The Hills Are Alive…

Excited and raring to go… Yep, this is it folks. The biggest tv betting event of the year is nearly upon us. It feels like we have been waiting an eternity but finally the ESC 2015 rehearsal period gets underway in Vienna on Monday and EntertainmentOdds will be there for the 13-day duration scrutinising the rehearsals from the press centre and seeing those all-important jury performances live during the second week.
Just to give readers a rough guide, rehearsals are scheduled to finish between 6.20 and 7pm during the first 6 days, Vienna time – Monday to Saturday next week – so for UK readers subtract one hour. The aim will be to post an end of day rehearsal report shortly after close of play on each of these days. Paid subscribers will receive a daily email outlining betting recommendations prior to this.
Day 6 will see the 7 automatic qualifiers rehearse for the first time in a shortened day scheduled to finish around 2.10pm Vienna time so look out for an earlier post that day, and an important one given this will be a first chance to see market leaders Italy and Australia take to the stage.
The second week is when things get serious, the semi-final jury performances taking place on Monday evening and Wednesday evening scheduled to finish at 11pm Vienna time. Earlier on those days will see the first dress rehearsals and a first chance to see the semi-finals as you will see them when tuning in on tv to watch the live semi-finals on Tuesday night and Thursday night (for UK viewers, live on BBC3 starting at 8pm).
Wednesday May 20 is a very hectic day with the 7 automatic qualifiers rehearsing for a second time between 10am and 12.50pm Vienna time (presumably also drawing first half or second half positions in the final during their press conferences which will take place after their rehearsals if it follows the same pattern as last year and which, by the way, will be in the sequence Italy, Austria, Spain, Germany, UK, France, Australia). All this prior to semi-final 2 dress rehearsals 1 and 2, 2 being the all-important jury performance.
When it comes to a final, full analysis of the 2 semi-finals, these posts will appear on the Tuesday and Thursday earlier in the day, likely before 3pm Vienna time as this is when the 3rd dress rehearsals are scheduled to get underway.
On Friday May 22, finishing after midnight in Vienna, the Grand Final jury performance will take place. Expect a brief report appearing earlier that day following the first dress rehearsal of the Grand Final, scheduled to finish at 6pm Vienna time, as this will be a first chance to see the final as tv viewers will see it on Saturday evening (for UK viewers, live on BBC1 starting at 8pm).
A final, full analysis of the Grand Final will be posted likely prior to 1pm Vienna time on the Saturday which is when the 3rd dress rehearsal of the Grand Final will get underway.
If you haven’t subscribed yet, you still have a few days left. For the price of £40 you will receive all betting recommendations sent exclusively via email for the 13-day duration of ESC 2015 prior to the daily rehearsal reports, and semi-final and grand final previews being posted here. Simply type your email address in the box below and click on the ‘Pay Now’ button.
It’s time to pack the toothbrush. Vienna beckons and the Eurovision hills will shortly be alive with the sound of music.
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Looking forward to reading your thoughts Rob. Has anything changed for you since your article highlighting Polina? What are the main things you’ll be looking for in rehearsals, questions you’ll be looking to answer etc.?
Hi Ben,
Nothing much has changed for me since that initial analysis, but I am sure a lot will change once getting to see the songs live next week.
It’s all about the staging & the live vocal or rather, what is heard coming through the tv monitor. Staging triumphs or disasters, who knows.
I’ll never forget Sofi Marinova for Bulgaria standing alone in her knee-length boots back in 2012 & thinking ‘epic fail’. Definite NQ. But she ended up dead-heating for 10th with Tooji & only missed out due to some convoluted voting difference.
Everything is so subjective especially where music is concerned. It’s part of the beauty of ESC.
I have questions to answer on every song. I have ideas pre-rehearsals but everything can and does change. Sorry not to be specific. Norway is possibly one in particular I am looking forward to see. Hoping for improvement all round from the NF.