c4countdown

Yep, it's that time of year again: Eurovision week. Semi-finals are tomorrow and Thursday, with the grand finale taking place this Saturday. Lena returns to defend her crown, with the controversial Dana International also back. You probably all know, but the UK's entry is this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPuDbaOBDsc
Whilst we have Jedward.
I know there's a few Eurovision fans around here, but who else will be watching? I definitely will.

I am so excited, genuinely the best week of the year for me I think.

I'm doing a pretty good job of avoiding listening to any entries this year before the event, as I've found it's much more fun that way. That said, I've been looking at how Blue's albums have sold across Europe, and it's not too shabby, but not breathtaking. I think I'd be a bit sad if we won though, it feels so cheap using a 'famous' band (even if loads of other countries do it). That said, if our song is really good then that would be ok, but I'm not optimistic.

Michael Wallace wrote:I am so excited, genuinely the best week of the year for me I think.

fag

I'll definitely be watching, always interesting seeing how everyone votes, and how every year they say that neighbour voting will be restricted and never is.

So hope Jedward don't make it through. Luckily they have to qualify and us Brits can't vote for them (RESULT )

Ryan Taylor wrote:

Michael Wallace wrote:I am so excited, genuinely the best week of the year for me I think.

fag

i no rite? It's easily the gayest thing I do though, so that's ok.

Spoilers: (I think it was a repeat)

On today's Pointless, one of the Head to Heads was "Countries who automatically qualify for Eurovision." They said there was four answers, but is Italy not considered one of the big 5? I know they haven't participated in years, but they gain automatic qualification this year. Maybe I misheard the details of the question, just curious.

Eoin Monaghan wrote:Spoilers: (I think it was a repeat)

On today's Pointless, one of the Head to Heads was "Countries who automatically qualify for Eurovision." They said there was four answers, but is Italy not considered one of the big 5? I know they haven't participated in years, but they gain automatic qualification this year. Maybe I misheard the details of the question, just curious.

It maybe in terms of size, but as you say they've just returned this year, so maybe they've been given special dispensation.

And yes, it is a repeat.

Eoin Monaghan wrote:Spoilers: (I think it was a repeat)

On today's Pointless, one of the Head to Heads was "Countries who automatically qualify for Eurovision." They said there was four answers, but is Italy not considered one of the big 5? I know they haven't participated in years, but they gain automatic qualification this year. Maybe I misheard the details of the question, just curious.

Yeah, they were always going to join the big 4 if they ever came back to Eurovision. As they're returning this year, they're straight into the final. I think that episode of Pointless must be from before Italy announced their comeback.

Michael Wallace wrote:I am so excited, genuinely the best week of the year for me I think.

I'm doing a pretty good job of avoiding listening to any entries this year before the event, as I've found it's much more fun that way. That said, I've been looking at how Blue's albums have sold across Europe, and it's not too shabby, but not breathtaking. I think I'd be a bit sad if we won though, it feels so cheap using a 'famous' band (even if loads of other countries do it). That said, if our song is really good then that would be ok, but I'm not optimistic.

I've done the opposite and have heard a large number of this year's entries. When we sent that pile of crap last year I joined an ESC forum to research the other big 4s and see if we were going to come last. Before I know it, I'm watching live streaming of this year's Estonian national preselection.

I'm not too optimistic for this year's show, because in most of the national finals I watched, the best song didn't win. My biggest disappointment was that this awesome Austrian entry lost out to a bland ballad (yes, they are actually called Trackshittaz).

I'm really excited that we're sending a big name act. On that forum all the Europeans say "Why don't UK just send Cheryl Cole/Lily Allen/Alesha Dixon? We love them." Then instead they get Josh. I'm not a huge fan of Blue, but it would be great if they started a trend for increasingly credible acts to enter ESC and do well. It's so annoying to hear all the "Europe hates us" rubbish. They don't - they love our music, just not what we send to Eurovision.

