Monday 11 May 2015

Day 1 rehearsals: FI, GR, EE + MK

After a nice bit of ravioli in the canteen (with very friendly staff, well done), we're ready to rock and roll with today's second quartet.

FINLAND

The sound check had them dropping "Testing testing 1 2", preferring "Oh yeah, fuck". Already love them!

There's actually very little to say about this. They do their thing, they are clearly having fun and that comes across very well. Plenty of dry ice and zooming in and out camerawork.

And a cute "thank you ladies and gentlemen" and the end of the third run through.

GREECE

Fun fact: you can't hear the rehearsals in the toilet.

Anyway. Maria Elena can really sing, she's wearing a nice glittery dress and it is a fairly straightforward staging befitting of the song with a piano on stage and dark blue lighting. But the song. Is. So. Boring.

There is really nothing more to say.

ESTONIA

Oh, having a fanboy moment. Have always loved this song but was a bit unsure how the staging would work. On the first run through it is very promising indeed. Some very cool overhead shots with silhouettes and just about the right amount of interaction,

All kinds of camera issues though. The overhead silhouetty shots seem to be causing problems, but the singers find the cameras and look suitably miserable.

Much improved now. That's what rehearsals are for!

MACEDONIA

Hmm, difficult one, this. Vocally excellent (like just about everyone today in fact), a really nice back-drop depicting a lovely corner of one of Skopje's parks, or thereabouts, with autumn leaves floating around. Presumably this is why Daniel is wearing a raincoat. However, there is some horrendous choreography (Daniel can't dance) which gives it the unfortunate look of a third rate 90s boyband (with his three backing singers).

Actually it's not really a park. More like a monument with columns. But it's autumn. And there are leaves.

Or maybe a mausoleum?

And thus ends Day One.

4 comments:

  1. Your comment on the Macedonian vocals is interesting, as it sounded ropey as hell in the eurovision.tv 30-second impression clip...

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    1. On reflection maybe "excellent" was overdoing it a bit. But there was certainly nothing wrong with them.

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  2. Y THEY STOLE GREEK COLUMNS

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  3. This comment has been removed by the author.

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