tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68100117218047668712024-02-19T07:54:37.089+00:00EuropeCrazyblogging since 2007 about European music, travel and all things Eurovision-related, as well as a bit of telly and retro-tastic music.Laura (EuropeCrazy)http://www.blogger.com/profile/00049762365144495234noreply@blogger.comBlogger2479125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810011721804766871.post-91746682823958848432017-08-21T20:40:00.002+01:002017-08-21T20:40:54.392+01:00The Adriatic Cruise Diaries: Day 8, Friday 19 May 2017 - Basically just a rant about Corfu AirportAfter a very hectic week, sailing the Adriatic Sea on the Thomson Dream, our holiday finally came to an end. <br />
<br />
We arrived in Corfu at about 6.30am local time and the captain announced that we had travelled 1250 nautical miles over the past week. The next destination for the Dream, on its alternate-week itinerary, would be a Greek islands cruise departing tonight from Kalamata. <br />
<br />
The main problem this morning was finding a space in any of the restaurants, as a whole ship seemed to be going for breakfast at the same time because all cabins needed to be vacated by 8.00am. Eventually after a short wait we got a table and had our final buffet breakfast. We needed to kill some time after breakfast so went for a walk and found a seat in an empty Waters Edge bar - a place where it was just impossible to get a seat since arriving. It was nice and quiet, and I suddenly realise that's what had been missing from this holiday; peaceful, quiet spaces, and time to think.<br />
<br />
As I said in the previous post, your luggage needs to be put outside your cabin door on the final night of your holiday, for collection at the quayside for onward travel to the airport. Again I couldn't fault Thomson with this one. They were very organised with a colour-coded system of luggage labels for different flights so it was easy to find our cases after final disembarkation. We boarded our coach to Corfu Airport and arrived there at 11.20 am. <br />
<br />
I had been dreading this moment given this airport's reputation for having to queue outside in direct heat. Today was a very hot day (high 20s) but luckily those on the Glasgow flight were told to queue inside for the Glasgow flight, unlike the poor passengers for Aberdeen and Manchester who had to stand outside in the baking heat for hours. At least it wasn't too
roasting inside. The toilets were dirty and disgusting though, and looked as if they hadn't been cleaned for years and the toilet paper bin was overflowing.<br />
<br />
Back in the queue, we waited….and we waited.
Corfu Airport was everything they said it would be and worse. It is to be avoided and we will never come
back here. Even the clock was slow.
Avoid, avoid, avoid!! Our flight was allegedly departing at 1.15 pm, but at that time we were still standing in a very long queue. Everything about this airport is not fit for purpose. You basically had to queue for hours to get into the check-in hall. Luckily I had my iPod for company and I reckon I had worked my way through the complete track listing during the time we'd been queuing. Faithful travelling companion was showing definite signs of having lost the will to live. In the immortal words of Paul McCartney and Wings...."if we ever get out of here....."<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
Eventually we made it through to the check-in hall. But the nightmare didn't end there. After the check-in desk you then had to go into <i>another</i> queue where your hold baggage was scanned. Then we had to make your way to another queue for passport control and then, oh lucky travellers, you had the chaotic, grumpy security experience awaiting you. Although to be fair, I think anyone with the misfortune to work at Corfu Airport probably has the right to be grumpy!<br />
<br />
Finally, we were through to the "other side" and yep you guessed it, another queue and virtually no facilities to speak of. Eventually, what felt like 17 hours later, we boarded our flight to Glasgow. For a couple of different reasons I had quite an unpleasant flight home and faithful travelling companion didn't do too well either. By the way, what is it with cruise flights that they feel the need to split couples up on the way home??<br />
<br />
(I do have another rant in me about airline seating but that will be reserved for a future post about another holiday adventure....!)<br />
<br />
We eventually made it home. So, was it worth it? For me, the Adriatic Explorer cruise had been built up over the years into my "holiday of a lifetime" and it was a fabulous itinerary with the backdrop of one of the most beautiful parts of our continent. A collection of stunning destinations over the course of the week almost made us forget about the hell of Corfu Airport (well not quite) but we concluded:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>We'd like to go back to Venice at some point in the future.</li>
<li>We'd like to go back to Slovenia. Come on you airlines, bring on the flights from Scotland to Ljubljana!</li>
<li>It was nice to see Split again, although we probably wouldn't prioritise it as a holiday destination having visited twice now.</li>
<li>We wouldn't go back to Dubrovnik (major shock!)</li>
<li>We wouldn't mind returning to Montenegro. Right deal, right place, right time, why not?</li>
<li>Corfu Airport - never again!</li>
<li>Cruise holidays are probably not our preferred holiday choice. For us, cruises are a means to an end rather than an end in itself. We wouldn't write them off or say never again, but I think it takes a certain type of person to really enjoy a cruise holiday to the full and I'm not sure if we are those people. There are many great itineraries and brilliant ships out there and who knows what's in the future, but we've probably got cruising out of our system for now.</li>
</ul>
<div>
What happened next? A surprise city break in June which delivered and then some!</div>
Laura (EuropeCrazy)http://www.blogger.com/profile/00049762365144495234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810011721804766871.post-6148114339685135552017-08-21T20:29:00.001+01:002017-08-21T20:29:35.567+01:00The Adriatic Cruise Diaries: Day 7, Thursday 18 May 2017 - Kotor, MontenegroAfter yesterday's "Full Monty" on Lokrum, today it's time for the "Full Monte". <br />
<br />
Another day and another new country for us. That's still the best thing about a cruise - it enables you to discover so many different places over the course of a week. <br />
<br />
We had docked early in Kotor, Montenegro, and I was up on deck to explore. So we'd had the company of the MS Westerdam in Dubrovnik and it was with us again in Kotor. However, the Thomson Dream got the best option - a port berth, whereas the Westerdam was anchored out at sea with only tender boats for transport. <br />
<br />
I had done some research before the holiday to see which ships were in port on various days with the Dream. As it turned out, the Westerdam was on a specialist music cruise, "Dave Koz and Friends". One of his friends happened to be one of my all-time musical heroes, the brilliant Sheila E. Unfortunately I never saw Sheila on my travels in Kotor, but even if I did I would probably have been far too starstruck and nervous to approach her anyway. Long may you live "the glamorous life" Sheila!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE-9qYudb6prw_blWBVJap6sq__eUGlTUfZp9mF6ZHO48hDVyXaxye00J7G31bl7JyoRzsBv7uwBGVDZLLjpRNdyH5cAqHq_hTmsXOmIvFmDMcjDihCwe9fwy39ykO2MmWbQvtJV4SZkxJ/s1600/IMG_0760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE-9qYudb6prw_blWBVJap6sq__eUGlTUfZp9mF6ZHO48hDVyXaxye00J7G31bl7JyoRzsBv7uwBGVDZLLjpRNdyH5cAqHq_hTmsXOmIvFmDMcjDihCwe9fwy39ykO2MmWbQvtJV4SZkxJ/s640/IMG_0760.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
On arrival in <i>Crna Gora</i> I was really excited at adding another new country to our travel CV. However upon disembarking we were immediately reminded of another country which we had visited a few times in the past. The hard-sell recalled Turkey, as taxi drivers and bus tour operators thronged round the disembarking cruise shippers, and we had to run the gauntlet on towards the gate and into the old town. <br />
<br />
I can't mention Montenegro at this point without referencing my undying love for its Eurovision entrant from 2017, Slavko Kalezic, complete with swinging plait and single entendres-a-plenty. (Slavko has entered the UK X Factor so let's all get ready for his role as the "funny foreigner"/new Wagner - I swore I'd never watch X Factor again but Slavko might just be a deal-breaker).<br />
<br />
Anyway what I'm trying to say here is that on a completely shallow note, in the interests of research, I wanted to check out the local male population and I am happy to conclude that they were rather easy on the eye (honourable mention for the dark-haired guy in full business suit, standing at the old town gate). In the interests of equality it would be fair to say that faithful travelling companion was equally impressed with the female population of the town, many of whom worked in souvenir shops and who were either called Dragana or Ivana :)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_WKjtAcfiQ9NRSlgkIqPKtmB5AwkcSgK4S0TRkAqAgUaNSDe1F1oNjKc5bmAZqLvgSnr1KUoeXoKtnV0cyI6iEyODMUO_uygb99HvJd49kuTAoNqizVEMcweiCpIG3mH_D2pIl-Ph3UiY/s1600/IMG_0785.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_WKjtAcfiQ9NRSlgkIqPKtmB5AwkcSgK4S0TRkAqAgUaNSDe1F1oNjKc5bmAZqLvgSnr1KUoeXoKtnV0cyI6iEyODMUO_uygb99HvJd49kuTAoNqizVEMcweiCpIG3mH_D2pIl-Ph3UiY/s640/IMG_0785.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
