Throw away your football paraphernalia for one weekend. Frock up, the more sequins the better. Don the uggs. Put the pies in the warmer. Fill the fridge with Margarita makings. Lay up on the snacks and prepare for a serious weekend on the couch.
I wanted to put Bulgaria’s Krassimir up here, because really, they had everything. They had the smoke. They had the wall of flame. They had the explosions. They had clowns dancing on stilts. They had huge wigs. They had chain mail! They had practically the loudest costumes, although I think Sweden outdid them in sheer “WTF??!” value. They don’t call him Krassimir for nothing! But sadly, their song is not up on YouTube yet, except in rehearsal. So I will put up Sweden’s instead, which brings the weird most admirably.
Update: Since that particular embed appears to break the blog (and no wonder really), I’ve replaced it with a link, and also a link to the official website to check out the other participants.
Iceland’s entry was so incredibly good it almost looked too good for Eurovision. And what’s with Germany not even making the semi finals?
The first semi had a much better lot of music than in the past, there was some genuinely good stuff with Portugal a slight standout for me.
But it was that dynamic stage that was the greatest performer of the night. Acts really have to be at least half decent or they get upstaged or overwhelmed by it.
The stand out, so far, was the vote counting entertainment. The Red Army Choir was brilliant…hats, drums ,singing, hip-hop,,,,,,,,,!
Who could forget one of their finest ever past performances ever with the cowboys?
SBS’s commentary team was really underwhelming. I expected a lot better from Julia Zemiro.
They sounded oddly subdued.
“They sounded oddly subdued.”
Maybe it’s contrast that they are aiming for.
Tssk @ 1
Germany does not have to “qualify” via the semi finals. They, along with UK, France and Spain are automatically in the final, along with the host nation as per the rules. I think it has something to do with their broadcasting companies providing the lion’s share of the the funding for the broadcasts – not the staging which is the host nation’s responsibility.
“2. Rules for participation in the ESC
1) A maximum total of 45 Active EBU Members shall be allowed to participate in the
ESC.
2) Active EBU Members from a maximum total of 25 countries shall compete in the
Grand Final. There shall be five guaranteed places in the Grand Final, i.e. one for the
Host Broadcaster and four for EBU Members from Germany, Spain, France and the
United Kingdom.”
http://www.sbs.com.au/eurovision/ has previews – not the final show of bulgaria, but still out there. ANd what was with the czechs?
oh, I just checked sbs…. it has the full episode there now
My favourite was the Maltese diva.
Fine, we were torn about the Maltese diva – loved her, hated the song. But I’m a bit anti power ballad. We’re watching her with interest in the final.
Subdued, yeah. I was hoping for a bit more gentle snark. Too bad we probably won’t get to hear Graeme Norton’s version of the commentary now that Terry Wogan has retired.
I miss Terry Wogan.
What’s with all the acrobats? Seems like there’s no song that can’t be improved by someone doing a few backflips.
The SBS commentary team are woeful! And most of the songs I’ve heard so far sound the same to me. I’m just getting old I think! LOL.
Well yes, I am old as I remember watching the competition in the late 50′s and early 60′s on BBC.
I miss him so much…
I’m so glad that Italy has refused to participate since 1997.
I bought a packet of Iced-Vo-Vo’s to snack on during events. I think it’s an appropriate choice. Sweet, artificial, absurd. Choc Royals were the other option.
They’re too busy with San Remo instead, which has both new talent and established Italian Performances.
And even songs which have rude words win San Remo.
What? No death metal bands? Im going to start a Bring Back Lordy Lordy page on Facebook. Outrageous. All we got this year was Fiddler on the Roof at Cirque de Soleil. mmm.
ha ha ha Frank! Choice! Italian dirty beat poetry at San Remo. Minchia Signor Tenente…Im going to play that to my mother . I haven’t seen her purse her lips in years and I reckon this will do it.
Brickbats to crumby old Aunty ABC News for announcing the winner of Eurovision, this morning, without so much as a spoiler warning.
