So that's it for today. But a word on the on-screen graphics, which we've had some glimpses of.
Very clear font and easy to read, with the country name in GIANT capitals, but song title etc also clear. Whereas in Stockholm last year they appeared more in the middle of the screen (IIRC), we now have a more traditional bottom right placement.
IRELAND
They have a hot air balloon. He's trying to fly?
Vocally adequate. He stands on a podium which is the basket of said hot air balloon, It's an interesting visual but doesn't develop. You are waiting for it to take off.
Hidden backing singers sound good.
It's all very black and red. There's sort of a mountainscape or moonscape or something behind him, but like a line drawing, not actual mountains or moons or anything. It needs lightening up.
The basic idea here is fine, but after the initial "oooh" at the balloon you're left waiting for something to happen (will he take off? will the backing singers appear in their own balloons?) and nothing does. The only thing is a wind machine wafting at his shirt with the bottom button undone, revealing some pale Irish tummy.
DENMARK
I am bored of competent people all alone on stage.
Singing well, but it's a bit of a visual bore. She wanders about it and then does an Anna Vissi towards the end, on her knees thumping the floor.
And let's hope what she is wearing won't be her final outfit.
Pyro curtain!
Bringing you all the news and gossip from the rehearsals in Malmo
Tuesday, 2 May 2017
Day 3 - ROM-NED-HUN
Posted by
Roger
HUNGARY
We have an glittery vase on stage, which is one of those instruments very popular in Eurovision in the mid 1990s.
Violinist on the satellite stage, dancer on stage with Joci. He's looking ever so slightly terrified during the performance, but is also smiley once it's done, so maybe he is just feeling the lyrics. Could do with softening up though
This is basically the performance we've seen before. I think the vase/instrument just gets in the way as it is used so little, it's just a distraction. Some pyro surrounding him and the girl when they do their little dance. Doves on backdrop.
Maybe I need more coffee, I'm struggling to keep an interest in this one, and it's a song I really like.
NETHERLANDS
CRY NO MORE it says insistently from the LED wall.
Vocally strong (no surprise), rather well dressed (surprise), some subtle backdrop references to sick mother (holding hands etc). Some minor choreography, turn left, turn right, a mini-strut to the front.
Some more literal stuff here (sing about candles, fill the LED floor with candles - sing angel, fill LED floor with an angel), but it works. Some of the moves seem a bit forced, but overall a very good impression.
Lovely last shot zooming into the trio, unlike the dodgy long shots we have seen at the end of some other performances.
ROMANIA
We have an glittery vase on stage, which is one of those instruments very popular in Eurovision in the mid 1990s.
Violinist on the satellite stage, dancer on stage with Joci. He's looking ever so slightly terrified during the performance, but is also smiley once it's done, so maybe he is just feeling the lyrics. Could do with softening up though
This is basically the performance we've seen before. I think the vase/instrument just gets in the way as it is used so little, it's just a distraction. Some pyro surrounding him and the girl when they do their little dance. Doves on backdrop.
Maybe I need more coffee, I'm struggling to keep an interest in this one, and it's a song I really like.
NETHERLANDS
CRY NO MORE it says insistently from the LED wall.
Vocally strong (no surprise), rather well dressed (surprise), some subtle backdrop references to sick mother (holding hands etc). Some minor choreography, turn left, turn right, a mini-strut to the front.
Some more literal stuff here (sing about candles, fill the LED floor with candles - sing angel, fill LED floor with an angel), but it works. Some of the moves seem a bit forced, but overall a very good impression.
Lovely last shot zooming into the trio, unlike the dodgy long shots we have seen at the end of some other performances.
ROMANIA
Gosh.
They know they have a silly song and they are flaunting that silliness completely. Lots of colour, the song title splashed across the LED wall, lots of colour.
And the most literal interpretation of a glitter cannon you will ever see.
Alex rides his cannon in a manner that garnered applause from the press boys.
Ouch, final run through and Alex thrust his cannon too forcefully rendering it un-mountable. He ended flat on his back, visibly shaken by the large prop.
They know they have a silly song and they are flaunting that silliness completely. Lots of colour, the song title splashed across the LED wall, lots of colour.
And the most literal interpretation of a glitter cannon you will ever see.
Alex rides his cannon in a manner that garnered applause from the press boys.
