Eurovision 2017, Semi-Final #2 -- A Review

I’m back again for Eurovision 2017, Semi-Final #2. I’m hoping this is the happy peppy, fun night as compared to last night’s festival of the same act. I have high hopes of at least one fun entry. I hope it lives up to my expectation.

We had dinner before the Semi-Final began, so I am ready to comment without interruptions or distractions. We had pizza for dinner, but I know there are some crème wafer cookies in the kitchen as well as a chocolate bar and some gummy frogs. I’m really getting excited and it’s getting harder and harder to keep my bounces in check.

I still miss Julia and Sam. It’s just not the same without them. SBS, bring back the good host team next year, please?

The Ukraine on-stage hosts are cheesy and silly, but I kind of like them. The opening act is interesting and fun, well-done and enjoyable. I hope the rest of the show lives up to it.

Serbia:
Tirana Bogićević
In Too Deep
Not terrible, but not a favorite. It feels like a generic song on a Top 40 radio channel. The costume was interesting, again with the see-through skirts.

Austria:
Nathan Trent
Running on Air
I kind of like this. It’s got a fun element to it, and he’s not showing off. This is my first Top 10 pick of the night.

F.Y.R. Macedonia:
Jana Burčeska
Dance Alone
The commentators just mentioned that she’s pregnant, which might mean she’s not actually dancing alone, but I don’t think I’m supposed to be that literal. It wasn’t terrible, and it’s could be very popular with preteen girls. It’s not terrible, but I’m not ready to put it in my Top 10 just yet.

Just an observation, I think it's time Greece stopped pouting and let the country be called just Macedonia. How long does it have to be saddled with the F.Y.R. Greece, grow up and acknowledge other places can, and do have the same names.

Malta:
Claudia Faniello
Breathlessly
The commentators are right, this does have a Celine Dion feel. It’s not terrible, but not my favorite.

Romania:
Iliac featuring Alex Florea
Yodel It!
I love this! It’s so much fun! Just what I watch Eurovision for, the fun, silliness. Top 10 right here. I suspect it will move on to the Final, but I will be truly surprised, and genuinely thrilled if it wins overall. The canons are an interesting interpretative element.

The Netherlands:
OG3NE
Lights and Shadows
I don’t dislike this one, but I can’t get excited about it either. It seems boring coming right after the yodeling. And I thought the name was a variation on orange, being from The Netherlands. I totally didn’t get the o-gene aspect of it.

Hungary:
Joci Pápai
Origo
Full points for singing in his native language. This gets a Top 10 vote just for that. Electric violins are fascinating to me. I wonder about how they work without a box to vibrate. But that’s just me.

I think music is a universal language and you can like the song and understand the emotions it is meant to evoke one if you do not understand the language of the lyrics; just think about operas. I will always vote for the entries that sing in their native languages over English. It’s hard to “Celebrate Diversity” when there is none.

Denmark:
Anja
Where I Am
This is a song was designed to win a reality competition and I can feel it. It’s not terrible, but not a favorite.

Yes, we get she’s from Australia and we get that we should vote for her just for that. Sorry commentators, I am picking my favorites based on my opinion of them.

Ireland:
Brendan Murray
Dying to Try
I like the balloon. He looks like a former boy-band member. It’s not a terrible song or a terrible performance, but I’m unsure of it. I’ll have to wait until the end to see where Ireland falls in my Top 10. Where’s the other singer? There was another voice on the track, but not on stage. Hmm.

San Marino:
Valentina Moletta and Jimmie Wilson
Spirit of the Night
This feels leftover from the height of disco. It’s not bad, though the lyrics distracted me. I had to look up St. Elmo’s Fire, and that led me to other things and thoughts and I missed most of this performance.

Croatia:
Jacques Houdek
My Friend
He’s not going to win. And that’s a shame, because he’s giving a great performance and I’m enjoying it, a Top 10 for sure.

Norway: 
JOWST
Grant the Moment
Are the backup performers in the witness protection program? Or do they just not want to ever be identified with performing at Eurovision? The performance is a bit distracting, but I am enjoying the song.

Switzerland:
Timebelle
Apollo
She has feathers. It’s not bad and the similarity of “I follow” and “Apollo” in the lyrics is interesting.

Belarus:
Naviband
Story of My Life
Native language! And a fun bouncy song, what’s not to like? The airboat is fun too. Yes, this is definitely a favorite of the night. I hope they go to the final.

Bulgaria:
Kristian Kostov
Beautiful Mess
There is nothing special about this performance to me. It’s background music, not objectionable, but nothing I’d seek out specifically.

Lithuania:
Fusedmarc
Rain of Revolution
This is interesting, the the way that I do not understand it and cannot decide whether I like it or not.

Estonia:
Koit Toome & Laura
Verona
This feels like a movie theme. It’s not terrible, but I can definitely see credits rolling under this song.

Israel:
IMRI
I Feel Alive
It was not bad, but I’m not rushing out to by the cd.

Ohh, it’s going to be hard to round out my Top 10. There were a good number of just okay entries tonight.

My Top 10:
1. Austria
2. Romania
3. Hungary
4. Croatia
5. Belarus
6. Norway
7. F.Y.R. Macedonia
8. Lithuania
9. Ireland
10. Israel

The cooking segments were interesting tonight. I do like finding out about different cuisines. And the throws to the segments were better tonight.