Kotor is basically an old town, dripping with history, and has a lot of authenticity. Although the town's businesses definitely set out to benefit from the cruise ship traffic (the hard sell in the shops and the rather unnerving experience of being followed around a souvenir shop by said staff member), it's done in a different way from Dubrovnik. They even put on a music and dance folklore display for the tourists in the town square.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdRXA_j3_rn9UNzE8cAJNaE7roM5L9JI5GPQAeGHxeAXDrj8iP6FfD8GCOcCbPK-iJGEqCLp4Fu5Ub7U16UbXJK-_OjxVLst48YuswE3HXTDHsMbNOsbC8keujEgYdd-MnoSuW4nzVxF6/s1600/IMG_0827.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdRXA_j3_rn9UNzE8cAJNaE7roM5L9JI5GPQAeGHxeAXDrj8iP6FfD8GCOcCbPK-iJGEqCLp4Fu5Ub7U16UbXJK-_OjxVLst48YuswE3HXTDHsMbNOsbC8keujEgYdd-MnoSuW4nzVxF6/s640/IMG_0827.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Kotor was deceptive. After our mid-morning coffee on the square, we did some sightseeing and quickly found ourselves back at the town wall. However on re-entry Kotor turneed out to be a much bigger small-town than first thought, to the point that we inevitably got lost at one point. Happily our direction finding is rediscovered and we certainly covered every corner of this fascinating old town during our visit.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaD0_LbhyLJKZDa0QzCkXpUVBmDgAKDKFEbCn4i_zZYetHSo7n8B4jDOnXek09_jazw44Ohu4o7R2Slhhs-iB8_KNecoz6x9qc0zYHdTJjpSKzmFr0bgo-JvmORl0K2AOF51nHZ_wRDpkU/s1600/IMG_0790.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaD0_LbhyLJKZDa0QzCkXpUVBmDgAKDKFEbCn4i_zZYetHSo7n8B4jDOnXek09_jazw44Ohu4o7R2Slhhs-iB8_KNecoz6x9qc0zYHdTJjpSKzmFr0bgo-JvmORl0K2AOF51nHZ_wRDpkU/s640/IMG_0790.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBonhOlf-sGe4MSdF6jV9LELQJpBXtYR7GwW6k8fVKP_wEqOvE6yyZhv3zKRW2EMv6L2Uf854NfAJckFSax5OvuUStiwZOwMNQCcLuRi3n9OULoXuiQASsqVE8XjdItAPni0lnKX234bgr/s1600/IMG_0801.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBonhOlf-sGe4MSdF6jV9LELQJpBXtYR7GwW6k8fVKP_wEqOvE6yyZhv3zKRW2EMv6L2Uf854NfAJckFSax5OvuUStiwZOwMNQCcLuRi3n9OULoXuiQASsqVE8XjdItAPni0lnKX234bgr/s640/IMG_0801.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWbBCOS8wjDCcAEDIHSVidZQVuEvk2WhSA07CuVjl7vIuy6txr3CQ5pA1vzveGeSuVLJjJ1tYTiSFiLbiCDmCTX8w4AEJD7_m9U9KJsksN4J9Bcl9-4HwTqSufpljGLlWTkj-ldWk5dGhU/s1600/IMG_0830.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWbBCOS8wjDCcAEDIHSVidZQVuEvk2WhSA07CuVjl7vIuy6txr3CQ5pA1vzveGeSuVLJjJ1tYTiSFiLbiCDmCTX8w4AEJD7_m9U9KJsksN4J9Bcl9-4HwTqSufpljGLlWTkj-ldWk5dGhU/s640/IMG_0830.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOdR2fShkw_aYC0kyZqgMJ-4WnQIqcdrpQWn9upwWw40iIr5nYL_BfqnQM-ha7QJdV_E8BvfmFZD8jYW2Dq2ltqggXl3dnBShDhMwTD-nk3ly3HrJpgykYfAmoVN-JbwQ5cPlWvxaqY-zt/s1600/IMG_0833.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOdR2fShkw_aYC0kyZqgMJ-4WnQIqcdrpQWn9upwWw40iIr5nYL_BfqnQM-ha7QJdV_E8BvfmFZD8jYW2Dq2ltqggXl3dnBShDhMwTD-nk3ly3HrJpgykYfAmoVN-JbwQ5cPlWvxaqY-zt/s640/IMG_0833.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Kotor also has a selling point for everyone who is a fan of one particular type of domestic pet. The town's former name was Cattaro - can you guess what it is yet??<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaIs0icGHQ1_Q3CL9H3lYRVaGrhpTbc3brxnlNXsl0LUFYYx5HA-fqw0lc-qo2W9Clm-V4Q-SUfBVBbyaqN5n2GDA97i2eqxy8dmu6xdNKjVUC5kqrfbBoHwZsd7PWMDLQMB0i6TrRFcT8/s1600/IMG_0867.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaIs0icGHQ1_Q3CL9H3lYRVaGrhpTbc3brxnlNXsl0LUFYYx5HA-fqw0lc-qo2W9Clm-V4Q-SUfBVBbyaqN5n2GDA97i2eqxy8dmu6xdNKjVUC5kqrfbBoHwZsd7PWMDLQMB0i6TrRFcT8/s640/IMG_0867.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Every shop seems to have some kind of cat-themed souvenir so is an ideal place if you are a cat lover. They are definitely the symbol of this fascinating little town although dominate to the extent that you often can't get a seat in an outdoor cafe for a little feline specimen or two, sprawling across the only available seats left. Basically cats rule in Kotor, and everyone else can just go home. <br />
<br />
We have lunch accompanied by Montenegrin beer.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBe46bryaJByz2heL1kqoRU7pO3MHc-Wt0mWtFj4H9scomtnOwQAQsuwYdh3LipexNxSF8JLZ7VBdpTjoHbEekb1wkhQSGpj3v19WVcvdxubWEKrMPv0nuK_un31wlri6q6afMZbA-P_R7/s1600/IMG_0870.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBe46bryaJByz2heL1kqoRU7pO3MHc-Wt0mWtFj4H9scomtnOwQAQsuwYdh3LipexNxSF8JLZ7VBdpTjoHbEekb1wkhQSGpj3v19WVcvdxubWEKrMPv0nuK_un31wlri6q6afMZbA-P_R7/s640/IMG_0870.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
I don't look for much, but all I wanted was a photo of a sign in old Cyrillic. *Check*.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaZWkWbXkhI2Dp2CiES7zxmGJSAv8RSYcyp642ZBGDqjBgQqpIZKLMEuf7uDdK1Kx68w81cjthvFB_enblOVdjKIeuyv9kPOz0Vn0NpWLmJIwuv5q1QAjXDW2FMU7kZQoRdVky3ErYtlJm/s1600/IMG_0815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaZWkWbXkhI2Dp2CiES7zxmGJSAv8RSYcyp642ZBGDqjBgQqpIZKLMEuf7uDdK1Kx68w81cjthvFB_enblOVdjKIeuyv9kPOz0Vn0NpWLmJIwuv5q1QAjXDW2FMU7kZQoRdVky3ErYtlJm/s640/IMG_0815.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
After some more post-lunch exploring, it was eventually time to head back to the Dream. For a holiday with so many wow moments, appropriately our final day and final sail-out would probably provide the perfect conclusion.<br />
<br />
But first, a moment of sympathy for the passengers on the Westerdam, having to queue in a long long queue for a long long time to board the small tender boats taking them out to their ship. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGsFRey9-1xBtcF9TGfNmAr6_Tm-gbs8KlW6RxQYzQEtz9HmWYrfFbUnDCdqAOHw455iiebG3v0DfvIkLWvXWXXKE2PhuhVrXdXqRPqvW-fQSjdMOAp0YIxUhs-MRYV26ZYiVBro2dCWQR/s1600/IMG_0878.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGsFRey9-1xBtcF9TGfNmAr6_Tm-gbs8KlW6RxQYzQEtz9HmWYrfFbUnDCdqAOHw455iiebG3v0DfvIkLWvXWXXKE2PhuhVrXdXqRPqvW-fQSjdMOAp0YIxUhs-MRYV26ZYiVBro2dCWQR/s640/IMG_0878.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Then the sail-out began through the stunning Montenegrin fjords. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRuHMPl2MddCOUS3MgO-b-jqrrWP0g2u9uJe3XQjBJguoxUJg7O1qpOj8LzO_elFUTDDvvDuyjfx3twG_MpKYUC3ixyorkgZTB4pOY3y16av-h1OR1g3xhmFsp2eflHcjLIwmCoron4__N/s1600/IMG_0893.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRuHMPl2MddCOUS3MgO-b-jqrrWP0g2u9uJe3XQjBJguoxUJg7O1qpOj8LzO_elFUTDDvvDuyjfx3twG_MpKYUC3ixyorkgZTB4pOY3y16av-h1OR1g3xhmFsp2eflHcjLIwmCoron4__N/s640/IMG_0893.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlWtgWJLn1KE1QMTz2a9-6SnNWgpF-T76bO6efOrmbbnPcmAvjA5fh_2ivL9GMxxc_nMWMtZ56XKbqtBGoP8eX4QQb_sQ9CVIG1YiRyj-nSBsUoAaMNPByMzAKJ07AwrmQ6hqP5xTYpmww/s1600/IMG_0906.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlWtgWJLn1KE1QMTz2a9-6SnNWgpF-T76bO6efOrmbbnPcmAvjA5fh_2ivL9GMxxc_nMWMtZ56XKbqtBGoP8eX4QQb_sQ9CVIG1YiRyj-nSBsUoAaMNPByMzAKJ07AwrmQ6hqP5xTYpmww/s640/IMG_0906.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzhSwMfkFaJvA0GunMGt7TL8GJN2kk88jXaN0pWWUaAyv2U7EGacVSuEtMzlzN4sRrlfb3ewAImSPpK3YD1H8hVh_TIJV7DprBvrx-_CoeiJQMfIHxw9eiioKZJwbeGxHaJZtomDHWjzjZ/s1600/IMG_0912.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzhSwMfkFaJvA0GunMGt7TL8GJN2kk88jXaN0pWWUaAyv2U7EGacVSuEtMzlzN4sRrlfb3ewAImSPpK3YD1H8hVh_TIJV7DprBvrx-_CoeiJQMfIHxw9eiioKZJwbeGxHaJZtomDHWjzjZ/s640/IMG_0912.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_vorQSVnexiGfA8sPKUGvwepzJOk705Kgaye48mE9HIw6pDswmTzWspeG6GD6-UsmqUXwNLLWVA_Ok-Qryd5WIzDkEGWGjSBqswPvRG68GwuDgFb-mrdxRwXDG_RzMVbDTjS-k6dV51lU/s1600/IMG_0919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_vorQSVnexiGfA8sPKUGvwepzJOk705Kgaye48mE9HIw6pDswmTzWspeG6GD6-UsmqUXwNLLWVA_Ok-Qryd5WIzDkEGWGjSBqswPvRG68GwuDgFb-mrdxRwXDG_RzMVbDTjS-k6dV51lU/s640/IMG_0919.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcDGTNzCMWsXSNUl_JQ-zzFrh10Ej0Gk-xj_i6q4Isr9UR4h7xbMnRHnjUYG5gW5dJvrbwjkGTEVZJfwspFXEmcSJwJFZCJrDV_DR9Ctx38lpxl-sN9byz5aQ_gr6Ob8DKFC1Um2SlOICM/s1600/IMG_0923.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcDGTNzCMWsXSNUl_JQ-zzFrh10Ej0Gk-xj_i6q4Isr9UR4h7xbMnRHnjUYG5gW5dJvrbwjkGTEVZJfwspFXEmcSJwJFZCJrDV_DR9Ctx38lpxl-sN9byz5aQ_gr6Ob8DKFC1Um2SlOICM/s640/IMG_0923.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZZDIEbu1stimJ7U6wZI3AyhzctVEpyClqeOVVeAmf6ZJfj9DK3enXKCPqSIwMufVlcAZFYg5a-HWemrCJYo_9gL3JB3rUmF-NO3wBhVjtNNzJvICA8ed2OHvUQZWquFvukkTzsMMDK_R/s1600/IMG_0930.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZZDIEbu1stimJ7U6wZI3AyhzctVEpyClqeOVVeAmf6ZJfj9DK3enXKCPqSIwMufVlcAZFYg5a-HWemrCJYo_9gL3JB3rUmF-NO3wBhVjtNNzJvICA8ed2OHvUQZWquFvukkTzsMMDK_R/s640/IMG_0930.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmu6vvULW9NrFzGFzAX0zxUpwlzLJNppj3ni2_JpviMmNuhZZBqj6yCjEAxUS3_S51THrHmgl3Qv7F1rvvqUvAo8PCspiUcQjma8KGFrZS0wF3f5Ls6u8jfEog1n3bIHF-QFo-jqfPczCm/s1600/IMG_0933.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmu6vvULW9NrFzGFzAX0zxUpwlzLJNppj3ni2_JpviMmNuhZZBqj6yCjEAxUS3_S51THrHmgl3Qv7F1rvvqUvAo8PCspiUcQjma8KGFrZS0wF3f5Ls6u8jfEog1n3bIHF-QFo-jqfPczCm/s640/IMG_0933.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
We stayed on deck for almost two hours - yes, two hours of <i>those</i> views! - but it was time to go back to the cabin and do our packing before our final evening meal of the holiday. On cruise holidays there is a rule that you have to leave your case outside your cabin on the last night before disembarkation. There is a simple but successful system of colour-coded luggage labels depending on your flight destination which ensures that your luggage will be in the right place when you disembark. <br />
<br />
One last meal in the Orion...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXWke_8kBr-KUOKhPo_iM8sfgmvdeMGFS7NvqEkzF-nUmRarK31sgVSwfD3r8pS0ZdCERR-TD9ip8qIGQeXlHdcWAFM9PI_7B4nrO5xm7atrkNpENxI53yLHkCLCAwpTN6lNTGy774qwJu/s1600/IMG_0938.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXWke_8kBr-KUOKhPo_iM8sfgmvdeMGFS7NvqEkzF-nUmRarK31sgVSwfD3r8pS0ZdCERR-TD9ip8qIGQeXlHdcWAFM9PI_7B4nrO5xm7atrkNpENxI53yLHkCLCAwpTN6lNTGy774qwJu/s640/IMG_0938.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNz5GlDrLHpzbHeTJDs221Jzyc-q4E1RNk8jwngRLcZIpxD29YV6OPsELYZJix_12A5veU_YIxAwx2innEsn7c2vuaxYtLh5MtVeFBr4UELCVOCdpWFAA_9KdwSzBmtStpdDP9cRMBBlFJ/s1600/IMG_0940.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNz5GlDrLHpzbHeTJDs221Jzyc-q4E1RNk8jwngRLcZIpxD29YV6OPsELYZJix_12A5veU_YIxAwx2innEsn7c2vuaxYtLh5MtVeFBr4UELCVOCdpWFAA_9KdwSzBmtStpdDP9cRMBBlFJ/s640/IMG_0940.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
For old times' sake we end our evening in the Coffee Port (which turns into a piano bar/lounge at night) with our old favourites, Singapore Slings (below), to the soundtrack of probably the cheeriest version of "I Dreamed A Dream" which I've ever heard. The singer obviously didn't get the memo about just how depressing that song is....!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsrkuGzAwksFdNEmQlJB2v-4XKjn7MgnkrGfOIg_tZQ6Wj1hN_FOp7NuRXNY34K7YxkaP9lQvV_Hum-UxscpgJOy-UShcUizxHyRhe5wrxpr6-DRmDJPgEzGsJh-VqLVssGENoRGmIJB2q/s1600/IMG_0941.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsrkuGzAwksFdNEmQlJB2v-4XKjn7MgnkrGfOIg_tZQ6Wj1hN_FOp7NuRXNY34K7YxkaP9lQvV_Hum-UxscpgJOy-UShcUizxHyRhe5wrxpr6-DRmDJPgEzGsJh-VqLVssGENoRGmIJB2q/s640/IMG_0941.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
