Glasgow is the odds-on favourite to stage the Eurovision Song Contest next year after the final shortlist of potential host cities was whittled down to two this week.
The 67th edition will be held in the United Kingdom after the European Broadcasting Union confirmed 2022 winners Ukraine would not be able to host the event on safety grounds.
The search for a host city had already been trimmed to seven after this year’s runners-up were given the nod to step in and Glasgow has now been backed down to 4/9 from 2/1 with BoyleSports to stage the event, with Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle and Sheffield all out of contention.
Liverpool was a 10/1 shot when betting opened and remains the underdog despite shortening into 13/8 and receiving the backing of Labour leader Keir Starmer when he hosted the party’s conference in the city this week.
Lawrence Lyons, spokesperson for BoyleSports said: “Glasgow has been the favourite to host Eurovision from the minute we knew it was heading to the UK, so it’s no surprise to see it backed into odds-on now it’s in the final two. Liverpool has been gambled at prices as big as 10/1, so we’re hoping the betting is on the money because that would be a bad result for us now.”
THE Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award has announced that this year’s Shortlist will be featured in Tim Burgess’ Twitter Listening Parties from 26th to 28th Octoberahead of the winner announcement ceremony on 29th October, live on www.sayaward.com.
Theshowbizlion.com can’t wait to watch the virtual ceremony on the night but we will miss the rock n roll after party this year which last year saw us mingling with everyone from The Vegan Leather to Young Fathers.
In a special one off series to celebrate the 10 outstanding Scottish albums making up the Shortlist, Tim Burgess has teamed up with The SAY Award to bring music fans together to discover their new favourite Scottish album each evening, prior to the winner announcement on Thursday 29th October. Tim’s Listening Parties have become a cultural phenomenon, developed into an almost-nightly event and will celebrate their 500th Listening Party on 25th October.
The SAY Award Shortlist for 2020 is: Blanck Mass Animated Violence Mild Bossy LoveMe + U Callum Easter Here Or Nowhere ClothCloth ComfortNot Passing Declan Welsh & The Decadent WestCheaply Bought, Expensively Sold Erland Cooper Sule Skerry The Ninth Wave Infancy NOVA RE-UP SHHESHHE
The concept, created by Tim Burgess, came to life on Twitter during lockdown, attracting thousands of music lovers across the country as Tim explored some of the most iconic albums from artists like Oasis, KT Tunstall, Joy Division, Anna Meredith, Hot Chip, CHVRCHES, Laura Marling, Michael Kiwanuka, Wolf Alice and more. Listeners stream or play the chosen album at the allocated start time, and fans will have the opportunity to explore all 10 albums on this year’s Shortlist with Tim and the relevant artist as they tweet along; sharing memories or insights into making the album. Listeners are invited to ask questions and share their thoughts on each of the chosen albums using the hashtag#TimsTwitterListeningParty.
The highly anticipated Shortlist includes a record-breaking EIGHT debut albums, the most to ever feature on a SAY Award Shortlist.
Timings for The SAY Award#TimsTwitterListeningParty special are:
Monday 26th October 7pmCallum Easter ‘Here Or Nowhere’ 9pm Erland Cooper ‘Sule Skerry’ 10pmBlanck Mass ‘Animated Violence Mild’
Tuesday 27th October 6pmBossy Love ‘Me + U’ 7pmDeclan Welsh & The Decadent West ‘Cheaply Bought, Expensively Sold’ 9pmComfort ‘Not Passing’ 10pmSHHE ‘SHHE’
For 2020’s SAY Award, a record-breaking 362 eligible album submissions were narrowed down to the 20-strong Longlist by 100 impartial nominators; representing a variety of genres including jazz, classical, hip-hop, pop, trad folk, rock, electronic, indie and many more. The Longlist has now been whittled down to a Shortlist of just 10 albums; 9 chosen by the Judging Panel and 1 as the winner of the public vote.
The winner of The SAY Award will be announced onThursday 29th October, with this year’s ceremony pivoting to become an online event, broadcast as a YouTube Premiere. One artist and their album will be crowned the Scottish Album of the Year, in turn collecting one of the most lucrative prize funds in the UK: £20,000.
