Our World: Australia
Emily Smith, Hughesdale, Victoria, Australia
Hi, my name is Emily and I’m from Melbourne, Australia. I first watched Eurovision fifteen years ago and haven’t missed a single contest since then. Over the years my interest has evolved into an obsession, and I have developed a reputation amongst my friends as being “that Eurovision girl”.
There is something about Eurovision that I find magical – the spectacle, the joy, the glitter. I love following the pre-selections, getting to know the songs and contestants and, of course, having a big party on the night. I have been wanting to join OGAE for several years, mostly to find new people to discuss the contest with. My non-Eurovision friends get sick of talking about it!
My dreams came true when I attended the 2013 contest in Malmo. The atmosphere in the arena was electric. I also couldn’t believe that I was allowed to vote. Amazingly, I met another Australian when we were seated next to each other and he is now one of my best friends. I hope to attend the 2016 contest in Stockholm, although I realise this means I will have only attended Eurovision finals in Sweden!
Joe Chandrapala, Hillside, Victoria, Australia
Hi. My name is Joe from Melbourne, Australia. I have been a fan of the Eurovision Song Contest since the mid 1990s. It all started from watching it on television on the Sunday night (always was screened a day later here in Australia) , to a few years later actually attending my first contest in person – back in 2000 in Stockholm (thanks Charlotte for making it happen, otherwise I don’t think I would have gone). At the start I really had no idea WHY I was so intrigued by it – and to this date, I really can’t pinpoint it down – but I think it is the combination of the music (the good and the bad), the competition vibe, the friendly rivalry and camaraderie that occurs between fans across many nations, and the emotional thrill of backing your favourite artists and seeing how well (or badly!) they do. Back in the day of having just one show, it was a million emotions compressed into a 3 hour event. Now we are lucky we get to experience it over 3 nights. I have been to 4 contests in person now, and I hope to make it my 5th in Stockholm in 2016. After many years of sitting on the outside of OGAE, I’ve decided to finally join up with you guys and make new friends along the journey to Stockholm. All the best! Joe.
Nathan Mountford, Chadstone, Victoria, Australia
REGARDLESS OF EUROVISION:
My Mum loves Cliff Richard
ABBA is huge in Australia (have you seen the movie)!
Olivia Newton-John is Australia’s sweetheart
Ooh Aah… Just a Little Bit by Gina G was a local hit in 1996
Indonesian born Anggun is one of my favourite artists (even before her participation)
FIRST ATTENDED THE ESC:
Oslo, 2010
SECOND EVENT:
Austria, 2015
BEST FEELING:
Being in an arena with people from all over the world supporting the artists
WHY I JOINED OGAE ROW:
To expand my knowledge, interaction and participation in Eurovision
MUST DO’S AT THE ESC:
Eurovision Village (See the performers up close and hear them sing live)
Euro Fan Café’ (A surreal feeling – being in a room with 100s of other people dancing and singing to past and present Eurovision songs, I realised “I’m not the only one”)
I’m Nathan from Melbourne, Australia. I grew up in a small country town with nothing much to do! I have always been creative and grew up dancing and performing. I’m a naturally competitive person. In 1998 Dana International caught my attention. Since then 6 months of any year is usually consumed with following the news on the upcoming event, listening to the songs and watching the performances, filling in my scorecard and finding out about the artists.
Julia Foskey, Flemington, Victoria, Australia
My name is Julia and I first become entranced by Eurovision in 2002 when it was held in Tallinn. I loved the songs, the costumes, the dancing and the marathon points giving section of the evening. When I went to school the next day I was stunned to discover that no one else had watched it, but as the years went on I built up a core group of friends who were as obsessed as I was. I have always dreamed of one day attending the final in person, and although I’m a bit sad that I didn’t achieve this goal in 2015 to cheer on Guy, hopefully it won’t be too long!
My favourite Eurovision winner is Greece’s Helena Paparizou with My Number One. After she won I put the song on a CD for the shop I worked in at the time, and very occasionally I would notice a customer/kindred spirit singing along.
Vane Acevski, Padstow, New South Wales, Australia
Hi my name is Vane and I am from Australia and am of Macedonian background. In 1994 I found the Eurovision Song Contest on tv but I only saw the last five songs then after an ad break a woman in an Irish accent said now the fun part the voting. Voting done the winner called back on stage and just as the credits run on the tv, the singer called out see you all next year. So since 1995 I have been following Eurovision. I wake up at 5am to watch it live. From young I have been listening to music from the Balkan and ex Yugoslavia. And now with more countries singing in English I have a good collection of euro pop music. My biggest wish is to attend a live show.
Lukman Andi Uleng, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Ever since my parents bought me an atlas when I was a child, I was (and still am) hugely interested in geography, countries, flags, cultures, cities and languages. That’s why I love the Eurovision Song Contest because it is made up of all of these things! I owe my introduction to the Eurovision Song Contest to my sister who funnily enough has no interest in the event. I was in year 8 in high school (2001) and my sister told me to watch this show on SBS Australia with her and I was hooked! I actually watched the San Remo song festival a couple years prior to Eurovision, which I really enjoyed. The Eurovision Song Contest involved countries so that made it even more special.
The Eurovision Song Contest means a lot to me. It opened up a world of European music and artists for me, I’m probably more updated with current Serbian or Greek music industry than I am with American, UK and my own: Australian. During my high school years I use to do Eurovision style competitions with other family members, we chose a European country to represent or made our own and did singing or song competitions.
Being of Indonesian descent, but Australia born and raised I feel proud of the two countries that have contributed to some history of the contest despite not being official participants. Gina G’s “Ooh Aah… Just a Little Bit” was the first Eurovision song I ever heard. I also remember hearing Vicky Leandros’ “L’amour est bleu” when I was very little even though it was just an instrumental cover by an Indonesian orchestra on cassette and I didn’t realize it was a Eurovision song until I was older.
Eurovision is just so innovative, fun and exciting and that’s why I look for Eurovision related new websites everyday! I’m looking forward to watch future Eurovision editions and national finals!
Andrew Wortham, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Hi I’m Andrew from Sydney, Australia. I first became a fan of Eurovision since 1999 when Israel hosted it. I remember flipping though the channels and came across SBS – I was mesmerized by what I saw! I remember watching Dana International and thinking that this was amazing for Europe and indeed the world. Since then I was addicted. I have not missed ESC at all. Then in 2003 I started to host my own Eurovision parties here in Sydney. I know there is a big one held at a bar close to my home but I always love setting it up, and over the years I have printed photos of the event and hanged them all around my apartment, with flags, lights etc… Every year I add more and more. And as I have added, more and more people came, so much so, we couldn’t fit everyone in the lounge room! It has become so popular.
I have also assisted with Sydney’s first Eurovision Night event with Phil McNulty as well who put a lot of effort in. It was a fabulous night of trivia, Karaoke and night club – and despite the horrendous weather – a lot of people turned up – just proves how much Sydney loves Eurovision!!!
This year, I was so privileged to attend Eurovision and it has to be the most magnificent experience I have had. I have met so many people, met so many new friends. The whole event can not be described in words. However being there in the moment, to see the performers, the music and of course the crowd of people was so special. If you were in Vienna this year I was the one with the Georgian Flag! I now have the Eurovision Addiction in Europe and I can’t wait to be there in Stockholm!
The Perth Eurovision 2015 Live Broadcast of the Final Party
Once again Perth in Australia became the centre of attention as Eurovision fans gathered in the private cinema at The Backlot for the first live telecast of the Final into Australia. The organisers did a magnificent job. Thanks go to Kingsley Dawes, Kate Hansen and Renee Pozzo. Everything ran like clockwork and with a warm up from 11.00pm at The Court (scene of the November 2014 Eurovision EuroParty Perth) everyone was raring to go by 3.00am. Yes that is right 3.00am in the morning is when the telecast began. We struggled out to greet the dawn at 7.00am. Thanks must go to Per Hansen, Kate’s husband who did a sterling job as the cameraman for the night. As we embraced the dawn looking to the next Eurovision in Sweden everyone voted it a wonderful success. For those of us who travelled across the continent, we agreed, as before, the trip was well worthwhile.
Eurovision 2015: The London Experience
Kate Hansen on the Spot for ESC Covers
Perth girl, Kate Hansen was able to wrangle herself a ticket to the London Eurovision Party at Cafe de Paris and she has provided some good photos of the action there for all our Rest of the World fans and members.
Fan Experiences: Vienna 2015
Fraser McEachern, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia 
Hi I’m Fraser, and I live Adelaide in South Australia. I have been a Eurovision fan since 1998 when, while stuck inside my country farmhouse in rural Victoria, I turned the television across to the grainy reception on SBS and saw a fabulous Lady in a stunning feathered frock singing “Diva”. I managed to pop the VHS tape in and record half the show, and never looked back.
From then my obsession with the contest grew, hosting Eurovision parties each year since. I love the music, particularly that of the Scandinavian countries. Eurovision has become a year round passion for me now, particularly with the national selections, which produce some brilliant songs each year that don’t quite make it to the big event. Luckily for me, my partner Matt Kelly also shares my crazy love for the contest! We managed to get to the 2013 contest in Malmo, and had the time of our lives.
The atmosphere was something that I will never forget. Being in Australia, people often laugh when I say that I love Eurovision, but being in Sweden, I was with my people. People who love music just as much as I do. We have met some brilliant people and made new friends on our Eurovision journey, which will take us to Vienna in 2015. We can’t wait to meet all the people from the OGAE Rest of the World in person, as it seem I now chat with you guys more than my own family!
One of those people is the lovely Jason Watkins from Melbourne, who we now work with building our Eurovision YouTube show Terminal Three. I’m sure Vienna with be spectacular for the 60th Anniversary of the Eurovision Song Contest. I can’t wait. Wir sehen uns in Wien!
Daniel Stoll,Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
I will be travelling to Vienna in May 2015. The opportunity to represent Australia in the crowd at Eurovision would be fantastic. I want to go to listen to the music of a multitude of European cultures live, as well as to watch the craziness that is Eurovision. I want to go because I want to experience live the glitter, colour, kitsch, music, culture, and the excitement of the best-scripted event on the planet. I will proudly wave the flag for Australia.
Michael McCulloch, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
I have been following Eurovision since 2003 when Turkey won with ‘Every way that I can’. Since then, I have been hooked. I haven’t missed a contest since and almost every year hosting a Eurovision party. But, alas, I have never had the chance to actually attend — although having been in Europe for 2011 Eurovision. When I found out that Austria had won 2014 contest, I couldn’t think of a better time to go. Combining one of my favourite cities in Europe with my favourite annual event — what could be better?
Phil McNulty, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
From the first instant that I saw the Eurovision Song Contest, 2003’s contest in Riga, I knew that it was going to be something very significant in my life. Over the years, I have often been asked by people about what makes this contest so important to me. I am not quite sure that I yet know the answer. I don’t know if there is an answer. All I know is that it is “my thing”. I am happy to promote and celebrate it with anyone who cares to listen. My Eurovision adventures have always been in the company of groups.
In 2003, 2005-2010 and 2012-2014, I have joined a group of my friends for the final, complete with European food, score sheets and prizes. It is a fun night made more fun by the company, the critique and the sense of fun that Eurovision brings. From Australia, there are certain disadvantages. First and foremost, the delayed broadcast means that we either need to wake up early to stream the show on the Internet, or avoid all media for the entirety of Sunday, before gathering together in front of SBS to keep our tradition alive! On two occasions, I have been able to avoid this problem. In 2004, I was living in London. So, Eurovision eve was spent in one of the bars in Compton Road. It was a wonderful experience, a huge party. This, of course, was completely topped by the 2011 experience of attending the shows in Dusseldorf, Germany. What an atmosphere! The city was gripped with a certain magic, a positive vibe that infected everything and everybody.
I made some great friends, not least of all the Macedonian team dancers, with whom I shared a bus ride from Koln back to the venue. Amazing people, one of whom I have since visited in Skopje. When one of my closest friends decided that he wanted to attend the 60th contest, in Vienna, I was quite easily persuaded. I cannot wait to feel that magic again. The songs, the costuming, the good, the bad, the douze points, the disappointments… but most of all the group dynamic. The passion shared by thousands of people, all in one place at one time, with one goal. To enjoy the greatest musical show on Earth. See you in Vienna
Sandy Allen-Wetzler, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
Hi, my name is Sandy and watching the Eurovision Song contest has become something of a tradition for my family. My husband, daughter, son and I make it into a party and we each have individual score cards to rate the contestants. There is a prize for predicting which contestants will make it through each round as well as a prize for predicting the final winner. I am very excited to be going to the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna as it will not only be my first song contest but my first visit to the city as well. I admit to being a “Conchita Crazy.” You may have heard of us? We are a group of mostly middle aged, mostly straight women who love Conchita. I have trouble explaining why Conchita has connected so deeply with me; I have tried to narrow it down and ruled out the following reasons.
