around Stockholm, you can't help feel a little bit envious of the Swedes.  They seem to have uncovered the secrets to the good life.

While they pay some fairly high taxes, if the global surveys are correct they also enjoy some of the world's highest standards of living, free healthcare, free education and are generally happier than the rest of us.

To rub salt into the wound, now they've snared Eurovision for the sixth time!

At Stockholm's heart is Gamla Stan, or Old Town, consisting of cobbled streets and narrows lanes (including one that is less than one metre wide).

Gamla Stan

Nearby is the Royal Palace, one of the homes of the popular Swedish Royal Family - surely big enough to host a Eurovision or two.

Outside the Royal Palace

But perhaps it's the Royal Family's other home, Drottningholm Palace, that might be a more suitable venue for 2016 Eurovision.

Built on its own island, this palace is a short boat ride away from downtown Stockholm.

It's a handsome palace, complete with its own theatre, church and Chinese Pavilion, and surrounded by sprawling grounds.

Drottningholm Palace

It even has a bath house the size of a normal family home for those wanting to take a dip.

While the palace is still used by the Royal Family, you're more likely to run into hordes of tourists than King Carl XVI Gustaf and his wife Queen Silvia.

Whether Eurovision returns to Stockholm or another city has yet to be decided, but regardless Sweden always seems ready to welcome the world and give it a good show.

Hello Vienna!

Normally the most bedazzling thing in Vienna is the tiled roof of St Stephen's Cathedral in the city's old town.

But this week, the arrival of Eurovision's Class of 2015 will temporarily cast a shadow on the city's classic treasures.

And the contrast couldn't be more acute.

In the city of Mozart and Beethoven, elegant horse parades at the Spanish Riding School, and Viennese balls, this week it will all be about wind machines, costume reveals and key changes.

Eurovision has arrived in Vienna following the triumph of bearded drag queen Conchitta at last year's competition.   Conchitta's rise to fame shows there's more to Austria than lederhosen and Blue Danube.

While some European cities do "crumbling chic", Vienna's sparkling old buildings show no signs of wear and tear after centuries of existence.

Schonnbrunn Palace, the former imperial summer residence, is sprawling Austrian style at its best. 

It's also a great example of the opulent excess that must have inspired revolutionary thoughts among the proletariat. 

Schonnbrunn Palace

But it's the little things I remember most about my first visit to Vienna.  

Not the least of which was the fact that my luggage didn't arrive with me from Australia, forcing me to wander the streets among the stylish Viennese in the same clothes I had spent the past 30 hours in on the plane.

In response, I ate my feelings at one of the city's cacophony of cafes, most of which purport to have invented the sachertorte (a chocolate cake regarded as one of Vienna's culinary specialities). 

Vienna's sweet delights

Then seeking to repent for my sugary sins, I headed for St Stephen's Cathedral, which comes complete with tombs, catacombs and crypts.

The Habsburg tombs in the Cathedral's crypt

Gothic sculptor Anton Pilgram's self portrait in the cathedral's wall

It has all the usual cathedral trimmings, but I'm particularly taken by the well-equipped "Dom Shop" selling all sorts of christian souvenirs.   

My favourite is a cookbook by Father Michael - watch out Nigella!

Confess in any language

Father Michael is unlikely to make an appearance at this week's Eurovision (though maybe he's part of the Final's halftime show?), but Vienna will take pride of place as host city.

Only time will tell, but I wonder how this year's crop of Eurovision pop will sit in the city renowned for classical music.

Party for one: Eurovision 2015 first listen

Clear the diary.  Turn off the phone.

It's time to dive into this year's Eurovision pool and see what acoustic delights will wash over me.

I've got the songs loaded on my iPod and ready to roar (strap yourselves in neighbours as there's 40 songs).

Apart from Australia's Guy Sebastian, I haven't seen any of the artists so my thoughts are purely based on how the song sounds.

Of course, the performance on the night has the power to make a good song great (and vice versa), but until then, the songs are all we have.

Are you ready?  Here we go!