Developed and produced by the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA), the 2020 campaign will be delivered in partnership with Creative Scotland,City of Edinburgh Council, YouTube Music, 54EP, Sweetdram, Culture & Business Fund Scotland via Arts & Business Scotland, PPL, Summerhall, Ticketmaster and new charity partner Music Declares Emergency.
LEO DiCaprio has agreed to have a lunch date with one very special person in Scotland - and it could be you!
For a £5 donation that will go to feed the homeless at Edinburgh’s Home, a new restaurant from the teams behind Social Bite and Maison Bleue – , you will have a chance to attend a VIP lunch with Sir Tom Hunter, Chairman of the Scottish Business Awards, and this year’s keynote speaker Leonardo DiCaprio.
Last year, one very lucky gal got the chance to cosy up to George Clooney over grub in Edinburgh after over £400,000 was donated through website Itison to Social Bite, allowing them to feed the homeless for an entire year throughout Scotland.
This year all you need to do to enter is head to Itison.com, donate a fiver and you could be in for a chance of lunch with Leo.
The cause makes a big difference in the lives of so many people, and will allow homeless people to dine with dignity in the amazing new restaurant - Home. So dig deep and donate multiple times.
Your donation will buy a meal for a homeless person at Home in Edinburgh, a brand new restaurant pairing incredible cuisine with a charitable heart.
Home is a partnership with Social Bite and Edinburgh Restaurant group Maison Bleue, with renowned chef Martin Wishart dreaming up monthly specials, and even donning the Home apron and cooking several times each year.
As well as serving great food to the public, the restaurant provides those in need with free meals, as well as giving homeless people jobs and the training they need to get back on their feet and really break the cycle.
For more info on Home visit: www.home-restaurant.co.uk or phone 0131 220 0773 to book.
The winner will be selected and informed on Friday 11 November and will also receive:
An overnight stay for two with dinner at The George Hotel (only you will attend the lunch)
1st class travel within Scotland to Edinburgh with ScotRail (where available)
A £1,000 Champagne and shopping experience at ROX, George Street
- Posted with love from Scotland by theShowbizLion.com
X Factor singer Caitlyn Van Beck might have been knocked out of the telly show on Saturday but she didn't stay at home weeping over the decision - and managed to wow as a surprise guest at a charity bash for sick kids.
Guests couldn't believe their luck when 18 year old Tranent gal Caitlyn turned up at the Les Hoey MBE Dreammaker Foundation bash in Glasgow's Crowne Plaza.
And at exactly the same time as X Factor fans watched the judges houses stage of the show where Simon made his shock move she performed a moving rendition of Piece By Piece by Kelly Clarkston on stage at the party.
Revellers included GLOW reality stars Brian Matthews and James English, Still Game's Jane McGarry and Mark Cox who play Isa and Tam and radio host Suzie McGuire.
Caitlyn said: "It's great to be here to support the Les Hoey MBE Dreammaker Foundation and to see all the smiles on the children's faces."
Meantime fans of the Scots singer have kicked off after house after her pianist appeared to hit a bum note during her Judges House audition.
Caitlyn sang Praying For Time by George Michael during the audition in Malibu in front of Simon Cowell and his friends.
Caitlyn appeared to forget her words as she sang the famous song and Simon encouraged her to keep singing.
Now however, followers online have pointed out that the pianist seemed to hit a wrong note which put the Scots talent off.
At fifty five seconds into the audition just as she is about to sing the word wounded which she begins to pronounce, she stops dead and gives a puzzled look.
Simon urges her to continue after the two exchange a look and Caitlyn then performs the rest of the song beautifully.
Fans are now furious that Caitlyn, who was put head to head with fellow Scot Emily Middlemas at judges houses, was put out of the competition by a regretful Simon.
And some are raising questions about her musical accompaniment online.
Paul Lang commented: "The guy playing piano went wrong there, didn't he? She was thrown.#xfactor"
Another Sasha Lang added: "Anyone else notice the Pianist messed up just as Caitlyn was smashing her song at judges, struggle to believe that wasn't set up..furious."
Another wrote on a forum: "I just watched again on YouTube and it almost seemed like the keyboard player played the wrong notes to the line 'when there is no hope to speak of'. Very strange"
Excerpts of this article from The showbizlion.com appeared in The Sun online.
- Posted with love from Scotland by theShowbizLion.comSun online