The wedding proposal was sweet. Best wishes to the happy couple.

Actual Finalists
1. Bulgaria
2. Belarus
3. Croatia
4. Hungary
5. Denmark
6. Israel
7. Romania
8. Norway
9. The Netherlands
10. Austria

I won’t be doing a review of the Final because it’s on Mother’s Day here in Australia and we’re hosting my housemate’s parents for dinner. I’ll record the final and watch it later, but won’t do a blog about it. I’m sorry to not be reviewing it, particularly since I haven’t heard the automatic qualifiers’ songs yet, but I will watch it and I am sure to enjoy it.

Thanks for watching along with me,
Tigger

Eurovision 2017, Semi-Final #1 -- A Review

My friend Tigger is back with his review of Eurovision 2017.
I hope you enjoy Eurovision as much as he does.
Oliver

I was helping get dinner ready so I came in just as the performances started.  And now, without any preliminary chatter, let's just get to the performances.

Sweden:
Robin Bengtsson
I Can’t Go On
Robin is a former boy-band member trying to make it solo. Or at least that’s what it feels like. It’s not one of my favorites for the night. His suit was quite nice though.

Georgia:
Tamara Gachechiladze
Keep the Faith
That’s a big voice from one small lady. The Australian commentators said this was inspired by a James Bond theme song — yes I can see that. But I don’t really like it.

SBS, I miss Julia and Sam. I like Myf, but I miss Julia and Sam. On the plus note, I haven’t seen the Australian entry teased for months, so I’m not sick of it already.

Australia:
Isaiah
Don’t Come Easy
The song was not bad, though the lyrics were a bit repetitive. Could be a top 10 choice, but just one the cusp right now.

Albania:
Lindita
World
It’s not bad, but a bit same-samey. There is nothing at all unique or unusual about this entry.

So far, the acts are very similar, solo artist with or without backup, with stadium filling big voices. It’s not a bad thing, but I was hoping for some more variety. And I was really hoping a few acts would sing in their native language rather than English.

Belgium:
Blanche
City Lights
I like this one. This is a top 10 vote for me. Yes, I really like this one.

Montenegro:
Slavko Kalezić
Space
This is a nightclub song, something to dance to rather than something to sing. Using his hair as a prop is original.

Finland:
Norma John
Blackbird
The song felt like a sad song, but the music is not as sad as it seems. There is a hope in the music that was echoed in the delivery. I do like it. Definitely a favorite for the night.

Azerbaijan:
Dihaj
Skeletons
This feels more like performance art. And I know that’s what Eurovision is, but I mean performance art in a “making a statement” kind of way, not a performance. I might have liked the song better had the performance been a bit different.

Portugal:
Salvador Sobral
Ama Pelos Dois
Full points for native language! He gets my vote! I was prepared to not like him for the hipster persona, but best performance yet!

Greece:
Demy
This Is Love
They are splashing puddles. I like the puddles. Other than that it’s a standard Eurovision entry. She looks very happy with her performance and that’s a good thing.

Poland:
Kasia Moś
Flashlight
There is nothing special about this song. It’s not bad, but it’s not good either.

See-through skirts are popular this year.

Moldova:
Sunstroke Project
Hey Mamma
It started out sounding very Calypso to me. It’s fun song, and just what I watch Eurovision for; a Top 10 vote.

Iceland:
Scala
Paper
This reminds me of P!nk. Not terrible, just nothing special or different enough to win.

Czech Republic:
Martina Bárta
My Turn
Points for just signing the song, simply without too much flash and show. The extra syllables felt like she was practicing a national anthem for a football game. But it was not too terrible.

Cyprus:
Hovig
Gravity
I think this would be better if he were descending from above during the song, but the precision choreography is cool. Not bad, a Top 10 for me.

Armenia:
Artsvik
Fly With Me
It’s not bad. I wouldn’t vote for this song to win, but it’s not bad and should go to the finals.

Some of the outfits look like they have been recycled from the old Star Trek costumes. They could be flashier or more culturally authentic. For a celebration of European music and performers, it is getting to be quite generically American. This isn’t Europe’s Got Talent, be quirky, unusual…original! Take a chance! You have nothing to lose, and if you fall, your country won’t have to host next year.

Slovenia:
Omar Naber
On My Way
I don’t mind it, it was okay, but it feels like a Broadway show tune, as the hero sets out on the quest.

Latvia:
Triana Park
Line
This is the first really weird Eurovision performance I’ve seen tonight, not counting the performance art from Azerbaijan. The colors, the weird costumes, the weird hair, yes it has everything a quirky Eurovision entry needs.

My Top 10:
1. Portugal
2. Moldova
3. Belgium
4. Cyprus
5. Finland
6. Latvia
7. Slovenia
8. Armenia
9. Greece
10. Australia

The throws to the snack recipe segments are bad, it seems too forced. The commentators seem uncomfortable with the script.

Actual Finalists:
1. Moldova
2. Azerbaijan
3. Greece
4. Sweden
5. Portugal
6. Poland
7. Armenia
8. Australia
9. Cyprus
10. Belgium

See you tomorrow night for a review of Semi-Final #2,
Tigger