This year's themes:
1.  A little bit folk / a little bit country
Put away the costume reveals and power down the wind machines during the songs by Cyprus, Hungary and Belarus

2.  About time
Switzerland, Belarus and Lithuania have their eyes on the clock

3.  A trip to the theatre
Some very musical-sounding numbers from San Marino, Norway, Armenia and the Czech Republic

4.  Twice as nice
The male/female duo is back on the Eurovision stage, care of the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Estonia, the UK and Norway

5.  Life is a battlefield
War is on the mind of Hungary, Georgia, France and Malta

My picks
I'm torn about this year's favourite as it's such a diverse crop of songs.  At one end of the spectrum there's some pure pop songs, all the way through to punk and rock.  Amid this indecision, I've selected my top five (The A Squad) and my next top five (The B Squad).

Australia is one of my favourites but as I won't be able to vote for it, I've put it to the side.

The A Squad
Azerbaijan
Iceland
Estonia
Denmark
Netherlands


The B Squad
Lithuania
Germany
Slovenia
Albania
Norway

The Nitty Gritty
Here's my first thoughts on songs as they randomly played:

AUSTRALIA:  "Tonight Again" by Guy Sebastian
This will no doubt sound very biased, but Guy's soulful and upbeat song is a standout among this year's more sombre, reflective and folk offerings from Europe.   His decision not to go with a ballad could prove a winner... but what will the rest of Europe think?

BELARUS:  "Time" by Uzari and Maimuna
Not a bad entry by Belarus (certainly a step up from its "I love Belarus" entry of a few years ago!).   Violinist Maimuna adds a folk feel to this otherwise standard pop song and she could add an extra dimension to the live performance.

AUSTRIA:  "I Am Yours" by The Makemakes
Pity the person(s) that have to follow in Conchita's footsteps.  Austrian pop rock band The Makemakes has been selected for the task.  It's a solid effort, but we're unlikely to be back in Austria in 2016.

ESTONIA:  "Goodbye to Yesterday" by Elina Born and Stig Rasta
After a slow start, this song gets kicking along and tells the story of two lovers the morning after.  The male-female combo is a reminiscent of last year's The Common Linnets from The Netherlands.   This will do well on the night.

POLAND:  "In the Name of Love" by Monika Kuszynska
Departing from last year's big breasted milk maids churning butter, Poland presents us with a traditional love ballad.  Nice enough but could be easily forgettable on the night.

BELGIUM:  "Rhythm Inside" by Loic Nottet
This beat-driven Belgian offering has potential.   Hey, at least it's not a durgy love song.   Sounds fresh and could put on a good show on the night.

ROMANIA:  "De La Capat" (All Over Again) by Voltaj 
I'm always impressed when countries offer a song in their native tongue.  There was a bit of controversy around this one as the band originally planned to sing the English version of this song but local outcry prompted a compromise with the Romanian/English version.   It's a pretty song and should do well.

SLOVENIA:  "Here For You" by Maraaya
A boppy ditty that comes with a side serve of soul.  I like.

DENMARK:  "The Way You Are" by Anti Social Media
I get a One Direction / The Monkeys / Partridge Family vibe listening to this tune.  There's a '60s pop rock jauntiness that's very listenable and catchy.   Once again, in a year where "feel good" songs are few and far between, this could really stand out.

THE NETHERLANDS:  "Walk Along" by Trijntje Oosterhuis
A strong song about unrequited love from The Netherlands.  Thankfully not a dreary offering, but could really come alive on the Eurovision stage.

ITALY:  "Grande Amore" by Il Volo
Three young guys singing popera; Italy's aiming straight for Europe's voting heart with this dramatic-sounding song.   It should do well if the harmonies work on the night.

GERMANY:  "Black Smoke" by Ann Sophie
Ann sounds very Paloma Faith / Amy Winehouse in this cool track.   I really like it.  Interestingly the artist who original won the title to represent Germany this year pulled out, leaving Ann with the job.

RUSSIA:  "A Million Voices" by Polina Gagarina
For a "We are the world"-type song, this is a pretty good offering.   Polina sounds really strong and the pretty melody and lyrics wouldn't be out of place at an Olympic opening ceremony.   But how will Europe feel about a Russian entry singing about love, peace and unity?

SAN MARINO:  "Chain of Light" by Michele Perniola & Anita Simoncini
I initially thought my iPod had skipped onto a soundtrack from a musical.  This song has a very theatrical feel to it at the start, before transitioning into a '80s pop song.   It's not the best.

CZECH REPUBLIC:  "Hope Never Dies" by Marta Jandova & Vaclav Noid Barta
Ok.  So I had to double check I wasn't listening to a musical rather than Eurovision.   Vaclav has quite the gravelly voice and the song never seems to get going.  Shame as this is only the fourth ever Eurovision outing for the Czech Republic and the first time they've competed in the contest in six years.

