The Finishing Touches
Apologies for not blogging on yesterday’s second finalist rehearsals. From the sound of it, not much change. Ireland’s backdrop is now a flower (much better) and Scooch have dropped the gigantic union jack that was flying behind them. Instead it’s now polka dots in the colours of the flag which is a bit more subtle, and doesn’t shout UK ARE THE BEST to all of unimpressed Europe.
Today, the first dress rehearsals took place for the semi-finalists, the first time the “general public” were let loose! So what went down well?
- It seems the biggest cheers of the evening were for Bulgaria and Latvia! Now I slated that Bulgarian entry and said it would flop… hmm. Time for hat eating perhaps?
- Belarus didn’t go down as well as Cyprus. Interesting.
- Edsilia Rombley turned in a very good performance.
- Everyone couldn’t wait til Albania finished, and Croatia got the quietest applause of the show.
- Serbia was “very good” but not blow-your-head-off-this-could-win “very good”.
- Norway went bigger than Portugal and could qualify. Malta could also qualify. Things are also looking good for Andorra and Hungary.
- Dark horse alert! Belgium went down very well and could really come through on Thursday.
- Austria got an OK response. Mutton dressed as lamb, methinks, but the audience are no fools.
There’ll be another rehearsal this evening, AND tomorrow. As if you couldn’t get enough semi-final action.
Meanwhile, Svante Stockselius has been outlining some admin for the Eurovision winners. They’ll get to go on a winner’s tour of Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, Spain, Germany and Greece! They will also have their footprints set in Helsinki as a sort of shrine.
In the show itself this year, the voting will be FIFTEEN minutes long, not ten! Also there will be two reprises just in case you miss one.
And of Eurovision in the future well… big news. Eurovision Song Contest 2008 will carry the same format as this year, but from 2009 there will be TWO semi-finals. It was rumoured that this would happen and that the two semi-finals would be regionally based, i.e. western and eastern Europe. However, this will not happen, the countries taking place in each semi-final will be determined by a draw. Which is unlucky if Netherlands come up against all the Balkan countries for example. It’s unclear whether the Big 4 will automatically qualify in 2009 :-/
Oh, and next year’s Eurovision will take place on Saturday May 24th with the semi-final on Thursday May 22nd.
*Phew*. Well I think that’s it! Oh, except one thing…
NERLY EVERYONE IN HELSINKI IS SAYING THAT VERKA’S GOT IT IN THE BAG. SHE WILL WIN BY AN ABSOLUTE MILE. THERE IS NO CHANCE FOR ANYONE ELSE.
Be afraid Europe. Be very afraid.
Today, the first dress rehearsals took place for the semi-finalists, the first time the “general public” were let loose! So what went down well?
- It seems the biggest cheers of the evening were for Bulgaria and Latvia! Now I slated that Bulgarian entry and said it would flop… hmm. Time for hat eating perhaps?
- Belarus didn’t go down as well as Cyprus. Interesting.
- Edsilia Rombley turned in a very good performance.
- Everyone couldn’t wait til Albania finished, and Croatia got the quietest applause of the show.
- Serbia was “very good” but not blow-your-head-off-this-could-win “very good”.
- Norway went bigger than Portugal and could qualify. Malta could also qualify. Things are also looking good for Andorra and Hungary.
- Dark horse alert! Belgium went down very well and could really come through on Thursday.
- Austria got an OK response. Mutton dressed as lamb, methinks, but the audience are no fools.
There’ll be another rehearsal this evening, AND tomorrow. As if you couldn’t get enough semi-final action.
Meanwhile, Svante Stockselius has been outlining some admin for the Eurovision winners. They’ll get to go on a winner’s tour of Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, Spain, Germany and Greece! They will also have their footprints set in Helsinki as a sort of shrine.
In the show itself this year, the voting will be FIFTEEN minutes long, not ten! Also there will be two reprises just in case you miss one.
And of Eurovision in the future well… big news. Eurovision Song Contest 2008 will carry the same format as this year, but from 2009 there will be TWO semi-finals. It was rumoured that this would happen and that the two semi-finals would be regionally based, i.e. western and eastern Europe. However, this will not happen, the countries taking place in each semi-final will be determined by a draw. Which is unlucky if Netherlands come up against all the Balkan countries for example. It’s unclear whether the Big 4 will automatically qualify in 2009 :-/
Oh, and next year’s Eurovision will take place on Saturday May 24th with the semi-final on Thursday May 22nd.
*Phew*. Well I think that’s it! Oh, except one thing…
NERLY EVERYONE IN HELSINKI IS SAYING THAT VERKA’S GOT IT IN THE BAG. SHE WILL WIN BY AN ABSOLUTE MILE. THERE IS NO CHANCE FOR ANYONE ELSE.
Be afraid Europe. Be very afraid.
posted by ESCChris at
11:18 AM
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