As much as I love Julia I would rather have Graeme/Graham Norton – he’s funnier and a bit of a naughty boy. The two of them together might go well though.
Joe2, it’s on the AGE front page too today. THANKS FOR NOTHING FAIRFAX.
I’m glad Iceland got due credit but v sad at lack of interest for Sasha (Lithuania) – he really is a class act – I was blown away by his singing and song.
Here’s Lithuania.
In the end, SO and I couldn’t go past Portugal.
Daughter is squee-ing and making goo-goo eyes over Norway. He is undeniably as cute as a button and must have benefited hugely from the younger vote!
I was a bit shocked at the standard this year. There actually were some reasonable acts. Not sure how that happened.
Julia and Sam were pretty good. It’s a tough gig to take on and my bet is they will have a very nice little act going by next year.
And Helen, tell your daughter that Norway should have been disqualified because the young man had a very scruffy violin bow.
Julia and Sam were much improved from the semis. Took them a while to find their sea legs.
We collaborated on a suitable tag line for this year’s gig: “In Soviet Russia, Eurovision watches you!”. Inspired, partly, by the charmingly self-deprecating half-time skits.
I was a bit shocked at the standard this year. There actually were some reasonable acts.
It’s going downhill. I looked in vain for scandinavian hair /guitar bands.
Norway should have been disqualified because the young man had a very scruffy violin bow.
In Melbourne that would be a de rigeur feature of calculated raffish bohemianism.
I think subdued was what they were trying to achieve.
I don’t miss Terry Wogan. He went from being passably arch, dry and sometimes even droll to rude, self-pitying drunk and embittered. By 2007 you couldn’t listen to him.
Having a boring wanker at a party dumping shit on everything he sees is no fun for anyone. (I’ve made the parallel journey more than once, it’s not even fun if it’s you).
Will no-one mention the Shiny German Pants? Fantastic.
“Will no-one mention the Shiny German Pants? Fantastic.”
http://www.sbs.com.au/eurovision/country/final/id/22/n/Germany
@ Helen
It’s going downhill. I looked in vain for scandinavian hair /guitar bands.
As did I and stopped watching in disgust. Eurovision peaked with Lordi.
And why are so many countries now taking it so seriously now? Have they not learned from Ireland?
Well you can understand my initial confusion about who was in or not. I saw Germanies entry quickly played in the semi’s next to the UK and just assumed.
I still think Iceland was seriously ripped off, still Norway was quite good. I’m glad one of the dreadfully ernest songs didn’t get the gong.
Next it’s Asiavision in July.
Wow, those Chermanz can really tanzen.
The Maltese lass had the best voice, with possibly the worst song. Unfortunate.
Liam!! I loved the shiny German pants. No really!! As I said to my Eurovision viewing partner who I wont name here but who exhibited the usual predilections for purple – “now thems tight pants, now we are talkin”. But the one that really rocked my world – was the faceless glittery green man groping the Albanian girl. Lucky lucky Albania woman – not only midget brothers but that god of a green freak in tight lycra looking up her skirt. Why is it that women always fall for the faceless green glittery ones? God, when I saw that faceless face, and formless body, and mindless mind – I thought – there goes my slipperiest most verdant dream man of my wierdest dreams.
Sounds like a Eurovision song title in itself, Case.
Y’all recall that old chestnut about how countries that host MacDonald’s franchises never to go war with eacchother anymore. I believe it’s been proved wrong at least once (probably in the 90s Balkans cockfight) but I think the central principle is still valid.
Especially for Europe. Two generations ago, the place tore itself in the worst war ever. Now the same energy is going into musical chants, crap designer clothes and big hair and flaunted balls.
And that’s just the soccer.
Eurovision is even better at sublimating tribal chestbeating into crap but merry singalongs.
The moment a bunch of Swedes launched into a disco love song song named after an English/French/Prussian punchup fought in Belgium and run at either end by an Irishman and a Corsican was the moment you realised the current EU would never host a battle of that magnitude again.
You forgot about the Cod War, Nabokov.
And there was another little disco inferno earlier in the year.