Fuck. Just… Fuck
I’m British. I’m also objective with this contest and if the UK is rubbish I am the first one to write it down. The UK is *not* rubbish. The UK borrowed the Crystal Maze to surround Sam (start the fans… please) and added Sam playing the guitar at the end, which could look a little forced, but no more forced than anyone else miming a guitar in this contest.
He’s holding back on that first run through though, but it is a gazillion times better than France or Italy that came before I do, though, need to temper the smile that’s on my face and go again for Take 2.
I sat in silence at Take 2 just watching it. Sam hit all the notes despite, as he says at the end, his in-ear monitors falling out. The man is so comfortable in his own song that he knows it without the backing track. The stage hands and camera direction, though, are fucking this staging up because they come on and “open” the dome and the camera seems to focus on them from the long shot rather than on something, anything, to make the illusion better for the TV audience.
The last run through is aborted but better again. I have no issues with Sam’s voice – I have issues with his spangly jumpsuit (go back to black!) and I have issues with seeing the stagehands pulling the Crystal Dome apart on camera for two seconds at the high point of the song because it looks rubbish.
But the cheer this got in the arena from about 40 people was very loud indeed made me smile.
The UK getting 0 points 2 years in a row and now are a massive contender to win next week…. This Eurovision year is crazy #EUROVISION
— Luke T (@luketoohey10) May 7, 2022
The #UK was pretty good, mind. They should have stuck to the plain black jump suit, but it still looks good. But are we excited because it’s great or because it’s not entirely shit? And that’s the worry. #EUROVISION
— EurovisionApocalypse (@ESCApocalypse) May 7, 2022
UK goes BIG in #Eurovision rehearsals! Huge props, huge vocals, and a new ending by @SamRyderMusic Bravo! We’re not coming last, folks. pic.twitter.com/1TqXHSyepX
— Monty Moncrieff MBE (@MontyMoncrieff) May 7, 2022
From the contenders the UK is the only one with a winner moment (guitar solo) as Italy (shirt grabbing) and Ukraine (blue and yellow light ending) have been ditched. #Eurovision2022 #Eurovision
— TVTips.UK (@TvtipsUk) May 7, 2022