I'm here tonight as a result of Sam Ryder's heroic performance in last year's Eurovision Song Contest. I'm not sure everyone else is though, which is weird because I expected the place to be full of Eurovision fans. There are lots of families and kids, and the venue doesn't have a typical Eurovision vibe. I have been to a number of Eurovision events and this feels different - more like a teen pop concert, which I'm definitely less familiar with.
I love Eurovision. Like most Brits my age, my first awareness of the contest came with Buck Fizzes victory in 1981. I don't remember watching the contest itself but I think I saw a report on John Craven's Newsround the following day. I heard the song a lot more in the following weeks when it stormed the charts and I loved it. Funnily enough, I don't particularly like the song anymore as I think it's really cheesy and has dated pretty badly.
I think I watched the 1982 contest when Nicole won for Germany but I don't have any memory of this. I don't really have memories of watching any of the contests in the 80s. I must have watched the 1987 contest because I bought Johnny Logan's 'Hold Me Now' (a classic) on 7" but again, that could have been following an appearance on Top Of The Pops.
I definitely remember the 1991 contest. Carola won for Sweden and I remember Terry Wogan delivering a patronising line about her probably deserving to win because she gave the most energetic performance.
I probably started watching the contest again seriously in the early noughties. I was excited when Lordi competed for Finland in 2006 as they were a band I already liked. I didn't actually watch it live. I went to see Mates Of State live that night and then went to the cinema afterwards for a late night showing of The Da Vinci Code. When I got home around 2am I started watching the contest which I'd recorded and watched it right through to 6am. This was still pre-internet (for me at least) so there was no chance of spoilers and I was genuinely surprised and elated when I finally discovered the result.
The queue outside is long and slow moving (mainly due to Sam Ryder himself handing out flyers) so I have already missed the first support act by the time I get inside the venue.
Tors are up next and they play guitar based pop in the vein of latter day Coldplay or maybe even Harry Styles. 'Honey' has a pretty nondescript verse but a half decent chorus. 'Amsterdam' is slightly rockier and all the better for it. The tribal 'Anything Can Happen' has a Lumineers meets early Coldplay feel. It's all inoffensive and pleasant enough but it passes me by like much modern pop.
My first thoughts as Sam Ryder takes to the stage are that his band seems very quiet. Sam himself is not quiet. He's a powerhouse vocally, I just want everything else to be amplified more to match him. The opener 'Somebody' is fun pop but not as impactful as it could have been. I just want more. Although quiet, the sound is quite bassy (which is odd considering he doesn't appear to have a bassist - it appears to be coming from the drums and possibly a backing track) and this suits the dancier 'Living Without You' and 'Put A Light On Me'. I just want more. 'Tiny Riot' and 'Deep Blue Doubt' both have more power, energy and, dare I say, balls. The Freddie Mercury 'eh oh' routine really connects with the crowd too. Sam's falsetto is excellent during 'All The Way Over' and generally he is very personable, but it all seems a bit tame and anodyne which is maybe a result of the family friendly atmosphere. 'This Time' still sounds as cheesy live as it does on record but 'More' is very good and closes the regular set. 'Lost In You' is excellent, a ballad which is reminiscent of Otis Redding's 'I've Been Loving You Too Long'. 'Spaceman' obviously closes the show and has the whole crowd singing along but something still seems lacking and predictably, I just wanted more.
Sam Ryder ***
Tors **
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