Thursday 14 May 2015

Day 4 rehearsals: SE, CH, CY, SI + PL

This will be a test. Our first five-song session!

SWEDEN

And we have a delay:

So there we have it. Essentially the MF performance, with red and white light and the same routine and interaction with the animated guy (albeit a different animated guy).

Essentially the national final performance is the Nordic motto this year.

A couple more runs and some minor changes to a few camera angles and such forth. Very much going through the motions. Waiting to see what SKANDAL the Swedish press manage to make out of this....

The most surprising thing was seeing Måns sweat, I thought he was a superhuman who didn't.

SWITZERLAND

Melanie in a white dress with blue cape, with another foresty backdrop. Good vocals on first run through. Backing singers are doing some drum banging. It could almost be 2005.

This is very blue.

"I'm walking in the darkness". Yes dear, it's called the Eurovision 2015 stage.

Some dry ice has been added to the beginning added to the fairytale forest image, and in the final chorus we get some sort of geysirs exploding. I always liked the song, and I think it is looking good on screen.

CYPRUS

This is one of my favourites so I am totally biased here. LOVE!  Starts in black and white, the backdrop goes starlit sky and then there some fireworky things. Got my first goosebumps of the week.

Trying some different kind of firework graphics second time round, less obviously fireworks and that's probably better as they come on the "I should have been there for you" bits.

It's a big giant awwww of a song. That is all.

SLOVENIA

Well that was predictable. Trying to be all Nordic, they're doing the NF performance. And as with the Nordics, nothing new meant it felt a bit underwhelming maybe. At least there was no blue. Gold and yellow is the main colour here.

I realise I'm starting to repeat myself. Competent. Solid. But it does feel rather tame. Maybe expectations were too high. Some here are more impressed, others are even questioning the qualification. So as usual, we know nothing.

There is maybe too much wind machine. Marjetka's hair is a right mess at the end of the third run through, And Raay is struggling to click his fingers in time with the music.

Was it really necessary to bring two backing vocalists along just to sing one line?

OK, this is a lot of nitpicking. It's still my fave song.

POLAND

Monika is centre-stage in her wheelchair, which gets "revealed" at the start of the first chorus. Three backing singers, and a piano on stage with her. Singing well. Purple and pink blossom on the back wall. Similar colours to the Oslo 2010 logo.

Good vocals, but the song is still deadly dull. Monika blows us a kiss at the end of the second run.

This thing has an audience, and the performane certainly sells it to this audience without ever risking winning over anyone else. I just hope this audience are sitting in front of their TVs next Thursday.

Monika appears to be quaffing a sizeable G&T between each take.

OK, so now I'm just thirsty. That'll be all from today's rolling blog.

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