Week 133: Cha Cha Cha

Spoiler alert! Don’t read any further if you don’t want Eurovision 2023 spoilers.

Wow, friends. I think I need to go to the Eurovision city every year now. I had the absolute best time this week. I’m looking back with so much fondness while writing this up.

We travelled up to Liverpool last Sunday, I’ve never been before and it’s a really lovely city. I’d visit again sans-Eurovision.

After dropping stuff off at the hotel (we somehow managed to get rooms in the Premier Inn right next to the venue) we went and did an inflatable assault course in the docks which was so much fun! I was glad of the wetsuit in the chilly water and it’s exhausting swimming when it’s so cold. It meant I felt less unhealthy drinking for the next few days 😬

Sunday night was quite chill, we went along to the big welcome party by the town hall and saw loads of great bands. I can now say I’ve seen Atomic Kitten live twice after Butlins.

Monday was our big day. We did a little bit of touristy stuff and then a bottomless brunch for Jenn’s birthday. Vodka Revs does the best bottomless brunch 👀 they leave a prosecco on the table for when you’re waiting for cocktails to arrive and it’s two hours!

A few drinks down we headed to the rehearsal for the first Semi-Final. I’m not exaggerating when I say that this was probably the best show I’ve ever been to, definitely top three. The atmosphere was incredible and we were standing so close to the stage alongside a lot of hardcore fans.

As well as many of the acts being amazing it was so cool and impressive how quickly the stage crew turn everything around and it was awesome getting to see how smoothly the live show comes together.

The absolute highlight was watching the (now-indisputable) public favourite, Käärijä from Finland with Cha Cha Cha.

A little bonus for you: watch out for Jamie in an incredible outfit right at the end of this video! ☝️

After watching the rehearsal we were all buzzing and headed off to Euroclub to finish the night with music and a few more drinks. What a day!

Through the magic of Eurovision we all woke up with no hangovers on Tuesday ✨ we were fully prepared to go and watch the rehearsal for Semi-Final 1 again in the early afternoon, this time seated 😂 yes it was just as good watching the second time and from a higher vantage point.

On Tuesday evening we went for drinks in the Eurovision Village where they were screening the actual Semi-Final. It was great watching it for a third time through the camera lenses.

Through all of this, I can’t fully describe the atmosphere in words. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so welcome in a community, the Eurovision crowd is super inclusive and it was an absolute joy to meet people.

On the way back to London I started feeling sick with a sore throat and blocked nose 😬 apparently it wasn’t COVID but it was enough to knock me out for a couple of days. Worth it tbh.

One casualty of my sickness was our regular Eurovision Final party which we’ve hosted for like six years. Instead, Charlotte and I had a much more relaxed final viewing with a bottle of champagne and a couple of pizzas. It was still lovely.

I guess I’m going to Sweden next year!?

Slightly disappointed that Finland didn’t win it, I think their act was more unique and fun and captured the spirit of Eurovision more for me. I’m super glad that they were overwhelmingly the favourite in the public vote. I think the difference between the public and jury votes kind of highlights that the jury vote is maybe a little out of touch 👀

My Eurovision favourites this year illustrate my distaste for ballads: Finland, Australia, Moldova, Czechia, Germany, Croatia, Norway, and Serbia.

What a week ☺️ here are a few pics.