Robe to light Eurovision 2007

Finland - Over 450 Robe moving lights will be utilised in a spectacular lighting design for the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest in Helsinki which is being created by LD Mikki Kunttu.

This follows on from the successful 2005 ESC production in Kiev, which featured 350 Robe fixtures. Once again, the show's technical production manager is Ola Melzig, and the production company is Spectra from Sweden. Lighting equipment for the event, staged in Helsinki's 12,000 capacity Hartwall Areena is being supplied by locally based Eastway Oy, and the Robe units will be delivered directly to the show from the Czech Republic.

The ESC deal was cut with Robe's International sales manager Harry von den Stemmen, who comments, "This is take two for Robe at Eurovision, and it is really very exciting to be working with Ola and the Spectra team again. I caught a glimpse of Mikki's ideas for the show, during a start-up meeting, and they were very exciting. I am sure that the final design will look absolutely amazing."

Kunttu, who is working closely with Finnish national TV channel YLE on the show is also very pleased to be working with Robe. His rig will contain 120 ColorSpot 2500E ATs, 90 ColorWash 1200ATs, 120 ColorSpot 1200 ATs, 80 of the new ColorSpot 700E ATs, 60 ColorWash 250 ATs and 8 specially customised Robe Media Spinners that have been modified to hold Studio Due CS4 bars.

For the Green Room, Robe is also supplying 48 of its new StageQube 324 LED panels which will be used for mood lighting and ambient effects. GrandMA consoles will be used as lighting control for the show, which will be run via Ethernet - the most expedient option given the size of the event and the number of fixtures involved.

The load in commences on 17 April and the final is 12 May. Head moving light technician will be Dick Welland from the UK. The Robe fixtures on the show have all been sold to companies in the area and will be delivered to their new owners once the final notes are sung and played, the winner is declared and the de-rig is complete.

(Jim Evans)

Cyprus: RIK to air preview shows

The Eurovision 2007-Preview clips, the special show prepared by RIK, will start on 8th April and will continue until the 22nd. International Eurovision Song Contest experts will be commenting on each video clip and viewers will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite entry.

The shows will be presented by Marina Philippidou and Yannis Charalambous and directed by Klitos Klitou. Special provision has been made for international viewers who can watch the shows via RIK Satellite and the webcast provided. The show will be carried out in English and there will be subtitles in the Greek parts.There will be prizes to be won by lucky viewers, among them tickets for the semi final and final in Helsinki.

Airing dates and times:
April, 8, 14, 15, 21 and 22 at 21.15-22.00 local time (CET+1)

Satellite information RIK Sat:
Hotbird 3 (13E)-12265.00 V/27500 ¾

Live webcast will be provided here.

HS launches a postcard competition

YLE has been rather secretive about the postcards and Finns have been quite obsessive about the image they will project about Finland and Finns. Now the readers of Helsingin Sanomat can have their say on what Finland should show to Europe and rest of the world. A competition called Suomemme maa (Finland our country) has opened on HS website and the winner gets a trip to the Eurovision 2008 host city.

All we know about the real postcards so far is that there will be 52 of them, directed by various directors and that they are nearly finished. Those 40 second short films will show the host country Finland, its inhabitants and their- occasionally strange and odd habits- to the rest of the world. Finns, by nature very obsessed on what the others think about us, fear the worst, at least on various message boards and chats.

From this point of view Helsingin Sanomat gives its readers a chance to make a postcard the way they want Finland and Helsinki portrayed to foreigners. The competition is free to all Finnish amateurs and the postcards can be seen on the website where you can also leave your comments on them. There is a jury that follows the comments and picks up finalists. The jury includes Heikki Paasonen, the presenter of Euroviisut 2005-2007 and the host of the Finnish previews (first part tomorrow night on YLE2) as well as famous movie director Lauri Törhönen. The will be announced on May 10 and gets a trip for two to next year’s host city, wherever that will be!

Those who don’t have their own videocamera or cellphone can ask for help from Helsingin Sanomat’s street crews that will take over Helsinki in the coming days. The times and places where to find them will be published in Helsingin Sanomat in coming days.

“Eurovision is a historical and unusual event in Finland. We want to be part of it” says Kaius Niemi, one of the competition organizers. “Eurovision for Finns has become a matter of self respect and pride over the years, an open wound that seemed never to heal. We were wondering why we never succeeded when Norway and Turkey for example did it. This is a huge opportunity to present Finland and Finns, but I hope it won’t be done too seriously” Niemi concludes.

More information can be found here.

Lordi cancels May 11th concert

Lordi’s concert on May 11th has been cancelled due to scheduling problems, the organizers were informed Thursday night. The 2006 Eurovision Song Contest winners are on a tight schedule, touring Japan before they start rehearsing for their appearance in this year's contest.

Lordi have just left for their tour in Japan and will be back just in time the Eurovision final rehearsals. Some extra time is needed for Eurovision related engagements and the band will not have time for the concert on Friday night. Lordi will go on to the United States right after the final to attend the Bamboozle festival.
The concert in Helsinki Ice hall was scheduled for the night between the semi final and final and Udo Dirkschneider was to perform with them. Other performers were Thunderstorm, the runner up in the Finnish selection this year, and Carmen Gray.

Both Lordi and the organizers apologise to all the fans and the tickets will be fully refunded.