OOH EUROVISION SONG CONTEST ROOOOOOOOCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ya get to stay up till like 2am and have pizza and stuff!!!

did u know (u do know actually, because eoin said it) Jedward are representing ireland!!! Ooh unlucky, eoin and other irish peeps! thing with jedward is that they are so famous for being bad singers that they might get quite a few votes just for being popular! how unfair is that!? well it doesnt matter because i just know england will get more votes (see below)!

england however have Blue (yay) who are not as famous but are better singers than jedward. to be honest i dont really know who they are (i think its a band - not solo) but i definitely have heard about them before, i think; the name sounds familiar.

Soph K wrote:england however have Blue. to be honest i dont really know who they are but i definitely have heard about them before, i think; the name sounds familiar.

You might be thinking of the colour.

Soph K wrote:i just know england will get more votes ......

england however have Blue .

United Kingdom. We enter Eurovision as the United Kingdom!

Matt Morrison wrote:

Soph K wrote:england however have Blue. to be honest i dont really know who they are but i definitely have heard about them before, i think; the name sounds familiar.

You might be thinking of the colour.

A-lol. Wait, which colour?

Charlie Reams wrote:

Matt Morrison wrote:

Soph K wrote:england however have Blue. to be honest i dont really know who they are but i definitely have heard about them before, i think; the name sounds familiar.

You might be thinking of the colour.

A-lol. Wait, which colour?

God, it doesn't matter you racist.

My general music fandom encompasses the Eurovision experience, so yes, I'll be watching. In fact, I'll be at a friend's Eurovision party. And his Eurovision parties are legendary - even a Eurovision-hating mate loved it last year.

A lot of the music is pretty bland, but I love the silly traditions and idiosyncrasies of the contest - the vignettes of the host nation between songs; the patronising cheers when telephone connections are made to troubled countries (I swear crowds were still cheering Bosnia-Herzegovina until about 3 years ago); the personalities from various nations who keep yapping on about how great the competition has been and have to be hurried to give their votes; the cliche that because you're _allowed_ 7 (or however many) people on stage, you have to have that many, usually by adding ridiculous interpretive dancers... and so on.

And don't underestimate the contribution of Wogan, Norton (or I reckon Amstell would do a good job) injecting their thoughts. When I used to watch the show on Dutch tv, it just wasn't as much fun.

Karen Pearson wrote: United Kingdom. We enter Eurovision as the United Kingdom!

of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Exactly Eoin, support your team!

I don't think Blue have got a chance of winning. If, and it's a big IF, if Jedward perform in tune on the night, and they look wacky enough, my money's on them (although I haven't heard any of the others)

I have someone at my school who is proper Irish, and he was jumping hoops when I told him about Jedward .

Next year, the United Kingdom should have Wrong Direction.

Rhys Benjamin wrote:Next year, the United Kingdom should have Wrong Direction.

I think you mean Wand Erection (or is that a mondegreen?).

Oliver Garner wrote:

Karen Pearson wrote: United Kingdom. We enter Eurovision as the United Kingdom!

of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Exactly Eoin, support your team!

Yeah Eoin, and please remove yourself from the Irish section on pro ranks and join the Northern Ireland section so I can move up a spot you bloody Fenian.

I'm seriously thinking about having a few quid on Moldova this year. It's not through the semi-final yet, but 125/1 looks like very generous odds, especially as all the bookies' leading contenders this time around seem to be even more shite than usual.

Chris Corby wrote:I don't think Blue have got a chance of winning. If, and it's a big IF, if Jedward perform in tune on the night, and they look wacky enough, my money's on them (although I haven't heard any of the others)

Jedward will be lucky to get through the semis. They may be famous here, but they're unknowns in Europe and haven't made any attempts at publicity either. In Duesseldorf they won't have the Cowell publicity machine to fall back on, just 3 minutes on stage. The UK's recent attempts to emulate our idea of Eurovision wackiness may give you an insight into how successful that could be. While Jedward's big show may get a few televotes, I'm fairly confident the juries will hate them. Mid-table in the final should be the very height of their ambition.

