Eurovision 2023: Stars of this year's song contest groove at the final pre-party in swinging London. Less than a month now, cats and kittens, until Eurovision Song Contest shakes its tail feathers in the lively Liverpool. For the final time before the ultimate showdown begins, the artists strutted their stuff on stage at the final pre-party that happened on Sunday 16th April at The Outernet in jolly London town.

Over the past few weeks, a whirlwind of gigs have been happening all over Europe, man - Spain, Poland, Israel, the Netherlands, and the UK, groovin' and movin'. On the Eurovision stage, 37 countries will come together, groovy vibes and all, as the UK hosts one of the world's biggest gigs for the first time in 25 years. So, get ready to boogie, baby!

Our own Sieng was thrilled to join Dana Gillespie backstage to get an inside scoop on San Marino's entry, which is our far-out favorite! With a population of just 33,000 groovy people, they're the underdogs of the scene, but those Piqued Jacks could surprise many. They've got that magical touch that could bring the house down and make the crowds sway to their tunes. Whatever the outcome, we're just so thrilled for Piqued Jacks and their future in the music world. Keep an eye on these cats – they're going places, and their star is on the rise!

Now, dig this: Joker Out are Slovenia's biggest-selling band, and they're hoping Eurovision will bring them success elsewhere. "It's a crazy experience - in Slovenia, we have arena concerts, and here we'd have a very hard time filling up a pub," the band tells the BBC.

Piqued Jacks recently tweeted, "Where it all started. ❤️🇬🇧 One of our first shows with this line-up was in London, exactly 4 years ago. Five people in the audience. Thanks for singing LOUDLY and giving us so many reasons to miss this all. More sentimental blabbering coming soon. Until Liverpool, love."

It takes heart, determination, and tenacity to make it in the music world, and as some of the contestants have mentioned, not so long ago they were playing to empty bars. We hope Eurovision will be more than a bit of fun but will help propel some of these bands into orbit, sharing their talent with the world, and shining bright like the stars they are. So, keep an eye out, and let the music carry you away!

originated in Buggiano in 2006, featuring members Andrea Lazzeretti, Francesco Bini, Tommaso Oliveri, and Marco Sgaramella. They are scheduled to represent San Marino in the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest with their track "Like an Animal".

Members:

• Andrea Lazzeretti

• Francesco Bini

• Tommaso Oliveri

• Marco Sgaramella

Origin: Buggiano, Italy (2006)

Record Labels: Piqued Jacks, 'Unsigned', INRI, Universal Music Italia srL. (Metatron), Orquestra Records

Albums:

• Synchronizer

• The Living Past

• Climb Like Ivy Does

• Loner vs Lover

• Aerial Roots

• Brotherhoods

• Momo the Monkey

Genre: Rock

Dana Gillespie experienced a heartfelt reunion with the band, reminiscing about their early days. Four years ago, they performed one of their first shows in London to a mere five-person audience. Undeterred, they have now grown in popularity, recently playing to a crowd of 2,000 people. On Tuesday, May 9, 2023, they will take the stage before millions of viewers worldwide.

The Return of Ziggy Stardust: On June 15, 2022, Monsummano Terme kicked off the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of David Bowie's album that changed rock. In Piazza Giusti, a stellar cast revisited the notes of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust. With the third edition of the project "The Man Who Fell on Monsummano Terme," the city confirmed itself as a heartfelt place for Bowie fans.

First love is never forgotten... and so, after celebrating his first visit to Italy in 1969 (right in the city of Valdinievole), the bond with the White Duke found new momentum with the special anniversary: the release on June 16, 1972, of the monumental album "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust".

"Offstage, I'm a robot. Onstage, I achieve emotion. That's probably why I prefer dressing up as Ziggy to be David," Bowie had said when he introduced his Ziggy Stardust character.

It had been 50 years since that day when the world first saw Ziggy Stardust, an androgynous alien from the stars who came to warn humanity that they had only five years left to live. Bowie began playing the character during his concerts with red hair, colorful, skin-tight jumpsuits, and a star drawn on his right eye. The transformation of the world of rock began.

