OGAE UK set for Birmingham Bash 2

The UK branch of OGAE are repeating the successful event of 2006 with the announcement of Birmingham Bash 2 on Saturday 6th October. The event is open to members and non-members and will be happy to accept members of other OGAE clubs from abroad too.

For the second consecutive year, organisers have chosen Birmingham, the host city of the 1998 Eurovision Song Contest, and one of the United Kingdom's most central points as the location for the fan club's annual get-together. Birmingham Bash 2 will take place at Jury's Inn Hotel on Broad Street.

Amongst the day's activities will be a Weakest Link style quiz, an intriguing Eurovision style contest, a glitzy Awards ceremony with special 'Stars in their Eyes' performances and a fantastic disco. And, in the year when the UK sent its 50th entry to the Contest, the Bash will welcome a number of special guests to talk about their experiences of representing the UK. The names of the special guests will be announced shortly.

Paul Marks-Jones, one of the team putting Birmingham Bash 2 together, said: "OGAE (UK), the UK Eurovision fan club, is delighted to be hosting its annual celebration of all things Eurovision in Birmingham for the 2nd consecutive year. In 2006 nearly 100 fans descended on the city and had a great time. This year's Bash promises to be a day full of fun and excitement, and no Eurovision follower can afford to miss it!"

source:OGAE Malta;

Antonis Karatzikos elected as the new co-ordinator of OGAE International

OGAE Malta reports:

Antonis Karatzikos, club president of OGAE Greece has been elected as the new co-ordinator of OGAE International.

The election was held 1st and 15th June, with all OGAE clubs with full membership rights requested to cast their votes for their favourite candidate out of the 4 who presented their nominations. Antonis Karatzikos won the majority of votes and was declared as the new International Co-ordinator of the OGAE Network.

The other candidates were Simon Bennett (OGAE UK), Miroslav Luburic (OGAE Serbia) and Roi Yechezkel (OGAE Israel).

Antonis Karatzikos is the sixth International Co-ordinator of the OGAE Network, the fourth to be elected through a voting. This is the second time for Antonis to serve in this post.

Back in 2005, following Greece's triumph in the contest and following the unexpected resignation of the former IC Aykut Berber from Turkey, there was a need for an immediate replacement. Antonis volunteered to take his place and started working with the rest of the Greek Board, being a permanent I.C. for 9 months.

Following a decision by the OGAE presidents board present in Helsinki, a new election was held on June 2007. Mr. Antonis Karatzikos (OGAE Greece) will serve as the new co-ordinator of OGAE International for a 2-year period till June 2009.

Antonis plans as the new OGAE IC for the following years include the setting up of a new OGAE Website with participation of all clubs in designing and functioning; the upcoming OGAE contests; stronger and more intense relationship with leading Eurovision websites and the EBU and possible ways for closer co-operation between OGAE clubs making OGAE more democratic.

OGAE MALTA sends its best wishes to the new OGAE International Co-ordinator and looks forward to extend its co-operation with all the members of the OGAE Network for the benefit of all the local and international Eurovision fans and artistes.

Sweden national final line up for Junior Eurovision announced

Frida Sandén is one of the eight finalists in the Swedish Junior Eurovision Song Contest selections. The Sandén family seems to be a talented one. Last year, elder sister Molly represented her country in Bucharest. Younger sister Mimmi reached the final of Talang 2007, the Swedish version of America's Got Talent.

Also this year, Swedish commercial broadcaster TV4 is responsible fot he selection of the Swedish Junior Eurovision Song Contest entry.

Sweden selects a song for Rotterdam during a national final to be held on 31st August, for which eight candidates have been selected.

National Final Sweden

. Felicia Warvne - Upp & Ner

. Emmalisa Norrhamn - Bara Du Kan

. Roshanak Hosseini - Ta Min Hand

. Marcus Sjöstrand - Utan Dig

. Rufus Blad - Superhjälten

. Vendela Palmgren - En Som Dig

. Frida Sandén - (to be announced)

. 2 times 2 (Conrad Olmos, William Johansson, Shenie Fogo, Nikisha Fogo) - Superstar

Link: www.tv4.se/junioreurovisionsongcontest

source:belgovision.com

Czechs to broadcast Eurovision Documentary

from oikotimes.com

Helsinki was the first time that the Czech Republic had ever competed at the Eurovision Song Contest, and to celebrate this the Czech delegation contained a team working on a documentary all about the contest. Oikotimes.com is pleased to reveal that this documentary, in which one of theirs editors was also interviewed, will be broadcast on July 6 on CT2.

Sonia Araujo and Ricardo Silva for Eurovision Dance Contest

Sónia Araújo, who is the hostess of an RTP morning TV show, will be joined by Ricardo, a participant of the Dança Comigo show. Ricardo together with his partner Tânia Seixas rank 5th in Portugal and 368th in the world.

The Portuguese entry will be choreographed by Marco de Camillis and the two themes that will be presented in London- one latin and one more portuguese- will be composed by Fernando Martins.