Blue meanwhile, are second favourites with the bookies and they're normally quite good at predicting ESC. They're famous all over Europe and I think their song is the sort of thing juries like (or at least don't hate with a passion). If anyone's wondering, France are the bookies favourites.

Martin Bishop wrote:Jedward will be lucky to get through the semis.

That's what happens when your fan base is under 13

Well, that was disappointing. I hope the standard improves in semi 2. Portugal and Croatia were particularly awful.

On the bright side, I love Serbia. Nina has buckets of charisma and I loved the whole retro thing. Iceland was good too and not just because of the sad story of their original singer dying. I found it genuinely sweet and uplifting. As is my wont I've voted for another three entries, Albania, Greece and Hungary.

So my ten are:

Hungary
Russia
Azerbaijan
Lithuania
Armenia
Serbia
Norway
Georgia
Turkey
Finland

Let's see how hilariously wrong that proves to be...

I agree, incredibly frustrating that there were few good performances, quite liked Hungary and Azerbaijan and the Russian performance. Hated Portugal, and the lyrics to Finland: "Peter is smart, he knows all of Europe by heart." Norway was interesting that it was in Swahili, but it was poorly performed. Semi final 2 should be good, and with a few good songs from the top 5, I hope the final turns out as spectacular as ever.

My ten to get through would be:
Hungary
Russia
Azerbaijan
Finland
Iceland
Swtizerland
Albania
Turkey
Greece (they always get through)
Serbia. I have a bad history of favouriting acts that fail...

Eoin Monaghan wrote:I agree, incredibly frustrating that there were few good performances, quite liked Hungary and Azerbaijan and the Russian performance. Hated Portugal, and the lyrics to Finland: "Peter is smart, he knows all of Europe by heart." Norway was interesting that it was in Swahili, but it was poorly performed. Semi final 2 should be good, and with a few good songs from the top 5, I hope the final turns out as spectacular as ever.

My ten to get through would be:
Hungary
Russia
Azerbaijan
Finland
Iceland
Swtizerland
Albania
Turkey
Greece (they always get through)
Serbia. I have a bad history of favouriting acts that fail...

Hmm, 8 correct, not too bad, even though I didn't like half the ones I predicted. Only slipping up on Albania and Turkey (who have done quite well of late.)

Urgh. Bloody Greece. I know they always get through, but that song was awful. Iceland surely proves that everyone voted for it because the dude died, and Switzerland? Their worst song in years and they finally get to the final. Madness.

Happy for Finland to go through, and really pleased by Lithuania - not a particularly good song but I thought it was really confident they would go through, then saw they were at 5.5 on Paddy Power so I stuck £1.50 on them

Disappointment of the night is Norway though

Is it bad that when they announced Iceland was through that I jumped out of my chair shouting "Come on! Get In!"?

Martin Bishop wrote:Is it bad that when they announced Iceland was through that I jumped out of my chair shouting "Come on! Get In!"?

I did that (well, I shouted a bit) for Lithuania and Finland, the former I can justify because of £££, the latter can only be explained by being a homo I think.

You guys are all fucking nuts.

Jon O'Neill wrote:You guys are all fucking nuts.

At least they're fucking somebody.

Chris Corby wrote:I don't think Blue have got a chance of winning. If, and it's a big IF, if Jedward perform in tune on the night, and they look wacky enough, my money's on them (although I haven't heard any of the others)

My prediction has certainly frightened the bookies!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-13351830

Today I got told I look like the guy on the right in the Portugal entry.

Matt Morrison wrote:Today I got told I look like the guy on the right in the Portugal entry.

True.

Karen Pearson wrote:

Soph K wrote:i just know england will get more votes ......

england however have Blue .

United Kingdom. We enter Eurovision as the United Kingdom!

oh.

Matt Morrison wrote:

Soph K wrote:england however have Blue. to be honest i dont really know who they are but i definitely have heard about them before, i think; the name sounds familiar.

You might be thinking of the colour.

matt, you KNOW im not THAT thick!

Michael Wallace wrote:Switzerland? Their worst song in years and they finally get to the final. Madness.

