Belarus had a violin on stage last year and I don't recall it looking mimed, but then again it was a year ago...
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Eurovision Song Contest 2016: Coming to America at last!
- Thread starter dXTC
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Well, perhaps "pantomimed" is not the right word. The instruments might indeed be played, but they won't be heard. Vocals will be the only sounds amplified and mixed with the backing track.
And perhaps that's for the best. I'd hate to see something along the lines of one entrant claiming its instruments were sabotaged by another. Also, this removes another potential point of failure for the show's audio technicians.
And perhaps that's for the best. I'd hate to see something along the lines of one entrant claiming its instruments were sabotaged by another. Also, this removes another potential point of failure for the show's audio technicians.
Disappointed to see Iceland not get through, other than that the better songs got through.
Moldova's "Falling Stars" didn't qualify? I has a sad 
, even though I suspected it didn't have a good chance; this year's first semifinal was quite competitive. No matter; "Falling Stars" is now rockin' in my iTunes library.
I see that Thierry ba's fave, Bosnia & Herzegovina, also didn't make the cut.
Malta, Russia and Austria made it-- no surprises there.
, even though I suspected it didn't have a good chance; this year's first semifinal was quite competitive. No matter; "Falling Stars" is now rockin' in my iTunes library. I see that Thierry ba's fave, Bosnia & Herzegovina, also didn't make the cut.
Malta, Russia and Austria made it-- no surprises there.
I quite liked croatia (the song, the dress was a bit iffy). Sounded a bit like Florence and the machine meats Within Temptation.
I agree that Iceland should have made it. Better than some of the songs that did actually qualify. I still haven't made up my mind about russia's entry. Catchy but very generic. It seems less like a song to me but more like the product of a eurovision winning recipe book. Well, stars that shine twice as bright live half as long I suppose.
I agree that Iceland should have made it. Better than some of the songs that did actually qualify. I still haven't made up my mind about russia's entry. Catchy but very generic. It seems less like a song to me but more like the product of a eurovision winning recipe book. Well, stars that shine twice as bright live half as long I suppose.
Yeah, good sumerisation of the Russian entry. Basically it had to look amazing even if it sounds generic ... They will do well as they always do, but i don't think they'll win. But it's Eurovision, you just never know.
I'm a Eurovision fanatic! Semi final 1 disappointed me, but usually with Eurovision, the songs grow on me, and now listening to the soundtrack, some of them are much better recorded.
The ones I liked:
- Hungary was ok (ish)
- Malta wasn't bad ( Growing on me)
- Russia's song is boring but graphics are fantastic (The song is also growing on me)
- Armenia I liked a little - had a really weird beginning, the special effects were interesting)
- The Netherlands was enjoyable but a bit repetitive (Well sung though)
- Austria was really catchy, wish I knew what the song was about
- Estonia.... mmm I liked the concept and his voice but it was a bit forgettable
- Czech Republic was again.. ok
- Azerbaijan I liked and I think will grow on me
I realllllly love my countries entry (Australia with Dami Im) - song isn't the best but its now catchy enough and she has a great voice live!
The ones I liked:
- Hungary was ok (ish)
- Malta wasn't bad ( Growing on me)
- Russia's song is boring but graphics are fantastic (The song is also growing on me)
- Armenia I liked a little - had a really weird beginning, the special effects were interesting)
- The Netherlands was enjoyable but a bit repetitive (Well sung though)
- Austria was really catchy, wish I knew what the song was about
- Estonia.... mmm I liked the concept and his voice but it was a bit forgettable
- Czech Republic was again.. ok
- Azerbaijan I liked and I think will grow on me
I realllllly love my countries entry (Australia with Dami Im) - song isn't the best but its now catchy enough and she has a great voice live!
I've been actually singing 'Sound Of Silence' to myself on my may to the desk just now. Good luck in the semi tonight! Not like you need luck this year though. We'll definitely have Australia in the final on Saturday.
Pretty much what everyone expected. Although I didn't think Georgia would make it. Shame for Switzerland though I liked that one.
Sound of Silence is definitely in my Top3 for Saturday, great voice and good title - along with Spain and Croatia. There are other songs I enjoy though, like Cyprus, Lithuania and France, which is very rare for me. Normally there are barely 3 songs I would ever even consider putting in my iTunes library. Maybe that's a sign that I'm getting old, hmm.
Still don't understand what people like about the Ukraine entry ? Is it just the text ? It sounds utterly horrible to me.
Sound of Silence is definitely in my Top3 for Saturday, great voice and good title - along with Spain and Croatia. There are other songs I enjoy though, like Cyprus, Lithuania and France, which is very rare for me. Normally there are barely 3 songs I would ever even consider putting in my iTunes library. Maybe that's a sign that I'm getting old, hmm.
Still don't understand what people like about the Ukraine entry ? Is it just the text ? It sounds utterly horrible to me.
Told you so about Ireland's entry ... Utterly forgetable and clearly the jury / voters agreed by forgetting to vote ...
I didn't like it to begin with (I was hoping for upbeat like guy Sebastian) but its really grown on me!!
Thank you... it was horribly off pitch and boring IMHO...
Sadly - it was just so generic :/ I'm mainly decended from Irish immigrants (And proud) so prior to Australia actually being in Eurovision I always tried to support Ireland, but this year, last year, 2012 were dire. I liked Heartbeat from 2014, the first Jedward attempt wasn't bad and Nimah Kavanagh was nice.
