On September 2nd, members of the UK branch of Eurovision Song Contest fan club OGAE gathered in Birmingham for their annual get-together, this year carrying the title The Birmingham Bash.

Eighty aficionados filled the venue in Birmingham's Broad Street, just around the corner from the 1998 Eurovision Song Contest venue, the National Indoor Arena. And not only UK fans turned up to pay hommage to the contest; mingling with the home crowd were Irish, Croatian and Finnish friends, amongst others.

The event was kicked off with guests voting on fifteen songs which scored less than ten points at the actual contest. Xandee won this with the 2004 Belgian entry One life, followed not far behind by Latvia's Hello from Mars, which F.L.Y. sang for the home country in 2003. Norway's classic Mata Hari from 1976 took the bronze position, a far cry from the last place it scraped in its day.

Eurovision Oscars
In the lavish Golden Star Awards held later that day, Birmingham appropriately ended up with the 'Oscar' for Best Ever Eurovision Song Contest. Inbetween the bestowing of awards, visitors were treated to a host of fan performances, including the audience's favourite: 1981 Irish entry Horoscopes performed by sisters Eloise Flint, Juliet Evans and Emily Roberts.

Paul Marks-Jones, one of the day’s organisers, said: “The Birmingham Bash was a great celebration of all things Eurovision. From the feedback we’ve been receiving it looks like everyone who came along had a memorable day. And of course, it was highly fitting to hold the event in Birmingham, the city that 8 years ago played host so well to the Song Contest.”