It's an early night for us though as it's a very early rise tomorrow in Corfu :(Laura (EuropeCrazy)http://www.blogger.com/profile/00049762365144495234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810011721804766871.post-1952328311184509682017-08-21T19:52:00.000+01:002017-08-21T19:52:39.135+01:00The Adriatic Cruise Diaries: Day 6, Wednesday 17 May 2017 - Dubrovnik, CroatiaIt would be fair to say that Dubrovnik is definitely having its moment in the spotlight right now. An ofter oversubscribed cruise ship destination, combined with being one of the locations used for filming the insanely popular Game of Thrones (which I have still never seen, yes I know, <i>backlog</i>). Dubrovnik has also become a rather overpriced holiday option so probably the only way we were ever going to see it was on this cruise. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj1iummtoI4C1LTxTz353xzrn_QjaOeI5oWVRXTLt8K0C0ZuWDRGpWE2zABVyjlqfleKdVq8SVZnNGQ1eJmEttDLoIIu43u1SFPPa4wEija605Kq2hyphenhyphen7AMZoSDCYA7erqcqqKqpnFKUv2M/s1600/IMG_0596.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj1iummtoI4C1LTxTz353xzrn_QjaOeI5oWVRXTLt8K0C0ZuWDRGpWE2zABVyjlqfleKdVq8SVZnNGQ1eJmEttDLoIIu43u1SFPPa4wEija605Kq2hyphenhyphen7AMZoSDCYA7erqcqqKqpnFKUv2M/s640/IMG_0596.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7cpbyYZ6M8e1XP1F505XacUo4llUCDbJpLgxhHjm67cXc7kczP5gDqGte0Bsu6qpmQsss8X6FCVmZb1UxbWrR7L8LylldpByDihVlvUnkE4SDRS5iJ_8be1bGF5I8d0aSMwu3MYCUZsht/s1600/IMG_0601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7cpbyYZ6M8e1XP1F505XacUo4llUCDbJpLgxhHjm67cXc7kczP5gDqGte0Bsu6qpmQsss8X6FCVmZb1UxbWrR7L8LylldpByDihVlvUnkE4SDRS5iJ_8be1bGF5I8d0aSMwu3MYCUZsht/s640/IMG_0601.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
At 8.00am I went up on deck to watch the sail in with some more beautiful views of Dubrovnik's surrounding coast and islands. We eventually docked in Gruz port, from where you had to get a bus into town. The bus was already packed on arrival at the port. Between there and the town centre, more and more people got on the bus. My panic was already starting to kick-in.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3oE-I1KhQ8Sb_461t-jzdp8bA22-xQ9Pw7Ar6oWPRFit77XiCUikX98nplgA_XjDNNsWnQ9KA9Fv-6mhARHeb9flCk26E9rIPgS8jdG8-HOCoAnl4AB8aB-tU5suA_tzuehSzBV_h7oJj/s1600/IMG_0606.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3oE-I1KhQ8Sb_461t-jzdp8bA22-xQ9Pw7Ar6oWPRFit77XiCUikX98nplgA_XjDNNsWnQ9KA9Fv-6mhARHeb9flCk26E9rIPgS8jdG8-HOCoAnl4AB8aB-tU5suA_tzuehSzBV_h7oJj/s640/IMG_0606.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
We eventually arrived at the bus terminus at Pile Gate, from where there were some stunning views. I had originally planned to do the cable car, but with below-par health combined with humid weather and <i>lots of stairs</i> - I quickly decided to give it a miss! So we made our way down into the town's main street instead. The main street is called Stradun and it's a massive tourist trap with souvenir shops and photo-opportunities with parrots :)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTU5T7oL_OWsDkW2Vl5PeUh-OzlFlJiigUO8UxesdDuVnPGlgn2AcJktQkLimV4uX6nAamRKtfFru7kNjAFWpdP81MBsFO_tTbZDzDsBWhDLfZ-gQVDFq3wD1ydoE30Ykf9rAWW-CmtaKE/s1600/IMG_0622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTU5T7oL_OWsDkW2Vl5PeUh-OzlFlJiigUO8UxesdDuVnPGlgn2AcJktQkLimV4uX6nAamRKtfFru7kNjAFWpdP81MBsFO_tTbZDzDsBWhDLfZ-gQVDFq3wD1ydoE30Ykf9rAWW-CmtaKE/s640/IMG_0622.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
Of course I had to buy yet another T-shirt in Aqua, my favourite Croatian store. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgugbPbaNDBhQ2u9F4utse0BYLTELHyRXKMSNUrOpFEi0_SCm8aFp3XxFn7S4rDGtMXx6Jd4j28uMHl07CGqR6FI7BbKv_81CbpDcvM5OuYI22J5DtCNY9v-OucmWiKHOIU2gzVDbdCLwkt/s1600/Aqua.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="256" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgugbPbaNDBhQ2u9F4utse0BYLTELHyRXKMSNUrOpFEi0_SCm8aFp3XxFn7S4rDGtMXx6Jd4j28uMHl07CGqR6FI7BbKv_81CbpDcvM5OuYI22J5DtCNY9v-OucmWiKHOIU2gzVDbdCLwkt/s400/Aqua.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPkrHVtWxJFF__3Wv5iLhCKjXNXf57cF3TXYwMjyXQnT4anN1-44DpoE752gDcMyeTAv1ma6b11ouTgjXpvqW9_UWInJ7_gaZEo38he3VVfrDjqClxJY55RCyZt0fquQ3l2yYf6hS2WT8j/s1600/IMG_0635.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPkrHVtWxJFF__3Wv5iLhCKjXNXf57cF3TXYwMjyXQnT4anN1-44DpoE752gDcMyeTAv1ma6b11ouTgjXpvqW9_UWInJ7_gaZEo38he3VVfrDjqClxJY55RCyZt0fquQ3l2yYf6hS2WT8j/s640/IMG_0635.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Coffee time! Options were very expensive - with coffee twice as expensive as in Split, on the main street and anywhere in the vicinity of the main street and the square, Dubrovnik probably had a more blatant sense of "rip-off" about it in a way that none of our other destinations have had. However we found a place further back from the more touristy areas, which was a bit more affordable. <br />
<br />
The sun had eventually come out, and it felt very hot. It was soon time for lunch, down one of the side streets off Stradun. The owner tried to rip up off when it came to the bill, charging us for something we didn't order, but we caught this in time. Again, further evidence of the rip-off nature of this picture-perfect town.<br />
<br />
After lunch we explored further and ended up at the old port, where we quickly discovered that there were short panoramic sightseeing boat trips around the city walls and out to Lokrum island. The idea of seeing Dubrovnik from the sea was too good to miss. But even that wasn't all it seemed - they promised an ancient galleon-type ship but the reality was a small glass bottomed boat. Whatever kind of vessel it was though, the views were spectacular.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAzFBszCb4vV03q2RuZplvGic306IhL9Da8hjnXohc9Cfu7q4HWOBgEb3PyIyK6i4JNj56qsBPgY7-gFqPCHV5nbWmNAk-KynrUidRfTfPR2yn3h8lNS0KaUANdPY04GTgZ0x718UNWGpm/s1600/IMG_0657.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAzFBszCb4vV03q2RuZplvGic306IhL9Da8hjnXohc9Cfu7q4HWOBgEb3PyIyK6i4JNj56qsBPgY7-gFqPCHV5nbWmNAk-KynrUidRfTfPR2yn3h8lNS0KaUANdPY04GTgZ0x718UNWGpm/s640/IMG_0657.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCogzzTnOn2BvUCMVwJoSusNuDz5TbEyz_CCdgz-R961nFxAjiuUeUHpLP4sebq0ApiC98q5mV4TgxeZrcC58eAaVvWw_WcG-idPe1W5iCrHqn32M3RtTA23EQKOCsXBhlZhQ7zmlOpXyx/s1600/IMG_0659.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCogzzTnOn2BvUCMVwJoSusNuDz5TbEyz_CCdgz-R961nFxAjiuUeUHpLP4sebq0ApiC98q5mV4TgxeZrcC58eAaVvWw_WcG-idPe1W5iCrHqn32M3RtTA23EQKOCsXBhlZhQ7zmlOpXyx/s640/IMG_0659.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhur0aGke0VqsVyF_1vBXXo_ey2NIGJUhrI1MWKxL0bHgdNaQY3wEUGrdgKI1M3PPqclaFZ3hDh5HpwzAceeqgSqXuuC_28zgpTbCtn69ynWXDD6trW5U4WRzkDaI0lQ9XHrHSaSd4moJg6/s1600/IMG_0668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhur0aGke0VqsVyF_1vBXXo_ey2NIGJUhrI1MWKxL0bHgdNaQY3wEUGrdgKI1M3PPqclaFZ3hDh5HpwzAceeqgSqXuuC_28zgpTbCtn69ynWXDD6trW5U4WRzkDaI0lQ9XHrHSaSd4moJg6/s640/IMG_0668.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdAZ3zTGrEelJ5Yimba6ZYYr-eLty2hvIUWMRZe_VvFcluvOI4gW-GBNmxvKyR492nFiGurAjWYz9SJ6fByqp_F4FufhL56GhP5HD5Bo0Mi3asb_Ix28sRaghOD9PWRgY-JOcCkK8Gm_Al/s1600/IMG_0675.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdAZ3zTGrEelJ5Yimba6ZYYr-eLty2hvIUWMRZe_VvFcluvOI4gW-GBNmxvKyR492nFiGurAjWYz9SJ6fByqp_F4FufhL56GhP5HD5Bo0Mi3asb_Ix28sRaghOD9PWRgY-JOcCkK8Gm_Al/s640/IMG_0675.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgszpZw7WN9J9T0jkb019cJZinbvKr8B0MgwWTN_wir_Hbfn2nTvKkdl5VuLgD0Tz9HQEEaDmL03Gs-1LAYq3mpFz-A7hw0MH9eHMil71Aj4pycEqAPnNkdPgyXX2LSVRd5TzT4L1PYxIWy/s1600/IMG_0688.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgszpZw7WN9J9T0jkb019cJZinbvKr8B0MgwWTN_wir_Hbfn2nTvKkdl5VuLgD0Tz9HQEEaDmL03Gs-1LAYq3mpFz-A7hw0MH9eHMil71Aj4pycEqAPnNkdPgyXX2LSVRd5TzT4L1PYxIWy/s640/IMG_0688.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVBeoC9SkmQQZ2qS5y7JXaf2_JVcGYH161nsecRM6AYdK0RLtUon6VMmYyhMpiG-KX3FZaBpzsB6z2tCrrK0y7uQ_hf2Rbuwkye80v72B7kvk1fJjTdi3LINa9LrjA4bnbSxG95CeCdR91/s1600/IMG_0715.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVBeoC9SkmQQZ2qS5y7JXaf2_JVcGYH161nsecRM6AYdK0RLtUon6VMmYyhMpiG-KX3FZaBpzsB6z2tCrrK0y7uQ_hf2Rbuwkye80v72B7kvk1fJjTdi3LINa9LrjA4bnbSxG95CeCdR91/s640/IMG_0715.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Czl8yplHnb096nsziM5tg_rQS-wQRmBXoYlnLZbi3uTlH9Sh9z9onqiF_8N6Hicud2YgDEYPygiw87K35ArUX_K5zApw65h8xZ8hUmmZ2oLvnkTY8FIpd6ROK4laIyVPqdKkvtnKXQ-Q/s1600/IMG_0716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Czl8yplHnb096nsziM5tg_rQS-wQRmBXoYlnLZbi3uTlH9Sh9z9onqiF_8N6Hicud2YgDEYPygiw87K35ArUX_K5zApw65h8xZ8hUmmZ2oLvnkTY8FIpd6ROK4laIyVPqdKkvtnKXQ-Q/s640/IMG_0716.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
The trip didn't disappoint, with some stunning and spectacular views and my camera working overtime. The trip took around 45 minutes including the circuit of Lokrum, which had rock formations and .....a naturist section with one particular "rock formation", an exhibitionist who waved at our boat and was very happy to "let it all hang out". Sorry folks, but I'm not sharing that one here :)))<br />
<br />
Eventually we arrived back at the old port where it was baking hot and the walking tours were out in full force, complete with random Game of Thrones-type characters along the way. Suddenly the hot sun gave way to a torrential shower and high winds. What a day not to bring a brolly! We sheltered in gift shops, archways and side street canopies. The rain eventually went off and the heat returned.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFiYeiDHfxtcEyjN3HiRJZ7VUwvP5__nbMULTyCmFvBoqs7U8_C-Lt-jZz4GRICDTB04HUAtcKHqZ2vxitZ0GEIbqsyLUrFICe83_rOcHgITaG7VR7K5kOOtb9LdMRJEeWVzNzkR9JKW4p/s1600/IMG_0731.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFiYeiDHfxtcEyjN3HiRJZ7VUwvP5__nbMULTyCmFvBoqs7U8_C-Lt-jZz4GRICDTB04HUAtcKHqZ2vxitZ0GEIbqsyLUrFICe83_rOcHgITaG7VR7K5kOOtb9LdMRJEeWVzNzkR9JKW4p/s640/IMG_0731.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
As time was getting on, we decided to make our way back to the ship, although the bus stop layout at Pile Gate was a bit confusing. Eventually we were on yet another packed bus for yet another stressful journey - and after getting off at an earlier stop for some soft drinks, we walked back to the ship in the baking heat. The Dream was today sharing dock space with the MS Westerdam, the Holland America ship (above), which we would sort-of reunite with tomorrow in Montenegro. <br />
<br />
We both quickly came to a very surprising and shocking conclusion - that we wouldn't return to Dubrovnik for a holiday. Don't get me wrong, it's one of the most beautiful tourist destinations you will probably ever set eyes on, and it's a place I've tried to plan a holiday in for years, but it's also an oversubscribed, over-touristed destination with a very strong sense of rip-off about it. Every part of it, from the buses to the streets, was packed with crowds and I felt panic attacks coming on from all directions. Croatia is a beautiful country with many breathtaking destinations. But our favourite is undoubtedly Trogir. And anywhere we will go in Croatia, we will always ask the question,"is it better than Trogir"? Trogir, the small island/town just outside Split, remains a special and magical destination and still holds the crown for our favourite place in Croatia, Sorry Dubrovnik, you may be bigger and famous and all, but you're not Trogir. <br />
<br />
After another dinner in the Orion, there was a parade of chefs and staff and we had to join in and wave our napkins in the air. It was good fun, but it was also a little bit shambolic and left us wanting more.
