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Just got to watch tonight. The Russian girl is being hyped to heck, the little Ukranian, she makes John Giles feel like Andre the Giant. Ireland is in the tougher semi-final as it's all neighbours so little hope, except....he just has to be top-10. I've not even heard the Irish song, so waiting for a surprise.
The hope is, that because Dolan is from the North, the whole of Northern Ireland will have voted for him.
He got through. Hate the ott "choreography", but the juries are voting again these days, and we last failed to make it out of the semis in 2009.
Great to see Holland get through for the first time in yonks. Denmark got through also, and I feel won the semi final. It covers all the bases.
Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, and Montenegro didn't enjoy the Balkan vote, while there'll be no 12 points from Greece to Cyprus or Turkey though this year. The former didn't make it while the latter didn't bother entering, 10 years since their victory in Riga.
In the cool (muggy) light of morning, the Irish song ticked all the boxes for a good Euro run. Pretty tanned boy, semi-naked male backing dancers (and drummers) and euro beat song, with an ethnic twist. So it wins the gay vote, teen/tween girlie vote and people who are into Irish trad. It's no surprise that when the lad was here he performed at "Moscow's Only Gay Club", which isn't quite true but sure it's worth the headline.
Hope that he does well at the weekend, the competition is pretty poor.
He comes from Strabane UK, not a place reknowned for being either pretty or suntanned, while men attempting to dance look bad with clothes, so without them they look bloody hideous.
As for the vote, a song has to appeal to everyone to qualify. It's the biggest live music show in the world, there is no hiding place for those who can't sing and the public will see through gimmicks. (e.g. Dustin) The song is an average mid-tempo pop song. It will get votes from a wide range of audiences but as a winner, it's not strong enough imo. It will be performed last in the final.
Just turned on the Eurovision before heading to bed - yes, nightmares tonight for sure - and while there's money on the danish young one, it's a so so song. Fancy Ireland to finish top 10, Russia will pick up votes but it's not a good song (she won The Voice of Russia) and it could be NOrway surprising people as they're doing a big twitter push. Like to see someone new win, like Finland, but politics will dictate it won't. I'll make the Irish song then bed.
Ireland were 33/1 to finish where we did, for the second time in 6 years. The winners were Denmark as expected. A fine song that deserved to win. Ukraine put up a competitive performance, while the Balkan challenge fell apart as only Romania made the final. RTE showed the disgust for their result by cutting the coverage before the reprise ended. Shame.
How did I just know mypost would be a Eurovision fan?
I hear he came last. Poor guy. I thought it was an OK song to be fair. The Lithuanian song was good too, a little bland but nice and gothy. Didn't see anything after the fourth or fifth track.
It's amusing seeing Mary Whelan yearly cycle from optimistic to barely contained snark.
Countries west of the Rhine can't win this competition anymore. Thought our song was pretty generic, but half the songs on there tonight were. Liked Malta's the most.
Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Germany have all won in recent years, since the juries came back. Holland and Belgium put up excellent performances this year too. The difference between their entries and ours, is they send professionals who know what they're doing, and do everything as it should. They don't send air hostesses, corner shop contestants, and gimmicks singing incoherently in shopping trolleys. We follow the Brits attitude/approach to the contest, and then blame everyone else for why we finish down the back of the field. We get the results we deserve.Quote:
Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter
it was a rubbish song as well IMHO
A little surprised that Ireland finished so poorly, not overly surprised Denmark won. For sure political/local voting has a place in things, though it looks more like a tour of countries who can afford to pay for the contest - 30million to host it - rather give that to youth sports in Ireland.
Every year Marty Whelan says that the Irish song has been well received and that we're in with a good chance of winning. He had Niamh Kavanagh almost as a shoo-in a few years ago and she was almost last. I thought our entry this year had very little going for it. There has to be a gimmick (like the whistle and the drums for the Danish song) and a repetitive catchy verse (like the Danish). The Spanish sent out a crooner every year and every year they get crucified - they finished just above us as did most of the Big 5 or is it 6, excluding Italy. If a song is good enough it will win despite the block voting.Quote:
Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter
I enjoyed the interval act with the Swedes taking the p out of themselves. However, they should ban the people announcing the scores from the various countries from saying anything other than announcing the scores. It becomes really irritating everyone one of them saying how much they enjoyed the show with some other witticism (not).
I enjoy the whole thing though. Good entertainment, especially trying to guess who will vote for who. Only one vote from the UK? Where were the Nordies when we needed them?
It's been a trend for a while now though. We used to get 12's from the UK constantly, than less and less over the last while. The only way we'd get bloc voting benefits is if the UK broke up.
Greece was my personal favourite, and as usual there was many female acts worth oogling, big fan of the lady's from Belarus and Ukraine.
You should have watched instead the selection process to become a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader which was ESPN Sport I think. Some sports channel anyway as this was apparently a sporting matter. Some unbelievable women there and the excitement of them when they were selected was bizarre. Anyway, I have become a season ticket holder of the Cowboys.
Is this a veiled attempt at disowning him and our shame of getting a "foreigner" to sing for us like that Dana wan!Quote:
Originally Posted by mypost