Rehearsals Day 2

Things roll on in Helsinki...

• Serbia got a very big applause from fans and journalists alike I believe! She's backed up by five ladies in what appear to be black dungarees and white shirts underneath, or something like that anyway. Simple performance, vocally strong, a serious contender for the title now it seems. 'Shivers' and 'goosebumps' are words I've seen describing this one.
• Nothing unexpected from the Czech Republic. Rock performance of a rock song, but it doesn't float my boat.
• Portugal seems to have gone up in people's estimation after today. A light breezy performance with fans and a touch of Strictly Come Dancing! Yep, clever choreography and she's not singing badly either. This is a definite splash of fresh air and could contrast well to the noise that precedes it.
• FYR Macedonia will qualify for a few reasons. 1) She's got a wind machine. 2) She's singing well. 3) There's some "moody business with chairs. 4) It's FYROM.
• Norway have decided to use the old Eurovision stripping technique that faired Buck's Fizz and Marie N so well! Lots of moving and a nice build-up of the performance. But alas people still think this song isn't strong enough to qualify. Hmm, still unsure.
• Malta also has fans on stage, a very active and topless fiddler and a gong! It seems they're going for the full dramatic effect. I've heard good reports about Olivia's vocals but having heard it all it sounds very messy to me. I'm worried that all the action on stage will make it look messier! Hope this one doesn't implode on itself.
• And now onto two real dark horses. Andorra apparantly went down a storm with the Busted like Anonymous doing a simple, teenage-like performance of their song. Their backdrop is numbers which cleverly coincide with the '54321' countdown in the song -clever! For the first time, Andorra look like being serious contendors.
• And as for Hungary, well I saw the video clip and her vocals are amazing. This could do really really well. Simple performance, she's standing by a bus stop with a suitcase and the song tells a story which is conveyed truthfully onstage. Sounds impressive, this could qualify.
• Estonia is much of a muchness really...
• Belgium was getting an OK reception, but I think that the general consensus is that it needs a bit more improving. The vocoder was a problem apparantly. I really want this one to do well and it needs to bring that 'fresh' feel that Portugal seems to be doing at the moment. Vocally he sounded OK, but I think there's room for improvement.
• Alenka Gotar of Slovenia apparantly went down a storm being vocally perfect and entering the stage with arms upraised to suggest "yes, I am here, Slovenia will qualify"! And they may just do that you know! Simple back drop of purple bars, backing singers become more prominent as the song builds, looks good!
• The main complaint with Turkey was that Kenan didn't engage enough with the camera. Otherwise a very good performance I hear with good vocals but perhaps missing some spark?
• Austria is ridiculous. A massive red feathery AIDS ribbon in the centre of the stage lying upon which are backing dancers (also in red feathers) and in the middle of it all, Eric wearing a silver baby boomer. It looks silly. Surely this won't qualify, although it was said to be a strong and memorable show!
• Latvia has not changed much since their national final. Coming on one at a time in their top hats, the singers appear on the stage to give a solid performance although very cheesy so I've heard. I would still think this should go through...

So biggest surprises of the day seem to be Hungary and Andorra, whose odds have now dropped massively! Serbia disappointed some with its simple stage performance and I'm hoping for better things from Belgium on Sunday. But now that all 28 have rehearsed... anyone want to call a top ten? Cos I don't!