Tonight's show in the Broadway Show Lounge was described as the highlight of the cruise productions. "Africa" did what it said on the tin - a number of African-themed songs and dance numbers including Toto's "Africa" and Shakira's "Waka Waka", a bright and very colourful show definitely influenced by The Lion King - and the finale was none other than "Circle of Life". Awww! Photography of the shows was banned throughout the cruise but at the curtain call tonight the audience had the opportunity to photograph the cast in their gold costumes (accompanied by the cruise director, below)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvNvySpMbBi2S8m13tuNCFQn0VoggT657GOFszkY08WkU1rDzyAPXnsF0IYIt7z9ZTJkJllPyIM5_AFCyfH2NAc49EslJB5ENPQExcA2GKDGR1-7KpM6H4YfYfBL1Orppb5MmMo0rRIJIV/s1600/IMG_0749.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvNvySpMbBi2S8m13tuNCFQn0VoggT657GOFszkY08WkU1rDzyAPXnsF0IYIt7z9ZTJkJllPyIM5_AFCyfH2NAc49EslJB5ENPQExcA2GKDGR1-7KpM6H4YfYfBL1Orppb5MmMo0rRIJIV/s640/IMG_0749.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
All the shows we have seen have been excellent, although we had decided to give tomorrow night's Andrew Lloyd Webber spectacular a miss due to time restrictions, as we needed an early night as it was an early rise for our journey home on Friday. <br />
<br />
Cruise holidays are a great way to visit a number of different destinations in one holiday, but as I said after our first cruise, they are a very exhausting holiday if you choose to explore all the destination ports as we did. There are people who go on these cruises and never get off the ship; each to their own I guess, although I know I wouldn't be bothered going on a cruise if you just stayed on the ship all day and lay on a sunbed. Something which you could do on a much cheaper alternative. But hey, like I say, each to their own!<br />
<br />
Tomorrow: our final port of call - Montenegro! (*rocket to the stars* - ok that's enough Slavko for now)Laura (EuropeCrazy)http://www.blogger.com/profile/00049762365144495234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810011721804766871.post-70195618440965289162017-08-21T19:04:00.000+01:002017-08-21T19:04:18.802+01:00The Adriatic Cruise Diaries: Day 5, Tuesday 16 May 2017 - Split, CroatiaIt was a longer day today in Split so there was less of a rush to disembark today, which meant a more relaxing breakfast in Sirens restaurant. Sirens is a self-service buffet restaurant at the opposite end of the ship from the Lido. Both serve very similar selections of food although Sirens isn't open in the evening. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig9IrvqqCRuaAeYAT2YCfNZlhQvPnnB_JLvyZTKV-J6bFIl1HYvyNl6hlCtpJC9GRpiF66cO3mnLrlqsGcU1HxVbyZd2sVT0r1YW2LPKRqADC77oyBW3mdfdpnAyLFZlRAqPk-UvuASOrd/s1600/IMG_0489.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig9IrvqqCRuaAeYAT2YCfNZlhQvPnnB_JLvyZTKV-J6bFIl1HYvyNl6hlCtpJC9GRpiF66cO3mnLrlqsGcU1HxVbyZd2sVT0r1YW2LPKRqADC77oyBW3mdfdpnAyLFZlRAqPk-UvuASOrd/s640/IMG_0489.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Split has a vast terminal with space for cruise ships and the many Jadrolinija ferries which serve this nation of over a thousand islands. The Thomson Dream was docked a bit further back than we hoped/expected so it was quite a long walk to the city's photogenic promenade, the Riva. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiokyjYV30D1BmQv1a_W2Go2o_5adFAkjtTUm4DkQvWEh-sS5pRXHLv2nWWWaNv3BZpo-xeyvIS7-e-y97H73ErXzuUJcFtCcDzMdl6oYxWhET8ZrCMozdl0ap3UFBKb_Z7n2ckdy7hzQw6/s1600/IMG_0492.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiokyjYV30D1BmQv1a_W2Go2o_5adFAkjtTUm4DkQvWEh-sS5pRXHLv2nWWWaNv3BZpo-xeyvIS7-e-y97H73ErXzuUJcFtCcDzMdl6oYxWhET8ZrCMozdl0ap3UFBKb_Z7n2ckdy7hzQw6/s640/IMG_0492.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl7u4y_sG9QkmlS7RTYNBrigvf6jGUizxcMndyH11jOBqWCk_UhvMNX2iwJC0ail-xB7bGmEBBxCkkooeNXRKIIf1QNcAYjXk97HYxLn9_UUvbta6sLaYMLYc4mEMJDsQZ4VkoX1jt_Nq5/s1600/IMG_0505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl7u4y_sG9QkmlS7RTYNBrigvf6jGUizxcMndyH11jOBqWCk_UhvMNX2iwJC0ail-xB7bGmEBBxCkkooeNXRKIIf1QNcAYjXk97HYxLn9_UUvbta6sLaYMLYc4mEMJDsQZ4VkoX1jt_Nq5/s640/IMG_0505.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
It wasn't our first time in Split of course - on our holiday in Trogir, 3 years ago, we took a day trip to Split so were already familiar with the city. It's nice to see new places, but it's nice ro revisit old ones too. Coffee time on the Riva! And we certainly needed some refreshment. The weather was much hotter here today than it had been so far. Definitely around 28 degrees rather than the 25 of yesterday. After our coffee stop, we head along the Riva in search of some parts of town which we missed last time, such as Trg Republike (Republic Square) pictured below. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEUfWDUigwiVEUiwIVbDSF0g0uRBsWbQKWwfpgrC6czR6KZOifyqjcDxMMJjnee5Uox0QqhCHaCKNGrMdSrrwER3jiGw3l_WvS_VEk6XB0a_lvLuDgo9f0mBGgzImNJCIBuA_efZpULTrX/s1600/IMG_0511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEUfWDUigwiVEUiwIVbDSF0g0uRBsWbQKWwfpgrC6czR6KZOifyqjcDxMMJjnee5Uox0QqhCHaCKNGrMdSrrwER3jiGw3l_WvS_VEk6XB0a_lvLuDgo9f0mBGgzImNJCIBuA_efZpULTrX/s640/IMG_0511.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
It wasn't too far from Narodni Trg, home of the Croatia Records shop. My wish list this time included the latest CMC Vodice festival compilation and the Regina greatest hits CD. The woman working in the shop was quite impressed that I had heard of this band from Sarajevo, but I explained that they came to my attention through the Eurovision Song Contest. It's only all these years later that I got round to buying their greatest hits CD!<br />
<br />
We ended up almost at the same place for lunch as we did 3 years ago - I guess the hot young meet-and-greet guy with the designer stubble swung it for me :)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihvjgZKHXtEgvmkgekPPoxLTPVV530OdWadMvbqOVkhBrHiwGolF9t4gNBPoaE-1mZ-h_tU-N1j0XWWqvwBShEnuNSwC7tRdWeD_geYhM77GyerV3GkJxoS-9oYFG160_sAofHAqX1gkLl/s1600/IMG_0523.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihvjgZKHXtEgvmkgekPPoxLTPVV530OdWadMvbqOVkhBrHiwGolF9t4gNBPoaE-1mZ-h_tU-N1j0XWWqvwBShEnuNSwC7tRdWeD_geYhM77GyerV3GkJxoS-9oYFG160_sAofHAqX1gkLl/s640/IMG_0523.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
After lunch, we explored in and out of the maze of streets in the old town. On our last trip we hadn't visited the basement of the Diocletian's Palace so that was on the to-do list. It's packed with stalls selling art, souvenirs and jewellery. Back upstairs in the main section of the Diocletian's Palace and we were quickly reminded that Split is a top tourist destination. Selfie stick army on the march!! We stopped to watch some klapa singing - well, you can't be in Croatia without a bit of klapa? It just sums up the country so much for me.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Swue4QszlaJ-1p4S5LbQlWJp9mTE1RuKucAZUUXj35cH70AkURLFMtgFm_pmk97252W33-HnrphVFkikL-ElDpAu2-YlFL7gOkH_b3Rg4vYLB0pYvZ3uyBX6ATeyMQfgKS616CGPVzBL/s1600/IMG_0547.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Swue4QszlaJ-1p4S5LbQlWJp9mTE1RuKucAZUUXj35cH70AkURLFMtgFm_pmk97252W33-HnrphVFkikL-ElDpAu2-YlFL7gOkH_b3Rg4vYLB0pYvZ3uyBX6ATeyMQfgKS616CGPVzBL/s640/IMG_0547.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
After a bit more exploring, it was time for what was becoming a tradition on this holiday - the late afternoon drink stop. Back to the Riva for an Ozujsko beer for faithful travelling companion and a Plavac wine for me. And of course some free wi-fi too, therefore an opportunity to get some more post-Eurovision gossip on my tablet. Then it was time for some more sightseeing, including our first trip to Split's open-air market which is just outside the walls of the Diocletian's Palace. No matter where you go in this city, you are surrounded by spectacular reminders of history.<br />
<br />
Eventually we ran out of steam. The heat got the better of us (mostly me) and we decided to slowly make our way back to the ship.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFPu-gKRg8qdZi3NpfOh1-WlMYsaB6St3jeUCpUiyywFdkmd1Q5SKgI4RzYY1OLCsufqozVG7GJFiK5pPZzAdxRDB7qWnnpuDlbyeP3MeO4nSr4VrwTnM1Y5HlDW79cKgYOdWhinC04d10/s1600/IMG_0555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFPu-gKRg8qdZi3NpfOh1-WlMYsaB6St3jeUCpUiyywFdkmd1Q5SKgI4RzYY1OLCsufqozVG7GJFiK5pPZzAdxRDB7qWnnpuDlbyeP3MeO4nSr4VrwTnM1Y5HlDW79cKgYOdWhinC04d10/s640/IMG_0555.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<one -="" :="" animal.="" big="" cruise="" e="" friend="" guest="" have="" holiday="" is="" meet="" nbsp="" of="" on="" one="" only="" our="" ships="" span="" special="" the="" this="" towel="" traditions="" turtle="" would=""><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></one>
