A few tense weeks followed the initial confirmation that fan tickets would be available. The OGAE Facebook page was checked daily to ensure that our fees had been paid and were received by the club. Preferences were lodged for seated or standing tickets. Lists of those requesting tickets were scoured to ensure our names appeared. Fans started heated arguments over how to distribute tickets if only a small number were allocated. Everyone is mindful of the fact that while OGAE Rest of the World (ROW) has arguably some of the most passionate ESC fans, we are not a priority as we do not have a show entrant.

Fortunately, we did not need to resort to such drastic measures. Our initial ticket allocation covered most of those requesting tickets. As ROW members requested more seated than standing tickets, our club president, Roy, managed an international negotiation of United Nations proportions to swap our allocated sitting tickets for two standing tickets from countries such as Norway who had requested more sitting tickets than they were allocated. So all the attending ROW members were guaranteed their fan packages.

The whole ticket swap then had to be approved by OGAE International. The ticketing company then had to adjust for all the ticket swaps, delaying the purchase date. But who cares? We had guaranteed tickets to all the shows including the Grand Final. We are on our way to Eurovision 2014!

Organising a trip to see the ESC means that the drama of Eurovision starts well before the first cape billows before a wind machine. It all begins with the ticketing.

As ESC is held in a different country each year (apart from that freakish triple winning streak by Ireland from 1992-1994) it is planned by a different team each year, so the number of tickets available, the configuration of seating, the timing of ticket sales, the process for purchasing and the types of credit card accepted all vary in random and unpredictable ways.

Tickets for ESC 2014 have already been released, with the first wave of public tickets going on sale 29 November 2013. For this year’s competition, tickets were then released in a further two waves, with those missing out on the tickets they wanted – such as those for the Grand Final night – able to nominate for a waiting list. But let’s face it, purchasing Grand Final tickets through the public allocation is harder than finding a straight guy in the ESC mosh pit.

So CJP and I decided to hold out and see whether we could gain a fan package. The fan packages are offered through the Eurovision Fan Clubs, or OGAE. They include tickets for both semi-finals and, best of all, those elusive Grand Final tickets. Again, the numbers on offer vary from year to year, as do the times at which they are offered for sale, so we were maintaining a close vigil for any breath of news about ticketing pretty much since we returned from the last Eurovision.

Finally we received confirmation that fan packages would be available. But would there be enough to go around?

The host city for ESC 2014 has now been announced as Copenhagen. Denmark had submitted some very creative entries for hosting next year’s event, and the winner was one of the more interesting options presented.

Instead of going with the town’s most predictable venue, the Parken arena (which opted to host football instead of the world’s best competition! Seriously!!!) the arts precinct of B&W Hallerne, a former shipyard, will be modified into a purpose-built ESC venue.

One of the advantages of last year’s host city, Malmö, was that the smaller town created the feeling of a Eurovision village. From the Eurovision disco at the Central Station to the fan hubs scattered throughout the town, part of the appeal of attending ESC is the atmosphere of peace, love and partying created within the host city. While Copenhagen is the most logical option for the Danish host city, given that few other locations in this small country can offer the necessary combination of a suitably sized venue and sufficient accommodation, there is the risk that the ESC vibe could get lost in a larger city.

The B&W Hallerne venue, however, promises to turn the whole precinct into a ‘Eurovision Island’ especially for the fans attending this event. Plus, the venue will be designed specifically for the three televised shows! All this promises that ESC will be one spectacular and memorable event! I can’t wait!!! Look out little mermaid, here we come!