So this party …

Party

It began with mild panic and ended with some drunken shuffling about, but the bits that came in-between were pretty dang fine.

The venue for this year’s shindig was the gorgeous Finlandia concert hall, a vision in poured concrete across a lake, and more apt to the point, walkable from everywhere. Although I did make the ladies of OnEu run for the train, which they weren’t best pleased about…

So anyway, as we bounded through the doors of the massive foyer with the enthusiasm of a slightly overweight pup, we were met with a spread of fantastic Finlandish foodery. Roughly-hewn potato salad with a mustard sauce that would make your taste buds dance a gleeful jig. Stunning herby pate and top notch breads. And even the carnie’s selection of micron-thin slivers of meat and fish looked pretty tasty!

Potato salad with egg and mayonnaise
Potato salad with egg and mayonnaise (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It took us near on an hour to even get out of the foyer. Everywhere you looked there were clamours of cameras, gaggling around anyone with a posh frock on. These are early doors, and with so many acts this year no one but the most freakazoid Eurostalker can be entirely sure at this point who is actually who. But here’s some highlights…

When the Irish rattle on insincerely about wanting a party band, I think they meant the French. These Party Picards and the best value in the house. Aside from being really sweet geezers, they’re up for singing along, dancing and having a chat and a lark with whoever comes by. And with their matching white and gold event tracksuits they’re scarcely hard to miss. Already party heroes of the event and they’ve only been here a day. The aforementioned Irish, on the other hand, did all their diddly-di business by the coat racks in the foyer – Mrs Doyle with a particular look of desperation in her eyes as she rattled the bones on a table top. It’s not clear of they ever made it up the stairs to the main party.

Andorra’s pop kids are top party wallflowers too. They’re just happy to be here, and their wide eyed innocence is a wonder to watch. Imagine a gaggle of punky teens at a posh wedding who’ve just got past sulky and grab the odd wine when their mum isn’t looking. Well that’s them. Only their mum is watching. Nicki’s mum – although she’s just as pished as the rest of ’em! But a proud mum indeed!

Elsewhere it was a battle of the egos. There was nearly an international incident when the trannie storms of Denmark and Ukraine nearly bumped into each other. But with a careful spot of bouncer engineering their universes narrowly missed colliding. And while all this was going on the singer lassy from The Ark was sat high on a table just behind them with the deflated look of a man who is usually the most glamorous center of attention in his world, but has just graduated up to big school.

Koldun was pretty confident. In fact when asked of his chances, he claimed “Oh, I am the winner!” with no hint of irony at all. All the while, Mr Kirkirov was floating around in the background. Just watching.

There was probably a lot more that went on, but it’s all a bit sketchy at the mo. If I remember it – and if indeed you want it – I shall try to trawl it out of the memory banks!

The things we do for you, eh!

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