Eurovision Song Contest - Semi Final 1 (Tuesday 25th May 2009)

[Corki]

And we are just about to start the big start - Eurovision 2010 will officially be underway. The 55th Eurovision ever! And I will be your host for this evening's entertainment, passing my glorious comments on tonight's proceedings. I haven't had a big look into the songs tonight, so I have no idea what will be in our mixed bag of goodies tonight!

 

And just a quick rundown on how tonight is to work. 5 countries (Norway as last year's winners, UK, France, Germany and Spain) are all guarenteed a place in the final. However, the remaining 37 countries (I think) have to battle it out for the remaining 20 places. So tonight is the first of the semi-finals. 17 countries are competing, aiming to get one of those 10 places. And you can vote while you listen, which is new this year. As is the national jury system in addition to the public vote.

 

So, go and grab something to drink and eat, and let's enjoy the evening's entertainment. Not long left to go now!

 

Not long to go now...

[Corki]

And we are off!

[Corki]

As is the voting - well, not in the UK though, as we will be voting on Thursday.

[Corki]

As DM is being annoying tonight, I will get my comments up at some stage.

 

But I am not impressed at all at the moment. Malta (currently on stage) is the best so far.

 

Follow me on Twitter (@DM_BotRH) if you want to get involved.

[Majsju]

Finland and Estonia best so far, followed by Russia.

 

Currently watching Greece...Did they not send more or less the exact same thing one or two years ago? Feels extremely familiar, down to the white clothes.

[Corki]

I think we should vote for Greece to bankrupt them...and Germany at the same time!  ;D And they did send something similar.

 

Loving the Portuguese girl's vocals. Best of the vocals so far tonight.

[Majsju]

And she is also the pretiest singer so far ;D

 

Also, bonus point to Portugal for continuing to refuse singing in English.

[Corki]

Oh, the joys of Macedonian rap! It wasn't a bad song.

[Corki]

The ten I would send through are:

 

1. Bosnia-Herzegovina

2. Finland

3. Latvia

4. Russia

5. Poland

6. Malta

7. Albania

8. Portugal

9. FYR of Macedonia

10. Iceland

[Corki]

Corki's comments on all 17 songs!

 

1. Moldova

- a fiddle player --> reminders of Norway 2009, and it lights up!

- Europopy

- some cheesy saxophone music, which I like

- not the greatest start --> a bit flat

 

2. Russia

- the BBC called it "3 minutes of misery"

- sombre!

- popera-ish

- quite simple

 

3. Estonia

- billed as anti-Eurovision

- not as anti-Eurovision as I expected

- screechy vocals when the singer gets excited

- quite a clever song

 

4. Slovakia

- lots of stage props --> it's a forest!

- singing doesn't seem to fit music

- who is the fairy godmother?

- a bit monotone

- crowd liked it --> No. 1 in Slovakia

 

5. Finland

- Folk music

- accordion music, which is getting the crowd going

- something you would expect from Ireland...

- we have a jack in the box on the stage

- didn't do much for me, but crowd loved it

 

6. Latvia

- is she going to bed?

- is she going to smile?

- best vocalist so far, in my opinion

- is it the year of the accordion?

- another simple song

- thumbs up from me and the crowd

 

7. Serbia

- lots of flashing lights

- what a hair cut! --> is he a woman?

- klesma-esk

- is he actually singing in that echoey voice?

- does nothing for me --> and I hope things get better in Eurovision!

[Majsju]

Moldova 2

Russia 3

Estonia 3+

Slovakia 2+

Finland 4

Latvia 1

Serbia 2

Bosnia & Hercegovina 1

Poland 2-

Belgium 2-

Malta 3-

Albania 3+

Greece 4

Portugal 3+

Macedonia 2+

Belarus 2-

Iceland 4-

 

Haha, you picked the two songs I gave a 1 ;D Other than that, our lists seem exactly the same.

My 10 would be

Finland

Greece

Iceland

Estonia

Albania

Portugal

Russia

Malta

Slovakia

Macedonia

 

If next semifinal is no better than this, saturdays final will be torture.

[Corki]

I am liking the look of the Croatian ladies!  ;D

[Corki]

Thursday looks better with the brief clips I have seen!

[Corki]

More comments on the songs...

 

8. Bosnia-Herzegovina

- only rock entry of the night, according to the BBC

- does he really need all those backing singers?

