Day 1 - BEL-MNT-FIN

FINLAND

Lots of swirling blue lights that turn red by the end. Some sweeping steadicam shots and an appropriate close-up of the piano-playing hands at the start of the piano bit. Not desperately interesting really.

I think I want this to be a bit more special, but it does what it needs to and is certainly a contrast to what comes before. It is, dare I say it, competent. Oh dear.

Ah, they added some dry ice, which adds to the mood nicely. It's very classy, again contrasting to what comes before. And I like the way the colour changes almost without you noticing it. And the floor graphics combined with the dry ice look really good.

Not completely sure about Leena's vocals, maybe a tad shrill.

Now, a little break before the last two of the day.


MONTENEGRO

If someone could teach Blanche something about confidence and stage presence...

Oh lordy me. After a series of quite dull performances, this comes across as kind of amazing. Saturday night needs this.

At one point Slavko lies on the floor on top of a huge close-up of his face on the video.

He struts, waves his braid and camps it up in exactly the way you'd expect. After some quite run of the mill entries to start this semi, it really wakes you up.

Hidden backings, this was vocally fine (for what it is) except for a falsetto moment. Goodness knows what the juries will make of this.


BELGIUM

The stage is a danger zone in which Blanche is all alone, with her mic stand.

This was rather dull on first run through, just standing there with a few bits of arm choreography. Lots of white beams of light. Hopefully something more interesting will happen in later run-throughs.

There was a very long gap before we saw another run-through. And the hand moves are very awkward and she looks so so scared. Vocally just about OK (edit: apart from THAT note just then) and some nice lighting effects could lift this. Maybe.

The best thing are the floor lights. Really.

Too many easy jokes to be made here about being in the danger zone and losing it all. Make them yourselves.


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It will be an afternoon of contrasts - Belgium, Montenegro and Finland!