The city of Monsummano Terme opened Ziggy's worldwide celebrations with a concert on June 15, 2022, in Piazza Giusti. The great global reunion of the Bowie Fans Club took place in Liverpool from June 16 to 19. This is where Dana Gillespie, Temple of Art and Music, first met the Piqued Jacks.

At the presentation held on May 5, Mayor of Monsummano Terme Simona De Caro, City Councilor for Culture Elena Sinimberghi, President of Officine della Cultura Massimo Ferri, Artistic Director Fabrizio Raffaelli, Cristiana Pasquinelli from the CARIPT Foundation, and many artists were present in person, like the Piqued Jacks, or connected online, like Enrico Fink, the Modena City Ramblers, Paolo Benvegnù, and Motus. No one wanted to miss the official launch of this extraordinary 2022 edition of the Bowie Monsummano project.

The project "The Man Who Fell on Monsummano Terme" continued with renewed enthusiasm, starting in 2019 with a tribute concert under the direction of Paolo Fresu and the naming of the "Mac,n" Museum Park after David Bowie, and then, after the 2020 pandemic break, in 2021 with a journey into fashion and various expressive languages linked to youthful creativity that enhanced the spaces of the Mac,n Museum and Bowie Park at Villa Martini.

The project was promoted by the Municipality of Monsummano Terme and Officine della Cultura and supported by the Cassa di Risparmio Foundation of Pistoia and Pescia and Toscana Energia. The 2022 program included a concert/event in Piazza Giusti on June 15, starting at 9:00 PM, with many artists, each with their own style and sensitivity, revisiting the songs of Ziggy Stardust and some of Bowie's milestones.

At the helm of this great super band was the Multicultural Orchestra of Arezzo, directed by Enrico Fink, an ensemble of thirty musicians from various countries (Lebanon, Albania, Algeria, Japan, Russia, Bangladesh, Argentina, Netherlands, and Colombia). On stage with them were Paolo Benvegnù, Andrea Chimenti, the Modena City Ramblers, Finaz and Nuto from Bandabardò, the Piqued Jacks, and the English star Dana Gillespie, Bowie's friend and vocalist during the Ziggy Stardust years, who was in Monsummano Terme for her only Italian appearance in 2022. Accompanying this great cast were the dancing incursions of the Motus company, co-producer of the concert-event along with Officine della Cultura and led by Clive Malcolm Griffiths.

On June 15, 2022, the picturesque town of Monsummano Terme played host to a monumental event: the 50th-anniversary concert of David Bowie's legendary album, "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust." Among the stellar lineup of artists participating in the celebrations was Dana Gillespie, the English muse and vocalist who worked closely with Bowie during the Ziggy Stardust years.

It was in Monsummano Terme that Dana Gillespie had a serendipitous encounter with the Piqued Jacks, an Italian rock band whose passion and talent had made waves in the music industry. The band was among the carefully selected performers to pay tribute to the iconic album and Bowie's legacy.

Dana Gillespie and the Piqued Jacks found themselves immersed in a shared admiration for Bowie's groundbreaking work. This fateful meeting in Monsummano Terme not only deepened their appreciation for the White Duke's timeless music but also sparked an artistic connection that would transcend the event itself.

As the performers prepared to take the stage and bring to life the mesmerizing notes of "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust," Dana Gillespie and the Piqued Jacks exchanged insights, experiences, and stories about their journeys in the music world. The mutual respect and admiration between the veteran performer and the up-and-coming band formed a bond that would prove to be both creatively enriching and personally rewarding.

In the magical setting of Monsummano Terme, where music lovers from around the world had gathered to celebrate David Bowie's enduring legacy, the meeting between Dana Gillespie and the Piqued Jacks was a reminder that the power of music transcends generations and fosters connections that span the globe. As they performed together in tribute to Bowie's monumental work, the unique blend of their talents was a testament to the lasting impact of the genius that was Ziggy Stardust.