Song contest revels in Euro-weirdness
Published 9:00 pm Saturday, May 20, 2006
ATHENS, Greece – There’s a giant stadium, highly toned participants, intense rivalry and flag-waving fans from many nations.
It’s not the Olympics: It’s the Eurovision Song Contest, the annual kitsch extravaganza that sees pop acts from 24 countries face off before tens of millions of television viewers.
Lordi, a Finnish metal band with monster masks and apocalyptic lyrics, won the contest late Saturday – a stunning upset in the competition better known for bland dance music and bubble-gum pop.
The Finnish band scandalized some of their compatriots when their song “Hard Rock Hallelujah” was chosen to represent the nation. At a press conference, the band’s frontman said his plan for the final was to “scream louder. And turn the amps up.”
Regarded by many as the contest good taste forgot, Eurovision is adored by fans of camp everywhere.
“You don’t imagine something so bad could be so good,” said Carmela Pellegrino, an Australian who traveled to Athens from London to watch rehearsal ahead of Saturday’s finale.
Since 1956, it has pitted European nations against one another in pursuit of pop music glory. Previous winners include ’60s chanteuse Lulu, Sweden’s ABBA – victors in 1974 with “Waterloo” – and Canada’s Celine Dion, who won for Switzerland in 1988.
Saturday’s showdown was broadcast live in 38 countries to a TV audience estimated at 100 million. Some 13,000 fans packed the indoor arena.
