Well after the downbeat ending to the first semi-final, we now move, almost seamlessly, to the second.
The Rasmus is surely the tonic I need at 10:20 on a Thursday Morning! Or so I thought. Lauri sings the first half of the song in an open sou’wester, as though there is a storm coming – whilst, at the beginning, holding a yellow balloon, which he lets go of at a point in the song for reasons unclear to me.
The balloon motif continues as he walks around them singing the song, before casting off his raincoat to reveal the obligatory rock start tattooed torso and arms. The rest of the band cavort around him pretending to play their instruments.
Going through the motions
This performance seems tired and dated in a different way to that of Bulgaria several contest days ago. This is a band, not a “project”, who should know what they are doing, but they are seemingly going through the motions with a song that is not their best, written to mix a Contest with a genuine rock band.
What you end up with has played out on my screen. The vocals were fine in the first run-through, but in the second the backing mix came across too loudly for me, and like so many songs this year, I think it is one chorus too long. I saw a band past its best trying for one last shout, or at least that’s what it felt like at OnEurope Towers.
Everyone (Euro press basically) criticising Lauri over all the green, wet-behind-the ears entrants when the man is a bonafide rockstar. He doesn’t need “perfect” vocals. He’s been there and got the T-shirt. The Rasmus are great. I hope they do well!
— Joey (@Joeyisme) May 5, 2022
I can’t begin to tell you how deeply shite #Finland were just then. Boy’s voice is totally shot, the balloon motif starts awkwardly then becomes obstructive to any camera angle, and the only real star is the lady session guitarist. Oh man alive that was bloody poor. #Eurovision
— EurovisionApocalypse (@ESCApocalypse) May 5, 2022
FINLAND
Are The Rasmus paying tribute to Stephen King’s IT? Balloons adorn the stage and an otherwise bare-chested Lauri is bouncing around in an open yellow raincoat.A strong semi opener with bags of energy, as you’d expect from these seasoned pros.
— Eurovision Insight (@ESCinsight) May 5, 2022
Finland.
Lauri starts holding a small yellow balloon and the vocals.. are not there..#Eurovision— up in space, Dan 👩🚀 | 🇸🇪🇬🇧🇳🇱 (@vDanDesign) May 5, 2022