<br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Towel animals are a great tradition on cruise ships. We only had one special guest in our cabin on this holiday - say hello to our little turtle friend!</span><br />
<one -="" :="" animal.="" big="" cruise="" e="" friend="" guest="" have="" holiday="" is="" meet="" nbsp="" of="" on="" one="" only="" our="" ships="" span="" special="" the="" this="" towel="" traditions="" turtle="" would=""><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></one>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVbgz7xtUYlCFgZ-7NBCOVfkhkoFPl4MsFa6l9dHNh7jFogmIEWiexm7mmpmM_MaDCdCXCa8rfchwrFizDKi8EXzVZfEyyTAiXMV97-LU2fUUNOp3K_QXkhVEhySHItnF_ZMQ9vQNWnL8c/s1600/20170516_182316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVbgz7xtUYlCFgZ-7NBCOVfkhkoFPl4MsFa6l9dHNh7jFogmIEWiexm7mmpmM_MaDCdCXCa8rfchwrFizDKi8EXzVZfEyyTAiXMV97-LU2fUUNOp3K_QXkhVEhySHItnF_ZMQ9vQNWnL8c/s640/20170516_182316.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Due to our long day this meant a late dinner so we just grabbed a quick buffet in the Lido before heading to the Broadway Show Lounge for tonight's "Concerto Goes Pop" show, which gave the show team the opportunity to dress up in their finest suits and gowns. A bit like formal night on the ship!! Once again a top quality performance from the show team, well done all of you. <br />
<br />
Tomorrow: Dubrovnik!Laura (EuropeCrazy)http://www.blogger.com/profile/00049762365144495234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810011721804766871.post-50878002017912029502017-08-21T18:53:00.000+01:002017-08-21T18:53:16.137+01:00The Adriatic Cruise Diaries: Day 4, Monday 15 May 2017 - Koper, SloveniaToday we were docked in Koper, Slovenia. We had already booked a sightseeing bus trip to Piran which was leaving at 9.30am. Like most ports, it wasn't particularly scenic as we were the only cruise ship among freight and ferries, but the port is also very close to Koper town you just cross the road and go up in a lift and you are in the town centre. If only Venice had been like that!<br />
<br />
After a speedy breakfast we disembarked and headed straight onto the coach for our excursion. Our tour guide was a very talkative young woman from Izola, who was very proud of this
region and country, she was like a walking ad for the Slovenia Tourist Board. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9iSVPIScoqSiGHzKWlXThwtwcVwgLNgE8J4XHF-Mk3iT35JPShYkLXuqJ78srBQoq2UwqsADVqpyizDz1tBrUVqEdmiteu-h5GmAaAKuSDtNjb0MifVdQhLNgCmSeZszuzd1R1WwCgwhr/s1600/IMG_0332.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9iSVPIScoqSiGHzKWlXThwtwcVwgLNgE8J4XHF-Mk3iT35JPShYkLXuqJ78srBQoq2UwqsADVqpyizDz1tBrUVqEdmiteu-h5GmAaAKuSDtNjb0MifVdQhLNgCmSeZszuzd1R1WwCgwhr/s640/IMG_0332.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<after a="" above="" also="" and="" bay="" could="" dolomites="" for="" he="" headed="" italian="" izola="" koper="" leaving="" left="" nbsp="" of="" over="" panoramic="" see="" span="" stop.="" stunning="" the="" to="" trieste.="" view="" was="" we="" you=""></after>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
We
arrived in Piran at 1015. It's a very scenic little town and very clean - I always had this impression of Slovenia as being a very clean and unspoilt country and nothing I'd seen so far had disproved this theory.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKXkWdRPLoprDDoYJTnfVdxmjW2hvbfVd0sk2KlnKhzF_ROUX4SlMN9akCTJyWh98Yfgb3ChvW_ZH9_hd-bkXtpDsCdVp_mBQsmCAMvMd3kxbn7uwTirc6cea2MMS9V1xbRU0nksJCnXKm/s1600/IMG_0368.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKXkWdRPLoprDDoYJTnfVdxmjW2hvbfVd0sk2KlnKhzF_ROUX4SlMN9akCTJyWh98Yfgb3ChvW_ZH9_hd-bkXtpDsCdVp_mBQsmCAMvMd3kxbn7uwTirc6cea2MMS9V1xbRU0nksJCnXKm/s640/IMG_0368.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
It was another very warm and beautiful day. Of course we needed our coffee ritual so we had coffee on the colourful Tartini Square (above) and watched the world go by on this peaceful Monday morning, people out walking their dogs and enjoying the morning sunshine.<br />
<br />
After coffee we walked into the small town centre and found a Mercator supermarket (my knowledge of Slovenian supermarkets is entirely derived from watching EMA and all the ad breaks!) and we just had to buy Slovenia's most famous soft drink - Cockta. Aah, how I have missed the taste of what I can only describe as "sherbet flavoured cola", which we first tried in Croatia 3 years ago. Piran is not really a tourist town and there aren't too many souvenir shops around. But I'm always partial to an unusual sign and this caught my eye - a remnant of Slovenia's Communist past....
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzq7jQsq7KJtObsGiS99EflwuY-KoumKaiAcMIHwEQ4UVMRUEScv4BInm9j7b6Lid-g9iPODhGUdNPaCRB5yEYZbRJOUY8lH1kbSPZ6mnGTDQkNrA8HFmH93z5WfVoMbOi1lziVM10i4QH/s1600/IMG_0360.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzq7jQsq7KJtObsGiS99EflwuY-KoumKaiAcMIHwEQ4UVMRUEScv4BInm9j7b6Lid-g9iPODhGUdNPaCRB5yEYZbRJOUY8lH1kbSPZ6mnGTDQkNrA8HFmH93z5WfVoMbOi1lziVM10i4QH/s640/IMG_0360.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Piran also has a pretty little harbour.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0-u73FG_Ph1pGnpkUNw4ohQxj3nUjq-MvnhWHpHsF4brHasrxYjZzXOMe5_woeO7an-LiYUCfyd4xzIgG_4pMkGbk_HiYPcyc_32ayJXjs1b9TY9mrbEzYI3j9DfDW5891TMXoScP7iMC/s1600/IMG_0356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0-u73FG_Ph1pGnpkUNw4ohQxj3nUjq-MvnhWHpHsF4brHasrxYjZzXOMe5_woeO7an-LiYUCfyd4xzIgG_4pMkGbk_HiYPcyc_32ayJXjs1b9TY9mrbEzYI3j9DfDW5891TMXoScP7iMC/s640/IMG_0356.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh38aLvDezwp85eg0jEw4342tu2KwJAPRdVxEOZZqWRn8Fj2HFqqv2aleUZFhp6F-dyqqrsaOeqWbWKXLI5zJIVdeIc1KiV2RZBH5T7WpDdduJWGVaw-om8OkuInB9Z1vkYLLrOXVV3UVcs/s1600/IMG_0379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh38aLvDezwp85eg0jEw4342tu2KwJAPRdVxEOZZqWRn8Fj2HFqqv2aleUZFhp6F-dyqqrsaOeqWbWKXLI5zJIVdeIc1KiV2RZBH5T7WpDdduJWGVaw-om8OkuInB9Z1vkYLLrOXVV3UVcs/s640/IMG_0379.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Above: the beautiful blue waters of the Slovenian section of the Adriatic.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-mkXXCjixa22iHLwkMpCflAC3NsJwlOpMYafrCa_wkyxpRtKuRHrjgm9rx9gVoElmDpmqIPNFU2qSueOPCXzixChkmq3hNtcrCkbX1dRMyl85wTePip6KGEn1SS2a2lu29GFDMBBq1GeU/s1600/IMG_0384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-mkXXCjixa22iHLwkMpCflAC3NsJwlOpMYafrCa_wkyxpRtKuRHrjgm9rx9gVoElmDpmqIPNFU2qSueOPCXzixChkmq3hNtcrCkbX1dRMyl85wTePip6KGEn1SS2a2lu29GFDMBBq1GeU/s640/IMG_0384.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
One of Piran's most appealing sights is the little seafront peninsula (above) which is lined with lots of restaurants and surrounded by that rocky coastline. Unfortunately we were only on a flying visit so lunch would have to wait until we were back in Koper.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWF1L2R6uEs0TwGgWsQyzOF57zZn5qW6UOtAS-xuLyAnKT4cMyMRVgsefunRZ0_WkXt7s30p0UTFKJ0pCEN9bHwBrNkoFTehmD7JqKepfwKdlcMYolpfPVQdjajbYT6oHaql96KYtXHeTz/s1600/IMG_0387.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWF1L2R6uEs0TwGgWsQyzOF57zZn5qW6UOtAS-xuLyAnKT4cMyMRVgsefunRZ0_WkXt7s30p0UTFKJ0pCEN9bHwBrNkoFTehmD7JqKepfwKdlcMYolpfPVQdjajbYT6oHaql96KYtXHeTz/s640/IMG_0387.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Piran just looked lovely from every angle and was a very pretty little town. But it was soon time to make our way back on the bus to Koper via the glitzy resort of Portoroz - the "port of roses" where there were roses growing in the gardens and along the middle of the street. Roses growing in May, imagine that! And some very top class hotels here too, like this one.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlTOTaqgaIsHzi84Y9PWf5mt7_s6P7FYHYxMfTnyNsjqpFTPuhwjtdhPAye2N5xHGyl6mrfZazciSdzJ6mkrfw2rqhPBn1DZES4ZWFQNxhKJ8pU2Tk2VkiV2vV6CtR3q0vQrbUlUGELEYd/s1600/IMG_0399.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlTOTaqgaIsHzi84Y9PWf5mt7_s6P7FYHYxMfTnyNsjqpFTPuhwjtdhPAye2N5xHGyl6mrfZazciSdzJ6mkrfw2rqhPBn1DZES4ZWFQNxhKJ8pU2Tk2VkiV2vV6CtR3q0vQrbUlUGELEYd/s640/IMG_0399.JPG" width="640" /></a>
<br />
<br />
There was lots of spectacular scenery to enjoy between Piran and Koper - Slovenia does have such lovely landscapes and I'd love to visit the country again for longer some day. Ljubljana is one of my outstanding destinations on the bucket list.<br />
<br />
We arrived back at the port and went in search of lunch. Faithful travelling companion was on a mission to be reunited with ćevapčiči, so it is my duty to post a picture.....
