Eurovision 2019 rehearsal thread (1 Viewer)

D5K

D5K

I need a round of decompress
Joined
Feb 3, 2006
Messages
28,351
So this year's rehearsals have started... I thought it was worth starting a separate thread even though this forum might be even quieter than usual with posters over in Tel Aviv.

As far as I can tell there wasn't much to report yesterday, Cyprus was the only interesting act (I hadn't realised how dull the first half of semi 1 is!). But today we have Iceland, Portugal, Australia, Greece etc. which should start to get more interesting and give an idea of what might work and what might flop.
 
There's tons of coverage out there on the specialist blogs (although I still don't understand why the hell anyone wants to watch a real-time 8-hour stream of someone's commentary from the press centre). And Eurovision are producing their own daily summaries:

 
I just got into the press centre. Missed Belgium but apparently it's Blanche 2.0. Questionable jumpsuit, he looks really young and there's not much happening staging wise.

Georgia was good, all things considered. The staging goes from blue to blood red, very dramatic and hellish. He's vocally solid and already finding the camera really well. It's all moot as I can't see him qualifying under any circumstances, but it's probably as good as it could be.

Australia just coming up...
 
  • Like
Reactions: D5K
Hungary look like they've got some brilliant staging in that clip
 
  • Like
Reactions: dUb
Oh @VoR I'm interested to know how much Australia have switched up the staging
 
Wow, Australia is a lot. Definitely going to be marmite. She's dressed like Tilda Swinton in The Lion The Witch & The Wardobe, and now she's floating around above an LED of the Earth on the same kind of bendy pole her backing dancer was in the NF. Two backing vocalists/dancers in dark colours behind her.

She's also singing snatches of the "Nothing holding me down" bit now, which works well.

I liked it a lot, but it could be perceived as too much.
 
Doing a bi-daily newsletter at escinsight, possibly some travel writing too. I'll link to anything significant.

Really love the Kate staging on reflection. It looks expensive and glossy and really uplifting after the intensity of Georgia.

I think it'll get lots of 'that's so Eurovision' votes, but it doesn't read as a big joke. It helps that she's really quite strikingly beautiful.
 
I really would be gutted if Australia didn't make the final
 
Iceland are going to do so well.

Fire, a grenade-shapeds cage, lots of leather and strutting. It's so fun and different.
 
Also the blonde one is definitely getting a bit of support on his vocals, which is a good thing as they've been quite reedy in live performances to date.
 
Estonia same staging as the national final. They obviously haven't filmed the magic teleportation moment yet as they just cut to a stand-in instead.

On the whole a very blah performance of a very blah song. It's just not giving me anything.
 
It looks much more polished than it did on Australia decides
 
Portugal in a green kimono now. No death drop from the backing dancer anymore (so far, anyway...)

There are some lovely individual moments in this performance, but I'm really starting to fear for it. It's weird in a slightly alienating way, which compares poorly with the enjoyable bonkers-ness of Iceland and Australia.
 
Sheena said:
You'd THINK SO considering he's "PRESS" but let's face it, that doesn't stop HALF THE EUROVISION GAYZ...
Click to expand...

I'm VERY BUSY :evil:

Greece vocally solid, she nails the big note. Very floral stage show. It's weirder than I expected, particularly the backing singers/dancers who appear to be doing a whole pollen dance thing and are much more in the vocal mix than you'd think. Hard to describe what I mean, they're not singing for her, they just get a bunch of weird little ad-libs I hadn't noticed before in the studio version.

It works though, I think.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dUb
VoR said:
Portugal in a green kimono now. No death drop from the backing dancer anymore (so far, anyway...)

There are some lovely individual moments in this performance, but I'm really starting to fear for it. It's weird in a slightly alienating way, which compares poorly with the enjoyable bonkers-ness of Iceland and Australia.
Click to expand...

Sad, but unexpected. Having watched a few YT run-through videos of songs in the semi the above makes lots of sense in context of the run-through order.
Whilst I still think Portugal can still qualify, I do think Hungary, Iceland and to a lesser extent Serbia will hoover up the ethnic/quirky votes between them potentially leaving Conan to underperform.

Czech Republic are my dark horse from this semi. Friend Of A Friend is SO instant and catchy, and they really sell the shit out of it.
 
Happy to hear the tempting sounds of TAMTA (48) are unlikely to be this year's fan-flop :disco:

Very interested to see how Greece look on screen. In many ways it's much more a MOR current day radio single than a Eurovision track, so unsure how they will sell it in the Eurovision context.

I still have Iceland down for a top 3 placing on-lock, potential winner depending how other biggies are staged. It's gonna stand out SO MUCH and push so many buttons.
 
Alla said:
There's not such a thing as "too much" in Eurovision :disco: Go Australia!
Click to expand...
Russia 2016 may beg to differ. But that's also probably because it felt like he was dead inside when performing, which I think Kate should avoid.
 
San Marino an absolute hoot. He's on a raised LED platform with the lyrics projected behind him, two LUDICROUS gay backing dancers in shorts doing the cabbage patch in front of him.

It's like Idag och Imorgon with a budget and an even more shockingly incompetent lead performer. :D
 
VoR, could you slap Ewan in the face on my behalf for that "maybe" for Arcade?
 
  • Like
Reactions: VoR
Kevin said:
VoR, could you slap Ewan in the face on my behalf for that "maybe" for Arcade?
Click to expand...
And then salute him for being the only one talking sense? Loved the other one getting worked up that Portugal was being marked more highly (when there's clearly no consistent frame of reference at all).
 
David_5000 said:
And then salute him for being the only one talking sense? Loved the other one getting worked up that Portugal was being marked more highly (when there's clearly no consistent frame of reference at all).
Click to expand...

What was the talking sense bit? If he doesn’t like it, fine. But first he says it’s in his top 6 and then that’s not enough for a hit. Sounded strange to me.
 
From that clip I'm a bit worried about Australia being lost by being next to Iceland; Portugal is some how even more offputting than usual (I think the costumes are a mistake and he should just go back to the spoons); and the San Marinese megaphones look horrendous.
 
Moldova have nicked the sand artist trick from Ukraine 2011.

The first run-through was entirely shot in wide which is a bizarre choice as you can barely make out the singer. They're experimenting with close ups and overheads now, but it's kind of a mess.
 
VoR said:
Moldova have nicked the sand artist trick from Ukraine 2011.
Click to expand...
The gimmick of having some artist create something on the backdrop, or literally a sand artist?
 
Romania really flat. She sits on a chair and vamps a bit, there's some stuff going on in the backdrop, but nothing interesting. I can't see this qualifying even with their built-in televote advantage.
 
David_5000 said:
Day 2 summary:

Click to expand...


Out of that lot I think Greece are looking the biggest mess - WTF are the fencing swords about. Hope it translates a bit better on screen as that is looking an overthought MESS rn.

Thanks to VoR for the exclusive insider opinions :disco: keep them coming please.
I read online Switzerland have wholesale copied and pasted the Feugo staging from last year.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top Bottom