I last left you at Eesti (Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm…). We then had a lunch break. I know, after just three songs when there are 581 in the contest (down from last year’s 703). They are not taking the Mihhail here when it comes to food prices.
In true Azerbaijan tradition, the place isn’t finished. While Aram RealVideo was having a series of interviews outside, a large truck drives up and proceeds to noisily dump several tonnes of gravel on the ground nearby. It makes an interesting conversation starter (or stopper, depending on your perspective). No-one seemed to care – it’s only day one after all.
Sweden’s Sanna was first on after lunch. The press centre went quiet. Would we be going back across the Kattegat again next year? On this performance, no. It’s good, but it’s not a winner. She sings within an homage to the Crystal Hall, that there place from two years ago. She doesn’t move, she’s alone on stage. I admit she has a good voice, but how often do we get singers with good voices getting songs that don’t suit that good voice?
I have to admit I didn’t see Iceland rehearse. I was on a secret mission with one of my paymasters. Save to say the mission was a success, but at the expense of the beardy shell-suit wearers. From what I did see, it sounded OK.
Albania will not qualify. There, I’ve said it. Hersi looks like she’s auditioning for the stage version of Titanic. Auditioning in a knee-length dress made of heavy black fabric. So she’s a young girl in sexy widow’s weeds. Her support are all over the vast stage and many of the camera shots are effectively up her dress because she’s stood so high.
I was about to hit the ‘Publish’ button, and then the Tomalchevy sister honed into view. Now I’m still a bit disturbed by an image of Phhillipp Kirkorov with the twins, with him looking even more sinister than useful. If Albania’s setting was noteworthy, then Russia’s is downright bizarre. They have a see-saw on stage. Or a teeter-totter for you transatlantic types. They wave glass rods at us. The see-saw/teeter-totter turns into a massive fan, that some guy has to hold together behind the stage. They have a wind machine. And there are pyros. By Jupiter they have everything. All it needs is a cage containing a couple of talking meerkats and you have a vote winner – I’m sure. 😉
More later. You know it makes sense.
R x
Russia looks like design by committee. All the elements work, just not together!
A couple of nubile lovelies on a teeter-totter. That’s definitely someone’s idea of televisual nirvana. But give me a talking meerkat any day.