The Eurovision Song Contest Thread

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  • Posts: 11,119
    I won t be able to watch the semi finals as I am working, but I do hope Armenia and Belgium make it to Saturday.

    Armenia most definitely. I Always thought this was a strong contender for TOP 5 in the final. Though talks about a possible victory I find rather farfetched.

    Belgium's rehearsals were extremely weak these days. Blanche simply isn't the right girl for this song. She comes across as pissing in her dress....so scared she looks. BUT, I reckon juries will push this to the final (yes @BondJasonBond006, juries can be nice ;-) )
  • edited May 2017 Posts: 11,119
    The odds on Betfair Sportsbook as of today (May 6th 2017):
    xzFfNwd.png

    And a collection of all bookmakers, from Oddschecker (May 6th 2017). The ones under Betfair Exchange and Betdaq Exchange should be the more noticeable exchange odds:
    [img][/img]w1cXq6j.png

    Biggest risers of today, I'd say Netherlands, Estonia anddd Croatia. Songs that, probably didn't get much attention before the contest, but you see, once the rehearsals start they get to new levels of astonishment. But Bulgaria and Denmark are coming together very nicely too.

    Here's the official footage of those entries (This is what you will see on Thursday May 11th) and a full rehearsal video (from ESCKAZ.com):
    #01: BULGARIA:



    #02: THE NETHERLANDS:



    #03: ESTONIA:



    #04: CROATIA:



    #05: DENMARK:



    One more thing, Lucie from THE UNITED KINGDOM completely SLAYED her first rehearsals yesterdays. From the BIG 5 countries, the UK is the best entry after Italy. The BBC really have made an icredible amount of work with the stage act. It doesn't show very well on this video (UK will only have 2nd rehearsals tomorrow), but the camera angles, and Lucie's incredible vocals. Trust me, we see the UK back on the left hand side of the scoreboard Saturday May 13th!
  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    edited June 2017 Posts: 9,020
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  • Posts: 11,119
    I won't watch the shows by the way. I'll watch the performances later on eurovision.net just because I have respect for the 42 artists, they put their heart in it and don't deserve the farce that the ESC has become.
    I couldn't care less who wins unless it's the country that gets the tele vote, because that country is the real winner.

    You're kidding no?
  • Posts: 3,333
    I've just listened to the UK entry for the first time. My verdict from the UK: pretty lady, good singer, lousy song. Total dirge to my ears, which means it's probably got a chance of winning.
  • edited May 2017 Posts: 11,119
    bondsum wrote: »
    I've just listened to the UK entry for the first time. My verdict from the UK: pretty lady, good singer, lousy song. Total dirge to my ears, which means it's probably got a chance of winning.

    Why can't you Brits be satisfied with a nice TOP 10 result :-P?

    <a class="twitter-moment" href="https://twitter.com/i/moments/860540448242380800">Wait, is the UK's Eurovision entry actually good?!</a>
    <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
  • Posts: 3,333
    To be honest, @Gustav_Graves, I couldn't care less where it finishes. But there's no point in taking part in a contest if you'll sole ambition is not to finish top. Besides, who remembers an act that finished tenth? I don't.
  • Posts: 11,119
    bondsum wrote: »
    To be honest, @Gustav_Graves, I couldn't care less where it finishes. But there's no point in taking part in a contest if you'll sole ambition is not to finish top. Besides, who remembers an act that finished tenth? I don't.

    But sjee, who said that it's not Lucie's ambition to end in the TOP? Obviously it is a contest, but in a contest with 42 countries inevitably there will be 1 winner and 41 big losers....if I use your wordings. That's too harsh I think.

    Ever looked a bit into the original foundation principles of Eurovision? It was an idea by then EBU-director Marcel Bezençon to bring post-WWII-nations in Europe together through innovative communication technics, like television. And in this contest the actual participation is dominant to the actual vibe of winning.

    Yes, we all know now that winning the whole goddamn thing has become more important, especially since Eastern-Europe joined the circus. So I find it way too harsh to say that there's no point in Eurovision IF we uphold the prime ambitions of the late Marcel Bezençon:

    Eurovision_Song_Contest_1980_-_Johnny_Logan_3.jpg
    Evrovizija_1.jpg

    And yes, I know the contest is going through rough times these days. A bit like the late 1960's and early 1970's (Remember the boycots in 1970, because of Spanish dictator Franco?). But the contest lives on. And throwing it through the dustbin like it's some kind of useless artefact I disagree on. It's the only non-sports TV-event in the world that unites Europe for three evenings in May!
  • Posts: 3,333
    Actually, I do remember the Spanish boycotts due to Francisco Franco, @Gustav_Graves. I don't think it spoiled the contest too much, though. There's a film that alleges that Franco, the dictator who ruled Spain for nearly 40 years, rigged Eurovision in his country's favour in 68, when their song beat Cliff Richard's song by just one point. Everyone was convinced that Cliff had won, and then at the end Germany voted for the Spanish entry, La La La, meaning Spain snatched victory by just one vote.

