It’s been nearly three weeks since we saw the first rehearsal comments popping up on the internet. We’ve seen social media posts from our friends in Kyiv (not completely without envy on our part), watched many more rehearsal videos on the internet, written our own comments on the rehearsals, enjoyed three fantastic shows on television, and shared our reactions on the big night. Now it’s time for our editors, Shi, Martin and Felix, to look back and find some last words on the 2017 season before we look forward and give you an update on our plans for escgo! Also, in case you’re totally new to us, this post will help you get to know us a bit better – including a little retrospective of our on-site coverage from 2010-2015 at the end of the post.

Shi, Martin and Felix on ESC 2017

This has been the ultimate zero-to-hero competition. Portugal is the literal example of that, but it’s also true for ESC 2017 as a whole, going from a year we won’t care about in future to making sure 2017 will always remain on the list of all-time classic Eurovision moments. (Shi)

Also read: Identity, authenticity, and what we can all learn from Salvador Sobral’s win by Shi

At this stage in my fan “career”, it would be easy to paint 2017 as just another year. When I took the time to reflect, though, I realised the good years and the weaker ones both have their role to play, and the cycle never really ends anyway. And then Portugal won and we all fell over in shock. (Martin)

Also read: It’s nearly Eurovision. It’s always Eurovision. by Martin

What began so pale and disappointing culminated in a historic night. For me, 2017 was a very weak year, but soon I’ll only remember it by the best it brought to us – as the year of “Blackbird” and Portugal’s victory. (Felix)

Also read: ABBA, Sobral. Why 2017 is a landmark year for Eurovision by Felix

Looking ahead

It’s been nearly a week since the last sounds of “Amar Pelos Dois” and “Te Deum” kissed the ESC fans goodnight on their way to their annual hibernation – but this time, we at escgo! won’t be sleeping! As recently explained in Felix’s “personal editorial“, our team took a break after Vienna 2015 for various, mostly personal, reasons. Last year and in the last few weeks, we covered the happenings in and around the respective host cities from our homes. But now it’s time to say it out loud: We’re back! 

This means we haven’t returned only to post stuff in the Eurovision weeks; rather, we’re back to breathe actual life into the new body of escgo!. You will surely already have noticed that we have a brand new design, unless you’re a (very welcome!) new visitor. So don’t think we’re done, we’ve only just begun! So, what can you expect from us in the off-season? If you know us, you will know we won’t make big promises that we can’t keep. After all, we can’t reinvent the wheel of Eurovision! But do stick around if you don’t want to miss any of the things we plan to offer:

• Insights, opinions and other personal reactions on all things Eurovision
• Our new video series “escgo! quick” – Eurovision News in 30 Seconds
• Reviews of past Eurovision shows from 1956 to the present day
• Plus a lot more content of all kinds in the pipeline – let yourself be surprised!

As the construction of our new website isn’t completely finished yet, we will also eventually bring back our live coverage, blogs and photos from 2010 to 2015 – when we covered Eurovision (and sometimes Melodifestivalen) from the press centre – so that you can browse and reminisce easily. You can see some of the best impressions from those events in the gallery further below.

And after we guide you through what will hopefully be an entertaining 2018 national final season, finally, “Lisbon 2018” is in our plans! No promises yet, as stated above – but we certainly hope to be back at work for live rehearsal blogs, photos, commentary and a lot more. So make sure to bookmark our page, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, stalk us on Instagram, subscribe to us on YouTube – and join our Eurovision Chat to get in touch with us and other fans from around the world.

Finally, and most importantly: thank you – a lot – for reading us.

With love from your escgo!ers – Martin, Felix and Shi

Memories: escgo.com (formerly esc-chat.com) at ESC and Melodifestivalen

The first year of our website!

In 2010, we were still known as “esc-chat.com”. Belarus rehearsing here.

Georgian Party! Felix with the Georgian Head of Delegation – and Georgian wine.

Düsseldorf 2011: The stage.

Also Düsseldorf, but I can’t remember where we found this.

2012, Martin and Felix in Globen: Our first time blogging at Melodifestivalen.

Melodifestivalen 2012: Interviewing Björn Ranelid. Sara Li listens.

Baku 2012, when our then-editor Danny did our coverage

Loreen’s winning reprise as seen from the hall.

Melodifestivalen 2013, for the first time in Friends Arena. The stage gets ready for rehearsals. | image: Felix Krückau (escgo!)

Melodifestivalen 2013: Anton Ewald and winner Robin Stjernberg at the afterparty. | image: Felix Krückau (escgo!)

Malmö 2013: The arena

Malmö 2013, when the weirdest press environment ever was in Euroclub. | image: Felix Krückau (escgo!)

Kedvesem | image: Felix Krückau (escgo!)

Aliona Moon rehearsing | image: Felix Krückau (escgo!)

These got more attention than the Irish singer himself. | image: Felix Krückau (escgo!)

Copenhagen 2014

Copenhagen 2014, when our then-editor Danny represented us at Eurovision

MF 2015, Jon Henrik Fjällgren and his ghosts. | image: Felix Krückau (escgo!)

Melodifestivalen 2015: You know these guys. | image: Felix Krückau (escgo!)

Melodifestivalen 2015: Afterparty, Dolly Style | image: Felix Krückau (escgo!)

Vienna 2015: Press centre

Vienna 2015: Spanish rehearsal | image: Felix Krückau (escgo!)

Vienna 2015: Slovenian rehearsal | image: Felix Krückau (escgo!)

Vienna 2015: Serbian rehearsal | image: Felix Krückau (escgo!)

Closing with the red carpet, Vienna 2015. It’s a chain of light for you! | image: Felix Krückau (escgo!)

And a chain of steel for Eduard. | image: Felix Krückau (escgo!)