- She was not the most bizarre.
- The Romanian Cezar in the 2013 contest definitely got my vote for that.
- She did not have the all-time best song.
- For me, Euphoria by Loreen, winner of the 2012 contest, is my all-time favourite.
- She was not the one with the most sex appeal.
- That would have to have been Poland’s milk maiden and washer woman in the 2014 contest.
- She was not the first bearded lady
- France’s entry Sebastian Tellier in the 2008 contest – all his backup singers had beards.
- She did not have the catchiest tune,
- This would have to go to the song “Kedvesem” by the artist ByeAlex in the 2013 contest – I spent weeks humming this tune!
- She did not even have the best hair.
- This honour goes to Rona Nishliu in the 2012 contest – I kept waiting for her hair to come alive and choke her!
- She did not have the best costume
- For me this was Irelands Drummers in the 2013 contest (They came a close second for sexiest act), there is nothing like a tattooed man wearing tight leather pants!
So in the end, I have no idea why I love Conchita as much as I do, but I have never been more excited to see a contestant win in the last 15 years! I am aware that Conchita Wurst is the creation of Tom Neuwirth and knowing this, I believe they both are genuinely decent human beings and it shows through the work they do. I finish with this quote to express my feelings ‘There is nothing more powerful as an idea whose time has come.’ So ready or not, Vienna here I come!
Alan Wilson, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
The annual Eurovision party to watch SBS’s Sunday night broadcast has been a long-standing tradition amongst my group of friends. Our Euro-parties have gotten more and more involved over the years. Food and drink from the host country, drinking games, our own voting and of course our own commentary on each contestant. It was actually during a party watching Lena’s win in Norway’s 2010 contest that a plan was hatched for us to all try to attend Eurovision in 2015, when one of our group would be having one of those birthdays with a zero at the end.
So it falls to Vienna. I’m really looking forward to the whole Eurovision experience. Being amongst so many fans is going to be the highlight for me. And surely, it must be time for some rock to win again. And maybe this year I might even be able to understand the nuances of the voting. Just maybe.
Wayne Ralph, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Going in Cold For the last two years, I’ve tried a new thing of “going in cold” when it comes to the Eurovision Song Contest by purposely avoiding all news, blogs and general chatter about the upcoming contest. I thought it might help to better appreciate each country’s song and performance for what it is on the night and to get an appreciation of how the everyday viewer approaches Eurovision.
I must admit I found some pleasure in hearing and seeing a song delivered for the very first time during the actual contest but it’s such a hard thing to do, especially if you are a bit of a tragic like myself.
I wonder if anyone else does this? Once the contest is over I go back and read all the news and blogs, watch the film clips, listen to the recorded versions and check out some of the country’s individual song selections. It definitely helps to get over the post-Contest blues. It’s been a fun and interesting exercise but I think I’ll go back to being more of a “traditional fan” for Vienna. Can’t wait!
Simon Alcaraz, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
I still kick myself for never attending Eurovision during the 25 years I spent growing up in Europe, considering I was a big fan of it from a very early age. Now in Australia for 15 years and an Aussie citizen the itch to attend has grown year after year. So next June I hit the big 40 so I have 3 big life ambitions to complete before I enter the next decade; Visit Hong Kong, Visit Azore Islands in middle of the Atlantic and attend Eurovision, wherever it may be- and very happy that it fell to Vienna, another new destination to see.
I see Eurovision to be much like the music charts, trends and styles come and go. I think 10 to 15 years ago the trend for gimmicks and quirky acts almost ruined the experience but I have noticed that since 2008/09 the pendulum has swung back towards quality pop songs across the many styles that encompasses. I can only see 2015 as building on that and would dearly love to be a part of it in person, along with my partner Pete, who shares my sentiments.
Harlani Salim, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
For me Vienna was not an obvious choice for a holiday destination. I didn’t hear much about Vienna other than classical music and Sigmund Freud, which gave me the impression that the city was full of conservative highbrowed people spending their nights listening to classical music and probably their days discussing something like psychoanalysis. I like classical music. Every year, at the end of the year, I listen to Christmas in Vienna concerts but without all the regalia of white ties and ball gowns.
For me, a working class person, this formalwear is over the top — when I listen to classical music, I’m much more comfortable with a t-shirt and jeans. That’s why I was never sure if I should visit Vienna. But it all changed when I saw Conchita Wurst in this year Eurovision.
If Austria can choose someone as liberal and progressive as her to represent them, they can’t be that conservative. They mustn’t be. Now I realized how wrong my view was. Since then I read a lot of books about Austria, and in particular Vienna, and asked myself a question: How could I miss such a beautiful holiday destination as Vienna. There are so many things to see (and eat) in this city: Hofburg Palace, Belvedere, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Schonbrunn Palace, Sacher torte, apfelstrudle, Wiener Schnitzel, etc.
I recently watched the video of the Vienna Philharmonic Summer Night Concert 2014. It’s an open-air concert, set in the magnificent gardens of Schonbrunn Palace, with public sitting on the grass! No white ties, no ball gowns. Wearing jackets and jeans and some carrying backpacks, ordinary people waltzed around to the music of Wiener Blut. It’s lovely and friendly. It’s perfect! 🙂 As for next year Eurovision, I’m expecting a surprising combination between Vienna’s traditional and beautiful past and its current modern society.
Tony Peter, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Attending Vienna My partner has always been a massive fan of Eurovision and he believes that his enthusiasm has ever so slowly passed onto me over the years. Little does he know that I have loved Eurovision since Bucks Fizz won back in 1981. To test my partner’s love of Eurovision, I started to make fun of his infatuation with the contest, but now I support his and my addiction of the contest and eagerly await for May to come around each year. Hopefully we will be able to take our fandom further in 2015 by attending our first contest together in Vienna. During the telecast, the audience always looks to be having an amazing time and I can’t wait to experience the songs being performed live while bearing witness to numerous costume reveals, being blown away by wind machines and hypnotized by the spectacular light shows.
I’m really hoping for a close contest in 2015 with lots of great diverse songs and inspired performances (Conchita totally owned the stage in 2014 with her performance of Rise like a Phoenix in the final – OMG – I am so looking forward to her being the star of the show in 2015). I loved the Common Linnets’ song as well – country music and Cowboys, can’t go wrong. While Eurovision will be the highlight of our trip to Europe I am also looking forward to returning to Vienna. I last visited on a Contiki tour over 22 years ago when I was 21. I’m looking forward to spending some quality time in Vienna and seeing how much it has changed and evolved over time (hopefully they have not made any changes to the Sacher torte – it was delicious).
The picture I have attached is of me with my favorite niece Ollie. She is a mini Schnauzer, a descendant from the country of the home of the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest.
Ian Lambert, North Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Whilst following Eurovision from a young age, this was mainly through watching on TV. In more recent times, and being a UK National living in Australia, I have been keen to follow the event in closer detail and attended my first Eurovision event in Sweden. I was fortunate to obtain tickets through general release and this experience was something I could not forget. I then decided to take a chance and book for Denmark with no idea that I would be able to attend the event, but decided that just being in the host city and to experience the Vibe would be a great experience in itself.
I have continued to learn more about Eurovision and have met many new people and friends through the journey For me, I will be in Vienna and hopefully for the first time, be in a position to attend more events and become more involved in Eurovision and the ROW Fan club I visited Austria for the first time earlier this year and I think we are all going to be part of an amazing experience in amazing country
Eliska Vojtechovska, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 
I live in Australia and have not previously attended a Eurovision Song Contest however I have been a long time fan. It has always been my dream to make it to Eurovision and with the win of Conchita Wurst I feel like the time is right. She is so brave and inspiring, I would love to see her perform at the 60th Eurovision as well as finally see live on stage all the fabulous acts I usually only watch on television.
I also can’t wait to experience the stadium atmosphere which I’m sure will be electric!
Kyriaki Mavridis, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 
I would love to attend the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna because I am a huge fan of Euro pop and the colour, glitz, spectacle, kitsch and joy that is the Eurovision Song Contest. Watching the contest is one of the highlights of my year; it is such an amazing celebration of music and culture that brings people from all over the world together.
The audience footage always conveys such revelry and camaraderie, I would love to be a part of it all and experience the contest live and in person. I am Greek-Australian and as Greece’s entry is always incredible I will definitely be cheering for them, Opa!
Sarah Bonhomme-Carib, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Before this year, I’d never really had much experience with Eurovision. In fact, my idea of the competition was a lot of over the top costumes, singing, ridiculous set designs and I didn’t really get it. It wasn’t until I was invited by some good friends to come around and watch the event, here in their home in Melbourne, Australia, that I started to understand exactly what everyone else was talking about. Now, at the beginning there was a lot of moaning and complaining from me.
I would have watched anything else that was on. But as we got further and further into the show, I started to get swept up in the excitement, the music, the costumes and the whole atmosphere and I really couldn’t believe how much fun it was. And that was just from sitting on my friends couch watching it on TV! That’s why we decided to go to Vienna in 2015. If the show could be that powerful and fantastic broadcast on TV, imagine what it’s going to be like live. I cannot wait!! I hope that is enough for you and what you need! I haven’t attached a photo as I’m a little camera shy but if you need me to send one through I can find one and do so.
Chris Frawley, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 
For decades, the Eurovision Song Contest has provided us with not only undoubtedly the greatest entertainment to grace our screens, but has also served as a way to bring us all together no matter who we are, or where we come from. The explosion in its viewer base in my country, Australia, has really proven the power of the contest to speak to all of us in varying ways. While never completely free of geopolitical debate and controversy, it has still helped to empower minorities and make us feel closer than ever before, even if we are on the other side of the world. I first began to watch Eurovision about five years ago and have been hooked ever since.
The flashy costumes and routines juxtaposed against powerful ballads never fails to disappoint. And now, for the first time, I’m preparing to make the journey to Europe for the Vienna 2015 contest next year. I literally have to take a breath and calm myself whenever I think about how amazing it will be to soak up the atmosphere in person. I’m sure the next six or so months will pass by at a snail’s pace as they do so painfully in the lead up to such a highly anticipated event. Being my first time to Austria, I’m eager to try the Viennese coffee, feast my eyes upon the art and beautiful architecture, and party all night long with the hoards of other fans that will flood into the city for the best week of the year!
I’m currently conditioning myself to become nocturnal and am confident that I won’t be disappointed when opening night is finally here. At the very least, I’m sure it’ll help with the jet lag!
Stefan Lodewyckx, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Vienna: a place of unmatched musical history and legend. On the first of January every year, we are reminded of the fact as we’re treated to some of Vienna’s finest music, composed by some of its finest composers, performed by some of the world’s finest musicians – beamed to lounge rooms across the globe. The annual Neujahrskonzert is one of two European events I have ritualistically incorporated into my life.
If you’re reading this article, then you don’t need a spoiler alert before I tell you that the other event is Eurovision When I watch Eurovision from Australia, I see a mythical fantasyland where the contestants ride into the stadium on unicorns and project rainbows with power grabs.
Then there’s the music, that Eurovision sound that reaches into your soul and squeezes out any fear you had of dancing or even singing in front of total strangers. Combine that liberating sound with hairspray, fireballs, crazy dancing, and mad costumes: what you get, my friends, is what I call magic. So when I learnt that Vienna was to host Eurovision in 2015, a flood of images flashed before my eyes and brought about an epiphany. All that history, that proud tradition that has made Vienna famous around the world has been mere practice. The main event – the Great Performance – will finally be happening in Vienna in 2015 when the Contest springs into action. Vienna has been building towards this event for centuries.
Finally, the hair will reach heights the old Empire wigs couldn’t achieve; the music will be more flamboyant than anything a Strauss could compose; the costumes will be an order of magnitude beyond most people’s imaginations. In short, Vienna will rapidly undergo a transformation. What will happen to Vienna once Eurovision starts? Will the sky change colour? Will there be dancing in the streets? Or will there be nothing at all? I can’t say that I know. But what I do know is that I want to be on the ground there when Eurovision 2015 finally happens.
Peter Donovan, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
According to one famous travel guide, “Vienna is a city dominated by music, and its history”. The music and history due to descend on Vienna in 2015 may not be of the sort normally associated with the city, but for the first time ever, my partner and I hope to be there to experience it first hand. 2015 is a year of historic anniversaries. The most famous in this case, of course, is the 60th anniversary of Eurovision. However it’s also my partner’s 40th birthday, and appropriately, the 200th anniversary of the original Battle of Waterloo! At 60, I think Eurovision is healthier than ever. The new entrants from Eastern Europe in the mid 90s have matured, and brought new vigour to the comp.