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQDwyyZLfIVBdwn1LYDEkEv_HnkLg-v7pqEERWM1-qWJs7EW05G235FdojiMPEnSuWARAtnFyFYgtiOtE3hd_355T9jMgI4b61E-d9SG3KbSxEehbr-K7UCXJIB9T7UN4xXQdzYixAEZFG/s1600/IMG_0429.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQDwyyZLfIVBdwn1LYDEkEv_HnkLg-v7pqEERWM1-qWJs7EW05G235FdojiMPEnSuWARAtnFyFYgtiOtE3hd_355T9jMgI4b61E-d9SG3KbSxEehbr-K7UCXJIB9T7UN4xXQdzYixAEZFG/s640/IMG_0429.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Meanwhile I had gnocchi, accompanied by a lovely large glass of Slovenian white wine :)) Monday lunchtime and life is good. Oh, and food and drink is a lot cheaper here than in Venice! After lunch we explored the old town.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPgLRub1UKIf_iyoIRNgkV3TEju2FrQDFKBRBDNKDX15gX7luuYv4u4yG4JKQIqmLcnQnIcDlnHL5-eAavbp3ynn4UzCxtyPd4viII-HPUU4-yb91Td7zUMlo4JdBMjEKMJXrdKtiiNlNi/s1600/IMG_0441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPgLRub1UKIf_iyoIRNgkV3TEju2FrQDFKBRBDNKDX15gX7luuYv4u4yG4JKQIqmLcnQnIcDlnHL5-eAavbp3ynn4UzCxtyPd4viII-HPUU4-yb91Td7zUMlo4JdBMjEKMJXrdKtiiNlNi/s640/IMG_0441.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
The town's main square is called Titov Trg - Tito Square. Another reflection of Slovenia's past, when it was part of Yugoslavia. <br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-bjjzFEUbwSqePPejng2koRULnEH4_JCoIQXw-X0bYgjFUqrPyjqT09P45J4NHd2eMHUWaqmJ1sWGGb_eYLxgncnydxv6Zi0X4dI_d1QzZHwuIg7gJjOu-rlFPGWnwbkA3Nxy1UjNyCKf/s1600/IMG_0448.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-bjjzFEUbwSqePPejng2koRULnEH4_JCoIQXw-X0bYgjFUqrPyjqT09P45J4NHd2eMHUWaqmJ1sWGGb_eYLxgncnydxv6Zi0X4dI_d1QzZHwuIg7gJjOu-rlFPGWnwbkA3Nxy1UjNyCKf/s640/IMG_0448.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixIDTRzmQyXf9b1YxeqOJW2x0P69JwhsWKyU9uErBqwhaIVjFaL0WBdAualy3j9CwJ6oYsbGtHClLLwA_vo60SWKNqn2jAlY2gt7uCmSXfxo_cKke8QcwvNpNxAPEK9_dvcPJOzwpi4d6O/s1600/IMG_0449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixIDTRzmQyXf9b1YxeqOJW2x0P69JwhsWKyU9uErBqwhaIVjFaL0WBdAualy3j9CwJ6oYsbGtHClLLwA_vo60SWKNqn2jAlY2gt7uCmSXfxo_cKke8QcwvNpNxAPEK9_dvcPJOzwpi4d6O/s640/IMG_0449.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
After a little rest on Titov Trg, where I was able to take advantage of the town's free wi-fi and get some more information about the Eurovision aftermath. This was followed by some further exploring and sightseeing and it was finally time for a late-afternoon Slovenian beer stop before embarkation. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5PDMbi1Va1dVoZBnvG44H0UfHBpqSgXZfOLjGA-dlAgPDqLDlAilGdEzlkZYa52ZgsuKYYOgAcJXgybNhyphenhyphenJTi-CuEvpx9b_6z3cR92mrJaeJiW77u-i7uhICcvaajf9_Z2FpzRt9iOf9e/s1600/IMG_0455.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5PDMbi1Va1dVoZBnvG44H0UfHBpqSgXZfOLjGA-dlAgPDqLDlAilGdEzlkZYa52ZgsuKYYOgAcJXgybNhyphenhyphenJTi-CuEvpx9b_6z3cR92mrJaeJiW77u-i7uhICcvaajf9_Z2FpzRt9iOf9e/s640/IMG_0455.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE43X9XBaAAojJqhdGrQocoW7a8b4t3S1fYT1bGamAu4RILfDBdj8qhj2tH8d9fMByqmeWCv6txHMpnRTxzx4MMb337IiVKQNg-ufbn3R9bRI_38PvXYMH5b6-sNx2CvOBH3C-KDs7mg62/s1600/IMG_0459.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE43X9XBaAAojJqhdGrQocoW7a8b4t3S1fYT1bGamAu4RILfDBdj8qhj2tH8d9fMByqmeWCv6txHMpnRTxzx4MMb337IiVKQNg-ufbn3R9bRI_38PvXYMH5b6-sNx2CvOBH3C-KDs7mg62/s640/IMG_0459.JPG" width="640" />
Koper is an excellent port (above) due to its very close proximity to the town which is a nice enough destination but I would definitely recommend the bus excursion to Piran, it only took 3 hours all in and there was still enough time to explore Koper in the afternoon.
Orion restaurant again for dinner tonight, although if I had only one criticism it would be that the dinner portions are rather sma</a>ll<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE43X9XBaAAojJqhdGrQocoW7a8b4t3S1fYT1bGamAu4RILfDBdj8qhj2tH8d9fMByqmeWCv6txHMpnRTxzx4MMb337IiVKQNg-ufbn3R9bRI_38PvXYMH5b6-sNx2CvOBH3C-KDs7mg62/s1600/IMG_0459.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">I guess that shouldn't be too surprising as they probably expect that people have been eating their way across the ship all day.
Tonight's show in the Broadway Show Lounge was called "Styled By Rock" - 50 minutes of classic rock songs and definitely influenced by "Rock of Ages" and the mash-ups from "Pitch Perfect" and "Glee". The 5 guys and 5 girls from the show team really deserve a special mention as yet again they put so much work and energy into this show. The shows are a definite highlight of an evening on board, although we also caught part of a quiz in the Medusa Lounge tonight as well.</a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE43X9XBaAAojJqhdGrQocoW7a8b4t3S1fYT1bGamAu4RILfDBdj8qhj2tH8d9fMByqmeWCv6txHMpnRTxzx4MMb337IiVKQNg-ufbn3R9bRI_38PvXYMH5b6-sNx2CvOBH3C-KDs7mg62/s1600/IMG_0459.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<br />
Tomorrow: Split!
</a>Laura (EuropeCrazy)http://www.blogger.com/profile/00049762365144495234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810011721804766871.post-7057965417541695392017-08-21T18:27:00.000+01:002017-08-21T18:27:11.329+01:00The Adriatic Cruise Diaries: Day 3, Sunday 14 May 2017 - Venice, ItalyVenezia. A new destination for both of us, and if I'm honest it was the one which probably freaked me out in advance of the cruise. I was so focused on the Slovenia/Croatia/Montenegro aspects that I had almost forgotten about Venice. Until about 2 weeks before the cruise and then the enormity of it hit me. Venice. One of the world's most famous cities, with its iconic scenery and canals. We were going to <i>Venice</i>!!!!!<br />
<br />
So it was only natural that I was very keen to be up early and out on deck for the sail-in.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixTO2j2IeT3LqA9cTgAHKmkDkWCnnQGPPtsuEfeaVEliDdtSUdRUNM3MB3NHev48AZSiCggkkgK5m-28wGTbz2UUTt9PRxMp4CKE04tHqkPU1J3Lt4mK0pfVrDt3r9sZfb15VQ0pyHVZll/s1600/20170514_072324_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixTO2j2IeT3LqA9cTgAHKmkDkWCnnQGPPtsuEfeaVEliDdtSUdRUNM3MB3NHev48AZSiCggkkgK5m-28wGTbz2UUTt9PRxMp4CKE04tHqkPU1J3Lt4mK0pfVrDt3r9sZfb15VQ0pyHVZll/s640/20170514_072324_001.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1qf4qPqOM5piClrKAxefK-9WrrAPjxcngRIGeC29KSemDOm-D0dUo9Wh4Rwr9hXK3ERgogp-Yc5FLEA6NCH4F7IRyMMOfwSL_yiYC5F0wNKIFWSq63_HCcyBJXJIfSl9BZolH8MAe_zpZ/s1600/20170514_071833.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1qf4qPqOM5piClrKAxefK-9WrrAPjxcngRIGeC29KSemDOm-D0dUo9Wh4Rwr9hXK3ERgogp-Yc5FLEA6NCH4F7IRyMMOfwSL_yiYC5F0wNKIFWSq63_HCcyBJXJIfSl9BZolH8MAe_zpZ/s640/20170514_071833.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFQYaL9t0i6U9MkyvYOPUIuaPFnRU2Djw7XzyQ7mTAbp84XDK-CiMTA5h5IADe0pzIGVlc_6h4PRX1cvGSkY8ePeHBtahjluBHntBe1R-1u7JJO_ymd7nBU0HRUWDCIGYQuonjce0RGtKH/s1600/IMG_0174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFQYaL9t0i6U9MkyvYOPUIuaPFnRU2Djw7XzyQ7mTAbp84XDK-CiMTA5h5IADe0pzIGVlc_6h4PRX1cvGSkY8ePeHBtahjluBHntBe1R-1u7JJO_ymd7nBU0HRUWDCIGYQuonjce0RGtKH/s640/IMG_0174.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Quite a few other people had the same idea and got out on deck 9 for the sail-in which was certainly a very memorable experience. After seeing the main sights, I returned to the cabin with loads of photos and video clips and decided to put the TV on. A good move as it turned out - yes, BBC World News did feature the Eurovision result. I must say that I was quite emotional at hearing the result that Portugal had won, beating Bulgaria, although the news that Italy only came 6th left me puzzled. I was pretty happy with the UK's result too, 15th is not too bad compared to recent years and it definitely gives us something to build on for the future. I would watch the contest in full on my return from holiday and you can check out my reviews elsewhere on this blog. <br />
<br />
There were some more ships docked in Venice today - a Costa ship, the MSC Musica (hello again) and these two ships - an Aida ship and the Norwegian Star.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP8TVEfQA6Xc7IwtMsqIDGhM8RR0zrlHbTIhDaItBngB9oFjWCMhA9GE1bgz3OrVeT6kMvmX5XGKzOtgQ1KCqrvy1-hgZJ8L_T0FqO59NW-0zBkj0NB_n1OqCC8UJvaX_9yeh-4HGlQwsl/s1600/IMG_0193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP8TVEfQA6Xc7IwtMsqIDGhM8RR0zrlHbTIhDaItBngB9oFjWCMhA9GE1bgz3OrVeT6kMvmX5XGKzOtgQ1KCqrvy1-hgZJ8L_T0FqO59NW-0zBkj0NB_n1OqCC8UJvaX_9yeh-4HGlQwsl/s640/IMG_0193.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0-jw88G7HnNzIu5dHFb40MVuQVbhQV6elErfSDrggd3c4zewh1R-VGo_wBZlkbjnljxVS8QDXzxg0My6_P5yu6JZtUslA9qjTE5SPBnCLl3fiPREmGhtHZrUKzlfxFCUrZ3rl7idy0ZTa/s1600/IMG_0194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0-jw88G7HnNzIu5dHFb40MVuQVbhQV6elErfSDrggd3c4zewh1R-VGo_wBZlkbjnljxVS8QDXzxg0My6_P5yu6JZtUslA9qjTE5SPBnCLl3fiPREmGhtHZrUKzlfxFCUrZ3rl7idy0ZTa/s640/IMG_0194.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
The cruise terminal was quite a distance from the city centre. Rather than take the ship's excursion we took the "DIY" route - walked to the "People Mover" terminal which was rather packed and chaotic. The People Mover is a little train which takes you to Piazzale Roma, and you can walk from there into the city centre, with its winding network of canals, bridges and photo opportunities at every turn. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Pa-qfuassBl9xmWqpddd3OkgkAzTms_tQXmCu5coEdmSA7zOCRIHeUChxc6gs9vGXCoaTbd4TxHShssCDG_7C1QuhwtPDsbqYbFc_52RBfGc2Y6-yuKPZ2e8zRGrq0-z9-_CcZLPQ49y/s1600/IMG_0200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Pa-qfuassBl9xmWqpddd3OkgkAzTms_tQXmCu5coEdmSA7zOCRIHeUChxc6gs9vGXCoaTbd4TxHShssCDG_7C1QuhwtPDsbqYbFc_52RBfGc2Y6-yuKPZ2e8zRGrq0-z9-_CcZLPQ49y/s640/IMG_0200.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBwzAGYcME7ntuFdZELjaHfvVzCUZlmhvB2ImnZ1tAI-6p-WcLDp_na2LkTDi_CN1XHCMXjhBAGy_Oul-li7IYeW97CWdp9eNborvjBM2Ld8O-aCJ3rHPgasvQEUfFFQ_r3-TwS93a6Ou5/s1600/IMG_0204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBwzAGYcME7ntuFdZELjaHfvVzCUZlmhvB2ImnZ1tAI-6p-WcLDp_na2LkTDi_CN1XHCMXjhBAGy_Oul-li7IYeW97CWdp9eNborvjBM2Ld8O-aCJ3rHPgasvQEUfFFQ_r3-TwS93a6Ou5/s640/IMG_0204.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
