2018, 2022 and 2023 - the third time I found myself in this room...
The artists are all assembled for the
Eurovision In Concert 2023 Press Event!
It does take a while but it is nice to have all the artists walk to the stage and get ready for their group photo call - all 29 of them! Admittedly La Zarra didn't make it to the live show due to personal reasons but she was there to chat to. I had help from Joanne Powell this year, one of the original members of the LET ME BE THE ONE Eurovision Facebook Group and part of the radio show fandom ever since it started, and you'll see her pictures from the event below. As for interviews themselves, there were six of them, all lengthy compared to previous years and they are all ready to listen to on the show...
So the playlist is smaller than normal...
"Stay (Čiūto Tūto)" - Monika Linkytė
Interview at EiC 2023 press event with Monika Linkytė
"Carpe Diem" - Joker Out
Interview at EiC 2023 press event with Joker Out
"Queen Of Kings" (Acoustic) - Alessandra
"Like An Animal" - Piqued Jacks
Interview at EiC 2023 press event with Piqued Jacks
"Dance (our Own Party)" - The Busker
Interview at EiC 2023 press event with The Busker
"Aijā" - Sudden Lights
Interview at EiC 2023 press event - Sudden Lights
"I Wrote A Song" (Acoustic) - Mae Muller
"Bridges" - Alika
Interview at EiC 2023 press event with Alika
Previous years have seen most interviews be wound up within 5 minutes, maybe 7 if I was lucky (Sam Ryder's in 2022 was just under 4) - now whether the major websites were standing in queues for the favourites such as Loreen, Käärijä or Teya & Salena, or maybe that the six artists I chatted with were so enthralled that I spoke to them longer but they lasted in minutes and seconds:
Monika Linkytė - 9.05
Joker Out - 7.54
Piqued Jacks - 9.49
The Busker - 12.17
Sudden Lights - 7.24
Alika - 9.03
That is 55 minutes and 32 seconds chatting to six artists! I enjoyed it all as usual and hopefully you loved listening to them too. As I mentioned, Joanne took some great pictures either as I chatted with the artist or posed afterwards - I'll mention my favourite memory of each and you can also look at my best picture of each at the Concert that night...
Monika Linkytė (Lithuania)
This was a confident lady, that being clear from every promo party Monika had been at! We had a bit cross purposes about London, as I knew about her private gig to promote her upcoming EP, but not about the full choir on the London Eurovision Party stage the following evening! I absolute love her song and her performances - I am certain she will make the Final and who knows? Huge scores for 3-4 nations like Vienna 2015 and somebody like Monika could make the top ten easily.
I interviewed four bands at the event and it was a close call as to which of those artists were the most outgoing. Joker Out were definitely fun and had the best comedy comeback with their "Slovenian Maroon 5" joke - I was also glad that my new recording set up of one microphone for me, one for them, was in place as Joker Out had comments all round the table. It was also professionally pleasing that the Head of Press for Slovenia enjoyed the interview too and added me to his list of people to contact - a free copy of "New Wave", Joker Out's collaboration with Elvis Costello, is also a nice bonus!
Piqued Jacks (San Marino)
These guys were so calm and laid back during our chat - it is obvious that being at Eurovision will not be the 'be all and end all' of their career, given the huge number of singles, EPs and albums Piqued Jacks have produced. It was interesting to hear about that not making them a massive band in Italy, purely due to all their material being in English. They were also realistic about their chances in Liverpool too - I wonder how they would react if San Marino made the Final?
The Busker (Malta)
These guys provided me with by far the longest interview I have ever had at any press event like this - TWELVE minutes of fun and very interesting information. They are one of the few artists to ask me a question that almost wrong-footed me - luckily Joanne came to my rescue with an answer of her own which gave me another ten seconds to get my head on straight again! I will also take the praise for being the only press person to identify Joe Grech as the third cut out figure on stage with Ira Losco and Destiny during their National Final win. Will my pick for a new cut-out Julie and Ludwig accompany them in Liverpool? I'd laugh if they did! I also loved that all three of the band answered the questions, rather than just one or two.
