Worst Eurovision Ever By Roy D. Hacksaw (Earth Island Books)

Even if you’ve just been an attendee at the punk rock shows, you probably heard many stories about how gig promoters and their staff work behind the scenes so the gig can run smoothly. If you somehow missed all the behind-the-scenes drama, you must know that these difficulties are just the tip of the iceberg. If you’re not paying attention enough, many things can cause trouble while organizing anything, so that’s happening even when you try to assemble a line-up, get some stage gear, look out for the venue, and even print some posters for the gigs. A promoter’s life is tough, and it’s not for those with a short fuse. It’s an emotional rollercoaster that demands nerves of steel, patience, and basic knowledge of Murphy’s law.

You can only imagine how things operate at the bigger venues, renowned festivals, and music concerts. It’s unstoppable machinery that demands hordes of experienced professionals from many walks of life who know how to get things done without causing too much damage. Now, here comes the fun part where any Murphy’s law known to humankind plays its role, but the most significant one that always applies will probably be “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong”. Roy D. Hacksaw saw all of these mistakes firsthand. As a journalist who followed and written about the Eurovision contest since the nineties, one book isn’t enough to write down everything he saw or experienced. Roy is a skillful writer who knows how to write entertaining stories, so you’ll immediately dive into this book and remain curious until the last page.

I admit I was never interested in such contests, but this book gave me some insights about them. As someone who spent two decades attending punk rock shows, working behind the scenes, and even performing, I can see the correlation between smaller gigs, big festivals, and even bigger music contests. It would be so foolish of me to reveal the content, so I will write a couple of lines that can serve as a description. Worst Eurovision Ever provides a sneak peek at all the backstage troubles. It’s a book about the beforementioned Murphy’s Law, where even the safe things in a long chain of organization fail. Everything begins in a Monty Python-like universe when the organizers start scratching their heads over organizing the next contest in a small eastern European country. With undeveloped tourism and suspicious artists closer to metal than pop, what could possibly go wrong? Well, everything.

Not to forget an Icelandic guy performing in a costume of a dog, and a Saudi Arabian royalty member singing for San Marino. Of course, in conditions like these, even a good move leads to three bad ones. A contest with so many flaws can only lead to a circus worth writing about. It’s a hilarious story that will keep you entertained from beginning to end. Roy D Hacksaw’s writing style enhances all these moments and makes them even more fun, and Worst Eurovision Ever is one of those books you’ll refuse to leave on your bookshelf until you read it. As usual, Earth Island printed this masterpiece on high-quality paper, and the book comes in a paperback edition. Head over to their website and grab a copy for yourself. You’ll love it!