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Eurovision is dead.
May 29th, 2010
Eurovision is dead.
How’s that for a controvertial opening line? ;-P
I don’t mean the contest that I, and many millions of other people across the world will be watching tonight at parties, in living rooms, in pubs and city centre squares, but the high camp nostalgic nonsense that I remember and love is slowly being squeezed out.
I’m not saying that this is musically a bad thing, and real music fans will probably be cheering that entries like the Netherlands, Sylvia Knight and the like aren’t even making it to the final anymore. But a big part of me is dying inside.
Eurovision has expanded at a rate of knots over the past decade or so, more entrants and a wider range of musical backgrounds have joined together to make a new grand prix, and without the history and nostalgia that some of the more long serving countries have, they’ve taken the contest down a new route.
It’s still exciting, it’s still fun, it’s still political (it always was so please don’t say that it’s an eastern European thing), but it’s not as camp, it’s not as kitsch, and it’s not as nostalgic as it once was.
Eurovision is dead. Long live Eurovision!
5 Responses to “Eurovision is dead.”
Hmm – I think I slightly disagree! I agree the old style camp of Sieneke (or even the UK's entry this year) is falling flat – but Azerbaijan represents the New Style Camp: totally up itself, pompous and just Trying Too Hard. Unfortunately, it's just harder to laugh at or sneakily enjoy. I will weep bitter tears in Azerbaijan wins
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by E Kristopher-Hartley and Edward Clarke, running3000. running3000 said: #Eurovision is dead (by @efan78 ) http://ow.ly/1RyZw [...]
I see what you mean Edward, but that just wouldn't satisfy the drama queen in me! This is my little lament for the Eurovision I loved, I still enjoy Newrovision (did you see what I did there!?!) But I think I've now resigned myself to the fact that we're not going to win, but we're going to have loads of fun in the meantime!
Actually I'm with you Efan. It does feel a little like Eurovision has turned into such a massive machine that the original spirit of it is getting lost a bit. I always feel it when I see the arenas packed full of audience sat on one level. The atmosphere in the Telenor on Thursday still look dull because everyone was on a level (OK sure, the people on the raked seating at the sides had a better view) but still .. that massive arena style event must make for a weird experience there. It's still a TV show but I hope in time we'll see a return to that sense of visiting a hosting a country in a TV show rather than the fast-paced production we've come to expect in recent years. First thing to get changed though is the ridiculous moving cameras. They really are tiresome.
I know what you mean, sometimes the camera speeds can be almost dizzying. But I think Eurovision has followed music production a bit closer than we’ve realised – the small, intimate gigs in pubs, clubs and student unions seem to have fallen out of favour with the big stars – arenas are the way forward at the moment while the small studio shows just don’t give us the sense of awe that we look for these days. Haven’t you heard? Bigger is better ;-P