PORTUGAL:  "Ha Um Mar Que Nos Separa" (A Sea That Separates Us) by Leonor Andrade
Non-English songs can still be catchy and capture the audience's attention.  Sadly this is not one of those songs.   You almost tune out as you listen.   Perhaps this is the song you pop to the bathroom during?

IRELAND:  "Playing With Numbers" by Molly Sterling
A sweet song from Molly and nice to see Ireland not going crazy (Jedward) or uber traditional (cue the fiddles).

MACEDONIA:  "Autumn Leaves" by Daniel Kajmakoski
A strong entry about a broken heart from Macedonia that should do well.

SERBIA:  "Beauty Never Lies"  by Bojana Stamenov
I feel a costume reveal coming on.  This self-affirmation song starts slow, but then a '90s' techno beat strikes up and I'm sure a wind machine will.   This seems one of the few dance entries this year.

ALBANIA:  "I'm Alive" by Elhaida Dani
A powerful and passionate entry from Albania.  It's a good one.

Eurovision 2014 winner Conchita

UK:  "Still In Love With You" By Electro Velvet
A kind of electric jazz,  it's an inoffensive and uptempo song but unlikely to deliver the return of Eurovision to the UK.

ICELAND:  "Unbroken" by Maria Olafsdottir
Iceland has given us great entries for a couple of years and this song doesn't disappoint.  I can imagine this being a Taylor Swift song.  With strong lyrics and a powerful melody, it could be propelled into the winner's position.

HUNGARY:  "Wars For Nothing" by Boggie
I feel there should be an apostrophe before the "s" but this seems to be how the band has lodged the song.  It's a melodic folk song - the kind you would sing during a candlelight vigil somewhere - but I'm not sure it's going to set the Eurovision stage on fire and could just be seen as a little preachy.

SWEDEN: "Heroes" by Mans Zelmerlow
I'm normally a big fan of Sweden as they always deliver great pop songs (hello Loreen!), but this year's entry leaves me a little cold.   The verse sounds country, but the chorus is more athematic.  Maybe I'll warm to it with a live performance?

NORWAY: "A Monster Like Me" by Morland and Debrah Scarlett
Another song that would fit in on the West End stage.  This is quite a pretty song about being unworthy of each other's love.  Starts of slowly, but has a powerful finish.

ISRAEL:  "Golden Boy" by Nadav Guedj
I don't like this song.  It starts off ok with soulful wailing about having a broken heart.  But then it somehow evolves into a Kanye West / Bollywood standard.  Pass.

MOLDOVA:  "I Want Your Love" by Eduard Romanyuta
A decent pop song that would have done well in the late '90s/early '00s.  However, I suspect it's the kind you forget as soon as the track ends.  Still, it should provide some light relief on the night.

AZERBAIJAN:  "Hour of the Wolf" by Elnur Hseynov
Does Azerbaijan sink most of it's national budget into Eurovision?  Probably.  Still, it works.  I love this song.  It's a soaring, contemporary ballad that has a strong melody and could really pack a punch on the night.

CYPRUS:  "One thing I Should Have Done" by John Karagiannis
A simple and sweet song about love regret.   Being accompanied only by a guitar gives the song a folk feel.  People have likened it to Extreme's "More than Words".

LATVIA:  "Love Injected" by Aminata
A little too post modern for me.   Lots of quirky electric sounds, but a lack of lyrics and melody, and an uninteresting chorus makes the three minutes seem longer.  We're unlikely to be in Latvia next year.

Eurovision 2015 stage design

GEORGIA:  "Warrior" by Nina Sublatti
This must be the Eurovision equivalent of turning up to a function in the same outfit; two entrants have songs called "Warrior".   Georgia's entry is pulsating pop, but will the name confusion cost it points?   I wonder what the other one sounds like?

GREECE:  "One Last Breath" by Maria Elena Kiriakou
Let's get the obvious joke out of the way first: this could be a love song or commentary about the Greek economy.   It's a simple ballad that builds momentum, but it's unlikely go anywhere on the night (probably just as well as I'm not sure Greece is ready to fund/host Eurovision).

SWITZERLAND:  "Time to Shine" by Melanie Rene
A solid pop rock entry from Switzerland, complete with an electric guitar solo.  This could do well for Switzerland.

