Tom Braham

THE UK may have flopped at the first Eurovision song contest on home soil for 25 years – but a barber from Highbury had a much better time.

Tom Braham, who runs A Nod Is As Good As A Wink hairdressers, picked up his bass guitar to join the Croatian entry at the big show on Saturday night.

They ended up getting 123 points, not close to winning but a score to envy for the rest of the UK. Mr Braham had left a note on his shop window which read: “Closing at 2pm as I’m playing bass for Croatia in the Eurovision final.”

He then joined the backing band for Let 3, but said he wanted his appearance and what went on to be “cloaked in mystery”.

“There’s too much available these days. There’s so much exposure for everything, but rock and roll is supposed to have magic,” he said. “How many times have we seen backstage footage of bands, and Instagram footage of what they’re up to?

“Cloaking it in mystery keeps the sexiness of the genre alive. You wouldn’t want to see what David Bowie was having for breakfast, would you?”

Mr Braham only let the Tribune into some minor details.

“Cold drinks were taken, and hot music was enjoyed on Saturday night … Eurovision is wild,” he said.

“You can only imagine what kind of buzz it would be to be on stage with such dedicated and rabid fans.”

Let 3 wore striking military-style costumes on stage, with their musicians wearing only shirts and underwear.

Mr Braham said: “What I can say is, as evidenced by the TV footage, the Croatian band are all extremely well hung. Bagginess was needed to avert an X-rating for the performance. Also it’s more comfortable, you’re going to get less sweaty under the hot lights. Especially with the PVC coats.”

Mae Muller

Croatia’s entry, Mama ŠČ!, is an anti-war song.

“Who likes war? Nobody like war. As Edwin Star said, ‘what is it good for?’ It’s a tribute to Edwin Star’s sentiment: stop the war,” said Mr Braham, adding “It’s essential that everyone is behind the Ukrainians in their struggle, and to highlight that on a big stage was the right thing to do.”

Mr Braham said he does not speak Croatian and has no significant connection to the country.

There are no rules on performers coming from the country they are representing – a case most famously illustrated by Celine Dion entering as the Swiss entrant in the 1980s.

“The only language I speak is Polari, which is the gay slang from the 50s and 60s,” said Mr Braham. “I’m hoping next year, whichever country I’m representing will hopefully have a song sung in Polari.”

The UK came second from last and singer Mae Muller, a former pupil at Acland Burghley in Tufnell Park, said afterwards it was “not the result we wanted”, but added she was “so proud of everyone and what we achieved on this journey”. Sweden were the overall victors.

Mr Braham opened his barber shop four years ago, and has now started a YouTube channel called Barbers Know Best.

“The premise is that when you land in a new town, and you want to find out where the cool places are, you visit your local barber shop. They know what’s hot and where to go.

“We’re hoping that episode three will be in Zagreb. As it happens, the Croatian tourist board is keen to get us over.”

According to Mr Braham, hair and rock and roll are a perfect fit: “Hairdressing is another side of the creative world. Half of rock and roll is about the image, so you can marry the two.

“There’s no good rock and roll act that doesn’t have great hair.”