We’ve been into the arena for the first time. It’s actually quite compact on the floor with only a short space between the stage and the Green Room at the back of the hall. There’s a camera run about 10 metres or so back from the stage with standing room in front which according to my tickets is where we’ll be. I’ll never have been so close to a Eurovision stage!
Whilst there we had a listen to Hungary. She has one of the simplest, gentlest songs this year, fitting of her anti-war theme. It’s staged very well, still with the backing singers coming to join her in formation whist the backdrop shows guns animating into a tree. I don’t like this but Boggie does perform it very well and the arena acoustics are incredible in showcasing her voice.
We stayed for the first run through of Belarus too, also impressive vocally. Maimuna gives a good fiddle as backing to Uzari’s emoting. This is still middling for me, it could go either way. In fact this whole semi is becoming much like that today now that I’m seeing how they’re all coming together. I’ll never be able to work out what to write on the serviette of doom when we come to do our predictions!
Monty x