LITHUANIA:  "This Time" by Nokia Linkyte and Vaidas Baumila
This song is growing on me.  It's a rollicking, guitar-centric song about falling in love that could have Europe doing the same with this duo.

MONTENEGO:  "Adio" (Goodbye) by Knez
One of the few non-English songs in this year's pile.  It's a tune that builds but I'm not sure it has a strong enough melody to transgress the language divide.

MALTA:  "Warrior" by Amber
The other song called Warrior.  I think I prefer Georgia's "Warrior", though both seem to be about finding the warrior within.  Amber gets a bit shouty in parts.

ARMENIA:  Face the Shadow" by Genealogy
Lots of voices spring up in this one (including an opera singer it seems) and (again) could be the Act One finale of a musical.  More doesn't necessarily mean better.  I don't like this one so much.

FINLAND:  "Aina Mun Pitaa" (I Aways Have To) by Pertti Kurkan Nimipaivat
Well if you've ever wondered what a Finnish punk band consisting of people with disabilities sounds like, then this song is for you.  It goes for a mere 1.24 minutes and seems to just repeat the title throughout.  I'm all for inclusion, but at the end of the night the song needs to stand up on its own.  Nope.

SPAIN:  "Amanecer" (Break of Day) by Edurne
This quickly builds from a fairly dreary start to solid and racing tune, sung in Spanish.

FRANCE:  "N'oubliez pas" (Don't Forget) by Lisa Angell
A good entry from France, sung entirely in French.   Lisa's soulful voice carries the simple tune about rebuilding our lives after war.  It takes on more significance after the events in Paris during the past year.

Australia's Eurovision 101

Australia is on tenderhooks.

This week the nation finds out which song Guy Sebastian will be singing to represent Australia in Eurovision.

I don't want to exaggerate, but this could be the biggest Australian news event of the year.

After all, this is the first (and possibly last) time Australia will be competing in Eurovision.

Guy Sebastian to represent Australia

The announcement of Australia's participation in this year's competition in Vienna, and subsequent appointment of Guy Sebastian as our chanteur of choice, has generated much discussion and confusion Down Under.  

It's all new to many Australians and there are lots of questions.

To bring Australia up to speed on this Eurovision caper, I've compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions.

Q:  Australia is not in Europe so how can it be in Eurovision?

You're right!   Australia isn't in Europe so rest assured that your grade five geography teacher didn't lie to you.  

Still, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the group that puts on Eurovision, decided to give Australia a "wildcard" entry this year to mark the contest's 60th anniversary.   Given the aim of Eurovision is to bring nations together, inviting Australia to take part seems very apt, don't you think?

Pack your bags Australia, we're off to Europe!

Helping this decision would have been the fact that Australia is the largest Eurovision audience outside of Europe and has been screened here for 30 years.   In recent years, our interaction with the competition has grown.  In 2013, the Malmo hosts gave a nod to Australia, while last year Jessica Mauboy provided half-time entertainment in Copenhagen.  

Q:  Why does Eurovision exist?

It was started in 1956 by the European Broadcasting Union as a way to unite war-torn Europe through light-hearted entertainment.   Think of it as the musical equivalent of the Olympics.

Interestingly, during the Cold War the Soviets tried to start their own version of Eurovision, called Intervision.

Q:  How does Eurovision work?

Each year, member nations of the EBU submit a song to be performed live during the contest.   With about 40 countries competing, there are two semi-finals and a grand final.   

Each country casts votes for their favourite song, awarding 12 points to their top pick, then ten points to second choice, and then eight to one points for the following eight songs.  Countries can't vote for themselves.

Each country determines their favourites by a combination of telephone votes and the votes of a jury, made up of music figures from that country.  The purpose of the jury is to lessen the impact of "bloc voting" (where countries just vote for their neighbours).  

The presentation of votes from 40-odd countries has taken on a life of its own in recent years, consuming quite a bit of time as the show crosses live to representatives in each country (often former Eurovision performers from that country or "local identities").

The winning country hosts the competition the following year.  Here are some common techniques countries use to try and win Eurovision.

We've been watching for 30 years

Q:  Isn't Eurovision a bit of a joke?

I can't deny that with the wind machines, costume reveals and other gimmicks, some acts are more of a novelty than others.  But just because it is a competition, doesn't mean it can't be fun. 

