Eurovision super fans are “Dizzy” with excitement as they secure VIP live grand final tickets!

“Dizzy” with excitement is how the Council’s Karl and Andrew Kemp are feeling at the prospect of the upcoming Eurovision competition in Sweden – after they managed to secure VIP live grand final tickets!

The “Euphoria” felt by the couple at last year’s event in Liverpool saw them grab the chance to revisit the Euro event – and they have vowed to make their appearance at 2024 Eurovision even bigger than in 2023, especially after bagging VIP tickets to the finals!

Quite a challenge, given their brightly coloured matching rainbow suits attracted the attention of many in Liverpool – including the national and international media, which led to an hourly appearance on BBC World News and TV channels in Iceland and Portugal!  

Looking like something out of “Space Man”, the couple have this year opted for some shiny silver suits, a new and improved sparkly version of last year’s rainbow suits and ones with musical notes! In addition they will also be wearing “All Kinds of Everything” from colourful cowboy hats, a long blonde wig to over-sized rainbow sunglasses.   

Singer Olly Alexander will be representing the UK in May at the 2024 Eurovision song contest, which takes place in Malmo, Sweden.

This marks a change of tack for the UK as they opt for a well known artist. With his band Years & Years, Olly Alexander has already had three successful albums.

Karl, a Senior Social Care Worker at the Council’s Glaitness Centre, said they have been Eurovision fans for as long as he can remember, although 2023 was the first year they had managed to attend the event.

Karl said: “Last year was amazing, such great people, everyone was comfortable just being themselves with a shared joy of Eurovision. We went to the Jury Show event last year – it's almost like a pre-run of the final - but this year as we are having to travel so far, we went all out on tickets, and are going to four different Eurovision events in the run up to the main final night. Tickets to the final are like gold dust, so we can’t quite believe that we have managed to secure those! It’s just the icing on the cake!”

Andrew, who is Digital Communications Coordinator with the Council, explained that the concerts they have got tickets for are made up of both semi-finals, the Jury Show, the pre-final event and the live grand final.

“We are still a bit shellshocked that we have actually managed to secure tickets to the grand final, especially given that this is the 50^th anniversary of ABBA’s Eurovision win with Waterloo and the event is being held in Sweden. It is going to be a show to remember!”

The couple are hedging their bets on Olly doing well this year.

Karl said: “Olly has a lot of fans and is a very talented chap; we’re confident he will score quite highly and go left side of the screen.  If all the stars align, he just could bring it back to the UK! He is in the top 10 bookies odds, so we had a silly little flutter!”

They have been listening to all Eurovision entries on a playlist at home, work and in the car – so they will be more than ready to join in!

The Kemps are planning to attend an “ABBA World” experience during their trip.  Taking place in central Malmo the exhibition is spread across two floors and promises to “Thank ABBA for the Music!”

The Kemps are hopeful that it’s a trip that will deliver a bit of music “Boom-Bang-a-Bang" and that “Love will Shine a Light” on Olly with lots of douze points from competing countries!