This article forms part of the OnEurope archive and was originally published on oneurope.co.uk. It has been permanently migrated to oneurope.net, the official home of OnEurope.
That seems to be the overriding rule here at the Baku Crystal Hall, even at this late stage: there is an array of cleaning ladies in red overalls sloshing soapy water and moving it around the floor with huge mops. Then there is an even bigger army of guys with dusters buffing up the railings that encircle the complex within an inch of their life! Talk about a photo finish for the finishing touches!
The hall, beside Baku’s National Flag Square on the Caspian waterfront, was built specifically for Eurovision 2012 and had only officially opened on 7 May. Contemporary reports described a remarkably rapid build of roughly eight months, which perhaps explains why the cleaning and finishing work is still going on with the two semi-finals due on 22 and 24 May, followed by the Grand Final on Saturday 26 May.
Last night on our whistle-stop and unexpected taxi excursion towards the Iranian border, we passed the hall, which was illuminated with the most impressive strobe lighting effect I have ever seen. Powerful strobes beaming vertically up from the roof of the hall and then swirling and pulsating for the whole city to see. Locals were stopping their cars on the side of the main road nearby to take pictures.
The building certainly knows how to put on a show. Its crystal-like outer shell was fitted with tens of thousands of LED lamps, capable of changing colour and displaying the flags of participating countries during performances. The arena was advertised as holding about 25,000 people, although the Eurovision shows themselves were configured for a smaller live audience.
They are certainly throwing everything at this event here in readiness for the eyes of the world on them this week. Azerbaijan is hosting after Ell & Nikki won Eurovision 2011 with Running Scared, with 42 countries involved in this year’s contest. It wouldn’t surprise me if the authorities are going to somehow get an enormous wind machine blowing against the giant flag at the nearby State Flag Square to make sure it’s unfurled enough for the big night….
Retrospective note: Eurovision 2012 was eventually won by Sweden’s Loreen with “Euphoria”.