The semi finals in particular are my favourite part of the competition, as the newer nations of the former soviet block compete, embracing the humour of the competition like Poland last year or Ukraine’s Verka in 2007 or the Russian Babushki of 2012 in Baku. The Babushki is also a great example of how the Eurovision showcases the huge variety of cultures and musical styles that exist in Europe – styles that may not ordinarily be seen by many Western audiences. Turkey’s exotic sounds (sadly missed in recent years) or Serbia’s winning entry in their debut year are great examples. It’s also refreshing to hear more traditional pop from bands who might otherwise not get the exposure – recent favourites for me were Kedvesem from Hungary in 2013 and last year’s Finnish entry from Softengine. It’s somehow appropriate in the new Europe that the landmark 60th contest is being hosted in Vienna, a city often thought of as the gateway between Eastern and Western Europe.
Ever since the first contest I remember watching (1981 – featuring the famous routine by Bucks Fizz), and the following year with the beautifully simple Ein bisschen Frieden, I have been a fan of the show. Oddly Ein bisschen Frieden, which was translated and covered in many languages, was also translated into Welsh, and we used to sing it at school as a child in Wales, as a hymn. After 33 years of watching the contest on TV (half of them from Australia, where it’s necessary to avoid the TV, newspapers and internet for the whole day of the final, to avoid accidentally hearing the result) it would be a dream to watch it live – in the wonderful and historic city of Vienna.
Chad Ryan, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
I hope to attend next year’s Eurovision Song Contest as an Australian delegate. It will be particularly special to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the contest and I look forward to experiencing the very best and Wurst that ESC has to offer in the Austrian capital.
Anthony Pirovich, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
I spent my childhood in Smithfield, a regional, cane-growing town in Australia. There were only 2 television stations available to us and neither carried a broadcast of the Eurovision Song Contest. So we would rely on an annual delivery of a dodgy VHS recording sent to us from my Mum’s family in Croatia. Every year we’d look forward to receiving this care package from Europe – several weeks late – so we could sing-along with the latest ESC hits. Over many years, my family and I watched the tapes and dedicated ourselves to the ESC lifestyle.
It was this early exposure to the contest, in combination with my parents’ ABBA records that influenced my formative musical tastes. My parents and sister would never consider travelling from Australia to Austria for Eurovision. So I look forward to attending Vienna in 2015 as a pilgrimage. I am a child of ESC and Vienna is my Mecca.
Steven Greenland, Oakey, Queensland, Australia 
Two years ago I started to plan a trip travelling through Europe by train over Christmas and New Year. Eurovision then came on TV and I thought why not do a trip to see the contest and experience it in the flesh. I couldn’t do Eurovision 2014, so I decided to do Eurovision 2015 in Vienna.
There are three main reasons:
- I have always liked Vienna and was going to have a long stay on my original trip.
- To meet people at Eurovision (no matter the country, Eurovision acts will be a common discussion).
- This will be the 60th anniversary and it will be big.
Valter Di Girolamo, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
The Eurovision competition is always a special time of year for me; it’s one of the major holidays on my calendar. Just like any major event, it involves family, friends and plenty of music. Being in Europe marks the start of the warmer seasons and an excitement for the music to be heard during the summer.
The 2015 Eurovision will be extra special as it celebrates 60th years and a chance to look back at all the great music that’s come before. I look forward to being there and being part of the festivities and making more great memories.
Fan Experiences: Eurovision and Me,
Matt Kelly, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia 
How Eurovision Changed My Life
Eurovision initially lured me in with its catchy pop music, flashy performances and amusing commentary. How superficial of me. Now I see that Eurovision is so much more. It’s enriched and changed my life in a way I would never have imagined. It sounds corny but I think I’m a better person for watching Eurovision. I’ll tell you why. The obvious thing that I’ve learnt from Eurovision is that the world is filled with great music. Contrary to popular belief the USA doesn’t hold the monopoly on musical talent.
I never thought I’d enjoy ‘singing’ along to songs that are in another language especially as I only know how to speak English. Ott Lepland’s song Kuula is one of my favourites to sing. The fact that I don’t know Estonian doesn’t hold me back. I love that the Contest exposes me to such a broad range of new songs and performers each year.
These days my music playlist is almost exclusively Eurovision. In school I wasn’t interested in Geography or history. Thankfully Eurovision has opened my eyes to the world. Initially the Contest educated me on where European countries were on the map and what their flags looked like. Then because of bloc voting, I learnt about the history and alliances the neighbouring countries have with each other. The biggest eye opener was when I travelled to see the contest in Malmö. It was my first trip to Europe and I’m not sure I would have done it without the lure of Eurovision.
It was one of the best experiences of my life. I’ve been educated by Eurovision. Eurovision has given me a drive to seek out other fans and as a result I’ve made connections with some great people. ‘Normal’ Australians don’t understand how I can get so excited at a three day event held on the other side of the world.
My fellow Eurovision fans get that this is more than just a Contest. It’s a way of life. My social media is not filled with photos of food and mindless selfies but is dominated by updates, comments and photos from Eurovision fans. It fantastic. Looking back I could never have predicted that Eurovision would give me such joy and become a huge part of my life. I wonder what new experiences it will bring in the future. That’s the great thing about the Contest, with a new year comes a new batch of great songs and great experiences
Adele Adelle, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
When people ask me why I like Eurovision, after I talk about the amazing music, I talk about the wonderful people. Attending Eurovision had been a dream since 1983, and when I finally went for the first time in 2013, I was blown away. Returning to Copenhagen in 2014 however, provided me with so many experiences I will never forget, and they were all down to the amazing people I met and shared these with.
Where else can you dance the night away with new friends from Norway; chat on a bus with the Danish woman who had spent the previous weeks as the personal sound assistant for Conchita Wurst; eat mutant strawberries and Plopp chocolate with fans from the UK, Australia, Denmark, Germany and Sweden, while queuing to get front row positions in the arena; 
be interviewed by a TV station (because your finger nails rocked) and radio stations (because you were an Australian on the other side of the world); chat with Italians from the US at a red carpet launch; meet a EuroClub singer from South Africa; listen to an Australian DJ; meet contest performers from Belgium, Ireland, FYR Macedonia, Malta and Finland (2013 entrant) and the wonderful Australian interval act soloist; sing on a boat ride to Eurovision island with everyone on-board; be part of a gay wedding in the early hours of the morning and then be in the wedding photos afterwards, and be seen by over 180 million TV viewers around the world because you were in the front row at the grand final? Nowhere else is my guess.
Thankyou Eurovision for these and so many more unforgettable experiences.
Troy Bass, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Just 18 months ago, I embarked alone on the journey of a lifetime to Malmo, Sweden for my first live experience of the Eurovision Song Contest. How the time has passed – the celebration of European music was held in Copenhagen, Denmark at the B&W Hallerne. Unfortunately, I was not able to get over to Copenhagen earlier this year, but kept up to date with the different countries’ entries and what’s hot and what’s not. And the winner was AUSTRIA. Thanks to Conchita Wurst and her song ‘Rise Like A Phoenix’, the Eurovision song train has embarked on its way into Vienna and the Wiener Stadthalle, during the week commencing 18 May 2015, with the Live Grand Finale on Saturday 23 May 2015.
As soon as the announcement was made in Copenhagen, I had booked my accommodation in Vienna, even though a confirmed venue and host city had yet to be announced. My first recollection of Eurovision is going back longer than most of my friends (I’m not a teenie bopper anymore). 1993 – the start of the Irish treble in Millstreet, the little village outside in County Cork putting up the Big Top in the middle of a field for all of Europe to see. The thought of sitting up in my bedroom with my little television, in the middle of the night, watching the songs in languages that I didn’t understand brings back memories. As time has rolled on, my enthusiasm has slowly gotten stronger, and friends more scared around this time of the year (especially when I start singing out loud with my headphones in, listening to the entries).
Some memories for me over last 20 years: 1996 – the Australian singer, Gina G was gracing the stage for the UK with ‘Ooh Aah Just A Little Bit’ and the legendary lead sexy singer of A-Ha, Morten Harket hosting. 1998 – Israel’s Dana International singing ‘Diva’, strutting her stuff contrary to the previous conservative entries and winning, sending the Contest back to Jerusalem after 19 years of trying. 2004 – other than the winner of 2003 from Turkey ‘Everyway That I Can’ by Sertab Erener, was the introduction of the Semi Final format; twice or thrice the excitement for half the price! With the various changes to the Contest regulations over time (specifically involving language, length of composition and performers), the European Broadcasting Union has made the Contest more appealing for the wider worldwide audience.
I think that some entries can be proud of the ability to sing their entries in their native tongue, but it is to a very minute audience. With the preferred language being English or French, this covers most of the Continent and the wider audience abroad. The different Contest regulations have allowed for greater exposure for the entries to explore and being more creative with their 3 minutes (no more 15 minutes of fame) and the internet has provided the accessibility to all the songs, whether it is, the entries that fall at the finish line in the National finals or the entries for the Contest. The National broadcasters have become more accessible for those outside of the EBU regions, which allow for a greater understanding to the country and song choices In Australia, the Eurovision Song Contest is broadcasted via the Special Broadcasting Services network (or SBS for short), who specialise in multicultural content.
Australian audiences are commonly asleep at the time of the broadcasts of the Semis and Finale. Due to time zone differences, it is 5am in the East, 3am in the West and 4.30am in the morning for me in Adelaide. Instead, the festival of music is broadcasted over 3 consecutive nights (Friday, Saturday & Sunday nights in prime time). The SBS broadcast was taken from the BBC for many years, with the distinctive tones and comedy of Terry Wogan, until 2009 when Australian comedians and commentary team of Julia Zemiro and Sam Pang have journeyed to the Contest to add that little bit of Aussie flavour to the Event.
This event is celebrated and was enjoyed by an audience of 751,000 who tuned in to watch the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest finale (the highest audience recorded) and the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest being the most successful one to date for Australian broadcaster SBS. The contest, which is shown on consecutive nights over the final weekend, achieved a total audience over the entire weekend of 2.7 million. During the 2014 contest, SBS was invited to #JoinUs to participate by the Danish host broadcaster DR, as part of the interval entertainment of the 2nd Semi Final, to be held on 08 May 2014. Jessica Mauboy, one of Australia’s best singers lit up the stage with a song composed especially for the Contest and the best viewing figures were reached during this broadcast. 1.028 million tuned in for the show.
Australia may be on the other side of the world but the event is still always celebrated. This year’s event was organised as a full weekend as always – a Belgian friend, who has a cinema style set up at their house will host, with the drinks being ready for the festivities, including traditional drinking games and the variety of foods from the participating nations. I’m sure that we will not be the only Eurovision party in our country. Normally, the Sydney’s pubs of Oxford St would put on a show. Australia has always had a fascination with Eurovision, as our cultural background is predominantly European. The 2013 event has exciting for me and looking back on the experience, I would do it again in a heartbeat. Thus, the reason for booking accommodation, flights and coordinating friends and family in Europe who will be joining me this time to celebrate Europe’s and the world biggest and best song contest.
Rachel Guttler, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
The Spoiler. The Eurovision final is shown via a delayed broadcast here in Australia and it’s always a dilemma trying to avoid the spoiler (ie being told the winner before you actually get to watch the show). It can be the most frustrating and infuriating thing. Each year I start my Sunday morning optimistically thinking that this will be the year that I make it all way through to the counting of the votes on that night’s broadcast without already knowing the winner. Inevitably, it never occurs.
For Copenhagen, after avoiding social media, all tv, all radio and virtually living as a hermit for the day, I got a message on my phone from a friend who I assumed knew better…..”so, the bearded lady hey” Arghh! Next year, the phone gets turned off. Or maybe I’ll be lucky enough to go to Vienna and watch it live, there will be no spoilers then!
Jason Watkins, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
If music be the food of love, play on! Now music and food is a great combination, so Eurovision and food can only be perfection. This was the inspiration for The Chow Down to Eurovision that I have run on my site www.dontboilthesauce.com for the past 2 years. In the lead up to Eurovision I present a dish from all the participating countries. What could be better while discovering a new artist there is the chance to discover and learn more about their national cuisine? The recipes range from the traditional to re-inventions and dishes inspired by my own travels. This has been a really sneaky way to attract more fans to Eurovision as they come for the food but stay for the music. (I include the preview for the coming contest as well as a blast from the past in each post)
The readers then vote on which dish that think should win The Chow Down to Eurovision and so far it has been Norway 2013 and Latvia 2014. As many people have Eurovision parties and cook something from the host country I thought I’d include a dessert that was inspired by Austria and Conchita Wurst. Conchita’s Phoenix Linzer Torte
- 250g butter
- 250g plain flour
- 150g hazelnut meal
- 100g icing sugar
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 egg
- 1 egg white
- 750g raspberry jam approx. (recipe at bottom)
- 150g marzipan
- Gold lustre dust (from some supermarkets or cake decorating suppliers)
- Black food colour
Method
- Place butter, flour, hazelnut meal, icing sugar, cinnamon in the bowl of a food processor
- Pulse to crumbs
- Add egg and process till it starts to come into a ball
- Shape into a ball and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes-1 hour
- It is a very soft dough
- Line a 25cm tart tin with the pastry, it may be too soft to roll completely but it can be pushed into shape in the tin
- The left over pastry will be the border and the bird (or lattice if not making the phoenix)
- Brush the inside of the tart with egg white
- Preheat oven to 180°C
- Fill the tart with raspberry jar (stir it up so it’s easier to spread)
- Roll some of the remaining pastry into a sausage and place around the inside edge of the tart
- Roll out a small piece of pastry and use a cutter or free hand to shape the phoenix body
- Place on top of the jam
- Refrigerate the tart for 15 minutes
- Bake for 35-40 minutes
- Let cool in the tin
- Once cold place on serving plate and decorate
To let the phoenix rise
- Press a small amount of marzipan into a feather press (cake decorating shops have these)
- It is easier if you dip the press in icing sugar and shake off the excess first
- Make about 25-30 feathers
- Using a small paint brush dust the feathers with gold lustre dust
- Dust the pastry with lustre dust
- Arrange the feathers over the tart like a phoenix, the jam will help secure them
- It’s optional, but you can add a beard to your phoenix with black food colour and a paint brush, If Conchita has taught us anything it’s everything is better with a beard!