Luciana Abreu, Portuguese Eurovision entry in 2005 as member of 2B, wins last evening the third edition of “Strictly Come Dancing” (in Portugal “Dança Comigo”). Luciana is now very popular in Portugal especially because she has the leading role in a teenage daily soup-opera called “Floribela”, where she plays a young singer.

sources:esctoday.com;oikotimes.com

Cyprus plans for Junior Eurovision 2008

CyBC, the Cypriot broadcaster who will be hosting the 2008 Junior Eurovision Song Contest, have released the promo video clip they submitted to the EBU for the country's candidacy. Information on the Arena, the staging and the activities planned for the participating artists has been made public by CyBC who state they are already prepared to face the greatest challenge in the channel's history.

The 2008 JESC will be held in Lemessos, Cyprus's largest resort very popular with international travelers, at the Spyros Kyprianou Athletic Center just outside town. The stadium is already complete with a Press Center and Press Conference rooms, several large halls, a restaurant with views of the Arena and more than 20 dressing rooms. The commentary booths are already in place and the vast underground garage will be used for technical equipment storage. The arena itself will seat 7.500 spectators.

George Papadopoulos, the CyBC production designer, promised a 15 metre in diameter, sealed glass pool-stage from where goddess Aphrodite will rise. There are going to be large screens at the back of the stage, the largest being 12 metres high by 30 metres long. There are going to be projections on all the screens, and this year's innovation from Cyprus will be that some of the screens will offer the children the opportunity to interact, something that has never been done before.

The postcards have been already designed. The children will also shoot their own messages during JESC week. A lot of fun activities have been planned for the young artists and their escorts to make their stay an educational and unforgettable one. They will sail the seas like pirates on a specially designed pirate ship and take part in a Treasure Hunt.

CyBC have invested heavily on new technical equipment and training to meet with the JESC challenge. Cypriot key production staff will work together with experts from the UK to deliver an imaginative and high quality show.

Promo video






source:esctoday.com;eurovision cyprus.

Lisa Andreas or Despina Olympiou for 2008?

from esctoday.com

Lisa Andreas was born in Kent, UK, of a British mother and a Greek Cypriot father. She represented Cyprus in the Eurovision Song Contest 2004, that took place in Istanbul, Turkey and she is thinking of doing it again if Cyprus’s national television, CyBC , offer her the opportunity to do it.

Lisa Andreas recently declared that if she is asked by the Cypriot broadcaster to represent her country again she would happily do it.

Although there are already rumors that Despoina Olymnpiou will represent Cyprus in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Belgrade, it remains to see if Lisa’s declaration will be taken in consideration by the Cypriot national television.

Lisa represented Cyprus in the Eurovision Song Contest in Turkey in 2004 and she placed 5th with Stronger every minute with 170 points giving this way the opportunity for her country to qualify directly to the finals. Lisa has released her new single, Hypnotised, in May 2007.

You can listen to Hypnotised by clicking here through the Beat Factory Myspace.

Mihai Traistariu nominated at Romanian Hit Awards

Mihai Traistariu, who represented Romania at the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest, has been nominated for 'Best Romanian Hit' in the males category with his new single ''Dimmi si o no''. The award forms part of the 'Romanian Top Hit Awards', which will take place on August 3 and 4 in Bacau, and you can vote for Mihai by click HERE

The video of the said song will be aired for the first time on Romanian television on Tuesday (July 3) on TVR 2's show 'Garsoniera lui Maruta', which is on at 10:00 (AM) local time.

Live webcast here

Meanwhile Mihai's new album is well on the way to the end of production and will be launched very soon.The album, the 10th of his career, is called ''Love Is...'' and has twelve songs in six different languages.


Mihai Traistariu - Dimmi si o no (live)

Katja Ebstein second in Let's dance

Tonight, the final of Let's dance, the German edition of Strictly come dancing was held. Three times Eurovision Song Contest participant Katja Ebstein finished second, only beaten by actress Susan Sideropulous who won the competition. Guildo Horn, who also took part in the show, had already been evicted in the 5th show and therefore finished 6th with his professional dance partner Motsi Mabuse.

Read full article here

Wolke Hegenbarth and Allan Frank will dance for Germany

Wolke Hegenbarth and Allan Frank won the German national final for the first Eurovision Dance Contest on 1st September, tonight. The couple won the televote ahead of Thomas Anders & Sofia Bogdanova and Ruth Moschner & Sergey Pluyta performing to the song Jailhouse rock.

Wolke Hegenbarth is no stranger to dance competitions since she competed in the first season of Let's dance (the German version of Strictly come dancing). She reached the final where she won the jury vote in every category; nevertheless the audience preferred her co-competitor Wayne Carpendale.

The results of the televote:

1.Wolke Hegenbarth & Allan Frank - 49 %
2.Ruth Moschner & Sergey Pluyta - 44 %
3.THomas Anders & Sofia Bogdanova - 7 %

During the show, the Austrian participants in the Eurovision Dance Contest Kelly & Andy Kainz performed.

source:esctoday.com