It was a very warm Sunday morning in Venice. Needless to say we needed to do that most Italian Italian thing and have cappuccino before noon. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-nJ2fZ1Y5YkCVv763jdvc8KDazxbvx1D1P5cZTRXoiCS5jReNg2C8V-we96UToNLAPb3ww89ZJ3h47ZKtxGIYyRsvVHwBjRanrLgIiesXQpBwk1TR_TcwMsyiRumTfQd98tACKjeNRumv/s1600/IMG_0208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-nJ2fZ1Y5YkCVv763jdvc8KDazxbvx1D1P5cZTRXoiCS5jReNg2C8V-we96UToNLAPb3ww89ZJ3h47ZKtxGIYyRsvVHwBjRanrLgIiesXQpBwk1TR_TcwMsyiRumTfQd98tACKjeNRumv/s640/IMG_0208.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
We were doing Venice without a map, which maybe in retrospect wasn't such a good idea, although we still managed to find our way to the Grand Canal and the Rialto Bridge.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWk6lHhsX4l-MSq9iRbectgcHc0k-RTSIuBzE7V0mUJ2wpDjzJCPgrwxz3SHOPAFn-VY8UeMEFoTVizNdRshRQrk1symjDr8Hk2xOHetv9FtgJdYtIpt9gSvBEv-dWCHHKoO3570FgvuPa/s1600/IMG_0234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWk6lHhsX4l-MSq9iRbectgcHc0k-RTSIuBzE7V0mUJ2wpDjzJCPgrwxz3SHOPAFn-VY8UeMEFoTVizNdRshRQrk1symjDr8Hk2xOHetv9FtgJdYtIpt9gSvBEv-dWCHHKoO3570FgvuPa/s640/IMG_0234.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrx6rJnT7BiI3wdtPz-gSBo6g7uLaCvjJYwPrY1W-KTD8AeVT-AHLRRx-4i5V8ZzBiydivDG-zpn4_e5FSvCgw0oRJX0UMVveol4zFGeKvpX_aRLaxWzMJRuCdlKAPmexnfMupoL5C7Pph/s1600/IMG_0227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrx6rJnT7BiI3wdtPz-gSBo6g7uLaCvjJYwPrY1W-KTD8AeVT-AHLRRx-4i5V8ZzBiydivDG-zpn4_e5FSvCgw0oRJX0UMVveol4zFGeKvpX_aRLaxWzMJRuCdlKAPmexnfMupoL5C7Pph/s640/IMG_0227.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Yes I will let you into a big secret - the Rialto Bridge is actually propped up by those blue and green poles sticking out of the water :)<br />
<br />
We had lunch alongside the Rialto Bridge, and despite being in an obviously touristy part of town, lunch turned out to be affordable. But we didn't hang around too long as there was the small matter of trying to find St Mark's Square and the grandest part of the Grand Canal. <br />
<br />
After winding our way for what felt like hours through the winding streets and canals, we reached St Mark's Square, with its famous and distinctive monuments. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHOV4vk43SjFKtCijkv5QlfS6Qi3QW0Ub0piRnMS8A6Gg2XNvt4Dw0AME6WzPAY4o01fdpACqh1tl8iE5Q2pSV8474FZ4L1sMeaIYwZFE28IIoXVTz9HmzhXe-IvVEon9FbFlJJMVvS_tg/s1600/IMG_0259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHOV4vk43SjFKtCijkv5QlfS6Qi3QW0Ub0piRnMS8A6Gg2XNvt4Dw0AME6WzPAY4o01fdpACqh1tl8iE5Q2pSV8474FZ4L1sMeaIYwZFE28IIoXVTz9HmzhXe-IvVEon9FbFlJJMVvS_tg/s640/IMG_0259.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs5aNQAWTQs96qqMdq9PLdEaxJQ_Cm8lP46dPV5fMSRpzkrMyPzvdM36Q4oNvF0Aesqhyphenhyphenbv0RANMP53LysYx9OtDtJrmcPg6kCSf8Hq3Xkokm_uNz8CyieC_Xl6rv50FpgITfBdUHVR-bk/s1600/IMG_0260.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs5aNQAWTQs96qqMdq9PLdEaxJQ_Cm8lP46dPV5fMSRpzkrMyPzvdM36Q4oNvF0Aesqhyphenhyphenbv0RANMP53LysYx9OtDtJrmcPg6kCSf8Hq3Xkokm_uNz8CyieC_Xl6rv50FpgITfBdUHVR-bk/s640/IMG_0260.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGxRvVeyKvMThiXgsx-4lhCvr6bC5wI_P9abPXqJ20L78L7RyJVJwvkKouaKq_oHWUurARoDybIscvAKH42QDIOgKIuCL3lD3acEz5j-XIBcKV3N2Q2MAg18-luljqNNN3Hb0tMfJfzwp8/s1600/IMG_0281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGxRvVeyKvMThiXgsx-4lhCvr6bC5wI_P9abPXqJ20L78L7RyJVJwvkKouaKq_oHWUurARoDybIscvAKH42QDIOgKIuCL3lD3acEz5j-XIBcKV3N2Q2MAg18-luljqNNN3Hb0tMfJfzwp8/s640/IMG_0281.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
I particularly liked the architecture of the Doge's Palace (above). Spectacular views like this come with a spectacular price tag though - the cafes and restaurants dotted around the square were charging 11 euros (11 EUROS!!) for an espresso and 15 Euros (15 EUROS!!!!) for a cappuccino. Anyone who eats and drinks in any of these cafes/restaurant is obviously earning too much money!<br />
<br />
St Mark's Square is obviously the main tourist focal point of Venice, but it was also the busiest and brought on a little bit of a panic attack for us, thanks to all the crowds. So we didn't hang out there for too long and found a bit more space down at the Grand Canal, which was also very very hot, exposed to the afternoon sunshine. For us, the best parts of Venice were the shaded back streets, rather than the obvious overcrowded tourist favourites. We definitely preferred the small shaded back streets. <br />
<br />
Given that it had been a very long walk from Piazzale Roma to the main part of the Grand Canal, we decided to return to the ship by vaporetto. Route maps checked out and vaporetto stops identified, it seemed like a foolproof plan. Despite plenty of time built in, the water bus was to take a lot longer than expected, (scenic though the journey was) and disaster struck. The vaporetto bus did not stop near the cruise terminal, which meant that we had to stay on to Piazzale Roma, then dash for the People Mover, back to the People Mover terminal and then run all the way back to the cruise terminal (in 28 degrees of heat - and my definition of "run" was more like a slow power-walk!).<br />
<br />
We had visions of the ship pulling out of Venice, with us stranded on the quayside and contemplating alternative transport to Slovenia.....happily though, we embarked with minutes to spare and were able to enjoy the sail out of Venice.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeXClsyacrD32xG6icFYXDnKiGM64WLOOuHpde_d-JF32VGSGV5uJ71oycIlRG3l4m_oE-EonF-58bQBcy7JZy6Vz-yLjfRpTQwYI1gaiSfEfDTiYKNGNnZ2xAjWZRq79CbRq4DrveW4wk/s1600/IMG_0310.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeXClsyacrD32xG6icFYXDnKiGM64WLOOuHpde_d-JF32VGSGV5uJ71oycIlRG3l4m_oE-EonF-58bQBcy7JZy6Vz-yLjfRpTQwYI1gaiSfEfDTiYKNGNnZ2xAjWZRq79CbRq4DrveW4wk/s640/IMG_0310.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicruTENDtAolC5DiEZ6qkCFsH285ARO9CfgkthENuedEbvnnoa-IiJ4naqMxRkVc0HqnqYUQZ1DGKoKiLe8GoLEjoAhXv4AcVmlo4rWu5s3WE8clLu5OOzpcIEIzDSB7nDWeHPj9M5YwbB/s1600/IMG_0314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicruTENDtAolC5DiEZ6qkCFsH285ARO9CfgkthENuedEbvnnoa-IiJ4naqMxRkVc0HqnqYUQZ1DGKoKiLe8GoLEjoAhXv4AcVmlo4rWu5s3WE8clLu5OOzpcIEIzDSB7nDWeHPj9M5YwbB/s640/IMG_0314.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Over recent weeks there has been some high-profile news coverage of protests about the detrimental and environmentally damaging effect of cruise ships on the city of Venice. It is certainly oversubscribed, no doubt about it, and maybe the cruise lines need to bear this in mind when planning their itineraries. However, Venice is a hugely popular destination and as long as the powers-that-be continue to allow the volume of cruise ships and their thousands of passengers to dock in the city then this will continue to be a problem. <br />
<br />
Tomorrow: Slovenia! Laura (EuropeCrazy)http://www.blogger.com/profile/00049762365144495234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810011721804766871.post-17326956055775706182017-08-21T18:18:00.000+01:002017-08-21T18:18:06.045+01:00The Adriatic Cruise Diaries: Day 2, Saturday 12 May 2017 - At SeaToday was Eurovision grand final day, but I came to terms with the fact that we are off the grid and wouldn't find out the result until later. The selection of TV channels on the ship included the BBC World News channel so there was a slight hope that I'd find out the result tomorrow morning, fingers crossed :)<br />
<br />
In the meantime, today was a sea day; the sole opportunity in an otherwise jam-packed cruise agenda to catch our breath, discover the ship in more detail, and soak up that beautiful Adriatic sea air. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOvnIlimixtTUnkNigPdbX9j70zClzHxfQRGRkJaIbSJsAMrmnNcnf_1L9CAMvAGJnks4IjTk-B-Y1fPyC8Dw4OPimPLlawAAe1rhNDcpgvHvTdqHz6AS1y25E2_BiKk-K8KHGUBD_0UmW/s1600/IMG_0154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOvnIlimixtTUnkNigPdbX9j70zClzHxfQRGRkJaIbSJsAMrmnNcnf_1L9CAMvAGJnks4IjTk-B-Y1fPyC8Dw4OPimPLlawAAe1rhNDcpgvHvTdqHz6AS1y25E2_BiKk-K8KHGUBD_0UmW/s640/IMG_0154.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
The weather was beautiful today, on the way from Corfu to Venice. The temperatures for the remainder of this holiday were expected to be in the high twenties. <br />
<br />
Cruising in the Eastern Med or Adriatic, you also have to take into account that you are jumping between time zones depending on where your ship is. So prepare to put your watches back, forward, back...this can be really confusing and it didn't help that all my electronic gadgets were displaying different times!<br />
<br />
There is a nice little coffee lounge on the Dream, the Coffee Port, and we paid a visit today. <br />
<br />
As with every cruise ship, the lifts are popular and there weren't many of them on this one, so be prepared for a long wait. However, the advantage of being on a smaller ship meant that it was easy to get around the Dream and there is also a promenade deck (deck 9) where you can walk round from one end of the ship to the other. This deck was packed with sunloungers but I would have preferred if there had been more conventional seating on this deck as well; we don't all go on a cruise to sunbathe and would sometimes just like a place to sit down. At least though there are some other seating areas behind the Lido and Sirens buffet restaurants at either side of the ship.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTEskY88Fwum2uwT2-ZRI6C0VP-J2wXmOfS03RvqErtCb-ShASCWLvJFGYMr5tt5KHc0cIO6Bvwj5FQMidAJIytLCdtoGGpeRsfk-Dq9NK8q7LziksHtKjYmb8bHjICPGdv0GpX4Lp-lnM/s1600/20170513_100528.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTEskY88Fwum2uwT2-ZRI6C0VP-J2wXmOfS03RvqErtCb-ShASCWLvJFGYMr5tt5KHc0cIO6Bvwj5FQMidAJIytLCdtoGGpeRsfk-Dq9NK8q7LziksHtKjYmb8bHjICPGdv0GpX4Lp-lnM/s640/20170513_100528.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Since arriving, I had felt a bit disorientated though, as I forgot to print off a deck plan - very uncharacteristic for my pre-holiday control-freak self! Today I discovered that there are some plans posted on the walls of the ship so I took a picture on my tablet. Disorientated no more.<br />
<br />
Tonight was formal night on the ship, which is a cue for the majority of the cruisers to get on their best glittery gowns and suits. I know this is a tradition on cruise ships and on this one there was certainly a majority of people taking the opportunity to dress up. We're no fans of the formal trend though and definitely felt in a minority in our smart but not-overdressed clothes.<br />
<br />
