You Tube:Eurovision 2008 - Part 3

How could I miss Ireland's entry - Dustin the Turkey - a puppet. And it's in the Semi Finals...again not making this up.

You Tube: Eurovision 2008 - Part 2

These are some high (low) lights -including the pirates (again not making this up)- THIS IS EUROVISION in 2008!

Eurovision 2008 - Part 1

Lordy I almost forgot it's that time again - The world shudders when Europe sings! And this year it's just as crappy,trashy, glitzy and over the top pop/house/folk and other nonsense that makes Eurovision so...so bad.

And this years, in the words of Mel Brooks - vhat a shidinker! - 3 fat 70's sexist comedians now turned singers from Estonia, A girl with what looks like makeup by Divine from Sweden, a girly looking poofy from Iceland, A Spice Girls cover band from Germany, A Turkish sounding song from Holland (whatever happened to Tulips from Amsterdam ?) A page three girl from Ukraine and finally Pirates (yes Pirates - I'm not making this up) from Latvia- Bless eastern Europe for trotting these souls out. Maybe the Iron Curtain wasn't such a bad thing?

I will be posting just a selection of entries to peruse, laugh and wonder at. The date to countdown is the 24th of May - or the 25th in OZ (the Sunday) - so we will be back in time from our holiday to watch the marvel car crashing grotesque wonder that is Eurovision!! Hopefully SBS will be screening the version voiced by with the ever witty & sardonic Terry Wogan (can you believe people complain in OZ about him?). Can't wait.

Cyanide and Happiness

Pure Pleasure Seeker

You know that you want it now.

I was fortunate enough to see Ms Róisín Murphy at Billboard on Friday night, Melbourne CBD. The last time I was at Billboard was for a dance party in ’99. Then it had mirrors on the ceiling & walls, lots of smoke and uniformed gay's - like a club from the movie ‘Cruising’ with Al Pacino – but I digress. Alas the mirrors are gone but the same underground feeling lingers. As the club was packed to the (former) mirrored rafters many were anticipating the lady’s entrance.

Now I have read many reviews of Róisín, and all and sundry have commented on how she performs. Or rather her grand performance. They did not lie. Her voice (in my opinion) is better live, especially with a band. The selected ensemble included songs from her days in Moloko as well as her solo albums (needless to say I was overjoyed with her performance of 'Let me know' when I busted a move while standing on a step with friends - we were between the drunkest woman in the world and a large bear called Beryl, which I think were left over from the dance party in '99 - again I digress) The sound of her voice is almost like some ethereal siren on the rocks, or maybe that more of an ethereal disco siren on stage drawing you in closer and closer to danger on the dancefloor. It wasn’t about just seeing an artist sing to an audience, but engage them.

But it’s not just about her singing - it’s the rest of her performance which is just as entertaining. I loved the combination of digital art images (yes art darling) in the background, especially the psychedelic porn and the 60’s pop art (with Lyrics). Her changes in costumes (and hats) were onstage between songs with a simple rack on stage left – but it worked. And she is not shy to use the stage. (Mrs Hapgood - My Year 12 Theatre Arts Teacher - would have been pleased with her use of space and movement). Róisín literally lets herself go and the audience follows suit.

It really left me wanting more. Róisín - I’m letting you I’m lonely. Come back Poste haste.