Greetings from sunny Southport (well it was earlier) on Eurovision Saturday! Tonight the ESC2017 reaches its climax with the Grand Final, after two entertaining semi-finals.<\/p>\n
No one seems to have located my Euro-mojo. I certainly haven\u2019t! Just one of those things this time around, I guess (although you will see my realisation on my comments for song 25, below!). I think the main reason is that, other than Sweden and the departed Finland, I don\u2019t much care who wins. I\u2019m ready to be surprised by the outcome tonight. Italy were dethroned as bookies favourite last night, and it is now Portugal predicted as the next winner. It\u2019s all bonkers for me \u2013 let\u2019s see whether the professional juries and voting public think it\u2019s the best song.<\/p>\n
So, one last time, here are my thoughts on the finalists, who will compete tonight in this running order\u2026<\/p>\n
The last performance of the second semi-final opens the show. Yeah, we need an up-tempo number to get our Euro-party started. Not Israel\u2019s year, and certainly not the strongest song they have sent in the last few years. Mind you, as I said the other day, if pretty boys won the Eurovision, we\u2019d be off to Jerusalem next year.<\/p>\n
No song has ever won from performing second, and that ain\u2019t gonna change this year. I think this is a rather dull ballad, and the early draw will kill it off. Although let\u2019s not forget that Poland had a * huge * televote last year, so the diaspora vote may lift this in the final standings.<\/p>\n
This was one of the biggest crowd-pleasers of either semi-final. Is it too early in the draw? I want it to do really well, and it is one of the songs that puts a smile on my face. And the presentation on stage was cute. C\u2019mon Belarus!<\/p>\n
Another cute song and performance. And with the Ed Sheeran sound it should do ok. Perhaps a little early in the draw?<\/p>\n
I was disappointed by the performance after seeing the highly choreographed video. I do like the song, and it\u2019ll do well.<\/p>\n
FYI, Eurofans, this is my most-listened-to ESC song this week. Love it. What\u2019s not to like: fab harmonies, that retro vibe and those bejewelled frocks. These three sisters are certainly doing it for themselves. I think being later in the running order would have helped them. I am willing them on!<\/p>\n
Kill me, kill me now! This will do well, but a bit like Latvia and those pirates of the sea, all those years ago, I find it highly irritating. And it was one of my students who was telling my the internet sensation that the sax guy became a while back. Funny that, because I find the sax the most irritating part!<\/p>\n
Points off for the man bun! Although kudos for standing out with something suitably indigenous musically from Hungary.<\/p>\n
Some fans saying the draw has killed the former hot fave off. Nah, Sweden and Austria have won from this section of the draw. Besides, if it\u2019s that much of a hot fave the draw shouldn\u2019t matter. It will do really well, and I will like it more when it doesn\u2019t win \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n
Nice song, fab vocal, nice performance. A bit beige for me, but the performances this week have lifted the song. I like it more than I did. But do you get my thing about it getting a bit too Mariah Carey screechy towards the end?<\/p>\n
Well, will we be in Lisbon next year? Will Europe see through the slightly awkward performance and be enchanted by this chanson? I really don\u2019t get it being installed as the fave. But then, I\u2019m ready to be surprised tonight.<\/p>\n
The bonkers aspect of the man on a ladder with a horse head hasn\u2019t been explained. We are apparently to draw our own conclusions. Well, yes, I have!<\/p>\n
Blimey, that weird thing of switching between the opera voice and the regular voice is a bit strange! Clearly peeps like the life-affirming message of the song.<\/p>\n
Not as stellar a song as Dami Im sung last year. The juries will probs like it. And hey, let\u2019s see if the novelty factor has worn off. Remember, if they do win they will nominate a country to host it. We will not be headed down under\u2026<\/p>\n
A bit of europop fromage for the evening. I will be refreshing the snacks and nibbles at this point\u2026<\/p>\n
As I said yesterday, this is one of the most impressive visuals. I love the backdrop and the projections. Very clever \u2013 it will lift the song. His vocal was a bit pitchy in rehearsals, so let\u2019s see if that improves. Good effort from Spain.<\/p>\n
I was surprised to see this in the final. Clearly the rather unoriginal sound and visuals were of more interest to the fans and viewers. I think it\u2019s the guys wearing masks \u2013 not particularly original. Yes I know \u2013 since when did Eurovision have to be original!<\/p>\n
Blimey, the UK is in the top ten favourites! Lucy Jones has impressed Kyiv with that belter of a vocal, and coupled with the visuals it does have impact. For me, the song is dull, dull, dull. Of course I want Lucy to do well, and I will be cheering the UK on. Let\u2019s see if we can break with tradition and end the evening on the left side of the leader board. I am not holding my breath!<\/p>\n
For me, this is the most improved song of the week. I love the staging – it\u2019s clever and it makes the most of the song, with stylish visuals and choreography. Of the men performing tonight, it\u2019s one of the best for me.<\/p>\n
Yup. I\u2019ll say it again. The song is Mars Attacks! <\/em> for me, and I\u2019m the aliens\u2026 * head explodes *. It\u2019s going to do rather well. A return to the competition will see Romania scale the top end of the leader board. Picture the scene later tonight: by song twenty Europe will have had a drink and this will sound ace! \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n All rather unmemorable for me\u2026<\/p>\n The rock vibe stands out from everything else, but certain to not scale the heights of last year for the host country.<\/p>\n Probably one of the best songs of the week. It would be on the radio and you would sing along. That said, probably one of the weakest performances. The poor girl looks terrified. But hey \u2013 that\u2019s what makes it memorable. Who knows, Blanche might style it our tonight? Going to do well\u2026<\/p>\n This is my favourite song of the year, and not just due to my annual love of the Swedish song. Impressive performance and a sing-along song. The fans will be fuming if we have to go back to Sweden. Robin should do well tonight, and probs a top five, deffo top ten finish. Oh, and those eyes\u2026 could you faint \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n OMG \u2013 I might just have had a realisation why my Euro-mojo is weak this year! I think it\u2019s because I can\u2019t understand why the whole bunch of songs that are predicted to top the leader board are predicted to do so. And this song, as much as Portugal, baffles me why it\u2019s third favourite. Yes a decent song, and a visually tidy performance, but I just don\u2019t get it!<\/p>\n Not the best song to end on. Sweden would have been better. All rather dull for me.<\/p>\n Well, my Euro-chums, that\u2019s what I think. And yes, I do seem rather unimpressed, don\u2019t I! Not to worry, because for all us fans the excitement is building and I am looking forward to the show, and let\u2019s hope that Graham Norton is on good form.<\/p>\n I\u2019m off to sort the drinks, snacks and nibbles.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s get our Euro-party started and \u201cCelebrate Diversity\u201d!<\/p>\n Enjoy the show!<\/p>\n \ud83d\ude42 xx<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Greetings from sunny Southport (well it was earlier) on Eurovision Saturday! Tonight the ESC2017 reaches its climax with the Grand Final, after two entertaining semi-finals. No one seems to have located my Euro-mojo. I certainly haven\u2019t! Just one of those things this time around, I guess (although you will see my realisation on my comments […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":367,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1542","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n\n
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