To make the jam 
- Put 1kg of raspberries into a saucepan
- Add 700g sugar and the juice of 1 large lime
- Stir over low heat
- Heat to 105°C and stir for about 5-10 minute
- Test the jam by placing a spoon full on a plate that has been in the freezer.
- Let it cool
- If it wrinkles up when you push your finger through it, it’s ready
- Store in sterilized jars
- This makes more than is needed for the tart but there are always, toast, muffins, scones, or crumpets needing to be eaten!
Ronny Addamo, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
As I didn’t go to Copenhagen this year I thought I’d share this instead Who have been your favourite hosts in the last 15 years or so? Was it the colourful Latvians? Squinty chick and old dude from Turkey? The screeching woman and droning guy from Ukraine? The utter non-chemistry of Greece with sexy sakis and the grace Adler lookalike? The cutesy fins? The wallpaper Serbians?
Mr. Grabby Hands and miss poofy hair from Russia? Granny cool and her cohorts from Norway, hilarious anke and her 2 sidekicks from Germany? The ‘if it’s not on the autocue, we can’t speak English’ azeris, the one woman wonder, Petra from Sweden, or the way too professional Danes?
Niall Drennan, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 
Why I Love Eurovision
Evolving: From its humble beginnings in 1956 with only 7 participating countries to a truly global event with an estimated audience of 180 million, the contest continues to change and evolve. Will the 60th anniversary of Eurovision see the biggest number of participating countries? It’s certainly shaping up that way
Uniting: In living rooms from Aarhus to Zagreb, every May, viewers are united in cheering on their respective country for Eurovision glory.
Running order: Previously drawn at random and recently decided by the producers of the show, the spot at which a country performs can make or break their chances. Will anyone ever win from position 2?
OGAE: Since 1984 this great club has brought Euro Fans together and has allowed us all to take an active part in Eurovision through voting in the various polls to attending the Contest itself if you are lucky enough.
Voting: Possibly the highlight of the show. Always controversial from claims of jury tampering (hello Azerbaijan) to Balkan bloc voting to the annual swapping of douze points between Greece and Cyprus and the dreaded nul points.
Insane: We have seen some insane performances and gimmicks over the years. From a turkey in a trolley to singing grannies to a falsetto Dracula, there is always one act that gets everyone talking. Ukraine have to be the master of gimmicks with a sand artist, manster wheel and a giant on the stage in recent years.
Semi-Finals: Only 10 countries make it through each semi-final leaving the unsuccessful ones to pack up their smoke machines and props and fly back home.
Interval Acts: From Oslo’s flash mob to Sweden’s Smorgasbord to the biggest one of all, Riverdance, there have been some amazing interval acts over the years.
Opening Theme: As soon as you hear the opening bars of Te Deum, you know Eurovision is here!
Next Year: This is one of my favourite things about Eurovision. Even though we wake up on the Sunday morning after the Grand Final with PEDS (Post Eurovision Depression Syndrome), it’s not long before national selections start again and we are back in full swing for another year.
Stuart McNaughton, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
As a child, I remember watching Eurovision with my mother. Today, we tune in for every semi-final; we vote frantically for our favourite entries, and just love the ‘Good Evening Europe’ intro to ever better fanfare year on year. I was diagnosed as severely deaf at the age of eighteen months; I plodded along through my teenage years using hearing aids before being declared profoundly deaf, with hearing aids being of very limited use. It was during this time, between 1995 and 2001, that my world became very silent. In 2001, however, I was to be implanted with a bionic ear, a cochlear implant. And it changed my world. My hearing had been magically restored by an electrode insert into the cochlear in my left ear. I could hear my family again. I could hear water, the rain. I could hear music.
Within six months of implantation, I had moved to Finland. My confidence had soared to heights I had never experienced before. When Finland won the Eurovision song contest, Helsinki was on fire. The streets were packed with revelers and every spring, I look forward to the release of each country’s entry. Not simply because I love it, but because my cochlear implant means I can! In 2013, I was implanted in my other ear, so this year, I will be listening to the show in stereo!
Michael Della Maddalena, North Perth, Western Australia, Australia
I have, due to geographic location been following Eurovision on TV Only. For several years now, we always ensure we make the most of each EV by having a progressive Party for each of the televised events. I have not yet attended any event due to work commitments during that time of year and I have decided to attend my first Eurovision in Vienna in 2015 My partner, has attended the last two EV events and is always saying that actually being there is a fantastic experience that he wants me to share with him.
From the time the countries release their entries, we are constantly viewing these and discussing what our short list is and who we think will win. I am really looking forward to experiencing the atmosphere that Eurovision creates in a great part of the world
Luc Spencer-Gardner, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Having been an avid viewer of Eurovision since 1997, it wasn’t until 2011 that I was able to go to my first actual contest. What a hoot! I was not sure what it would be like to be amongst an audience whose sole purpose was to enjoy something I have loved for so long. Sure, we hosted a Eurovision Song Contest party every year, but to be in the auditorium, with like-minded people was electrifying. We host a Eurovision Song Contest gathering every year with friends since 2003. What started as a small affair of five has now spread to a huge event spanning three nights and up to 30 people all vying to put their scores in on who should be our winner. And it can get quite passionate.
Some vote high for their heritage, others on whether or not the contestant is attractive, others on the ridiculousness of the act. Whatever it is, we have always had a good amount of difference between the group. At the end of the night, we read our comments and provide our scores which are tallied and a winner is announced. I thought it would be worthy to share who our little group have voted as the winner.
2003: Ne Brini – Bosnia & Herzegovina
2004: Stronger Every Minute – Cyprus
2005: Let Me Try – Romania
2006: Invincible – Sweden
2007: Unsubstantial Blues – Hungary
2008: Shady Lady – Ukraine
2009: Is It True? – Iceland
2010: Je Ne Sais Quoi – Iceland (by one point to Norway’s My heart Is Yours and Albania’s It’s All About You)
2011: Taken By A Stranger – Germany
2012: Euphoria – Sweden
2013: Only Teardrops – Denmark (by one point to France L’enfer Et Moi)
2014: Rise Like A Phoenix – Austria
As you can see, only the last three years has our group agreed with the outcome.
Andrew Fisher, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Eurovision was always one of the viewing highlights of my year, but when I emigrated from the UK to Melbourne in 2002, I feared I would never be able to attend in person. Luckily, our SBS channel takes it very seriously and sends a delegation every time, so at least we never missed a show. When Lena won for Germany in 2010, Philip and I decided we just had to get there the following year. Düsseldorf was all booked out, so we stayed nearby in Cologne – but when we made it into the host city, it was great to see how the locals had embraced Eurovision, with all the flags, street displays, bustling bars and clubs devoted to welcoming visitors from around the world. The camaraderie in the streets was something to behold. We couldn’t make the semis, but the final was an extraordinary spectacle. After the intros, the massive screen graphics were used to full effect, displaying a huge globe starting to rise in space as a young Finnish boy strolled on with his guitar – an electric moment.
The atmosphere in the hall was feverish, and full of excitement and friendliness. Some Swedish guys sitting behind us knew all the words to all the songs, joyously singing along even with the snatches of Hungarian, Corsican and Serbian. Audience favourites included the camp and catchy arm-waving Spanish number, Kati Wolf’s driving dance track, and the vibrant lunacy of Jedward. An amazing night, which lasted until at least four in the morning as we took a late train back to Cologne with hundreds of other fans all promising to meet up in Baku. Our budget didn’t stretch to Azerbaijan, but we decided to take the plunge once again in 2013. This time we stayed in Copenhagen, getting the train up to Sweden a few times to find sunny springtime Malmö completely engulfed in Eurovision fever.
Memorable notes include the performance stage in the town square – 100 tiny schoolgirl Loreens choreographed to a performance of Euphoria, folk dancers pirouetting to Abba, even some classical Indian dance set to a Eurovision medley (a bizarre sight) – and the civic statues decorated with hundreds of butterflies. We saw one of the semis, but could only get dress rehearsal tickets for the final (way up in the gods, behind a huge lighting array – but at least that gave us a great back view of those Irish drummers). Smaller-scale than Düsseldorf, but with some great performances and memorable songs – another fantastic night.
So we had to return to Copenhagen for the final itself, and chose to watch it in a busy gay bar, which erupted with delight at the eventual winner. Not only has Eurovision provided so much enjoyable music over so many years, it is also truly a way of bringing people together in harmony. We can’t wait to experience it again in Vienna!
Hien L. Djie, Forrestfield, Western Australia, Australia
I have some distant relatives living in Austria, but not enough to travel thousands of miles to visit them without Eurovision 🙂 This is why I like Eurovision: Firstly, the feeling of togetherness is the main reason I like Eurovision. That I’m sitting in my lounge watching and people somewhere in Europe or other parts of the world are sitting in their lounges watching the exact same thing. Isn’t that really something? For me this feeling was epitomised in 2010 with the Eurovision flash mob. Secondly, Eurovision is a chance to learn about other countries. For example, I learned more about Azerbaijan from their hosting Eurovision than I had ever known in my life.
I hear songs sung in other languages. I have picked up some odd words of Estonian and Serbia, and huge chunks of French and Spanish. Moreover, with English dominating international stage, it is truly refreshing to hear some new tongues. And it is a reminder to protect the incredible linguistic diversity; to learn, speak these languages; to keep them alive. Finally, the music. Yes, there is the standard “cheesy” Euro pop, which I think people should give more of a chance; some of them are very well written and enjoyable. However, every year brings songs from a wide range of genres: folk, rock, soft ballads, semi-opera, etc. Some of my favourite songs happen to be Eurovision songs. It’s just a matter of finding songs of whatever genre you prefer.
Philip Bewley, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
I just love the music. Growing up in Adelaide, I first heard of Eurovision after Abba made it big with Waterloo, but started following it properly after relocating to the UK in the late 1980’s. Commentators like Terry Wogan have poked gentle fun at the entries over the years, but it’s the “night of nights” over there for a lot of like-minded people who are into Euro pop! Some of the best tracks, like Je Ne Sais Quoi or What About My Life, get me bouncing around the gym when they turn up in my phone library, but I also love the melodic Maltese entry most years (Julie and Ludwig, Chiara, Fabrizio Faniello are all favourites).
It would be great to see Malta winning, and watch Valletta coping with thousands of visitors. I have to confess I even liked Scooch and Josh Dubovie. Though I returned to Australia a few years ago, I was lucky enough to attend an amazing event with my partner in Düsseldorf in 2011, then Malmö in 2013 (where my photo was taken). Conchita’s victory was so well-deserved, and we are desperate to continue our run of odd years at Eurovision and see her performing in person.
Alex Sowden, Sydney, New South Wales Australia
Sequins, schlager and Svetlanas, is that Eurovision you’re talking about? Yes it is and I want in! A week long festival to celebrate kitsch dancing, barely there costumes and amazingly talented songstresses – all sounds like THE experience of a lifetime. If I could sing, I would be in the contest. Alas, since I cannot I would love to do the next best thing and go, to Eurovision! Not to mention it’s a celebration of the unique and a chance to show who you really are to the world.
I fully support how Eurovision embraces everyone, no matter who or what they are. An opportunity to be amongst the all the wackiness and express my inner Eurovision star would be an experience I could proudly tell generations to come. Not to mention that this year will be in Vienna, a place my predecessors called home. My soul yearns to out-sequin, out-dance and out-sing every other Eurovisionite in the place where my ancestors once walked or in Loreen’s case…crab walked.
Andrew B, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
The ESC coverage has become widely popular with Australians and is one of the SBS networks most valuable brands ñ with ESC often ranking as one of its highest rating non-sports events each year. Since the retirement of Terry Wogan from the BBC, SBS sends its own commentators, Julia Zemiro and Sam Pang, to the event and to conduct behind-the-scenes interviews with artists. SBS also commissions its own programming around its Eurovision telecast, such as Eurovision A-Z and The Road To Eurovision.