If you listen to some of the most popular picks from recent years, they have been strong songs from a range of genres, from pop and rock, through to folk and country.  Many have found wide appeal outside of Eurovision, even charting on iTunes Australia.

Q:  Why do some countries skip straight to the grand final?

The UK, France, Germany, Spain and Italy (known as the "Big Five"), along with the host nation, go straight to the grand final because they are the biggest financial contributors to the EBU.   

As a "wild card" entry, Australia will also skip the semi-finals and only perform in the grand final.

Q:  How do countries pick their songs?

Each country (well their Eurovision TV broadcaster) picks their Eurovision entry.  For some countries, such as the UK, the broadcaster simply picks who will represent the nation.   In other countries, the national selection process takes months of X Factor-style performances and public voting.

In Australia, the broadcaster SBS appointed Guy Sebastian as our representative after calling for expressions of interest from the local music industry.   The fact that Australia only knew quite recently that it was going to compete ruled out a public national selection process.

Q:  Have Australians participated in Eurovision before?

Why yes, but not representing Australia.  Olivia Newton John represented the UK in 1974, Johnny Logan won Eurovision for Ireland twice, Gina G represented the UK in 1996, and Jane Comerford was the lead singer for German entry Texas Lightning in 2006.

Jessica Mauboy in 2014

Q:  What else do I need to know

As with all competitions, there are a number of interesting rules: 

• The songs must not have been commercially released before 1 September 2014
• Each song can only last three minutes
• A maximum of six people can be on stage during a country's performance.  The rules explicitly forbid live animals on stage
• All artists must be at leat 16 years old
• No one artist can compete for more than one country in any given year (but a country's representative doesn't have to have been from that country... hence Australians have been able to compete for other countries)
• Songs must have lyrics and each country can decide the language they want their song to be in 
• Each song must be performed live (there can be no vocals on the backing track)
• Songs can't have "unacceptable language" or promote any organisation, institution, political movement, brand, produces or services
• Each participating broadcaster is required to broadcast the show in its entirety (so countries at conflict with their neighbour still have to show their entry) 

Sweet Vienna

Growing up in regional Queensland in the 1980s, I thought Viennettas were the world's most exotic creation.

For the uninitiated, a Viennetta is a rectangular dessert featuring rippled layers of icecream.

As you can imagine, in our Homebrand Vanilla household the concept of Viennettas seemed so decadent and classy.  No Viennettas ever crossed our threshold so I imagined it was a treat only enjoyed by movie stars like Michael J Fox or millionaires like Alan Bond.

Over the years, I came to assume Viennettas must come from Vienna, another exotic and untasted thing.

It was only upon eating a Viennetta as an adult and visiting Vienna, that I came to understand that a) Viennettas aren't that great, (b) they have nothing to do with Veinna, and c) Vienna is in a sweet class of its own.

I've been thinking about Vienna during the past week as it's the host city of Eurovision 2015 (the 60th anniversary of the song contest) following Austria's win this year.

Even without having anything to do with Viennettas, Vienna is a city I remember for indulging the senses.

It's hard to turn a corner in Vienna without stumbling across a cafe bulging with cakes and treats of all colours.

While renowned as the home of the Sacher Torte (an apricot jam / chocolate creation), the city oozes with sweet concoctions of all shapes and sizes.

A Viennese cafe window

Vienna - home of the original eye candy

Stepping away from the sugar, at the heart of the city's Old Town is St Stephen's Cathedral - most notable for its dazzling roof.  On a sunny day, the zigzag roof pattern seems to strobe and becomes impregnated on your retina.

The dazzling roof of St Stephen's Cathedral

St Stephen's Cathedral

Inside, the cathedral caters to all

The cathedral's interior is also a feast for the eyes, from the glittering stained-glass windows through to the decaying bones of Viennese royalty in the church's catacombs.

One of the cathedral's tombs

The cathedral dominates the Vienna skyline; no easy feat considering the city is littered with ornate Baroque buildings.

Given Vienna was the birthplace of composers like Strauss and Schubert, and the playground of Mozart and Beethoven, it's not uncommon to hear strains of classical music wafting along the streets (usually for the benefit of tourists).

The Vienna skyline

The ornate Hoher Markt Clock 

In many ways, Vienna conveys the classic and the conservative.

But perhaps at Eurovision 2015 we'll be seeing a whole new side of the city as the bearded Conchitta Wurst stands alongside the more traditional lederhosen?

Lederhosen, not just for The Sound of Music sing-alongs