    It would have been possible to have influenced the vote, as back then there was no public vote. There would have been a panel of Ordinary Joes who were all picked by the TV stations. Was it skulduggery? Well, Franco certainly did meddle in his country's own chosen singer, the original singer Joan Manuel Serrat was replaced at the last minute by Massiel, who performed 'La La La' for Spain. Joan Manuel Serrat was dropped on the insistence of the Franco regime for planning to sing in Catalan rather than Spanish. It does seem that it was common knowledge in Spain back in the late 60's that it was a fix. I thought I'd share with you that little Eurovision anecdote.
  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    edited June 2017 Posts: 9,020
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  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    edited June 2017 Posts: 9,020
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  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Russia hacks all the elections everywhere, so why couldn t they hack the ESC?
  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    edited June 2017 Posts: 9,020
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  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    edited June 2017 Posts: 9,020
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  • Posts: 11,119
    God. can we talk a bit about the actual songs/particpants? It seems some people in here get a certain atmosphere alive....that I really detest.
  • Posts: 5,993
    Yup. Here's the best song ever to win the contest :

  • Posts: 12,526
    I think it is fair to say that I will be giving this a miss again this year! Lol!
  • Posts: 11,119
    Gerard wrote: »
    Yup. Here's the best song ever to win the contest :


    Thank God, thanks for the post of this wonderful entry @Gerard ;-).

    I think you like this one too:


  • Posts: 11,119
    Tomorrow the 1st Semi Final of Eurovision 2017!

    --> On BBC 4

    Here you'll find my qualifiers for semi #1 (and semi #2):
    https://songfestivalwerk.wordpress.com/2017/05/08/ontbijt-terugblik-■-voorspellingen-1e-2e-halve-finale/
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    I am on a sick leave, so I will be able to watch after all.
  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    edited June 2017 Posts: 9,020
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  • Posts: 11,119
    Only 30 more min's buddies :-D! You can watch the live stream on https://eurovision.tv/story/tonight-first-semi-final-2017 (for all people outside Europe geoblock any stream, like the one in here: https://www.npo.nl/live/npo-1 ! Or check BBC America).
  • Posts: 11,119
    And these were the 10 qualifiers. I predicted 8 out of 10. But Finland not through? Must be the shocker of the evening!

  • Posts: 11,119
    Here are the powerful "LIVE" performances of some of the contenders that after tonight have qualified for the final:

    #01: PORTUGAL: My God, was this amazing. A timeless 1950's cinematic song, brought with so much tenderness and melancholy. Will be TOP 10 Saturday, I'mstarting to think a strong competitor for Italy also:


    #02: UNITED KINGDOM: The BBC has impressed all of us in Kiev with this marvellous bit of staging. Be prepared for another TOP 5 spot in the final. Perhaps even more!


    #03: ITALY: Hot favourite to win, but it now has some serious competition from countries like Armenia, Portugal, Sweden anddd the UK:


    #04: ARMENIA: Perhaps a bit too alternative to take the prize, but by jolly was this a great ethnical flavoured, Bollywood-esque entry. There's even a hint of Robert Brownjohn in it :-D! Guaranteed TOP 10 spot:


    #05: SWEDEN: And there he was, the guy from "Fifty Shades Of Grey", trying to charm all of you ;-). I thinkkk it worked! For me at least. We'll see this in the TOP 5 Saturday:


    #06: BELGIUM: In the end a surprise qualifier for me, since Finland didn't go through to Saturday. And Blanche simply doesn't sell the song very well. But perhaps the way she performs is also it's own charming USP. And the song...top notch!:


    @Thunderfinger, @CraigMooreOHMSS, @GBF, @Creasy47
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Really happy that both Belgium and Armenia made it.
  • edited May 2017 Posts: 11,119
    Really happy that both Belgium and Armenia made it.

    In the end, I think that Belgium, Armenia and Portugal made the TOP 3. I wasn't sure about Belgium, but by jolly was that an endearing performance.

    So one has to ask him/herself: Is Eurovision still a sleazefest full of boring cheesy circusacts?

    My answer would be: If Belgium, Portugal and Armenia manage to be TOP 3 in this semifinal? Then my answer is a firm "NO!"!!

    By the way @Thunderfinger, what did you think of the UK performance? Here are the latest betting odds. UK now firmly in 5th place. Belgium climbed to 4th. Bulgaria sank a bit to 3rd. Portugal 2nd. And Italy 1st:
    https://www.oddschecker.com/tv/eurovision/winner

    Expect major changes once again after Thursday's semi-final, when the favourites of that semi-final qualify (Bulgaria, Romania, Netherlands, Denmark, Estonia).
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    I don t like it.
  • Red_SnowRed_Snow Australia
    Posts: 2,538
    I have to say I was a little underwhelmed, by the first semi final. I'm not a huge fan of ballard heavy years, and really struggled to pick a top three this year. But I did very much enjoy Greece, Moldova and am so glad Portugal got through, what a fantastic song.

    And of course, very happy that Australia made it through.
  • Posts: 11,119
    Red_Snow wrote: »
    I have to say I was a little underwhelmed, by the first semi final. I'm not a huge fan of ballard heavy years, and really struggled to pick a top three this year. But I did very much enjoy Greece, Moldova and am so glad Portugal got through, what a fantastic song.

    And of course, very happy that Australia made it through.

    So you really liked the -sorry to say this- cheese of Greece and Moldova as compared to Armenia, Australia, Portugal and Belgium?
  • Red_SnowRed_Snow Australia
    edited May 2017 Posts: 2,538
    Red_Snow wrote: »
    I have to say I was a little underwhelmed, by the first semi final. I'm not a huge fan of ballard heavy years, and really struggled to pick a top three this year. But I did very much enjoy Greece, Moldova and am so glad Portugal got through, what a fantastic song.

    And of course, very happy that Australia made it through.

    So you really liked the -sorry to say this- cheese of Greece and Moldova as compared to Armenia, Australia, Portugal and Belgium?

    I don't watch Eurovision for sappy ballards, there's more than enough of that on the radio here.

    But as I said, I like Australia and Portugal, and hope both do well. Of all the ballards, the UK is my favourite.
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