For 2014 SBS presented The Eurovision Quiz Contest in the week of the event and also produced Jess Mauboy’s Road To Eurovision, featuring the Australian pop stars journey to performing the interval act at the second semi-final in Copenhagen.
Kohan Ikin, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
If you’d told me 10 years ago that one day I’d see Eurovision live, join a Eurovision fan club, meet the artists & organizers, meet Julia Zemiro & Sam Pang and be interviewed on Australian television, I would have thought you were crazy. I first went to Eurovision in 2011 as part of a trip to Germany. I thought it would be hilarious to see Europe’s zany music contest live. But being there in person changed everything – the atmosphere of people from 40 different countries all together in one city was amazing. Everyone was friendly to each other regardless of nationality or language barriers, just like Eurovision’s mission statement of bringing Europe together through music. It was hard to think of Eurovision as just a cheesy music TV show after that.
That first year I ran into a small group of Australians who were Eurovision fans, and we ended up meeting up every day, and kept in touch online even after Eurovision was over. They told me about the fan club, and I ended up joining a year later. One of the benefits of being in the fan club is being able to go to EuroClub (sometimes with fancy accreditation badges), where the Eurovision artists perform & meet with fans. Meeting celebrities is fun, but it’s even better when you get to talk to them and realize they’re just normal people who worked really hard at practicing their art. You can’t help but cheer for someone who has been genuinely friendly to you. 
One of my favorite EuroClub moments was meeting Jöran Steinhauer from Aarzemnieki (Cake To Bake, Latvia 2014) and talking to him for almost half an hour about how he became a singer and his path to Eurovision. His band had just missed out on qualifying for the final a few hours earlier, but he was incredibly positive & upbeat about the experience, that he’d even had the opportunity to perform at Eurovision for a live TV audience of 180 Million. It was inspiring, and each time I go to Eurovision I come back with a new experience like that.
I’ve been to Eurovision three times now. And while the music & shows & nightclubs are fun, I find Eurovision is about more than that. It’s about the friendships you make during that rollercoaster ride, friends not just from your own country but from all over the world. Friends that I’m still in contact with years later. And that’s the magic of Eurovision, bringing the world together through music.
Greg Stone, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
I was first introduced to Eurovision in 2008 when friends invited me to a party to watch the song contest on SBS. From that night I was hooked and couldn’t believe it hadn’t been involved earlier. It has been an annual tradition ever since! Best friends have attended Eurovision the past two years and having seen the amazing photos and heard all the fun memories so we decided that 2015 is the year I finally head to Vienna to see it live also.
The thought of traveling to Europe to see Eurovision in person whilst meeting so many new ROW fans is incredibly exciting! Bring it On!
Eloise Sowden, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
I can remember being young and watching as Eurovision with my mum and siblings. It was all a sea of colour, sequins and outrageous reveals and it had me hooked. Every year we would try to guess who would win and be bitterly disappointed when our favourite failed to win. Our favourite without a doubt was always Austria, even if it didn’t enter every year. Each year when May approach I was excited because it meant my birthday was near but even more excited because it meant that Eurovision would be upon us once more. It’s this excitement, coupled with the fact that Eurovision will be held in my absolute favourite country which means I not only want to go to Eurovision, but I need to.
Eurovision for my family is not just another song contest, it’s a way of life, another piece of our culture. Every place I’ve traveled to in Europe, I’d ask if they love Eurovision as much as me. So far, I’ve only found Scandinavians who are as passionate, with other Austrians and Germans laughing at the enthusiasm we hold for Eurovision in Australia. My first memories of Eurovision was my mother making me listen to Brotherhood of Man, Bucks Fizz!johnny Logan, Nicole, Sandy Shaw and many more. Once it was broadcast here by SBS, we would sit down and watch it much to my father’s amusement. One of my favourite moment s was Moldova in 2005 and wondering whether that was a doll on the sleigh and it turned out to be granny.
Now that it is in Austria I do want to go there as not only is it my mother’s homeland, but I also like to think of it as my second homeland. As proud a Austrian I would love to be part of the crowd and be amongst that amazing experience!
Franz Knoll, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia 
I share my Eurovision passion with my wife Barbara and have avidly followed the event and music intensely for a decade. We had the pleasure to have taken part in Dusseldorf in 2011 and Malmö in 2013. Eurovision is how we take holidays. The music variety is brilliant and we love the songs in different languages. The light-hearted presentation makes it such good fun with each year’s different theme sets each one as unique and memorable. The fun atmosphere at the stadiums, the costumes of the audience helps breaks the ice, so getting to know people and talking with them is just so easy and natural. Unlike other concerts being part of the show supporting their country it’s a great buzz.
At home in Australia we are always promoting and talking about Eurovision it often brings out those closet fans. It is amazing how many quietly enjoy the show, to be able to explain what happens, the stories you have of the concert and how each city celebrates the event is fantastic. Most don’t think of Eurovision as something to go to, nothing beats the surprise when you talk about it.
Barbara Knoll, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
We have enjoyed Eurovision for many years. When Germany won my husband said: “We are going to go “what an experience! The buzz sitting amongst all the different countries with one thing in common-the love of music. Music and song is something that unites people. Each song has a different message. The atmosphere is electric and having everyone sitting around you from different cultural backgrounds as one is very special to be a part of.
When we speak to others about Eurovision and that we actually go they are amazed! We have had some wonderful experiences in both Dusseldorf in 2011 and Malmo in 2013 and would love to be a part of Eurovision in Vienna in 2015.
Mario Galindo Cano, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 
Growing up in Ecuador, the Eurovision Song Contest seemed something exotic on the others side of the world. The first Eurovision song that caught my attention was the UK’s 1996 entry of Ooh Ah Just A Little Bit, sung by Gina G. At the time, the catchy tune seemed so far ahead of many other entries in the contest. Then a few months later, the song got my attention again, when it appeared on the Billboard Hot 100.
For me, that sealed the deal: Eurovision is capable of launching great pop songs with global appeal.
Nicholas Poteri, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
My first memory of the Eurovision Song Contest dates back to 1981. I was only a child but I clearly remember my older cousins celebrating Bucks Fizz, with their winning entry of Making Your Mind Up, and its famous skirt-rip dance routine. I rediscovered Eurovision in my early adult years of the late 1990s – with favourite entries like Dana International’s “Diva” and Gina G’s “Ooh Aah… Just A Little Bit” – when the contest was broadcast on SBS in Australia, albeit delayed and regrettably not live-to-air.
Since the late 2000s, my Eurovision experience has been shared with friends at home parties and barbecues coinciding with our viewing of the telecast. The Eurovision experience in those years was a lot of fun, but nothing could have prepared me for my first live Eurovision experience at Malmö in 2013. The atmosphere in the stadium was electric, especially during the live shows. I was hooked, and I was determined to return to Copenhagen in 2014 – which was even better than Malmö – and hopefully I’ll be there again for Vienna in 2015.
Scott Folley, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
It was Paul Oscar, Iceland’s entry in the 1997 Eurovision Song Contest, which got me completely hooked. I blame both him, and my friend whose house I was at when the 2007 Sem-Finals were playing on the TV in the background. What a catchy electro-dance song Paul was singing! Immediately I needed to know what the title of the song ‘Minn Hinsti Dans’ meant, and just who this mysterious black PVC wearing man writhing around on a white couch was! From that point on, I followed Eurovision religiously, with my interest growing more serious year by year, and with each Eurovision Party I hosted becoming more lavish and over-the-top than the previous.
One particular year in 2009, as party of my Eurovision Party invitation, I designed a website where invitees could purchase mock-fantasy Eurovision merchandise, such as the Gina-G String, the Bucks Fizz Soda Stream Kit, or Olivia Newton-John Eurovision legwarmers. Completely ridiculous and kooky, but isn’t that exactly what part of Eurovision is about?
At no time until a few years ago did I ever image I’d get to a Eurovision Final. It was only after I started work for Virgin Australia Airlines that the dream of attending began to fabricate. My partner and I took a trip especially to Malmo in 2013 at the last minute, and being a spur of the moment crazy-idea kind of vacation, consequently paid an arm and a leg for tickets to the final through a third-party ticket agent. It was only once we arrived at the arena that we realized we were actually sitting BEHIND the stage, and although we only saw the occasional glimpses of pyrotechnic flares and the high kicks of back row support dancers, it was still one of the best nights of our lives…. which made me think, if we had this much fun BEHIND the stage, we can only begin to image what it must be like IN FRONT of it! We plan on finding out in Vienna 2015! See you all there.
Andrew W, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
I have been a fan since 2001 when I saw my first Eurovision thanks to my close friend and Eurovision fanatic Phil, here in Sydney. It was in Copenhagen and I didn’t know what to expect. Then when I saw Listen to your heartbeat from Sweden I was hooked in! Of course they didn’t win LOL but they were fabulous! Ever since then I hosted a Eurovision party every year since then (Except this year when Phil Hosted it this year). While all the way out in Sydney, my apartment has been decked out with Eurovision Bunting, Flags, Posters and heaps more!
Our broadcaster, SBS, has done many documentaries as well as the Eurovision Game Show last year, which we attended. It was fantastic and met many people like me who loves it so much! This year even before Austria Won, both Phil and myself planned to attend the event. To meet fellow Eurovision fans, chat about the music, stars, fans and experience the whole thing. It always amazes me how it brings Europe together in the world’s largest music contest. Even if I cannot get tickets though normal channels, I will still be there to enjoy the contest with my friends, new and old.
Alan Tubery, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
The 1st one I watched on TV in Europe was 1962 (Showing my age here…) Since then I never missed watching it on TV and tried a few times to get tickets but was not successful Finally my dream came true when I was able to join a group to Malmoe in 2013 It was fantastic. We did all the shows and some rehearsals too but what I enjoyed the most was the atmosphere around town Through the years and my travel I collected (and still do) the 45 T (over 500 at this stage) LP’s (over 200) and CD’s (over 1200) from the Eurovision songs and artists Especially I love finding the versions in different languages
Being a DJ I also started to remix some of the songs and ended up returning in Copenhagen in 2014 but this time as a Eurovision DJ which was a fantastic experience I ended up not going to any of the live shows (even there was no problems getting tickets for the dress rehearsals) but the atmosphere was so vibrant that I had a fantastic time watching the semis and the final on the big screen on the main square of Copenhagen with thousands of others or at EuroClub Sharing music and meeting old and new friends from around the world at EuroCafe and EuroClub is quite special.
You have to experience the host city for a week and then you will be hooked to return Since then I have produced Eurovision 2 podcasts
2014 http://djalantsydney.podomatic.com/entry/2014-10-09T20_35_54-07_00
2013 http://djalantsydney.podomatic.com/entry/2013-10-24T14_16_30-07_00
So enjoy and download them and if you like them please like my DJ page https://www.facebook.com/DJAlanTSydney
See some of you in Vienna for the 60th anniversary
Fan Experiences: Copenhagen 2014,
Marcus Davey, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
My Trip to Copenhagen – ESC 2014
After the excitement of Eurovision 2013 in Malmö, Sweden, I was very excited to be able to go to Copenhagen for Eurovision 2014. This year was very special to me as I was able to share it with some of my friends who had never been to Eurovision before. After many hours in the air (flying from Sydney to Brisbane to Dubai and then to Copenhagen – at least 30hrs of travel), we finally arrived in Copenhagen. My partner and I were the first of our group of friends to arrive on Thursday before Eurovision week and we set out to check out the local area.
After having some well-earned sleep we investigated where to get a local SIM card for our phones (obviously so we could post exciting Eurovision pictures back to friends in Australia and to keep an eye on what was going on through the week). The next task was to get tickets to Euro Fan Cafe and also buy tickets to for EuroClub (the EuroClub was by far the best money spent whilst in Copenhagen for the hours and hours of fun that was had there).
On Saturday our friends arrived. Albeit weary from their similar journeys, we organized similar phone SIMs and then we were all connected. After spending a few days looking around Copenhagen, it was now Monday and time for the First Jury Semi Final. Unlike previous years I had kept a “media blackout” of all but the Austrian song, I wanted to keep the suspense alive for the live performances. I’ll never forget that first semi and being able to share it with my partner and friends (for them it was their very first Eurovision Song Contest live). After seeing the Live Semi 1 (and being able to vote – yay) and then Jury Semi 2 and Live Semi 2 I was extremely excited about seeing the grand final. Over the week we had met many other great Eurovision Fans from previous years and it was also met new fans as well.
