semi 2 – 1st/2nd rehearsal notes

May 7, 2014 by Rob

Brief notes on this 1st rehearsal of semi 2. Malta is what it always has been. A lame Mumford & Sons copy that will very likely sail through to the final.

Mei in fine form for Israel. This is the tightest it has looked and sounded. You have to admire her for singing this active, uptempo tune unassisted.

Norway’s Carl is as ready as he will ever be. This looks and sounds like a quality entry.

Just misheard Georgian lyric as, ‘Stair master to heaven’. Fatigue properly setting in here. Mariko not note perfect.

Poland will be trending on Twitter tomorrow night. Nap. Superb Slavic smut set to music. The lady with the curdling stick is certainly ready, and the washer woman gets ready for scrubbing duties by seductively unbuttoning her blouse. Lead singer Cleo is ready too. Are jury members?

Break after Poland. Conchita stronger this afternoon compared to her previous rehearsal. She cannot afford to have an off night this evening as most are raising their game.

Lithuania certainly has impact. The right kind of impact? Vilija’s male dancer pokes his hands up through her chimney brush skirt at one point. ‘Everything’s a little bit weird now,’ as Getter Jaani once sang.

Finland might wish this was their performance this evening. The best it has looked and sounded.

Kasey sounding extremely flat and off-key for Ireland pretty much throughout this. If this is nerves, what will she be like tonight? After Finland this feels extremely limp, and SO dated.

Teo going through his paces very stylishly after Kasey. Tijana for FYR Macedonia starts much like Ireland’s Kasey – vocally suspect – and is sub-standard throughout this rehearsal.

Sebastiano all together more convincing for Switzerland today. His fiddling has improved as has his entire demeanour in selling this song. Break after Switzerland.

Greece not at their best this afternoon. There is a lot the guys are doing during this and this makes Nikolas especially drop a few notes.

Slovenia’s Tinkara, as usual, loses her way in places. If this song was sung well you might feel confident in its qualification chance. Trouble is, there hasn’t been a single rehearsal Tinkara has got through vocally unscathed.

Teething trouble at the start of Paula & Ovi’s ‘Miracle’. The presentation of this… it is far from miraculous. In fact, it is hilarious, for all the wrong reasons.

Once again, will be Tweeting thoughts on the key semi 2 jury performance later tonight. Further thoughts on that jury performance will be expanded on below. Any questions, thoughts, please feel free to comment.