Sudden Lights (Latvia)The photo curse of a band on stage and the photographer at one edge - you can't get all of them in the picture, so usually it is the lead singer who gets the shot! At least Joanne took a great one of me chatting with Sudden Lights, who laughed about the BBC Music article that said that their drum beats were like pots and pans - they appreciated the praise for their composition and musicianship too. I feel that they will have lots of critical acclaim in Latvia for years to come - as for Liverpool, if they could just reach the Final, I think that Sudden Lights would give their nation their best finish for years.
Alika (Estonia)Along with Monika, Alika was one of the artists that I personally wanted to chat to, so it was great that she was available to discuss her winning Eesti Laul and also tell me more about the piano she is using in Liverpool. I had no idea that the one at Tallinn Airport that was travelling to Eurovision at that point was so important to the culture and psyche of Estonia - a really emotional find from an artist who is so motivated to do well. Fingers crossed that she can match my personal ranking for "Bridges" (#5). That was all the interview summaries - as London was the day after Amsterdam, I made no effort to attend either the Party or that press event. I have to say that I personally prefer Amsterdam with its set-up... The rest of the article is a collection of some of the pictures I took at Amsterdam Calling and Eurovision in Concert. The first could be an omen - in Lisbon after the Jury Final, I was in a bar and behind those serving was a Maneki-neko, the waving cat that Netta had so many of. She won - now I have seen a unicorn at the Melkweg bar. Is this a good omen for Noa Kirel? Hosting Amsterdam Calling was Senhit - a great host and singer... I am not sure how Rosa López was going to get out of this outfit but I was glad that she wore it! A very entertaining set from her...
There were two young women at the front of stage that caught Slavko's attention - if he had been in the slightest bit interested, he'd have been on a promise for sure!
My mobile phone camera loves blue backdrops and lighting for some reason - Mélovin came out very well with his 'club bouncer' look...
And I managed to catch the atmosphere that Nuša Derenda generated on that AC stage too... White spot lights are far better for decent shots, as are dramatic poses that we got many of from THE ROOP...
And Stefania rounding off the night was perfect - I am certain we shall see her again at Eurovision, perhaps for Netherlands? And so onto Eurovision In Concert - a closer picture of just the artists at the press event. There were so many to take pictures of that I would recommend looking at those taken at AC and EiC that are on my Insta account:
I will post some of the better ones here...
First up, our excellent hosts Cornald Maas and Hila Noorzai... I was impressed with the live harmonies of Albina & Familja Kelmendi from Albania...
Not many can make dungarees look good, especially red ones, but Romania's Theodor Andrei did...
Alessandra looked amazing in her figure-conforming outfit - superb vocals and performance too, Norway still on for a great result in Liverpool...
And of course my nation's artist, Mae Muller, produced the goods with vocals and what appears to be the routine for Liverpool...
Diljá gave incredible vocals and energy as always - she also had a very interesting outfit that drew the eye...
I am sure that we have not seen anything staging wise yet from VESNA that we will have in Liverpool. As for all the promos, a solid band performance and sublime harmonies were yet again on show...
I felt that I had to post a picture of the host artists Mia Nicholai and Dion Cooper. Still finding their feet but a nice picture of them on the EiC stage...
And a nice group picture to end the show. As I said, these are all just a selection of photos I took in Amsterdam - I only took one at the After Party:
Have to admit that this is a corker! Good luck to Theodor, he is definitely living his best life and whatever happens in Liverpool, he will be a massive star back in Romania. Remember this guy? Of course you do, Sam Ryder is going to be a big part of Liverpool and also will kick off next week's show 246, which is now an annual event in itself...
The LMBTO Eurovision 2023 Chart Rundown!
Part 1 will be next week with about 20 entries from #37 to #18 played, the top half the week after just in time for the show week of Eurovision. You'll hear Sam's Turin smash first as a set up for the first show, especially as he won last year's chart rundown.
Who will win the 2023 edition?
Where will all the #37 nations finish?
Join me next week to find out where your favourite finished
(if they are in the bottom half)!