The previous year I had not gone to Jury Grand Final because I didn’t want to spoil the surprise of the Grand Final. This year we all decided to go, so as to see the big 6 perform. It was amazing and only made us more excited about the next nights Grand Final. As the Friday night before the Grand Final was the last night fans could go to the EuroClub, we went to enjoy the last night. After the others left I stayed and continued the fun and excitement of the EuroClub well into the night (and actually into the wee hours – this was probably not he best idea before the day of the grand final). The music was so good and the crowd so amazing time just flew. I ended up getting back to the hotel at around 0600 in the morning. Later that day (the day of the grand final) saw the others getting to the arena very early in the afternoon. This was to secure a front row position near the stage.
My partner and I decided to go a few hours later (to avoid standing for many many hours straight) and ended up being only 5 people back from the front. The night was amazing. The atmosphere was electric. As the votes got counted from each country, I was messaging my friend in the front row saying, “I would cry if Austria won”. Well when Conchita was announced tears welled in my eyes with joy. It was amazing.
It was such an amazing experience to attend the Eurovision Song Contest and was made even better by traveling with my friends. Also being able to connect with other Eurovision fans was great. Being a part of this fan club gives me the best opportunity to talk Eurovision throughout the year in the lead up to the competition. I hope I’m lucky enough to be able to attend Austria in 2015, as it will be truly exciting to be part of this great life experience once again.
Kate Hansen, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
I will NEVER forget my first Eurovision in CPH….
It was the most exciting & jam packed 7 days of my life and exceeded my expectations ‘-) Upon arriving to CPH after an almost 30 hour journey, I took a 1 hour nap and then bicycled to Roy’s hotel to meet up with him & Cole. We walked to EUROCLUB together. That evening was amazing. I helped with videoing the very talented Cole singing her songs. I also got the opportunity to go backstage and what an experience THAT was, I met SO many interesting people and also got to get a pictures with Sanna & Cann-linn! Well at 4 pm, my 1 hr. bike ride home concluded. I must also add that seeing the contestants at the EUROCLUB were amazing.
I especially cherish seeing Conchita and the Greece boys too. They raised the roof!!!. Then what transpired the following 7 days were approximately the same crazy/wonderful routine EVERY DAY: Late to bed, late to rise, chat via FB with other Fans, get dressed & prepared for the activities that day. I ate so much take away and junk food in 1 week that I had in done in 1 year.
Bicycled a LOT but also taxied a LOT. EVERY cent that I paid was worth it. I had originally hoped to get just 3 seconds of fame on the TV, well, I got that and more. Everyone “wanted to talk to us Aussies” and I felt a bit like a superstar. Pictures & TV glimpses were the name of the day…my hubbie text me: ” Some wives leave a picture of themselves but MY WIFE turns up on TV every day!” I had warned my 6 friends that they would be standing to view the Finals show in a different area further back from the Fan area than me (as, at THAT stage, friendship would not make me stay further behind the Fan area!!!)…But guess what: by Friday, because I had had SO many experiences with the press/TV, I decided to not go to the evening Jury Final show and instead meet my friends that arrived that afternoon.
I also decided to NOT stand in the Fan area on the Finals night and JOIN my friend’s in the back :-). Yes I was so ok about that and SO happy to experience the ESC14 with them too. I felt blessed and felt very happy to stand behind them too. I wanted them to have the opportunity to see better then I. What was also wonderful and by chance, one of my new found friends Vincent, also stood with us! Ok well I could write a lot more but will finish by saying that after ESC CPH14, I had to have 3 whole days to “get over” the Eurovision week LOL I had lived and breathed Eurovision for 8 action packed days and now it was time to see my Danish family & friends. I had no time to see/talk to them whilst ESC was going on as you can tell by my story – I was toooooo busy LOL Beside seeing Eurovision, in all its glory, it was meeting all the fans that I had gotten to know on the OGAE fan page, that made my experience extra special that I will NEVER EVER FORGET!!!!
Chris Zeiher, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Copenhagen, Denmark 2014 was my virgin live Eurovision experience and what an event to “lose my Eurovision virginity” too. Having hired a houseboat on Air B’n’B I got a real sense of what it was to live like a local with a bedroom window (portal) that was lapped by the sea. No generic hotel suites in sight this was three boys (an Aussie, a Scot and a German) on a boat united by their obsession with the world’s premier singing competition. And did that boat pump out some Eurovision hits – I’m sure the neighbouring barges were happy to see our stylish suitcases alight from the pier for the final time.
Traveling to and from the Eurovision Island was an epic event in itself but it was the night of the final that we experienced a magical moment. Whilst traipsing toward the buses in the rain after Conchita’s memorable win (only I had an umbrella) we noticed a poor young lass sodden and miserable and ushered her under the brolly. Within moments a second sodden lady appeared by her side.
Introducing ourselves she was shocked and excited to meet an Aussie that had traveled over for the competition. She then revealed herself, and her companion, to be the two Irish backing singers who had performed on the Thursday night and been bundled out in the second semi-final. Trailing her, also soaked by the rain, was the Irish entries songwriter and her husband. We spent the entire bus ride back to the Copenhagen Railway Station with the Irish crew discussing the Irish internal selection process and the politics of the competition. All the Irish wanted to know was if Australia were allowed to contest the competition would we give them the 12 points? Love it!
Mark Churches, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
Personal Highlights included: –
* Friends – being there with my good mate Josh as well as reuniting with mates haven’t seen for 12 months from all over Australia, Europe & the World;
* Almost getting run over by Valentina Monetta’s buggy under the bleachers, I was quite drunk but I managed to tell her how much she rocked;
* Partying – I partied pretty much every night, Eurovision week seems to be the week in the year I party, drink, dance & be merry the most;
* Conchita’s Victory – being a fan of hers since 2011 it was great to not only see her at the contest but also win the whole thing.
* Walking around Copenhagen in a Koala onesie. Warm & insulated from the cold & wet.
Lowlights: –
* Poor planning of the contest, very disorganised & chaotic trying to get in & out of the Contest venue, attempting to get across town for after-parties, etc.;
* Being aggressively harassed by prostitutes nightly, I now see Copenhagen in a negative light in part to these kinds of nighttime experiences in the city.
Jeff Neal, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Landed at Copenhagen Airport early 6.00am. Little to nothing really signifying Eurovision 2014 was about to explode. Train to Copenhagen across the fabulous Oresund Bridge. No body spread across the midpoint this time. Into Copenhagen station where first bit of Eurovision 2014 spotted but sole poster and nothing like the butterflies and finery spread throughout Malmo station last year. Admire the chandelier however. Not often you see a station with one. Fight way through a mountain of bikes out the front to a taxi and off to our rented apartment.
It begins. Strolling into Eurovision Village (2 blocks from our apartment) just setting up on the Friday. Stroget bedecked with banners of previous winners. Strolling down Nyahaven towards the ferry to the island. Euro hits, especially Cliché Love Song blaring out on the ferry with some of us madly singing along. Locals look strangely at us.
The Island. Like an industrial estate. Unwelcoming. First day a few food stalls after that little to nothing outside. Anticipation high. Queuing, queuing and more queuing. Great new friends, all nationalities. No toilets outside. We watch the kilts head off into the bushes for a quick break. Nature calls no matter what. Standing staring into a huge empty tent over the front entrances. Rain, getting wet, dry cover just temptingly out of reach. Singing in the Rain…. the Rain…. the Rain and Dancing too. Queue jumpers. Eventually threats build from security staff until it is the back of the queue forever or oblivion. Things got tougher once they called the Swedish security in. My moustache umbrella lying rejected in a corner after a severe frisk search. Tight unity at the front, arms locked, blocking all, protecting territory.
Huge stadium inside. Rush to the railing. Front spot night after night. DJ one set of clothes? Night after night the same, but a lively bouncy crowd singing the Euro hits. Waving flags. Discussing potential camera shots with crew. Performances night after night up close. Tall people towering over the short ones at front. Tall ones at front drawing the camera shots. Near strangulation by waving flags and scarves. Certain stars shine. Lights blaze, fire soars, eyebrows sizzle, hosts host and audience give their all in support of the artists, especially those few who Rise above the others. It builds all week, the excitement, the anticipation, the feeling we are experiencing something special here.
Building to the Grand Final Saturday and the shared emotion of thousands within the stadium willing countries to vote for Conchita. CON – CHI – TA. Chanting building, tears welling, history being sensed, in 50 years time (those young enough to make it) can look back and say we were there, we were part of this, we contributed with our urging, our wishing, our chanting, our applause to an historic moment when it just felt so good to be a part of a shared humanity under a towering metal roof.
And what did I feel throughout? That age is no barrier at Eurovision, nor colour, race, religion and preferences. Without attending live I would never have known that it is the unifying nature of the experience, the fact all these “so called barriers” come to nothing when you get a group of people from all over the world, in one place, sharing an experience and just being nice. Thank goodness I dived into the Eurovision live experience. The life Adele and I now lead is richer from all the contacts we have made both there and back in Australia.
Andrew Pentecost, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
I had ‘standing room only’ Fan Zone tickets for all six nights in Copenhagen so this report reflects the experience of standing rather than sitting. Sitting has several advantages. Firstly, it’s more comfortable than standing! Secondly, seated tickets give you an allocated seat, which means you can get up and go to the loo, buy food or drinks, and so on, without losing your place. It also means you can arrive fairly close to the starting time in the knowledge that your seat is waiting for you.
But the significant advantages of being in the standing zone are: you are right at the very front, with a superb view of the performers; and you are surrounded by hundreds of other die-hard fans, so the experience is noisy, enthusiastic and exhilarating. Now if I had been less hard-core about my first Eurovision experience, I could have decided to arrive at the arena an hour or two before the start time.
If I’d done that I would have had to make do with a standing position several meters behind the front of the crowd. That would have been acceptable and my view would probably have been all right. However, it was my first ever ESC and I was thrilled by the prospect of seeing people like Sanna, Conchita, Valentina, Sergej, Pollapönk, RiskyKidd, Softengine and of course the Polish lassies live on stage, so I took the more demanding option and decided to QUEUE. This meant getting to the venue earlier and earlier each day. By the Saturday (Grand Final), we arrived at about midday to beat the large crowd. Given that Copenhagen didn’t exactly favour us with brilliant weather during the week of the contest, we had to queue in cold, sometimes rainy and blustery conditions. The best aspect of the queuing was that I got to meet a wonderful group of equally mad people who also arrived increasingly early each day. We helped each other out with food and shelter and conversation.
A fantastic Danish couple were part of the group – being locals, they were able to bring fresh fruit, rugs, chocolate bars, you name it. So the queuing experience was not exactly comfortable but incredibly social. The Danish organisers did not seem to have expected a small but hardy group of people would arrive early each day. There were no toilets outside the security gates and there was little access to food or water. And the queuing system was not well policed either. As the week progressed, we ‘trained’ the security people to look after us and prevent queue jumpers from trying to muscle in on our spots. By the final evening, the team had devised a system that allowed us through the security gates earlier than those who arrived later, so we could use the toilets and get some shelter from the rain. After the week was over, I was exhausted and my body was tired and sore from being vertical for so many hours on end. My partner Richard found his sore back even more sore than usual.
But through all the pain and discomfort, we had a brilliant time. We are still in touch with many of the people we met in the queue and I have wonderful memories of one of the highlights of my life. Would I choose to queue for ESC again? I really am not sure. This was a unique Eurovision year, with Conchita’s win being such a triumph for acceptance and for pure, joyful pop music. I was able to see all of the action from the very front of the audience and I’ll have those memories for the rest of my life – a brilliant reward for my dedication. But perhaps in Vienna I’ll opt for the comfort and convenience of a seat rather than the hard-earned thrill of a standing position in the Fan Zone…
Greg Murphy, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
I have watched Eurovision since 1986 and have been a massive fan since the late 90s. It was always my dream to attend a live show. Going to Copenhagen 2014 was a snap decision. After finding out it was host city early September, I casually browsed the travel sites on the Internet “as a matter of interest” to see how much it would cost to go. Soon I started planning flights and accommodation. I thought “will I or won’t I” and pressed the delete button more than once.
I had a talk to my wife Tanya who had just returned from an overseas holiday and was not interested on flying again. She said “Do it”..And I did So here I was going to Copenhagen, by myself, not knowing anyone and with no idea on how to get tickets to the shows. Luckily I found the Australian/Rest of the World fan site and the rest is history. I have many great memories of Copenhagen.
I had decided to combine the contest with sightseeing. Managed to satisfactorily do both, although mornings were difficult. One of my favourite days was the first Sunday, which started with meeting other fans and seeing Jess Mauboy perform together with getting to meet and have photos with her later. Some of us then attended the opening ceremony that evening and then went to EuroClub that night. Meeting other fans from around the world made my trip special. You are all an amazing bunch of people. Until I met some hardcore fans, I thought I was an expert on Eurovision. How wrong was I. It was really great having in depth chats about this years contest and some of the older shows. This is something I have never had previously been able to do. Loved all the shows. I did have seated tickets. In hind site I would have preferred standing tickets.
