Fireworks, Wind Machene and quick costume change are mentioned!
But where are the artists? HELLO HI! Says Conchita from the green room.
Another parade in order of appearance from green room to stage.Waiting for how Monika is coming down. OK, she has helpers. But very tactfully, there is no big show of it. In fact, you need to be focusing to find it. Plus points.
All acts are now on stage "all good looking". Some more than others. We get a shout out to the direct finalists and a slight mention that 10 from the first semi have also joined. We get informed again on how to vote.
Pyro ready! Wind machene ready! And most importantly - VIENNA, ARE YOU READY?
LITHUANIA
Vaidas and Monika went bunjee jumping from a bridge over a river. And had a blast.
His vocals are a bit off but gets better. No kissing by backing but the lead singers do. And cheer! You can hear the kids in the arena cheering their heads off. This makes such a good opener for everyone. It is a decent enough performance. I've always managed to get Lithuania wrong. Say it will fail, it qualifies, say it qualifies it fails ... I'm not playing any more.
IRELAND
Molly gets taken to a bee farm - to continue her addiction to honey. Added to her addiction to chocolate she should stay away from:
Simple enough staging for Ireland but is good for the song. It takes us back to how Ireland used to be when they used to simply win with a decent simple song sung exceedingly well. It's unfortunately a bit too early in the draw though I think. Molly smiles at the end, that simple sweet smile of a young artiste. Deserves good things.
SAN MARINO
Anita and Michele get taken to the Opera. They have a nice dance together dressed to impress.
The world is still spinning in the wrong way - which probably doesn't make much difference to people - but to me it does. IT'S WRONG. There is so much chemistry between these two. You can see they love eachother so much. Really, warms my heart and I can say I feel jealous. I wish someone cared for me as much as the spark between these. I also won the lottery three times in a row and have been told by HRH Prince Harry that William is thinking of leaving Kate for me.
MONTENEGRO
Knez goes finishing. Well, can't see him bungee jump or scale down buildings can we. Nice easy sport for him to do.
Well, this is still doing as well as any Željko song. I quite believe we will see it on Saturday. Staging, singing, lighting, performance - all works.
MALTA
Aber goes jumping out of a plane. She said she always wanted to do this ad it gave her the opportunity to do so. It was freezing.
Coming after Montenegro this just seems, lacking. It's a shame since she is such a sweetie but the Maltese will need all their Saints and Demons routing for them in order to get this through. Then again, a couple of people said it will qualify. So I choose to believe them.
BREAK
Conchita talks to Michele noting that she remembers him from last year - giving the points for San Marino. Michele doesn't understand the question. Fail.
Next in line for a Conchita question, is Molly who is asked about bingo (reference to numbers). Cinchita is shit at maths.
NORWAY
Kjetil and Debrah go on a lake using some (I guess) traditional wooden boats. They go meet some friends. No drowning anyone, still no clearer on what this terrible thing was that he did.
Pure class. The camera work is great. Now, think of how little you will see with the numerous flags in the way. Just a little bit of a smile too quickly on the ending, Kjetil needs to remain moody for just a couple of seconds longer for the effect to take hold.
PORTUGAL
Leonor goes rock climbing. And gets all the way to the top. Well, congrats dear.
It's grown on us. But it took the best part of three months. Three minutes will not be enough for the viewers at home. To get into it I mean, to switch over three minutes is more than enough.
CZECH REPUBLIC
They get a key and walk over a feckingly high suspension bridge to get to a castle. Václav is clad in a knights outfit including helmet.
Marta was at the euroclub last night and said that Václav was feeling a bit unwell but you wouldn't know this listening to the two. Works great and we so want them to qualify - from all the artists I think these are the ones who want it the most - just so they can show what the Czech Republic can do.
ISRAEL
Nadav is taken to spray paint a cable car. He does a good job and then enjoys a ride to the top of the mountain in his artwork.
The kids are loving this. When I first head this I was thinking no, just no. but now ... such a yes. Big fat yes.
LATVIA
Aminata goes running through the streets and forms 'art' with her and her friends aruond the town. They select parts of town, walls, corners, holes, and fill them with their body ... it will make sence when you see it - and it's a good idea.