Ouch, final run through and Alex thrust his cannon too forcefully rendering it un-mountable. He ended flat on his back, visibly shaken by the large prop.
Day 3 - SRB-AUT-MKD-MLT
Posted by
Roger
MALTA
Most things would have sounded vocally good after Macedonia, Claudia sounds amazing. The strong voice means you almost don't notice it's another woman in white with a blue backdrop.
Another one using images of her self on the backdrop. Including a very off-putting close up of her chest, it looks like she's standing in her own cleavage.
Unlike all the other singers alone on stage, Claudia doesn't look lost.
This feels very much like a potential qualifier. But they need to rethink the backdrop and maybe do something at the end. It just stops.
MACEDONIA
She does, indeed, dance alone.
To quote Paul - "it's okayish". In fairness, that's more than we were expecting.
Vocally she's getting worse each time, but is adequate.
The dance moves are as cheap has hell though. Looks likes she's auditioning for a job at one of the gentelemen's clubs nearby.
You have to hand it to Jana though - giving hope to amateurs everywhere.
AUSTRIA
Very few of this year's singers can work the camera like Nathan. Some excellent close-ups to start this when he is sitting on a crescent moon, with lovely purple storm cloud type backdrop.
After the first chorus he jumps off the moon and moves around a bit being cute and smiley.
Backing singers appear (YAY!) towards the end with Nathan back on the moon and then *gasp* runs on the air!
It's all very cute, maybe too cute? Nathan doesn't look very elegant when he mounts his moon, so need to work a bit on the camera angles.
SERBIA
She's in white and the stage is blue. On her own for a lot of the song, then open-shirted male dancer appears and flounces around.
Awkward moment at the start of the final chorus when Tijana manages to sing without even opening her mouth due to the unseen backing vocals.
This staging is very generic and unexciting, although there are a couple of nice overhead shots with swirling watery images on the floor. Tijana is singing as well as anyone can at 10 in the morning.
Feels like a very long three minutes. She's on her own on the stage for too long and when the dancer arrives he doesn't bring very much. On the positive side, Tijana does comes across as quite likeable/votable (despite some unflattering face contortions).
****
Good morning.
It's day 3 of rehearsals, and we'll get to see the first half of semi two. For the occasion the air conditioning in the press centre has been set to "Austrian mountain".
Most things would have sounded vocally good after Macedonia, Claudia sounds amazing. The strong voice means you almost don't notice it's another woman in white with a blue backdrop.
Another one using images of her self on the backdrop. Including a very off-putting close up of her chest, it looks like she's standing in her own cleavage.
Unlike all the other singers alone on stage, Claudia doesn't look lost.
This feels very much like a potential qualifier. But they need to rethink the backdrop and maybe do something at the end. It just stops.
MACEDONIA
She does, indeed, dance alone.
To quote Paul - "it's okayish". In fairness, that's more than we were expecting.
Vocally she's getting worse each time, but is adequate.
The dance moves are as cheap has hell though. Looks likes she's auditioning for a job at one of the gentelemen's clubs nearby.
You have to hand it to Jana though - giving hope to amateurs everywhere.
AUSTRIA
Very few of this year's singers can work the camera like Nathan. Some excellent close-ups to start this when he is sitting on a crescent moon, with lovely purple storm cloud type backdrop.
After the first chorus he jumps off the moon and moves around a bit being cute and smiley.
Backing singers appear (YAY!) towards the end with Nathan back on the moon and then *gasp* runs on the air!
It's all very cute, maybe too cute? Nathan doesn't look very elegant when he mounts his moon, so need to work a bit on the camera angles.
SERBIA
She's in white and the stage is blue. On her own for a lot of the song, then open-shirted male dancer appears and flounces around.
Awkward moment at the start of the final chorus when Tijana manages to sing without even opening her mouth due to the unseen backing vocals.
This staging is very generic and unexciting, although there are a couple of nice overhead shots with swirling watery images on the floor. Tijana is singing as well as anyone can at 10 in the morning.
Feels like a very long three minutes. She's on her own on the stage for too long and when the dancer arrives he doesn't bring very much. On the positive side, Tijana does comes across as quite likeable/votable (despite some unflattering face contortions).
****
Good morning.
It's day 3 of rehearsals, and we'll get to see the first half of semi two. For the occasion the air conditioning in the press centre has been set to "Austrian mountain".
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