It seems there’s a song contest on!! Blimey, how did that come around so quickly? You certainly wouldn’t know there’s a song contest on if you referred to my word count on here.. (hangs head in shame, Phil you can flog me from Thursday!)
I’ve neglected you but, to be honest, I couldn’t get a word in with those fabulous countdowns. And now the bubble has started and the reports are coming in thick and fast from Vienna it’s even harder to keep up especially as I’ve been travelling loads with work. Your heart bleeds for me? It better had! I’ve always been more of the party correspondent anyway but I’d better fill you on on what I think so far albeit going on the ‘clip-ettes’ provided by the EBU. Actually 38 seconds is far more than the average Eurovision viewer takes to make up their mind isn’t it?! How sobering…
I’m gagging to actually get there on Thursday to see everyone and in time for two long days of ‘full semi’ run throughs… I’d best go easy on the booze when I get there…. Ahem!
On that note, most exciting news to come out of day one is that there’s a pub very close to the press centre! After last year’s very dry Eurovision island and my near ‘overdosing’ on weak coffee and pulled chicken baps, it’ll be grand to pop over the road for a beer and a burger if it all gets too much!! Which it will…
Second most exciting news is we have a helluva lot of plunging cleavages on show this year though sadly very few pyros…
So initial impressions from afar..
MOLDOVA
An early ‘everything including the kitchen sink’ (or ‘dog’s dinner’ depending on your bent) award goes Moldova’s way. Busy and ‘inya face’ opener but will we lose a precious up-tempo song early on? I like this but I couldn’t hum it to you now if you paid me…
ARMENIA
One of the few I hate this year. Despite them giving it their all (and more) and an impressive staging, please ‘don’t deny’ this is plodding dirge! Watch it qualify now..
BELGIUM
I’m beggared if I can call this. Personally I like it and can easily argue it a dark horse. Yet I’m also imagining Loic with a face like a slapped arse next Tuesday!
THE NETHERLANDS
The talk of the first day was the slashed dress and the plunging cleavage. What was that Phil about the demographic of the jurors? Unlike the dress, this is inoffensive enough and I’ve been humming ‘why, why, why’ all day long.
FINLAND
Like many, I dislike the genre but like most I applaud diversity at the contest. Congratulations to the Finns for not over-complicating it, lots of smoke and moodiness. I didn’t give them a hope but surely jurors will ‘up-rank’ these guys for bringing something different?
GREECE
I like this sometimes, then I find it a bit flat sometimes but, boy, they’ve given it a blooming great staging and it may yet be Rosé’s big ballad of the year (if Poland or Russia disappoint)
ESTONIA
Lots of ‘knicker wetting’ from many already on the ground, I’m not wet but I may yet be moist about this one. I don’t, however, think it’s has enough legs to win the whole thing. Though quite possiby bettering Kuula!
FYR MACEDONIA
This is a charming song and he’s in fine voice. Now I need to see the full performance but, here from a distance, they’ve just gone and increased their chances of qualification no end.
SERBIA
Much fannage excitement about ‘bacofoil Bojana’ and her backing boys and girls. Sounds like a fan stomper and she’s in fine voice. Perfect for the fans but I’m thinking the head of Serbian tele is saying to the artistic director ‘what the hell have we created?’ A new Gay Pride anthem? Of course I adore it!
HUNGARY
This one is at the lower end of my middle order, don’t hate it but it’s s bit dull. Seemed to come up a bit in rehearsal and some bloggers are mesmerised by it, or her (eh Riigi?) I find the backdrop is a little too obvious. A backdrop shouldn’t tell the story, the song should.
BELARUS
This was always pretty average Eurovision fodder and, in giving it a very uninspiring staging, Belarus might have missed out on the final this year. That’d be a great shame seeing as Umaami (that’s right eh?) seems like a handsome and charming young chap!
RUSSIA
The feet on the ground are calling this as our second potential winner from this semi. Polina certainly belts it out. Was very surprised to see her with a band. I’d expected her with a five piece choir striding ‘stage forward’ as the song climaxes to a pyro explosion. No one has pyros this year? Is there a Viennese bylaw? Cleavages are certainly allowed!
DENMARK
The word on the street is safe about this one. It’s a fantastically catchy and optimistic three minutes and who can avoid singing along to this but when it qualifies it’ll surely be exactly fourteenth come Saturday.
ALBANIA
I’m not a judgemental soul but even I can see from 36 seconds that this isn’t really doing anything. I wasn’t keen on their song change and, despite her strong voice, I think it’s another early departure to Tirana this year for the Albanians.
ROMANIA
Oh this one has been a journey for me! Mild appreciation when it was selected led to strong emotional connection when I heard the English version and saw the video. Clever Romanians bring the video to Eurovision and I’m seeing this as a great entry. I’m a sucker for a sad story, love it.
GEORGIA
How far can a fantastic backdrop and powerful performance make up for a rather average and bland song? That my friends is the question with our final performance from semi one. The bloggers went into meltdown today but from my beanbag here I can’t see what all the fuss is about.