Armenia
I’ve not passed comment so far on this one. I really like it and the way it builds. I showed the video to non fans and they were pretty impressed. One of those songs that’s powerful on the video but doesn’t transfer to the stage well? Mmmm, I’m not sure. In rehearsal it was very very good. The staging is effective with some nice touches such as the flashes in time with the soft drum beat in the quieter parts and the use of the stage projections towards the end of the faster section. Lots of long shots too showing the spotlights beaming down on Aram. I had memories of the long ‘money shot’ from Azerbaijan’s winner in 2011 when I saw this. Half of my thinks it’s the winner yet the other half tells me there’s something missing. Oh there is, a chorus! But that doesn’t matter does it? It’s a differently constructed song and very very interesting. Aram looks good in his coat frock and emotes well but it’s a fine line between emoting and looking scary and sinister. We may or may not have flames on the night. As you know I would nearly always throw pyros at a performance but here I’d probably control myself and leave them out. A definite contender here.
Latvia
After Armenia this one is going to seem absolutely ridiculous. I really don’t see people voting for this save for a handful of drunk people drowning their sorrows of a Tuesday evening. It’s jolly enough and I don’t mind it but then you get immune to all kinds of stuff at this game. Some think it will qualify but I don’t think it’s got a hope. I thought the camera shots were messy on and the performance clumsily handled but the but the screen in front of me in the press centre kept going down so that might have contributed.