The grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest is less than two weeks away, and one train operator is getting into the spirit by launching its own search for budding Manchester musicians to show off their talents.
TransPennine Express (TPE) has created a special ‘Eurovision Song Zone' at Manchester Airport Train Station in the build up to the world’s biggest singing competition.
The singing zone has been set up for local artists and musicians to show off their talents and entertain passengers waiting on the platform in the run up to the song contest, which is being held in the UK for the first time in 25 years.
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Kathryn O’Brien, Operations and Customer Experience Director at TPE, said: "As with the rest of the country, we couldn’t be more excited for the Eurovision Song Contest and we’re delighted it’s taking place in the north.
“Our Eurovision Song Zone is in place at Manchester Airport Train Station so that budding musicians can entertain passengers in the build up to the famous competition. Whether you’re the next Sandie Shaw or Sam Ryder we would love for musicians of all abilities to show off their talents in our designated performance areas.”
Rising star Jimmy Page was the first musician to perform at the Song Zone. The singer-songwriter, who is set to release his new single, PAINT, on May 19, performed his singles ‘Days Are Long’ and ‘Plop Music’ in front of waiting passengers.
Commenting on the opportunity to perform his music, Jimmy said: “The Eurovision Song Contest has always been a great spectacle of music and so the chance to be involved in the excitement and build up to the event in a small way is a chance I couldn’t miss.
“Performing for the waiting passengers was such a thrill and it turned into quite a party on the platform!”
Taking place just a week after the King’s Coronation, the grand final of Eurovision will see 37 Eurovision countries bring their A game to Liverpool Arena for two semi-finals on May 9 and 11 and the grand finale on May 13.
However, last month it was confirmed that fans travelling to Liverpool for the event will be affected by train strikes. The Aslef union has confirmed train drivers will take industrial action on May 12, while the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) union members will strike on May 13 - the day of the live final.
Mick Lynch, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT), has said a walkout by its members on May 13 was not intentionally picked to collide with the Eurovision finals. Members are striking after the union’s executive rejected the latest offer aimed at resolving a long-running pay dispute.
Mick Lynch said: “The reason we named that date is because it’s the last day of our mandate. Our mandate runs out and we have to get another one, and we have to give two weeks’ notice, so when the talks broke down it was the only day.
“We don’t pick out events in our union. We don’t say ‘we’ll disrupt that event, or we’ll disrupt that event’, we want to go on strike on Saturdays because it’s the busiest day on the railway now following the changes from Covid and our members want to strike on Saturdays.
“I have no interest in upsetting people where we don’t have to but strikes have to be effective, they have to have some meaning. You have to influence the debate by taking effective action and that’s what we’re doing.”
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