I did sneak down into the fan area on the Thursday night. Great experience. EuroClub was an unforgettable experience. I managed to go 3 nights: Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Each night was great. It is amazing to go to a venue, which just played Eurovision songs and mingling with people from so many different countries. However getting back to my hotel was a constant adventure. Sunday night I got lost walking back to the hotel. Eventually got there. Tuesday, once again I decided to walk back to the hotel, thinking I know exactly which way to go. This time got hopelessly lost. None of the streets appeared on the map I had. After a whole I found a taxi. On the Thursday I didn’t risk it…. hopped into a taxi straight away. Will I go again? The answer is definitely yes. However next time (definitely a few years away) I will take my wife and combine it with a longer trip to Europe. Travelling there and back just for Eurovision is pretty exhausting My suggestion to anyone going to Vienna. Don’t plan too much whilst you are there just, take each day as it comes and enjoy the experience.
Michele Acott, Perth Western Australia, Australia
My First (and definitely not last) Eurovision Experience. When I booked Eurovision tickets for 2013 I expected to see a semi-final and final … but what I got was so much more. After being lucky enough to actually secure tickets, I set about booking our accommodation. I didn’t know all the tricks of Eurovision at that stage and left booking the accommodation until an announcement was made about the venue. Dummy! We missed out on staying in Malmo but, after a bit of online research, I booked a hotel in Copenhagen, a short 20-minute train ride over the Oresund Bridge from Malmo. It was really bizarre to commute from one country to another to get to Eurovision.
In my hometown, a twenty-minute train ride gets you … well … twenty minutes down the track and nowhere else. My husband and I got press accreditation for Eurovision 2013 and this gave us access to the Press Centre – a huge building next to the Malmo Arena. Before you ask – no, unfortunately the press accreditation didn’t get us entry to any shows. But it did get us access to about 1200 accredited journalists and photographers from dozens of different countries. The Centre was big! There were at least three massive showing the competition and the whole place was abuzz with activity and excitement. It also had a casual barbeque restaurant area for Press and back-stage crew to grab a quick meal.
On first semi-final night, we decided to eat at the barbeque before the show. I was standing in the queue next to a beautiful young woman who, after hearing my accent, asked me where I was from. When I told her I was Australian, she chatted excitedly about kangaroos and koalas and how much she would like to visit Australia. It turns out she was one of the writers of Only Teardrops. She was Julia Jakobsen! I wish I’d had taken a photograph but, at that stage, I had no idea who she was. And I had no idea her song would win.
You can imagine my excitement when Denmark finished at the top of the voting and I saw Julia taking her place next to Emmelie de Forest and receiving the accolades of the crowd. With dinner in our tummies and excitement in our souls we walked the short distance to the Malmo Arena. We passed the red carpet VIP entrance and watched as everyone arrived. There wasn’t much of a crowd and the VIPs were happily stopping and chatting. I was thrilled when the UK’s Graham Norton stopped to talk to me. And he was happy to have a photograph taken … one of the highlights of my night! As we had allocated seats for the first semi-final, we didn’t feel the need to line up too early to get into the Arena. But when we entered, it was madness with fans of every nationality, some dressed up and some not. My favourite was a group of burly men dressed as brides for Finland’s Marry Me entry. We took our seats. They were great … only five metres from the edge of the stage. AMAZING VIEWS!!!!
Stupidly, we didn’t bring any Australian flags but were surrounded by lovely Austrians who were only too happy to give us their national flag to wave. Our excitement built and then Loreen took to the stage. I must admit that I had a small tear in my eye – it was beyond exciting. We didn’t attend the second semi-final and decided to watch it live from our Copenhagen hotel room. The broadcast was in Danish – but we understood every word! Ha, ha, ha, ha. Grand final night came. We repeated our routine of dinner in the Press Centre. On the way, I came across Eldar (Ell) Gasimov from Azerbaijan. He and Nigar (Nikki) Jamal sung Running Scared, the winning song from 2011. My goodness he is lovely and so cute!!!! Fast forward to the day after the final. It was wet and windy in Copenhagen, so we stayed in our hotel room and relaxed by watching television.
The regular broadcast was suddenly interrupted for a live cross to the Tivoli Gardens where they were waiting for Emmelie to arrive. We could hear the helicopters hovering over our hotel, which was very close to the Tivoli. It was all very exciting for us. 
There, on the screen, was Julia (the song writer) being lauded by thousands of people for the role she played in helping Denmark win Eurovision. It was surreal to think that, just a few days earlier, we had been standing in a queue together, chatting as we waited for our barbecued beef.
Kent Acott, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
It has been argued – and succinctly by Anthony Lane in The New Yorker – that Eurovision is like “trying to dislodge an ant that has crawled into your ear canal … (you) can never quite shake off the affliction”. My “ant” had been threatening its aural journey for several decades – that’s how long I have been watching the SBS coverage of this unique European celebration of song, stunned by the music and fascinated by each “douze points” as the eventual winner emerged. But it was on the streets of the southern Swedish city of Malmo in 2013 that my Eurovision experience – and my “ant’s” journey – really began. Sweden was an appropriate starting point. I was a big fan of ABBA as a teenager and, perhaps subliminally, their victory in 1974 laid the roots to my Eurovision fascination years later. And, from the moment I arrived at Malmo’s train station, I was not disappointed.
A huge disco ball hung over the passenger foyer, Eurovision songs played on the loudspeakers, coloured lights flashed on the walls and butterflies – the symbol of the 2013 event – covered everything. Malmo had embraced Eurovision and I intended to embrace Malmo. Over the course of two semi-finals and a final, we joined Germans in lederhosen, Greeks in togas – even Poles in wedding dresses – to watch entries from 39 countries trying to impress the judges and the people of Europe. And along the way there were dancing astronauts, singers emerging from giant globes and even the tallest man in the US. But, in the end, it was a 20-year-old songstress from Denmark who won. And if I needed any convincing of the magnitude and significance of her victory, it was for all to see on the streets of Copenhagen the following day.
As news spread that Emmelie de Forest would perform the winning song in the city’s Tivoli Gardens, the streets were buzzing. Television helicopters swarmed overhead and police sirens wailed as locals ignored the drizzle to rush to the venue. Regular television programs were interrupted so De Forest’s impromptu performance could be shown live. Presenters interviewed her family, her friends, anyone who knew her. She had become Eurovision royalty … and I had been there to see her crowned. Little did we know that, 12 months later, her reign would end at the hands of a bearded lady from the small Austrian town of Gmunden. But, hey, that’s Eurovision.
Michaela Sowden, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
After being a fan for many, many years I finally was able to see it live. We did the obligatory visiting of family and friends in Austria before travelling via Stuttgart and Amsterdam to Copenhagen. I do remember my friend laughingly and disbelievingly saying to me: ‘ Have you seen the Austrian entrant?’ My response was and always has been “ Listen to that voice!” So to my top ten memories, good and bad, of Copenhagen:
10. Arriving in Copenhagen via train was stressful. We took the train to Copenhagen as we felt that there would be fewer delays and were laden with wine from Styria, but alas arrived three hours late. Trying to contact our landlord was difficult enough as at that exact moment my phone played up, but we also had to pick up our tickets as well. It all worked out and the excitement started as soon as we walked towards the Main Square and saw the Eurovision banners, the countdown clock and then Eurovision village with the stage all abuzz. What was even better was the confirmation that our flat was right in the center of all activity.
- Our first dinner in a very expensive town was in of all things an Irish pub. (It was our cheapest as well). What made it memorable was that it had photos of Johnny Logan around and apparently Johnny Logan would frequent it. Alas Johnny did not show up.
- Our very first trip to Eurovision Island was via ferry, as were our subsequent trips. Listening to Basim and being with other fans was just great. I do admit that after six trips Basim got a little too much. It was on the ferry trips that I noticed that Eurovision was truly a friendly, exciting competition and I was so glad to be part of it.
- We never would have thought that waiting in line on Semifinal One night would lead to a reunion of sorts. Yes, whilst waiting, we heard Aussie accents behind us. My son Nick turned to me and said in German that there were Australians behind us. When the girls spoke about school and the Sunshine Coast, he turned to them and asked about the school, and it turned out to be his old school and that one of the girls was the younger sister of a school friend. We also had our photo taken by some Eurovision photographer. I have not found that photo despite all my searching.
- Well those Polish girls were definitely unforgettable. On the Jury Semifinal night we were to the right of the stage and the butter churning maid really milked it for the cameras. Soft porn ‘eat your heart out’. The next night we were in front of the washer maid who was less upbeat. After Eurovision they modernised the video, called it Slavica and it is even more upbeat and X rated.
- The two songs that missed out. Well I did like Latvia and he had great stage persona. He really enjoyed being there and you could see it. Israel, again a great song but not a people pleaser. Was not happy with the Israeli fan waving a huge flag right in front of me.
- As for flags, there was inconsistency of policing it as on Finals night Nick had his flagpole taken off him as it was made of wood. Yet around us people were getting through with wooden poles like Nicks. When questioning the security person in charge she just shrugged and said that that was poor security and didn’t do anything about it. Very disappointing.
- The crowd. Someone asked me what Eurovision was like. My answer: Imagine your best concert and multiply by 10 and then you will understand. Just great. Felt like a celebrity walking through Copenhagen in my dirndl, being photographed, seeing others dressed up and the great atmosphere. So keen to do it again.
- Nick’s interview with Belarus. All was going well, then he was asked about his opinion of the Belarus singer. Nick was too honest and stated that the singer was not his favourite but he was doing really well. I do not think his interview got aired in Belarus.
- The top three. Nick was following the odds and told me Conchita was doing well in the polls. My statement was that I would be happy for Conchita to do well and come in the top ten, if she made top five I would be ecstatic and if in the top three I would break down and cry.
Well cry I did. Conchita won, a victory for Austria and now Eurovision in Vienna 48 years after the last win. I was also happy with second and third placement, very well done.
Richard Thiele, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
For my story on what it was like to be in Copenhagen for ESC 2014, I thought I would concentrate on the behind-the-scenes aspects, the kinds of things that you don’t get to see unless you are in the arena itself. A local DJ appeared on the stage about an hour before the actual broadcast began. His role was to warm us up by playing up-tempo songs from previous Eurovision Song Contests. On the Monday night (the Jury Final of the First Semi Final) he didn’t get the mix quite right and the crowd didn’t ‘go off’.
Eurovision is not really his style of music so he ended up having to ask some fans what to play. He changed his play list from the Tuesday night onwards and got a much better response from the audience when he played fan favourites like ‘Euphoria’, ‘Love Shine a Light’ and ‘Ooh Ahh…Just a Little Bit’.
Towards the end of this one-hour DJ set, the Swedish Floor Manager, Henric von Zweigbergk, who has done the same job at many recent Eurovision and Melodifestivalen shows, came onto the stage and spoke to the audience. He asked us to use the torch (‘flashlight’) function on our mobile phones and sway them above our heads during certain songs (e.g. Sanna Nielsen from Sweden). If you watch the DVD you can see the effect this created. He also asked us not to wave our flags too high because it would interfere with the camera shots. It was interesting to see all of the cameras in use. Some of them were suspended from the ceiling and flew down towards the stage, to get closer and closer to the performers. Some of them were in the camera pits immediately in front of the fan zone (the area for standing room only) – these cameras got some fairly close shots of the performers. One camera was hidden under the stage, right at the point of the stage, and rose up above stage floor level to get very specific footage of the performers from in front and below their faces. Occasionally, a camera operator would run onto the stage and take very close-up footage.
The most obvious instance of this is the Netherlands, where the camera was on stage for an extended period, with the operator moving around Ilse and Waylon, taking close footage of their faces. And sometimes there were cameras on the two wings of the stage – for example, in the Greek, Polish and Swiss performances, when performers went off the main stage and onto the wings. Those of us who were right at the front of the fan zone every night got to know the camera operators in the camera pits, as well as their assistants and the security men who ensured that nobody jumped onto the stage. The camera assistants had the entire running order in plastic holders on their arms, one sheet of paper per performer. The cameras also had several screens on their bases, one to show what was going to air, one to show exactly what that specific camera was filming, and another computer screen to show the running order, right down to the number of seconds allocated to each camera.
The entire show is thoroughly planned and rehearsed by performers and TV crew. If you watch any given country’s performance in the Semi Final and compare it with their performance in the Grand Final, you can see there is very little room for ad lib. There is a short changeover period between all of the acts. During that time, the ‘postcards’ went to air. In the arena we were able to watch the quick-change work taking place on stage. The act that had just finished had to be escorted off and the next act had to be brought on. Sometimes this was an easy task but sometimes it was not a trivial thing to achieve. For example, the Greek boys had to have their trampoline set in its correct place and hidden by the clever Hellenic design that ensured TV viewers didn’t realise what it was until the trampolinist started bouncing on it. Likewise Sanna from Sweden had to have her mirror ball strung above her before she sang and then it had to be swiftly removed after her performance.
