Amph Eurovision Song Contest 2014

Don't forget Australia are represented this year!... Albeit as the interval act during semi-final two.


http://www.eurovision.tv/page/news?id=australian_superstar_to_sing_at_eurovision

"Sydney, Australia - This year, Australian broadcaster, SBS, are responsible for the interval act in the second Semi-Final of the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest, and they have chosen platinum selling artist, Jessica Mauboy, to take on this unique challenge in Copenhagen."
"Jessica is an example of what Australia is all about. Australian TV (SBS) have chosen her because she shows another side of Australia that you maybe have not heard so much about before – she reflects the ‘new’ Australia"

 

So 2 of the first 3 with Euphoria/Only Tearsdrops knock-offs.

And don't underestimate the controversy, Anne. Russia and several other countries threatened not to broadcast Conchita's performance. She's dominated headlines, too.


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What are Holland thinking sending people who actually have talent?


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My roommate (who's from Finland) got me into the Eurovision song contest a few years ago and I look forward to it every year!
Unfortunately the Finals this year are on a day I work and we learned last year that if we don't stream it live (so sometime in the early afternoon for us) we have to wait several hours after it finishes airing which means really late. So I think the party at our house will happen live and I'll be at work and everyone will be pretty trashed by the time I get home.

I can not wait to see these!!

 

We get a full 45 minute "Conchita's road to Copenhagen" special. Aren't you all jealous?

Anne, as long as you're around for the main event Saturday!

Edit: it's also really weird seeing Kasper from Borgen cohosting.

Edit2: Off to a pretty good start tonight with Malta. A blatant Mumford & Sons ripoff, but a good one.


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Yes, yes I am!!


Just finished watch the semi-final. My favorites were (in no particular order) Malta - a song that grew on me the more times I heard it on the recaps, Norway, Austria, Finland, Switzerland and Slovenia.

 

A few random thoughts from last night:

Malta: like I said last night, a Mumford and Sons rip off, but a pretty good one

Israel - apparently her parents say she was born to sing. My question to them would be "To what species?" She was so far off key so any times I lost track.

Poland - My impression was they wanted to make sure they didn't have to host next year so they tried to come up with an act worse than Austria's "Track****taz" rappers a few years ago. The power of cleavage got them into the final anyway.

Finland - somewhat typical Scandinavian ESM band. Not really all that great, but good by the competition's standards.

Switzerland - Completely forgettable song, mainly memorable for the singer's goofy, "hey, we're happy Europeans! Great!" smile.

Belarus - Something about a cheesecake. Far less cheesy than the Estonian cake, but thus also far less entertaining.

Romania - I' m kind of betting on these guys to win, much the same way as Azerbaijan won a few years ago. really a third rate pop song, with third rate choreography. Wouldn't get serious airplay on the radio anywhere. But the kind of song that ends up being popular with the voters in enough places to end up at or near the top at the end of the voting.

And finally there was Conchita. I thought she nailed the performance, her voice sounded quite good, and the song suits her perfectly. If there is ever a James Bond as a Drag Queen movie, this is its theme song. of course, the judges gave me a heart attack when they announced the finalists, with Austria being named last. I had assumed Ireland would go through. I can't believe that order was random, I think they held Conchita back to the end for dramatic effect.

A bit of Chonchita background: The artist's real name is Tom Neuwirth. He participated in Austria's verison of "Idol" several years ago, coming in second (to Austria's ESC finalist Nadine Beiler). In the final there, he actually sung the theme to Goldfinger, the Shirley Bassey similarity of his voice being fairly obvious. He vanished for several years, they participated in Austria's equlivalent to X-Factor two years ago under his new stage name. It actually took a while for people to realize that Conchita = Tom. After making it to the semis, Conchita participated in the Austrian ESC run-off that year to Track****taz, of all people. The latter had also been perennial runners up, and I think people voted for them more out of sympathy than anything else. What a a mistake.

EDIT: And how could I forget: not much to say about the Slovenian song, sort of standard ESC fare these days, all I could think about during the performance, though, is what the point of the singer's flute was. I don't think she played it, did she? Maybe she took it to band camp?

 

I'm definitely putting a side bet on Poland. Best act of the night, though not so sure about the singing. Certainly the best butter churning I've seen in a Eurovision performance by a long way.

 

Poland advancing is part of a nefarious plot by Putin to bankrupt Poland by forcing them to host next year. That'll teach 'em to ioin NATO.


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So you would say that he's putin Poland in charge for next year?




I'm going to hell.

 

Watching with my wife, I'll check in from time to time

And, we just caved in to let my older daughter stay up until Conchita performs.

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I have it on the radio

 

Pilou Asbaek

Ukraine's song was a decent start, as far as Eurovision goes. This Belarus song is terrible though.

 

Norway's was intriguing but won't win. Romania sounds more like the type of stuff people might vote for.

 

I liked Iceland's. Armenia's singer was the 12th Doctor.