For the first time this year I have experienced disappointment with the Eurovision Song Contest. Usually for me its one of the TV highlights of the year, and more or less the ONLY programme I specifically choose to watch.
Bu this year's show just didn't cut it.
The Green Room cameos were truly awful, the presenters really not together and the camerawork dizzy and eccentric. The songs themselves fell into three categories - the power ballads, the rock and the bizarre. My top five predictions were from the last two categories, and I did genuinely think that the UKs entry this year was one of the best.
Nothing that I predicted even made the top ten. Bosnia and/or Latvia I think were highest placed.

Even Wogan let himself down this year. he doesn't watch the scoring closely enough, and three times 'guessed' that the 8, 10 or 12 point awards would go to countries that had already had 1 - 7 points. That's just unprofessional and indicates to me his quite obvious lack of enthusiasm for the show.
Which I shared, to be fair.

Perhaps its time he moved over...?

Maybe I'm tired too. It has been another crazy week.
Still reeling from the show in Salisbury last night, which was an absolute revelation. I have always loved 'Big Science' and rate in in my Top Ten all time albums, but until Ris put me onto a performance of 'Only an Expert' a week or three ago I knew nothing of Laurie Anderson's work over the past 25 years.
So I was excited and intrigues - and really, really impressed. Its fantastic to have such a back catalogue to look out for from an artist who's always been there doing her thing and whom I have shamefully overlooked.
Just a one woman show, and my only criticism was that the music sounded a little flat at times, especially the string sections, which could have been made so much better with live musicians.
I think also some video or film projections would have helped.
BUt she is so confident, funny, clever and perceptive that her lyrics/poems and violin playing throughout were totally mesmerising.
As usual for me its about the whole night, and catching with Ris and Mr Ek*n is always a joy. A couple of beers before the show and a great meal in Strada afterwards, talking about all things F*xx and Vox. plans for the d*scography, the site in general, and all the crazy things that the man is up to for the rest f the year. There is enough stuff around to last us at least five years I think. Two re-masters a year and one or even two new albums is easily achievable. I do hope nothing gets rushed.

And I got home in a ridiculous 35 minutes. That's not even long enough to listen to Disc One of 'United States',although hearing 'Walk The Dog' again after all these years was really special.

Thursday night was supposed to be my early one to catch up after too many beers with IW on Wednesday, but instead Kink rang. Completely out of the blue, though I haven't heard anything for a month so its perhaps no surprise. This is because she has moved back home, and moved in a new boyfriend.
Its not my place to be, but perhaps it is my lot. Truly, truly, truly... disappointed.

United States Laur*e Anderson