Dressed to impress, once again…

Wednesday was a much damper day in Moscow, and the rehearsals for the second semi-final (broadcast on BBC3 at 8.00pm on Thursday) are underway.  I had at first thought that this was the better of the semis, but after the performances on Wednesday I was left somewhat underwhelmed.  Having said that the stage continues to be the star of the show.  I hope that it is coming across well on TV wherever you’re watching…

Some good songs in the second semi are actually undermined by somewhat dull staging – I’m thinking Estonia in particular.  And as I feared in the rehearsal stage (see earlier entry), poor Poland was * terrible* – she started in the wrong key and couldn’t recover.

Sakis Rouvas (above) did not disappoint from a performance point of view – although the vocals were not at full strength… and why should they be – it’s the bloomin’ dress rehearsal.  The frenzy is building, let me tell you. I’ve championed it from the start, and I’m not going to stop now – but Bosnia and Iceland will run it close.  We might also underestimate what a star Sakis is in Greece. My flatmate this week, Apostolos, went back for second helpings at the second rehearsal on Wednesday – as they’re all so behind the song now. Don’t miss it – you promise?!

In brief: views for the second semi-final (the ‘napkin of doom’ is on the way!):

Ireland:  a good effort that I would like to see qualify. 

Serbia: This is the one to refresh the drinks and pass round the nibbles!  It’s like listening to a couple having an argument!

Norway: I still can’t see how this is the almost certian fave to win. I like the tune, but dislike the staging – they kinda don’t complement each other.  That said,  if the teenage girls of Europe go for Harry Potter, then this’ll win it by a country mile…

See what Alexander thought of it…

(nice camera work from me, eh?!)

Azerbaijan: despite my grumbes about the mix of the song, this is sailing through, and could well be top 5 at the end of the contest.

Albania: now this is a song that I quite lke, but today the dancing jelly baby/morph mutant left me fearing the worst… it could well cost it votes, like the stilts did for Bulgaria in the first semi-final.

Ukraine: for those of you who might have given your children too many sweets, and then lived to regret it – then this is what your Eurovision entry would look like if you gave it too many sweets.  The song is good, but the circus is in town when it comes to the staging.  Having said that (here comes the media lecturer in me!), look out for the stunning camera run that goes from the back of the auditorium and then switches to steady cam around the perfomer in one seamless move – it’s fab! Shot of the contest.  Taxi for Jackson the geek, anyone?

The Netherlands:  my fear is that, unfortunately, the song might make some people remove the ‘N’ an insert a ‘T’…

Enjoy – and let’s see what the ‘napkin of doom’ will say later…