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Semi finals start RIGHT NOW! I love last year's winning song, anyone watching?

So Greece doesn't want to host it next year then ...

Russia's production value is making me wish I could vote tonight! I liked that Holland's entry was country rather than pop. Makes it stand out!

Måns Zelmerlöw: "At last we can say: WELCOME EUROPE!"

*cue Final Countdown by Europe*

That was a fucking hilarious start to the evening.

And yes, there were some countries whose performances rated at best a

Greece among them, but if the short sample about Sweden's performance at the end was anything to go by, they don't fancy winning either. This year's first semifinal was pretty blah, all in all. Ones that stood out in a good way:

Russia (the visuals for this were right from the land of WTF Awesome!)
Azerbaidzan
Iceland (too bad they didn't make the cut)
Cyprus
Bosnia-Herzegovina (didn't make it)
The Netherlands

Of the rest, I liked Moldova's song compared to some of the others that made it. Disliked Austria's, not bad in itself, but somehow it just rubbed me the wrong way.

Finland was predictably bland and boring and there were seriously better ones in our qualifications, but once more the "expert" panel of judges threw their weight behind a candidate who was much worse than several others competitors. Frankly, almost anyone else from the first round of the UMK quals would have been better. Samppanjataivas by Pää-Äijät would at least have had entertainment value. And since we didn't send them, we deserved to go down in ignominious defeat in the qualification round.

Cyprus legitimately confused me; they looked like rockers ... but sounded a bit too poppy, no? Anyway, good for them for making it in, and Hungary (because I have them in the office pool to win, w00t)!

Edi wrote:Disliked Austria's, not bad in itself, but somehow it just rubbed me the wrong way.

Because she sung it in French?

Crown wrote:Cyprus legitimately confused me; they looked like rockers ... but sounded a bit too poppy, no? Anyway, good for them for making it in, and Hungary (because I have them in the office pool to win, w00t)!

Edi wrote:Disliked Austria's, not bad in itself, but somehow it just rubbed me the wrong way.

Because she sung it in French?

Not that. Not that alone, at any rate. There have been other songs in previous Eurovision contests sung in French that I liked, but for some reason this one was just mildly irritating. Something about the voice, perhaps, going so high and light without a whole lot of power behind it. Could also be because I'm more used to listening to songs in Italian, Spanish and even Portuguese than French, so not being able to make out almost any words from there is doubly annoying.

All in all, I don't really begrudge her the spot in the final, because there weren't too many outstanding songs. I'm still bitter about Portugal not making it to the finals last year. In my opinion Leonor Andrade's song "Há um mar que nos separa" was the best in that whole competition hands down.

And oh yeah, Hungary was good. I liked their entry.

Will be interesting to see how Thursday's semifinal will be. Last year it was ridiculous how bad the difference was quality-wise between the two. In 2015 they packed all the good ones into the first semifinal and almost everything in the second was pure crap, so several songs that had no business being anywhere near the finals got in while several others that should have been in weren't.

I have tickets to semi final 2 tomorrow. Will be leaving Finland today and arriving in Sweden tomorrow.

mr friendly guy wrote:I have tickets to semi final 2 tomorrow. Will be leaving Finland today and arriving in Sweden tomorrow.

Are you travelling by horse and buggy?

Crown wrote:

mr friendly guy wrote:I have tickets to semi final 2 tomorrow. Will be leaving Finland today and arriving in Sweden tomorrow.

Are you travelling by horse and buggy?

You do realise that Finland and Sweden are connected only at northen parts (In Lapland that is) and the most common way to travel between Helsinki and Stockholm is via boat that does indeed take 2 days.

Lord Revan wrote:

Crown wrote:

mr friendly guy wrote:I have tickets to semi final 2 tomorrow. Will be leaving Finland today and arriving in Sweden tomorrow.

Are you travelling by horse and buggy?

You do realise that Finland and Sweden are connected only at northen parts (In Lapland that is) and the most common way to travel between Helsinki and Stockholm is via boat that does indeed take 2 days.

I'm pretty sure that there are airports in Helsinki and Stockholm too right? It's a joke, calm down. And what ferry takes 2 days to get from Helsinki to Stockholm? Venice to Patras is 30hrs at most (for example).

Crown wrote:

Lord Revan wrote:

Crown wrote:
Are you travelling by horse and buggy?

You do realise that Finland and Sweden are connected only at northen parts (In Lapland that is) and the most common way to travel between Helsinki and Stockholm is via boat that does indeed take 2 days.

I'm pretty sure that there are airports in Helsinki and Stockholm too right? It's a joke, calm down. And what ferry takes 2 days to get from Helsinki to Stockholm? Venice to Patras is 30hrs at most (for example).

Well there's isn't an International airport in Helsinki (it's in Vantaa and yes it's called Helsinki international Airport ) and the ferry takes 2 days because it's taking its time it's not meant to be a express line (if you want to sweden today you fly) and it's not literally 48 hours but rather it's overnight.

I am obviously using a TARDIS, duh.

That being said, Viking line ferry has one traveling trom 17.30 and arriving in Stockholm at 10.00. Has a nice buffet where I get to experience Finnish meatballs and some fish dishes which are exquisite.

Latvia seems ok, but didn't strike a chord with me. Lets see if the other entries impress.

So far in the second semi i like Israel's entry. Keep in mind i haven't seen any entries other than my own country so i am watching live for the first time.

Belarus seems to have got a big reaction from the crowd, but a naked guy with cgi wooves might do that. So far i am liking Serbian entry.

I did not like the lyrics for our entry, but good grief, Dani Im has a real strong voice. Imo the strongest so far In terms of voice, but i am still liking the Serb entry.

Bulgaria entry looks like a female version of the nuclear man from Superman 4. Music was not that super.

Liking Denmark's entry so far.

Ukraine's entry didn't jive with me. Georgia used enough strobe lights to bring on an epileptic fit, wait, what was thw song about again. Belgium was ok.

And i swear i am the only Asian person in the crowd. Even the guy i purchased my Australian flag from asked me where i was from. To which i gave him a sheepish look and then answered.

GAH! Won't be on the BBC for another 3 hours ....

Right, iPlayer decided to be a piece of shit and stopped working so I've missed like half the performances ... caught Dami's, what a voice!

Georgia need to go through, just for not being pop!

Dami is through! We're winning the finals!!!!

Well, what a clusterfuck. Taken together with Tuesday's semifinal, that is. On Tuesday, they had nothing but forgettable crap. Tonight they had all the good songs on, meaning again several entries that should have been in the finals were left out.

I liked the Slovenia, Norway and Ireland entries of those that didn't make it. Didn't think much of Latvia, loathed both Georgia and Belgium that made it in. Ukraine's song did not do much for me, but I suppose it does appeal to a lot of folks. Poland, meh. Israel had a good entry and Lithuania put in a really strong performance too.

From what we have seen so far, I'd place the bets on Australia and Lithuania this year. And fuck me, but Dami Im has a voice and then some! Lyrics could have been somewhat better, but never mind, I'll still listen to her sing all day!

Do they sing different songs in the semis than the finals? Doesn't it ruin the final if you've already heard most of the songs? (i know some country just pay there way straight to the final so not all)