the count down is over

the time is here! i'm not ashamed to say i'm staying home on a saturday night to watch the eurovision song contest 2006. you cannot understand the seriousness which europe takes this musical tournament unless you live here. there's always accusations of political voting, certain countries banding together to ensure victory. and i find myself sucked into the furore every year.

but this year is special. england's entry is daz sampson. a middle aged, white, double denim wearing, football hooligan look-a-like, asbo who is rapping about teenage life. unbelievably a large portion of the british public is slightly crestfallen that daz was voted in, but that's what happens when you trust a public that kept the crazy frog ringtone in the number one spot on the singles chart for too many weeks last year. let's hope he does better than jemini from 3 years back...they scored "nil point" (say with a fake french accent), i don't hold out much hope.

but then a light in the tunnel, news of finland's entry into the contest became known.

Lordi, the hard rock monsters from Finland. Wearing platform shoes that must be 12 inches high, lead singer Lordi growls out '‘Hard Rock Hallelujah'’ in front of a stunning display of pyrotechnics, this isn'’t just a few sparks; we'’re talking huge jets of fire. Huge bat wings unfurl from Lordi'’s back and by the end and the now-smoke-filled arena is stunned. Terrifying but brilliant.

there was such who-haa over lordi. some fins blamed russia for tactically voting in lordi to ensure russia's victory, who would vote for a metal band over a greasy russian? but a large british audience has embraced the finnish competitor. it's an exciting time to be alive! i know who i'm voting for in a few short hours.