Overall I was a bit disappointed again by semi final 2... three songs I liked didn't get through and several really bad songs (imho) got through.
My opinions on the second semi:
- I'm happy that Ukraine and Georgia got in with their eclectic selections. Offbeat songs that aren't presented as novelty items don't usually do too well. Good on them.
- I'm disappointed that Switzerland didn't get through, yet Latvia and Poland both did.
- Australia made it in. No surprise there. As I said earlier, Dami Im's powerful vocals more than compensate for the less-than-stellar writing.
- Belgium is also in. No surprise there either. Laura Tesoro and Austria's Zoe ramp up the "cutesy" factor to 11 this year.
- Serbia's song actually got in?!? No disrespect to Serbia-- I absolutely LOVED Bojana Stamenov last year-- but I can't shake the feeling that Sanja Vučić is trying too hard to be Adele here.
All of my favourites got in. I didn't really like Georgia's and am surprised that it made it through. The others were pretty much what I expected, although Ukraine could've gone either way.
I'll be watching the final live since I don't have to work
I'll be watching the final live since I don't have to work
Eurovision has been shown in Australia for decades, since at least the 80s and possibly earlier. I've gone to loads of Eurovision parties, both house parties and out in bars. It's common to dress up and play drinking games during the show. Everyone knows about it.
It's probably hard for other countries (particularly America) to understand how or why it's so big here. For a long time, Australia had only five channels (now networks), 2 public and 3 commercial, and one of those public ones (SBS, the Eurovision host in Australia) is dedicated solely to foreign news, film, entertainment and sports. It was set up to cater to the waves of European migration after the wars.
I think that says a lot about Australia. We're hardly another insular, isolated America. While initially it probably only appealed to recent European migrants it later caught on and during the 90s in particular it grew to the level of cult status. Terry Wogan's commentary struck a chord with Australia's sense of humour, so much so that when SBS tried to replace him with their own commentary team (twice) the backlash was so great they relented and rebroadcast the BBC version. Only when Terry eventually quit did they try again, successfully. I like Graham Norton but not when he says it's a joke that we're in it. I think he's just jealous we can do a better job than Ireland and UK!
(PS Australia is tipped for a top 2 finish!) Australia has also often been involved in other countries entries. Olivia Newtown-John competed for UK and Johnny Logan (twice winner for Ireland) grew up in Australia. Besides, long-time participants Israel, Russia are Turkey aren't European and I believe even Morocco has competed previously. The main requirement is membership of the European Broadcasting Union.
The popularity says a few other things. That Australia still has a fairly large affinity with the UK and Ireland and that due to large numbers of European migrants and Australians with European heritage we see ourself as much if not more a part of Europe than of Asia or America, though the latter are still and perhaps growing influences.
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Yeah I do not understand Norton's beef with Australia being in the competition. For a man who has made the bulk of his living as a migrant in another country and with Australia home to hundreds of thousands of Irish, it seems bizzare to me that he has got his heckles up about this.Eurovision has been shown in Australia for decades, since at least the 80s and possibly earlier. I've gone to loads of Eurovision parties, both house parties and out in bars. It's common to dress up and play drinking games during the show. Everyone knows about it.
It's probably hard for other countries (particularly America) to understand how or why it's so big here. For a long time, Australia had only five channels (2 public and 3 commercial) and one of those public ones (SBS, the Eurovision host in Australia) is dedicated solely to foreign news, film, entertainment and sports. I think that says a lot about Australia. We're hardly another insular, isolated America. While initially it probably only appealed to recent European migrants it later caught on and during the 90s in particular it grew to the level of cult status. Terry Wogan's commentary struck a chord with Australia's sense of humour, so much so that when SBS tried to replace him with their own commentary team (twice) the backlash was so great they relented and rebroadcast the BBC version. Only when Terry eventually quit did they try again, successfully. I like Graham Norton but not when he says it's a joke that we're in it. I think he's just jealous we can do a better job than Ireland and UK!(PS Australia is tipped for a top 2 finish!)
Australia has also often been involved in other countries entries. Olivia Newtown-John competed for UK and Johnny Logan (twice winner) grew up in Australia. Besides, long-time participants Israel, Russia are Turkey aren't European and I believe even Morocco has competed previously. The main requirement is membership of the European Broadcasting Union.
The popularity says a few other things. That Australia still has a fairly large affinity with the UK and Ireland and that due to large numbers of European migrants and Australians with European heritage we see ourself as much if not more a part of Europe than of Asia and America, though the latter are still and perhaps growing influences.
(PS Australia is tipped for a top 2 finish!) I think he's jealous that Australia has a far superior songs in just the 2 years it has entered, than Ireland has entered in nearly 20 years ...
Yes, well since Ireland din't make it maybe he can have it in his heart to be kinder to Australia during the final!
The real question will be, who does Ireland give douze points to? UK or Australia (or someone else).
The real question will be, who does Ireland give douze points to? UK or Australia (or someone else).
The last few years we've only given a basic nod to UK, i think if memory serves better we gave Australia more points last year.
Tonight's show has been awesome. Regardless of whoever wins Sweeden have delivered one of the best Eurovision's ever.
Surprising how well Ukraine are doing. I assume they may drop when the public votes are announced.
Come on Australia (and Joe and Jake!)!
Come on Australia (and Joe and Jake!)!