Pre-opinion: This has been the love or hate song of the season. I'm on the love camp. And I'm pretty sure there's enough of us to take this to the final, the main question is how far they can go there.
Set up: Lead singer in bare feet.
First run-through: Guitar player is on one bridge, lead singer crossing the other and runs about screaming. Lots of camera attention to the drummer with the nice arms. STAGE DIVE (the guitarist). Post-keychange chorus sounds a bit different from what we know (missing the recorded female singers), but not too different. This is going to look awesome with audience and pyro.
Second run-through: Running with bare feet isn't easy. Doing that wearing a jacket that looks like it was last washed in 1996 should make this even more uncomfortable. But this is all adding up to the incredible energy of this. Very positive reaction in the press centre.
Pyro run-through: Flames during the choruses, all around the stage going in different directions. Fireworks during the bridge. Fire geysers are added to the last chorus. Smells like a semifinal winner to me (and like feet).
Malta
Pre-opinion: I've heard this several times and still don't remember how it goes, except the repeated parts, peated parts. I would write this off if it were in Semi 1, but...
Set up: There's a 4m high box thing (which could be a shower). Heart screen effect, not the 💗 heart, but the kind that has arteries (!)
First run: Well, a lot of €€€ was spent on this. The shower complex is made of LEDs, there's lasers, on-screen effects, you name it. It's impressive if you like this kind of thing. Once Christabelle leaves the shower, a woman dancer replaces her. There's a lot going on, especially on the screen (from humans to tigers to stones), and I don't really notice Christabelle herself.
Second run-through: They're struggling with the on-screen effects a bit, now the heart is in her mouth. Oops. There's so much going on, they're really doing their best to distract from the lack of song.
Last run-through: Heart's still not in the right place, this time in the right side of her chest. Pyro flames are added to the already too busy stage. Press around me is divided on whether this is amazing or too much. Vocals are ok.
Poland
Pre-opinion: I'm no fan of songs with instrumental chorus, unless the instrumental bit is amazeballs which is not the case here. But this kind of song has its fans, so if done right it can make it out of this semi. Expecting a lot of (empty for now) audience shots here.
First run-through: Black stage at starts, in the first chorus the DJ stand and stage arches turn purple around the edge (think Zbudi Se). Pyro geysers in the first chorus. Lukas doesn't get much vocal help, so he'll need to do better than we've heard him so far. Gromee is the real star of this, making little hand dances to the camera.
Second run: Lukas walks the bridge and around the outer circle, high-fiving an imaginary audience member. Vocally better now, but he could still do with help with the higher notes.
Last run-through: We're promised more pyro. We didn't get it. It's coming along though, overall it's doing what it's supposed to, within the vocal limitations.
Georgia
Pre-opinion: One of my favourites this year, but this could easily go from gorgeous and atmospheric to Mižerja #2 if done wrong.
First run-through: They're standing and singing in a row, the extreme two have instruments (keyboard and guitar). Not really finding the cameras (but that's what rehearsals are for etc. etc.). This sounds really good but visually underwhelming. Reminds me of Questa Notte for some reason.
Third run-through: We were promised pyro, but didn't get any. Another one coming soon with waterfall (yay)
Last run: Starts with dry ice (they're over the Nina Sublatti trauma, good), colourful lights on the dry ice look really nice. Running Scared pyro curtain in the very end, revealed dramatically by the camera.
These guys are true music professionals, although they seem to lack experience on large televised stages. It's far from convincing right now, but can do wonders after the a few more rehearsals and director instructions.
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