From the moment that Finnish monster metallers Lordi stomped their way to a wholly unexpected triumph at the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest all bets were off. Once an endless parade of saccharine Celine Dion-wannabes, luxuriously-moustached Swiss Tony-lookalike lotharios, Euro-Dance shriekers and humiliated sub-Butlins nul pointers from Britain, the annual pan-European festival of song is now an anything-goes smorgasbord of pleasingly uninhibited sonic exhibitionism, as evidenced last year by the participation of Australian prog-metallers Voyager and hornball German glitter-metal gimps Lord Of The Lost.
We'll be honest, we're disappointed that San Marino's entry, Madrid-based industrial-punk-metal provocateurs Megara, didn't make tonight's grand final, cruelly eliminated in the contest's second semi-final, but, as always, the evening promises a feast for the senses, and at least one guaranteed WTF? moment, whatever your musical tastes. Will 2024 unearth the next globe-conquering Måneskin? Maybe, maybe not, but here are five acts worthy of your attention at Eurovision 2024.