Vocally it is great. Visually it's good. If Latvia do not get through with this then we know there is something very very wrong with Europe. What else do they need?
AZERBAIJAN
Always seems to be one postcard I totally miss due to some reason or another. Unfortunately this time it was the Azeri one.
The act is second to none. Great backdrop and the story flows and makes sence. Elnur sings well, and the backing accompanies him well. Should find it easy to qualify.
ICELAND
Mistake. The yshowed the postcard for Austria instead of the postcard for Iceland.
Awkward start. Starts too low. María gets back in eventually. You'd think we had northern lights every day in Iceland. She's not managing to get many of the important notes. Has she broke? How will she become unbroken?! Comic genious I am!
BREAK
Apparently, 99% of Icelandic TV viewers watched ESC last year. Great.
Norway is next to be interviewed. Conchita then shuffles her way to the Portuguese table. Her Portuguese is a bit rusty - as is Leonor's answer.
4 famous words - EUROPE, CHARGE YOUR PHONES. Only a few more songs to go.
"Hej to Sweden!"
SWEDEN
Måns is dressed in somethin that looks like a spacesuit. He is accompanied through a cave inside a mountain. The scenery does look moonline - which is why I guess the suit is there.
He is a bit too quick singing the first verse. The package is still exceedigly good, but with songs like Russia and France what will be chosen on Saturday? We are taking it for granted he is there. Huge roar of cheers from audience in hall and in press centre.
SWITZERLAND
Mélanie went ice hockey playing on a frozen lake. Lovely. Frosty the Mascot and all.
Her time to shine - apparently. I think Europe will disagree.
CYPRUS
John goes paddle boarding down a river. He seems thrilled about it. Good ol' John.
Another performance which went simply well. Will it be enough to see him through to Saturday though? Bets are open.
SLOVENIA
Where would they take the Slovenes if it wasn't going to be with Lipizzaner horses? Raay and Marjetka laugh and pet the horsies and then these go galloping though the field.
It's a great song but some of the camera work is a bit - well, not my taste. It looks like there is just something a bit missing. It will still qualify though.
POLAND
Monika gets taken to make tier cakes. We approve. Now let us taste it please.
Nice camera work and strong vocals from Monika but I don't know if this is enough to be in the top 10 on Thursday - which is a shame.
BREAK
"Europe start voting". Recap over we go back to have information melanges about Eurovision and Austria. Austria seems to have invented the world. I thought that was the Greeks. I was mistaken it seems.
Plugging of the DVD and CD. And off to recap number two.
After the recap, jus over 60 seconds left to vote.
We love Arabella: "If you haven't voted yet, you only have ... wait ... look... blablabla seconds left to vote!" She can stay.
Arabella and Alice close the voting after a countdown.
Mirjam then takes us to a mix of clips of when voting went wrong or the best moments from the voting past - you couldn't leave out "I don't have it". Loving this.
We then have a chat with Monika from Poland. Well, her stand-in anyway. No pun intended, that's what they're called. Then on to John from Cyprus. And Måns also will get a quick interview.
Arabella talks to Amber, while Alice then talks to Maraaya. "Thank you and good luck".
Back to the seven direct finalists. Alice announces the big 5, the special guest and the winner of last year.
The cut to the video for these did not work.
They then need a microphone and start talking in German. Since I don't speak it ...
This was the light check and now that it's done we can continue. "Question is, with what?" asks Arabella - again, I need to be her fan.
Repeat of the dialogue previously covered, and videos now work.
Mirjam is with us once the videos are over. She asks Jan Ola if the results are ready. He tries to say something but she doesn't hear him. He repeats that the results are ready.
"That sounds good" replies Mirjam. Arabella and Alice are on stage behind the podium ready to inform us of the 10 qualifiers. Alice speaks in German so no idea what she is going on about.
01. Latvia
02. Switzerland
03. Sweden
still too fast
04. Slovenia
05. Norway
06. Lithuania
07. Iceland
08. Portugal
09. Ireland
"... and the very last country that made it to the grand final of the Eurovisio Song Contest 2015 is ... "
10. Montenegro
It is the largest final ever with 27 countries competing. They do the whole "Good morning Australia, Good night Europe." and it's done.
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