With the exception of the annoying door that refused to close during Sanna’s Broadcast Semi Final performance, all of these rapid stage changes were carried out rapidly and perfectly. In most cases, the performers were able to take their place on the stage with about 30 seconds to spare. Once they were on stage, fans screamed their encouragement. Most of the performers smiled and waved and acknowledged the applause and shouting. This is one of the most heart-warming memories of the live performances. As we were leaving the arena after the Grand Final, I was amazed to see the workers starting to dismantle the Green Room area. The venue is a former shipyard – the building was named the B&W Hallerne, which means ‘B&W Halls’ – B&W being Burmeister & Wain, the company that originally built the shipyards in the 1960s. At considerable expense the hall was converted into a Eurovision arena but the contract must have stipulated that it be returned to its pre-Eurovision condition immediately after the broadcast!
Joanna Seels, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Eurovision for me started when I used to sit up late and watch the contest with my Mum & Dad as a child. I was always very excited about all the different countries and costumes. I first went to Eurovision in Malmo in 2013 where I meet Kohan Ikin , Paul Kyoya Bostock and Mark Kirikud at the semi final performances. We talked enthusiastically about their previous Eurovision experiences and I was immediately drawn in! I enjoyed that there was such a big Aussie and Rest Of World presence at the arena and we all had a great time swapping stories and talking about the contestants!
I attended Fan Cafe on a few of the nights and danced the night away to all the new and old songs shouting out all the words to my favorite Eurovision song at the time, Euphoria! We attended the SBS Australian Breakfast with Julia and Sam and had photos with them. What great hosts! We were included on photos on the SBS Australia website. In 2013 soon after the winner was announced, we started planning for Copenhagen!!! I caught up with all the usual suspects at the Aussie Party at the Fan Cafe where Alan T was the DJ. It was so great to catch up with all the crew that I met in Malmo.
I met Chris North a press rep from Australia who after the Final in 2014, did a life TV cross to the Sunrise Breakfast program where I appeared on TV in an Orange Kangaroo suit! A few of my mates recognised me on TV and it was awesome to be a part of the announcement of the Winner of 2014 Eurovision Song Contest to AUSTRALIA! Over the last year, I have caught up with Kohan, Paul & Mark and stayed in touch via Facebook. I am very much a part of the Rest of the World community and can’t wait to see you all in Vienna!
Vincent Colagiuri, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
I think like many Australians, my first awareness of the contest came when the winning song ‘Waterloo’ first became a hit and launched the new pop sound of ABBA. The ESC interested me after that but I didn’t get wildly into it until watching the 1996 Oslo competition on TV. Then I was hooked. Joining OGAE made my dream of attending the ESC come true this year when I was able to purchase a ticket and then travel to Copenhagen for the 2014 competition. Things all fell into place and my experience could not have been more wonderful. Prior to going I had befriended DJ Alan Tubery, with whom I shared accommodation. We arrived at Copenhagen airport on the Saturday before Eurovision week, coincidentally within one hour of each other; he from visiting family in Switzerland and I direct from Sydney via Bangkok and Dubai.
Our accommodation was a very comfortable rental flat a stone’s throw from Copenhagen Town Hall and the Eurovision Fan Mile. After a very brief sleep we went out for a walk and in the Town Hall square I felt over the moon to be visiting Denmark for the first time and thrilled by the carnival atmosphere in central Copenhagen. Later that night it was off with Alan, one of the official ESC DJs, to Vega club. My tiredness after the long flight just evaporated! It was party night at Vega and I hadn’t come to Copenhagen to sleep! There I saw my friend and Eurovision guru Monty Moncrieff from London. We hadn’t seen each other in five years. He introduced me to other friends of his from Britain that night and on subsequent nights.
I felt like a little boy at Christmas time – deleriously happy to actually be in Denmark and not quite believing I was really attending the Eurovision Song Contest. Whatever our country of origin, all those who had come to Copenhagen shared the common ground of being Eurovision fans who were passionate enough about the contest that they made the effort to come and be a part of it. Everyone was happy to discuss their varying opinions on this year’s songs and performers as well as their favourites from previous years.
The party that night at Vega was called Supersize Me and wow, up there on the Vega stage that night in the flesh were the performers representing Sweden, Norway, Malta, Macedonia, Moldova, Ireland and Finland, all singing their songs that I’d only heard up till then on recordings and Youtube. That was just my first night there! Whether at the competition, Vega, Huset Fan Café or on the outdoor stage it was always a thrill to see the performers live. The atmosphere built up on further on Sunday when Alan and I went along to the official opening and red carpet cerememony in the Town Hall Square.
Despite the wind and the cold, everyone seemed in high spirits and exited at the proceedings shown on the big screen. Earlier that day we went to the open-air stage at the Eurovision Village square to support Jessica Mauboy who was making an appearance. It was there we met and made friends with several other Aussies who had also come to Copenhagen. I shared the thrilling and emotional experience at the First Semi-Final with a new friend Mirko Hernandez from Peru.
At the Second Second Semi-Final I was with fellow Australians. The Grand Final was almost overwhelming. I stood and watched with a different group of Australians and we were all quite scandalised at hearing the booing that greeted the Russian performers and TV presenter during the voting. That was the only incident to tarnish the night for me. The pure delight of hearing and seeing my favourite songs ‘Cheesecake’ and ‘Cliché Love Song’ performed live in the competition will remain with me forever. I will never forget the deafening acclaim for the winner Conchita Wurst at the end of the Grand Final.
After finally getting back to central Copenhagen I walked through the rain to Vega for the last party night. The crowning glory of my night there was getting a photo with Norway’s representative Carl Espen. I would run out of time and space describing the experience of attending my first Eurovision Song Competition. I had always thought of the ESC as something that happened before a select audience in far-off Europe. I never dreamed that one day I would be a part of the action, meeting the performers and other fans like myself and be totally immersed in the sights and sounds of the musical competition I love.
Craig Hardie, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
It has taken me ages to try and work out how to start this review of our trip to Eurovision 2014 in Copenhagen. How do you even begin to summarise a week that was really magical beyond words? Firstly, my love of Eurovision goes back to when I was a young boy growing up in the UK. From a very young age I remember being allowed to stay up late one Saturday night a year to watch the glitz and glamour of Eurovision. 25 years ago we moved to Australia, and despite the distance, my love of the contest grew as I did. My first attempt to go to Eurovision was to Dusseldorf in 2011, but having just visited Germany in July 2010, I deemed two trips to Europe in 9 months excessive.
I also came close to going to Malmo in 2013. Sadly the contest was timed for exactly when I was relocating to another state of Australia, so, didn’t make it there either. Even before Denmark had won the 2013 content, plans were underway to attend in 2014. We just needed to know what country we would be traveling to! I was beyond thrilled when Denmark won as it was a country I had always wanted to travel to. After the Malmo contest, we joined OGAE ROW. Thankfully, ticket allocation went smoothly, and before Christmas we were in possession of tickets (well, vouchers to exchange for tickets, but you know what I mean!). Our Singapore Airlines flight finally left Brisbane airport at 2.30PM on a wet Friday afternoon, 2 May. After a few hours in Singapore, we were then direct to Copenhagen. Our wonderful friends Marcus and Matt met us at the main Copenhagen train station.
The afternoon after our arrival, the other two boys, Charles and Mark that we were spending the week with arrived. Pete (my partner) and I had never met them before, thankfully, we all got on really well and the scene was set for a magical week. Our first night took us to Euro Fan Café, where Emille De Forrest performed later in the night. It was probably at that moment that I realised the week was going to be something quite magical. On Sunday night we had our first trip to Euro Club. With all the delegations and fans now in town, this was the official launch of Euro Club 2014. It was an amazing night. Amongst the performers we saw were the French twins and the amazing Conchita Wurst!
Monday saw us make our first trip to Eurovision Island. I know that history and the Danish tax payer will not remember Eurovision Island very kindly, thanks to the huge cost overruns. However, I am really glad my first Eurovision was in such a unique location. The moment we first waked into the arena was genuinely a moment that will stay with me for the rest of my days. We were also fortunate that on I think all the nights we were either at or very close to the very front row. Seeing the show live on that first night was incredible. It felt surreal that a spectacle I had watched on TV for so many years was now happening right in front of my eyes. There were so many highlights from being at the shows. Meeting people from so many countries, seeing the bits of the shows you don’t see on TV and so much more. Song wise, I of course loved Conchita.
Other highlights included the Ukrainian ‘manster wheel’ and the Greek trampoline and I really got into the hometown spirit and loved the Danish entry. As much as we immersed ourselves in the Eurovision experience, Pete and I had spoken before leaving Australia and were determined to see as much of Copenhagen as we could as well. On one of the days we hopped on and off the tourist bus and another day we hired bikes and used the wonderful cycling paths all around the city. We’re both really glad we took some time out of the ‘Eurovision bubble’ to get to know this wonderful city. As the week went on, there was a noticeable rise in the excitement and tension in the city as the night of the final grew closer.
After initially deciding not to attend the grand final jury final on the Friday night, we decided last minute to go and were really glad we did. This show provided an extra opportunity to see the BIG 5 and Denmark perform. Pete and I nabbed ourselves a few spare seats up in the bleachers. This gave us the chance to see the show from a totally different perspective and we saw a few things we missed at ground level. On Saturday, we made our way out to ‘The Island’ and arrived about 2PM (7 hours before show time!) and within an hour of our arriving, the heavens opened. This didn’t matter though, we were already on such a high about what was to come that there could have been a blizzard and we wouldn’t have cared.
At about 5.30PM we were thrilled when a security officer took the first 100 people in the queue and let us into the arena ahead of everyone else. This ensured we snared front row and gave us a few mins with plenty of room to take some pictures before everyone else arrived. The Grand Final was truly epic. I have never been caught up in a moment like that before. The energy in that arena was incredible and no words I could possibly write would do it justice. One of the most exciting parts of the night for me was the voting. The tension was immense. It was so thrilling being there cheering (and booing for one particular country) as the points were awarded. When it became apparent ‘Conchita’ might win, the crowd just erupted and starting going wild with chants and cheering. Again—words cannot do it justice. Despite having been standing up for about 10 hours by this stage, even making our way back to the mainland with the crowd was amazing. To the future—Eurovision has been part of my life for decades and will continue to be.
We won’t make it to Vienna next year, but look forward to attending another Eurovision sometime in the next few years. As with most of life’s best experiences, they are best when shared with others. I could not have asked for better people to share my first Eurovision week with. Marcus, Matt, Charles, Mark, and, of course, my beloved Peter, you are all now tightly wrapped up in the memories of this amazing time that I will hold dear forever. Finally, Roy- your passion to the contest and commitment to OGAE ROW is inspiring and you do such a great job looking after us hard-core fans! If you are a Eurovision fan, who have never been to a contest live, I urge you to take your fandom to the next level, it will be one of the most fantastic experiences you will ever have.
Greg Mant & Kingsley Dawes, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Copenhagen 2014 was our first time attending a Eurovision final. We had no idea what we were in for, but as we were traveling with Kate Hansen, we knew it was going to be something else. We arrived on the Friday before the final and were staying at6 a wonderful hotel named The Square. Our first night we met up the Australian group and headed to the Oscar Bar & Café and the Gay friendly Eurovision stage area. We stayed all night listening to great Eurovision tunes. The next day we met at Tivoli gardens and had lunch at Groeften.
Then it was home for a quick disco nap before leaving for the final at around 4pm. We walked through the pedestrian mall down to the Nyhaven where we caught the ferry across to Eurovision Island. We joined the queue in the rain and had a fantastic time chatting with a group of Conchita lookalikes while we waited to get in. 
After the CRUSH at the entry doors, we found ourselves a prime position on the directly in front of the Green room area in front of the stage. We were blown away by the performances; we had been traveling in Switzerland and had not seen the semi finals for most of the songs were new to us. Our favorites were Rise Up, Undo, No Prejudice, Miracle and of course, RISE LIKE A PHOENIX. Sanna and Conchita were like superstars and every time we caught a glimpse of them, we went crazy!!
We loved the show and had the best time ever. While we were waiting to leave we discovered that someone had forgotten to turn off the beer kegs, so a goup of us Aussies poured ourselves beers and had a drink while we waited for the crowd to thin out. After waiting in the pouring rain we made it onto one of the buses and back to the City. We didn’t get back to the hotel until 2.00am, so the whole Eurovision final experience took 10 hours, however it felt at the time like a couple of hours because it was so so good.
Nicholas Sowden, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
I found the photo with the Badge from Copenhagen. It is me at a craft brewery in Copenhagen with Conchita and beer! I had heard that Copenhagen had some amazing craft breweries, and Michaela and I went on a sort of tour to a couple of places prior to the final and we took Conchita with us. This beer was incredibly delicious, but what was even better was celebrating with 100,000 other people when Conchy won Eurovision later that night.
Eurovision was one of the best weeks of my life, and this photo represents my favourite day of that week.
Welcome Julia