I actually think that's their best song in years, if only because I thought all the others were awful. I think this benefitted hugely from following Russia's hectic dance performance. It's mellower feel provided a nice contrast.

Martin Bishop wrote:

Michael Wallace wrote:Switzerland? Their worst song in years and they finally get to the final. Madness.

I actually think that's their best song in years, if only because I thought all the others were awful.

Yeah, but you're the guy who voted for Greece.

Michael Wallace wrote:

Martin Bishop wrote:

Michael Wallace wrote:Switzerland? Their worst song in years and they finally get to the final. Madness.

I actually think that's their best song in years, if only because I thought all the others were awful.

Yeah, but you're the guy who voted for Greece.

It was more my mum's vote, really.

I hated Eurovision until last year, when I gave in to peer pressure in 2009 and watched the X Factor. The next year, I watched Eurovision. I quite liked it, so I shall watch it this year.

Ryan Taylor wrote:

Michael Wallace wrote:I am so excited, genuinely the best week of the year for me I think.

fag

My other half downloaded the Dalton Warblers album this evening and burned it to a CD for me. Been playing it non-stop ever since. I think that means I out-fag the raccoon.

We are the only honest voters. So Greece won last year, not Germany.

Ireland didn't give us anything significant last year

If they gave us 12, then we wouldn't have been last.

And in 2003 I found out we had NO POINTS whatsoever. Nil poi.

Rhys Benjamin wrote:We are the only honest voters. So Greece won last year, not Germany.

Lol. We give big points to Greece or Turkey every year. There are large numbers of Greeks and Turks living here. I don't think that's a coincidence.

That said, the unfair voting thing is vastly exaggerated. Germany won last year and that says it all. They've never been a beneficiary of diaspora or neighbourly voting and until they finally bothered to send a good song in 2010, they routinely occupied the bottom of the table with us.

Belgium, Nil Points

Much better quality I think tonight, I missed the start due to a match, only saw Estonia (who has to be my favourite) on. I'd put these through.

Estonia
Denmark
Israel
Austria
Slovakia
Ireland
Romania
Netherlands
Sweden
Latvia

That's mainly based on the snippets shown, and what I've previously seen.

Got to admit, Jedward were really good. They still won't win, but I think they'll qualify tonight.

As I said before, I watched the Estonian pre-selection this year and while I quite liked Rockefeller Street then, that performance was a lot better. I can understand why it's one of the favourites. Also liked Bulgaria and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Who else loves Belarus?

My other five to qualify: Ukraine, Slovenia, Sweden, Romania and Denmark (despite not liking any of those last three).

Wait, I missed Isarel and Moldova!

They should all qualify!




(Apart from Belgium).

Eoin Monaghan wrote:Much better quality I think tonight, I missed the start due to a match, only saw Estonia (who has to be my favourite) on. I'd put these through.

Estonia
Denmark
Israel
Austria
Slovakia
Ireland
Romania
Netherlands
Sweden
Latvia

That's mainly based on the snippets shown, and what I've previously seen.

Just 6 tonight, bit shocked that Slovakia and Israel never made it, but Ireland did. Saturday will be epic!

Yep, thought tonight was overall much better. Did terribly with my predictions (I had a look at the odds once I'd made them and was amazed to see Bosnia as joint favourites). Don't understand Slovenia going through either, and a few others.

Main disappointment was probably Netherlands, thought they had a really good chance to go through for once

Ok. Being one who hangs out with people who write songs like this, I can't help but resent what eurovision has become. But what the hell, it's frickin great craic. Go Jedward and screw art.

Still, we can't afford to host this shit - come on Bosnia!

Andy Wilson wrote:Go Jedward and screw art.

Jedward are to art what Shane MacGowan is to kissing.

Rhys Benjamin wrote:

And in 2003 I found out we had NO POINTS whatsoever. Nil poi.

