Euro Craziness

On Saturday some friends and I gathered for a time-honoured European tradition: watching the Eurovision Song Contest. We also participated in a time-honoured British tradition: mocking the Eurovision Song Contest. (After all, this is the competition that introduced ABBA and Riverdance to the world!) Eurovision is the original viewer-voting talent show (where 'X Factor', 'Pop and American Idol' got their starts). Every year, each country in Europe (and a couple beyond, like Israel) sends a musical act with an original song. After two weeks of single-elimination performances, the final 25 acts perform live, on international television. Then the millions of folks watching around the world phone in their votes for the best act (however, they won't let you vote for the country you are calling from). Most of Europe takes it very seriously. Not taking it seriously is something of a British national pastime. In fact, sometimes the best part is the incredibly sarcastic voice-over commentary of Graham Norton, the UK presenter.

A lot of the songs are in English, a number of them are in the native language of the singers. Sometimes you just can't tell what language it is. Some of the acts are, well, unusual. Some of them are awful. And one or two are actually decent. The winning country hosts the event next year.

Last year Germany won with a really obnoxious song sung by an even more obnoxious teenager. (Ten seconds are about all you need!)

The year before Norway won with one of the most irritating songs I have ever heard. It wasn't so bad the first time you heard it, but it had this nasty habit of getting stuck in your head. And NEVER going away. (Although you have to admit, his back-up singers are pretty intense.)

And now it is stuck in YOUR head! (Mwah ahahaha!)

Eurovision is notorious for crazy, over-the-top acts (check out YouTube for 'Eurovision 2008 Spain'; 'Eurovision 2006 Finland'--yes, they are dressed as Orcs; 'Eurovision 2008 Azerbaijan'). And like this year's entry from Moldova, with a song called 'So Lucky' (see below). It left us all scratching our heads. Kind of like 'The Beastie Boys' meet 'The B-52s' meet 'The World of David the Gnome'. Wait until the chick on the uni-cycle shows up around the 40-second mark...

They've been toning things down lately, probably due to the global economic crisis, and most of the acts were rather tame. Even so, when Azerbaijan won this year with a pretty standard pop song, we were pleasantly surprised. (They are also probably one of the only countries that can still afford to host it next year!)

My friends and I voted for France, because this twenty-year-old guy actually has amazing talent. Okay, so he could do with a serious haircut, but how many 20 year-olds do you know with voices like this? Who sing in Corsican? Right. None.

But I have inflicted enough Euro-pain on you already... For those of you who are morbidly curious, check out YouTube. Ireland and Estonia's entries were particularly painful. Although the UK's entry wasn't much to be proud of either...and they are big-time professionals--a boy band named 'Blue'. But Italy and Serbia were good fun (very retro), and Switzerland was delightful. Iceland's entry was really sweet: the song writer passed away unexpectedly a few months ago, so friends and family performed the song in his memory. We even contemplated voting for Denmark. And the backlog of Eurovision entries from previous years is priceless. Priceless, I tell you.

Needless to say, it was a highly entertaining and, er, educational evening!

Royal Madness

As some of you might be aware, a couple of graduates from the University of St Andrews recently got married.

On the 29th of April 2011, it seemed as though there were three places to be: London, Kate Middleton's hometown, and St Andrews. The little town where the couple met pulled out all the stops to celebrate the Big Day, and St Andrews was packed full of royal revellers. The University and the town hosted a Royal Wedding Breakfast in the United College Quad, where folks were treated to brunch and live music, and were able to watch the much-anticipated nuptials on a jumbo-tron. The RAF even co-ordinated a fly-over that coincided with the fly over in London.

I had presented my first proper major (50 minute-long) seminar paper the previous evening and decided to take it easy on Friday morning. So my friends Katherine and April came over and we had brunch (with a huge pot of tea and some sparkling wine) while watching the 'Wedding of the Century' from the comfort of my living room: like sensible people!

Later that afternoon, I strolled into town. All of the shops in town had been encouraged to decorate their windows to mark the occasion, and Union Jacks and Scottish Saltires were hung up all over the city. Some windows were more, um, creative than others. Below you'll find some photos of the Royal Madness that swept through my quiet little town.

Also, check out the music video made by 'The Other Guys', a student a cappella group from the University. It's an extremely clever and entertaining spoof of 'Bad Romance' by Lady Gaga. (*Cringe* I can't stand her!) But the spoof is fantastic and entirely a cappella! It was filmed at some of the most iconic and beautiful places in town (as well as the hideous University library). The video became so popular that they performed the song live on TV the morning of the Wedding. Clever, clever boys!

'Cheerio!'

I have been living in the United Kingdom for almost four years. And I have never heard a Brit seriously use the word 'Cheerio' in conversation.

Until today.

The very English young man in front of me at the sandwich shop (wearing a tweed jacket, khaki trousers, a sweater-vest and a tie, I kid you not!) said it to the cashier as he was leaving.

And my world stopped turning for about three seconds.

Then, when it started to revolve once again, I almost burst out laughing. Right there in the shop.

Fortunately I had the strength of mind (if not character) to hold it in until I got back to my office.