- a guitar solo in Eurovision

- I like his red jacket!  ;D

- gets a thumbs up from me

- lukewarm reception

 

9. Poland

- a strange start --> it's an apple eating cult

- very peculiar on stage antics

- mock death on stage?

- a really odd song...

 

10. Belgium

- nice and simple --> man and guitar

- a bit bland

- ballady, but does nothing for me

- crowd liked it

- artist was 2nd in Flemish in X-factor

 

11. Malta

- typical Maltese entry --> big female vocals!

- big voice --> best of the night so far!

- simple --> but effective --> what the hell is that bird?

- big thumbs up from me

 

12. Albania

- pop song finally! --> no more dullness for a bit!

- and another fiddle! What did Norway start?

- her outfit is a it spacey and futuristic

- one of the better songs of the night so far...

[Corki]

The qualifiers are:

 

1. Bosnia-Herzegovina

2. Moldova

3. Russia

4. Greece

5. Portugal

6. Belarus

7. Serbia - wtf??

8. Belgium - wtf??

9. Albania

10. Iceland

 

So I got 5 out of 10 correct

[Corki]

And the final 5 songs!

 

13. Greece

- it's our bankrupt friends from Europe!

- can we make Greece win to bankrupt them even more?

- seems traditional with a poppy feel

- backing singers/dancers look like they have just left the Prince of Persia stage

- a Greek fiddle

- crowd loved it

 

14. Portugal

- best voice of the night so far

- another ballad

- fantastic

- crowd loved it

 

15. FYR of Macedonia

- needs more to make his vocals stronger...

- ...I'll take that back as they are growing

- most scantily clad girls of the night!

- time for some Macedonian rap

- and more guitar solos!

- I quite liked that

 

16. Belarus

- I need some sunglasses for those dresses!

- nice clean male vocals

- chorus seems a bit of mish-mash --> doesn't work

- more wing-like props in the shape of butterflies

- wasn't that bad

 

17. Iceland

- last song of the night, and is a mix of English and French

- big cheer at the start

- seems a cross of the last two years for Iceland --> ballad meets dance

- big, big voice

- catchy --> unlike the other songs of the night

- huge cheer at the end

- big eruption!  ;D

[Majsju]

Some really bad songs going through. But then, that is the price you pay for allowing the uneducated peasants to vote, instead of leaving the decision to jurys who knows what they are doing.

[Corki]

I am totally baffled by how both Serbia and Belgium got through. I am disappointed that Macedonia didn't qualify as I thought that was a good song.

 

Roll on Thursday and what should be better songs!

[Mystica]

*kicks the MG in the shins* Excuise me! :P Belgium did better than some of those jokers, we deserve to go through, even if we don't deserve to win the finals.

 

What I'm most dissapointed at is that Malta didn't go through. That is the only song that actually had me in goosebumps. Iceland, HAD to go through. Malta and Iceland stood head, shoulders ànd torso above all the others.

 

Portugal...... are you flaming kidding me? Typical men...... give them a pair of pretty eyes and they instantly go tonedeaf.  ::) Pretty girl, yes. Couldn't sing for chit. She yelled, instead of singing :P

 

 

 

I agree with letting a jury of professionals decide, like in the old days. However, don't be fooled. Not all of them will be unbiased. The label companies will be very biased towards 'selling opportunities', the local television/radio 'experts' will be just as biased (and probably pressured) towards their neighbours and the other jurors might not be much better. Still..... it's better than what it has been since they allowed people to vote.

 

 

 

[Corki]

Belgium was dull and bland. It was only moderately better than Serbia.

[Majsju]

Belgium was absolutely pointless. Boring voice, boring music, probably boring lyrics (all I remember is that he likes his guitar...)

 

Very disappointed that Finland did not go through, only song that was actually interesting.

[Corki]

I would rather watch paint dry than listen to Belgium's song. I hope it gets "nul point" on Saturday. It deserves it.

[Mystica]

lmao.... it was necessary to make two posts about how much you hated it? Wow... I'm glad we made at least an impression strong enough that you felt the uncontrollable urge to really voice your hatred. I would post a few more times on how worthless it was though. Just to make sure everyone and their butcher's grandchild thoroughly understand what you're trying to get across here.

 

 

[Majsju]

I am just getting warmed up for my coming post about how much Swedens entry suck. ;D