Nul points actually. And it was Jemini and, if you had had the misfortune to hear them, you would understand why. They sang out of tune for pretty much the entire song. It was awful! But classic Eurovision and very funny!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eu5kgSeZHfw

It bugs me how many acts are miming instrument playing. Am I taking this too seriously?

Andy Wilson wrote:It bugs me how many acts are miming instrument playing. Am I taking this too seriously?

Probably. The problem I have with it is the name. It says song contest. The songs are irrelevant these days. If it was called the eurovision cabaret act contest or something I wouldn't have a problem with it. The eurvision only did two good things as far as I'm concerned, Abba and Riverdance although the latter was milked to exhaustion and sullied the reputation of the original. I'll still probably watch the votes being dished out. I love it when Greece and Cyprus give each other 12 points. Are they both in it this year?

Mark James wrote:Probably. The problem I have with it is the name. It says song contest. The songs are irrelevant these days. If it was called the eurovision cabaret act contest or something I wouldn't have a problem with it.

I don't really agree that "the songs are irrelevant". Having a memorable performance may help some of the weaker acts, but I think the ones that actually win (which arguably is all that matters from a contest perspective) do so off the back of being good songs. You have to go back to 2006 and Lordi to find a winner who put on a ridiculous stage show (which seems an exception amongst those that win), and even then it's a pretty kick-ass song.

That said, I may have to accept things have changed if Jedward win this time...

Michael Wallace wrote:

Mark James wrote:Probably. The problem I have with it is the name. It says song contest. The songs are irrelevant these days. If it was called the eurovision cabaret act contest or something I wouldn't have a problem with it.

I don't really agree that "the songs are irrelevant". Having a memorable performance may help some of the weaker acts, but I think the ones that actually win (which arguably is all that matters from a contest perspective) do so off the back of being good songs. You have to go back to 2006 and Lordi to find a winner who put on a ridiculous stage show (which seems an exception amongst those that win), and even then it's a pretty kick-ass song.

That said, I may have to accept things have changed if Jedward win this time...

I guess it depends on your definition of what a good song is. For me the last good song to win the eurovision was that Irish entrant Rock and Roll Kids. Every song I've heard since is basically some soppy Mariah Carey inspired ballad or cheesy europop reminiscent of the crap from the nineties. Lordi were just about ok I suppose.

Mark James wrote:I guess it depends on your definition of what a good song is. For me the last good song to win the eurovision was that Irish entrant Rock and Roll Kids. Every song I've heard since is basically some soppy Mariah Carey inspired ballad or cheesy europop reminiscent of the crap from the nineties. Lordi were just about ok I suppose.

Right, so one possibility is that it's just your taste in music being different to most of the people who vote at Eurovision - what is it that you think determines who wins if the song is irrelevant?

I find it rather odd that people don't simply stand and sing anymore.
These days it seems obligatory to wear fancy dress and have hugely distracting light shows.

Why oh why did Cyprus have giant sperm? And why did Garden Gnomes invade?

Andy Wilson wrote:It bugs me how many acts are miming instrument playing. Am I taking this too seriously?

They're all miming their instruments. Only the singing is live. It's in the rules, presumably because it saves them a whole load of equipment and sound arranging.

Ralph Gillions wrote:I find it rather odd that people don't simply stand and sing anymore.
These days it seems obligatory to wear fancy dress and have hugely distracting light shows.

You might approve of last year's winner, then.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5Je0Taz ... re=related

She's got a completely different song this year though, complete with lights and dancers. That's not a bad thing though, the performance suits the song.

Michael Wallace wrote:

Mark James wrote:I guess it depends on your definition of what a good song is. For me the last good song to win the eurovision was that Irish entrant Rock and Roll Kids. Every song I've heard since is basically some soppy Mariah Carey inspired ballad or cheesy europop reminiscent of the crap from the nineties. Lordi were just about ok I suppose.

Right, so one possibility is that it's just your taste in music being different to most of the people who vote at Eurovision - what is it that you think determines who wins if the song is irrelevant?

I think it is your taste in music. I don't like that song much, although I did at the time. To me, the last time a good song won was 2010 and before that, 2009.