Tuesday, May 25, 2010

1st Semi Final review

♪Moldova ▼ ►
I always said that the best parts of this were the sax breaks. And the almost iconic electric blue lit guitar.


♪Russia
This is so weird that I almost want it to get through so I can giggle at the bit where the two guys seem to cheer when the lead singer says he's lost and forgotten. In this performance we also got a glimpse of what was actually on that photo - a biro drawing!


Estonia
Good move putting them on just after Russia so that maybe they don't seem quite as strange as they would next to virtually any other act. The video version did at least lend some visual artistry but watching five blond guys in suits just didn't do it for me and surely that won't get through.


Slovakia ▲ ►
At last, someone singing in their own language! Sounds so much better. They've managed to retain that beautiful shade of blue-green and an elfin-like look, although not so sure about the fat fairy. This is a much improved performance and the best so far, but seeming like a very long 3 minutes.


Finland
Love the violinist. Worried about the two blokes in white suits. Chaotic dancing.


Latvia
The video was funny and less tinny sounding. I was looking forward to "What for are we living, Only Mr God knows" but live this girl's rubbish with just polite appluase to follow maybe telling us that won't be going through.


♪Serbia ▲ ►
Can't think of anything to say about this apart from not being able to wonder about that haircut and whether it'll take off over here in the summer. I bet the guy's really popular in the Balkans so should get through and some girls will like him. Decent live performer.


♪Bosnia Herzgovenia
Any song with the line "Thunder and lightning holding hands" has to stand a chance in Eurovision. Apart from an over-muted guitar and slightly staid movements for rocker-types, an improvement on the video.


Poland 
I thought the Russian entry was weird. What is this???? Genuinely don't remember this at all. maybe I couldn't stand the video for long in the first review.


♪Belgium ▲ ►
Nice performance after a nervous start. The audience seemed to be willing him along and if can handle the high notes better on the night he could even do quit well. I hadn't got this a s a top ten but now think it could be.


Malta ▲ ►
A ballad. Bit better than UK's but not a lot. Smart ending.


♪Albania ▲ ►
Much better than the initial video released. Strong performance but a crap song, unfortunately that will be forgotten. Possible top ten. This will go through because it is one of the very few that is a pop song


♪Greece
More worrying men in even more worrying white suits or underwear (apart from one in black playing a cricket bat violin thing). It'll go through but I really wish it doesn't. So do the IMF as that'd be another $1bn they'll need to host it.


♪Portugal
I spent all 3 minutes trying to figure out just what she'd left standing up on the piano. Missed most of the song but it sounded awful.


FYR Macedonia
Improved performance on the awful video. Probably won't go down very well. Old bloke with young girls with very little on. Oh, maybe, it will now I think about it . . .


♪Belarus
Pretty song but lame in English. Watch for the cool dress pop-out near the end. That might put them through but doesn't really matter either way. If the girls had led with the men backing it might have been better.


♪Iceland ▲ ►
Big. Big production. Big girl. Far better than the video and worth a late bet. Just put something on at 70-1 just in case.




I could have done without the annoying female presenter and hope I'll stay patient long enough to complete this. Paddy's fine, though, with some lovely incisive comments and observations.

My ratings:

► means they should go through 
▲ better live than the video 
▼ performance doesn't match the video release
♪ means they were voted through




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