Eurovision 2021

[amateur]

Weirdly, I enjoy the second half of the show when they award points more than the main bit with the songs.

Looking forward to it, though. I hope Iceland win, mainly because I just love Iceland really.

The points bit is by far the best - and the way they've done it recently by splitting the jury/public vote gives some serious excitement.

Shame that Iceland won't be performing live due to positive COVID tests - and I think that will really hurt their chances of winning, assuming they qualify on their rehearsal performance. That's not a given, based on Australia.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/newsbeat-57178182

[sevendaughters]

Anyone else think that the ghost of Netta's Toy has hung over a few of the entries this year? Or is that just popular music these days and I'm an old dinosaur.

A little. A winner that goes a different way spawns imitators, like Abba spawned Teach-In.

Don't think anything has laid a glove on Conchita Wurst for quite a while even though it's basically like that bit of Any Dream Will Do when the lad had a paddy for being eliminated: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Td_Sp-JMF_s

[beanheadmcginty]

Surely Ireland's must have looked a bit shit to all the people watching live in the auditorium.

[Famous Mortimer]

Iceland's 2020 entry was an all-time banger, but this one is not quite as good. I'll still vote for em, mind.

[Captain Z]

Iceland seem a bit cursed. Tipped as winners last year before the contest was cancelled, now unable to perform this year.

[sevendaughters]

I haven't looked at the betting but Iceland's sounded, all things considered, pretty professional and credible and had a nice sentiment to it.

Think they can't physically attend, so they're probably bollocksed.

[DrGreggles]

Are they quarantined for the final too, if they qualify?

[flotemysost]

Anyone else think that the ghost of Netta's Toy has hung over a few of the entries this year? Or is that just popular music these days and I'm an old dinosaur.

Yep, I thought so a bit with Russia's entry this year, the staging anyway, and perhaps Malta a bit too? I wasn't that keen on Toy anyway (although being in a club in Lisbon when it was announced as the winner is a great memory).

Iceland's 2020 entry was an all-time banger, but this one is not quite as good. I'll still vote for em, mind.

Yeah, it definitely became one of those "Eurovision songs people who aren't into Eurovision are into" - undeniable banger but also sweet and silly in a way which was probably a welcome tonic for many last Spring. Sad they won't be performing live tonight.

Having said that, I loved Iceland's 2019 entry, Hatari - very different from all the other entries that year (and not just because they were the only ones to fly Palestinian flags at the final, in Tel Aviv!).

[Jollity]

I voted for Hatari to win in 2019. It's strange that British artists don't seem to see Eurovision as a golden trolling opportunity like Hatari clearly did. Mind you, perhaps they do, but our media and record industries just have more power to shut down anyone attempting anything too interesting. And Iceland has a much smaller population, of course, so they wouldn't have as many hopefuls to choose from.

[Attila]

I love Eurovision.
It's the best night of telly every year.
In fact it might be the only show I watch as it's being broadcast these days.

I endorse these sentences, because that's pretty much me, as well. I never look at the acts ahead of the semis/final because I want to be surprised. I like watching it live with my 365.24.7 eurovision nut friend who is back in the US and talking about the acts, the costumes, the nuttiness. Always, always watch Song for Europe ahead of the final, too.

[daf]

Semi Final 2

[daf]

01 | San Marino    :  Senhit feat. Flo Rida - "Adrenalina"

[dissolute ocelot]

re people liking it sincerely/not. In my circle of friends Eurovision is a big thing (we're having to Whats App this year rather than a real party). Most of us love pop music, camp, and obscure corners of Europe, as well as the chance to cook random European foods, drink strange European drinks, and show off our knowledge of languages and cultures and trivia (as well as the betting opportunities). But there's one guy who just comes along to the parties to grump and moan and completely destroys the mood.

Flo Rida though? Do not approve.

[daf]

02 | Estonia    :  Uku Suviste - "The Lucky One"

[daf]

03 | Czech Republic    :  Benny Cristo - "Omaga"

[chveik]

Flo Rida

what is that cunt doing here

[daf]

04 | Greece    :  Stefania - "Last Dance"

[daf]

05 | Austria    :  Vincent Bueno - "Amen"

[Captain Z]

I hadn't realised until now that almost all of the songs I liked or found interesting were in semi final 1. Not much to pick from in this bunch.

[daf]

06 | Poland    :  Rafał - "The Ride"

[shiftwork2]

Eurovision is Johnson-tier but the live CaB thread is unmissable.  I have three bottles of wine in in preparation.

[Captain Z]

The Poland backing track isn't banging half as hard as it should.

[daf]

I have three bottles of wine in in preparation.

Currently gingerly sipping my brother's undrinkable oak-leaf plonk - bleugh!!

[daf]

07 | Moldova    :  Natalia Gordienko - "Sugar"

[The Mollusk]

7 songs in and not a banger in the bunch so far. Fuckinell.

[daf]

08 | Iceland    :  Daði & Gagnamagnið - "10 Years"

[daf]

09 | Serbia    :  Hurricane - "Loco Loco"

[daf]

10 | Georgia    :  Tornike Kipiani - "You"

[Captain Z]

There can't be much competition on Georgia X-Factor/Pop Idol.

[daf]

11 | Albania    :  Anxhela Peristeri - "Karma"