Eurovision Semi 1.
Eurovision - I am just posting my impressions as I go. I might well post in a few minutes, and then edit to update rather than wait until the very end. ETA - I have now marked the qualifiers with **. I am glad Sweden and Ukraine got through, but sad about Australia and Ireland.
The first two were so forgettable that I can't remember who they were. (ETA - Lithuania ** and Slovenia apparently) Russia was better - ish. **
I really like Sweden, both the song and the look. **
Australia looks interesting, and has good verses, but the chorus sounds as if it has been spliced in to make up the time slot...
North Macedonia gives me the urge to go to the kitchen and clean the surfaces - or even scrub the oven as it would be more fun.
Ireland - I think it is probably rather good - but the balance was off for the first half so I could hardly hear her voice against the instruments.
Cyprus - a nice enough bit of pop - S2C says she may have given her heart to El Diablo - but she seems to have given her clothes to a passer-by. **
Norway - now this is classic Eurovision S2C gives it 8/10 for costume - but honestly how can you resist a guy in a silver lame jump suit with a white fur coat over it, sunglasses, and full sized white feather wings? Oh - and he is apparently chained to the plinth. The song almost passed me by as I goggled at the outfit. **
Croatia's song is called TikTok. S2c is surprised to find it is more than 18 seconds long. She seems to be wearing pauldrons and a chastity belt. Shiny but still pauldrons and a chastity belt. The song was vaguely catchy. S2C reckons 18 seconds would have been adequate.
Belgium is a bit soporific. Pleasant about sums it up. **
Israel - a fairly non-memorable bit of pop - it seems very long. Her hair is memorable - and her finishing outfit is - scanty. She makes the girls from Croatia and Cyprus look over-dressed. She did hit a very high note. **
Romania - I feel this should be memorable but somehow it just isn't.
Azerbijan - the look for almost all the women this year seems to be based on the 1980s female fighter figures from Games Workshop - where you want to protect your shoulders, your nipples, and do not expect any strikes at your legs or buttocks... **
Ukraine. This is much more interesting. And the girl has ignored the costume memo, even if it looks as if she had killed Orville (a well known UK puppet) and all his family to form the sleeves. And I really like the song which is not a standard pop one. It is so much more interesting that it probably won't get through, but I hope it does. **
Malta. A big lass with a big voice. It apparently one of the favourites. I certainly isn't one of my favourites. I really don't like it. **
Now to have a break for coffee, stroopwaffles, and some Irish fruit loaf. Pretty much a European mix, and showing no favouritism at all. But I'm glad I didn't add any Maltesers to the mix.
The first two were so forgettable that I can't remember who they were. (ETA - Lithuania ** and Slovenia apparently) Russia was better - ish. **
I really like Sweden, both the song and the look. **
Australia looks interesting, and has good verses, but the chorus sounds as if it has been spliced in to make up the time slot...
North Macedonia gives me the urge to go to the kitchen and clean the surfaces - or even scrub the oven as it would be more fun.
Ireland - I think it is probably rather good - but the balance was off for the first half so I could hardly hear her voice against the instruments.
Cyprus - a nice enough bit of pop - S2C says she may have given her heart to El Diablo - but she seems to have given her clothes to a passer-by. **
Norway - now this is classic Eurovision S2C gives it 8/10 for costume - but honestly how can you resist a guy in a silver lame jump suit with a white fur coat over it, sunglasses, and full sized white feather wings? Oh - and he is apparently chained to the plinth. The song almost passed me by as I goggled at the outfit. **
Croatia's song is called TikTok. S2c is surprised to find it is more than 18 seconds long. She seems to be wearing pauldrons and a chastity belt. Shiny but still pauldrons and a chastity belt. The song was vaguely catchy. S2C reckons 18 seconds would have been adequate.
Belgium is a bit soporific. Pleasant about sums it up. **
Israel - a fairly non-memorable bit of pop - it seems very long. Her hair is memorable - and her finishing outfit is - scanty. She makes the girls from Croatia and Cyprus look over-dressed. She did hit a very high note. **
Romania - I feel this should be memorable but somehow it just isn't.
Azerbijan - the look for almost all the women this year seems to be based on the 1980s female fighter figures from Games Workshop - where you want to protect your shoulders, your nipples, and do not expect any strikes at your legs or buttocks... **
Ukraine. This is much more interesting. And the girl has ignored the costume memo, even if it looks as if she had killed Orville (a well known UK puppet) and all his family to form the sleeves. And I really like the song which is not a standard pop one. It is so much more interesting that it probably won't get through, but I hope it does. **
Malta. A big lass with a big voice. It apparently one of the favourites. I certainly isn't one of my favourites. I really don't like it. **
Now to have a break for coffee, stroopwaffles, and some Irish fruit loaf. Pretty much a European mix, and showing no favouritism at all. But I'm glad I didn't add any Maltesers to the mix.