We went to our first show tonight in the ship's two-storey Broadway Show Lounge which covers decks 8 and 9. The theatre shows change every night and are performed by the ship's show team who work very hard to entertain the passengers. We'd heard them rehearsing the "Moulin Rouge" show earlier in the day, but it was time for the real thing at 10.30pm. It was a hugely enjoyable and fast-moving show linked by songs with a French theme. <br />
<br />
At the end of the evening it was time for cocktail of the day...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVeAy8uormGrjnvPKfN0FEjpc3ULAQGA0ZNRoUpax4aHNHLAqqGvk_KMABiE_aJkXKG0IY-JpVtEeUEq6AfYsOKPv5O5AG3DP11_lpoqNZL71lAUWjKjTEgIMhysoDZmINRcoiTPzTUBhJ/s1600/20170513_185446.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVeAy8uormGrjnvPKfN0FEjpc3ULAQGA0ZNRoUpax4aHNHLAqqGvk_KMABiE_aJkXKG0IY-JpVtEeUEq6AfYsOKPv5O5AG3DP11_lpoqNZL71lAUWjKjTEgIMhysoDZmINRcoiTPzTUBhJ/s640/20170513_185446.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
This one was called 'By The Pool' and featured a melon liqueur.<br />
<br />
Tomorrow: Venice!Laura (EuropeCrazy)http://www.blogger.com/profile/00049762365144495234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810011721804766871.post-59847201884272231412017-08-21T18:13:00.004+01:002017-08-21T18:13:48.965+01:00The Adriatic Cruise Diaries: Day 1, Friday 12 May 2017 - CorfuFirstly, a little bit of info to put this latest holiday diary into context. In 2013, faithful travelling companion and myself went on our first cruise, around the Eastern Mediterranean on the Royal Caribbean ship, Navigator of the Seas. Regular readers will remember that we set off for the airport literally a couple of hours after the credits rolled on the Eurovision grand final.<br />
<br />
There had always been one piece of unfinished business though. After our holiday in Trogir, Croatia, this increased my hunger to take an Adriatic cruise. Over recent years the most appealing itinerary for me was the Adriatic Explorer run by Thomson cruises, but due to very difficult personal circumstances over the past couple of years, combined with the very high cost of the cruise, meant that this was put on hold. <br />
<br />
By 2017, the Adriatic Explorer was back on the agenda. The price dropped and the cruise finally became a reality. Unfortunately this meant that I would miss watching the Eurovision 2017 final live on TV for the first time since 1997. <br />
<br />
There is a very distinctive contrast between the huge Navigator of the Seas, with its glamorous atrium, glass lifts and multi-national customer demographic, and the Thomson Dream, which is an older and smaller ship, populated almost exclusively by British tourists. Where the ship itself was the main focus, last time round, this time it was all about the ports. But first, we needed to get to Corfu.<br />
<br />
We headed for the airport in the early hours of Friday morning. As it was a package holiday, we flew with Thomson Airways (a first time experience) and the planes, seat room and seatbelts were bigger than those usual low-fares-airlines we're used to. There were also some spectacular sights on the way to Corfu, including flying over the snow-capped Alps (below).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzgS9JDJo1xmDqfqCoK-JlscPJjDhIf7N4tZ-dbnzIBejuYTZen4GPHiQIduxJ3kmv5hwTUwWQjPpmJOKKoXVQ90XUQ3drD0C7ReeRGlybW8d7b57DEGzjQXemCEQ_3WV73vKoLDS8DQu/s1600/20170512_084308.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzgS9JDJo1xmDqfqCoK-JlscPJjDhIf7N4tZ-dbnzIBejuYTZen4GPHiQIduxJ3kmv5hwTUwWQjPpmJOKKoXVQ90XUQ3drD0C7ReeRGlybW8d7b57DEGzjQXemCEQ_3WV73vKoLDS8DQu/s640/20170512_084308.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
The other thing worth mentioning was that my health had not been good leading up to the holiday. An ill-timed and very nasty viral infection probably had a greater impact on my overall enjoyment of this holiday than I had hoped.<br />
<br />
But in the meantime, it was onwards to Corfu, to board the Thomson Dream. Corfu Airport's reputation scared me (more about that in my final holiday post) but suffice to say that the chaotic nature of the arrivals/baggage reclaim process gave a tiny hint to what was in store in a week's time!<br />
<br />
Once baggage was eventually reclaimed, the process was relatively smooth and well-organised. Firstly we were transported by coach on a short journey through Corfu Town to the port terminal, which involved some routine checking-in procedures, before waiting for the shuttle bus to take us to the Thomson Dream. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCflKlx9WWJxMgabOlidHM1p_NRqkRE84MJJyxT2YHjyoAbHu1UdWD3R0L2-F5gO7_vFcXhXdPLqe75FzXKvVPKkGESGHczwpI8_Wi-Tb8nteAEbsFTobH_eA03_T4yBzPMu4VmytxzNcL/s1600/20170512_121229.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCflKlx9WWJxMgabOlidHM1p_NRqkRE84MJJyxT2YHjyoAbHu1UdWD3R0L2-F5gO7_vFcXhXdPLqe75FzXKvVPKkGESGHczwpI8_Wi-Tb8nteAEbsFTobH_eA03_T4yBzPMu4VmytxzNcL/s640/20170512_121229.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Ours was not the only ship in port today. We were dwarfed by the massive MSC Musica (below), which we would encounter again on our journey. This ship was so big that I couldn't get it all in on one camera shot :)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_PHeDVcxPSvLvv3-76NV8KE20XYD2qnAS6ZUr1RpaH604LzUtIG6TN5SpZ583pF6HYsJzh9D_M3OEPWOXNkeRYdJS5zDMXmGGMo1_7HMAYd40wJxSg_U9PFdqiwS8sZtiiMCRCDAzcGw/s1600/IMG_0100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_PHeDVcxPSvLvv3-76NV8KE20XYD2qnAS6ZUr1RpaH604LzUtIG6TN5SpZ583pF6HYsJzh9D_M3OEPWOXNkeRYdJS5zDMXmGGMo1_7HMAYd40wJxSg_U9PFdqiwS8sZtiiMCRCDAzcGw/s640/IMG_0100.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
The Thomson Dream may be smaller than the modern day cruise ship, but I was impressed that our luggage arrived at the cabin before we did. The inside cabin was adequate for our needs. We headed out to explore the ship and grab something to eat before the mandatory muster drill which involved everyone having to don our lifejackets and head out on deck. As with our previous cruise, muster drill was quite a chaotic process. <br />
<br />
After muster it was time to get ready for dinner. The main dining room on the Thomson Dream is called the Orion Restaurant (I took this photo of it later in the week)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdGR0vsRu-EJ1uptZKn22sxJYTeDpMx_aJS6ldwjzY9fKJuKbeZ9nlXEV7aXApzJHN9kaxyZLZ3T6XbuCRz2QW6lL0gyCuQ3iFj9rn5SW8McmqJVezJI_NhDBZFuZAOtkWE0WwGQ33N30X/s1600/IMG_0495.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdGR0vsRu-EJ1uptZKn22sxJYTeDpMx_aJS6ldwjzY9fKJuKbeZ9nlXEV7aXApzJHN9kaxyZLZ3T6XbuCRz2QW6lL0gyCuQ3iFj9rn5SW8McmqJVezJI_NhDBZFuZAOtkWE0WwGQ33N30X/s640/IMG_0495.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It's packed at night, but the open-seating arrangement ensures that you don't have to pre-book, nor are you forced into sharing a table with strangers (although this is an option which many more sociable cruisers do go for in a big way). We didn't have to wait too long for a table for two. The vast majority of cruisers on this ship are on an "all inclusive" package which is either free or discounted depending how early you book. For those of us booking later, the price of the drinks package was hiked to ridiculous levels so we gave it a miss, but on boarding there was a very decent offer on a wine package so we went for that. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Our first night's meal was very nice indeed. However we would not be returning tomorrow because it's formal night and we are not down with that. The buffet it is then! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
There was a reasonable selection of bars on the ship although most of them were very busy and particularly the Medusa Lounge (bar with live band) was a difficult place to find a seat in. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We headed for the bar at the back of the Lido restaurant at the back of the ship, where it was much quieter, in preparation for sail-out at 11.00pm. And as with our previous cruise, I just had to try out cocktail of the day....!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4wPda0Dud3L-cWvV5STfbVzNNtkUWTiimoALU1pr63gCBqOOqISBygmQrC3_APRGrvUX0-f3QZ1FOgPfeitWgSsBaP7UPUBikrzOSk8bfXsKcRUPfUwmYSxwdWn0rynABZsr9wj32V2sY/s1600/IMG_0129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4wPda0Dud3L-cWvV5STfbVzNNtkUWTiimoALU1pr63gCBqOOqISBygmQrC3_APRGrvUX0-f3QZ1FOgPfeitWgSsBaP7UPUBikrzOSk8bfXsKcRUPfUwmYSxwdWn0rynABZsr9wj32V2sY/s640/IMG_0129.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Just after 11.00pm our ship finally departed Corfu harbour and we began our journey. Tomorrow is a sea day as we travel on towards our first port destination, Venice. </div>
Laura (EuropeCrazy)http://www.blogger.com/profile/00049762365144495234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810011721804766871.post-27663203230853984352017-08-20T15:12:00.000+01:002017-08-20T15:12:27.025+01:00Eurovision 2017: The Grand Final, Saturday 13th May 2017: Rewatch and Review<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBDy9qbgigqn1U4KMfyP87v5UTfp3ng2MsR8g9D2vZHpOKfphkQgx2-eqI9h3_SuGUab9D0Di8DX-4CJkp4lMxXZrf9RLWD1yQEoEsWJlDJ3Ivzv8YIhNEa3nrPk6XYdyMCWl3UcQ1FX9L/s1600/Eurovision+Logo+2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBDy9qbgigqn1U4KMfyP87v5UTfp3ng2MsR8g9D2vZHpOKfphkQgx2-eqI9h3_SuGUab9D0Di8DX-4CJkp4lMxXZrf9RLWD1yQEoEsWJlDJ3Ivzv8YIhNEa3nrPk6XYdyMCWl3UcQ1FX9L/s640/Eurovision+Logo+2017.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
We all love Eurovision, but even the most diehard fan would have to admit that 2017 season became a little draining at times, with the whole Ukraine/Russia dynamic and the will-they, won't they? saga of Russia's participation. There was also a lot of uncertainty around - it took a long time for Kyiv to be announced as the host city for 2017, and the months leading up to the contest were blighted by bad news - resignations in the Ukrainian production team, various delays, ticket problems etc, and at one point it was even rumoured that the contest would have to be moved elsewhere. Christer Björkman and a Swedish production team became involved to help the Ukrainian TV company deliver the contest - which probably explained why there was a Swedish feel to the visual aspect of this year's proceedings. <br />
<br />
The final began with a VT themed around the multi-coloured beads which make up the Ukrainian 'necklace' featured in this year's logo. This was followed by the introduction of all this year's finalists who then made their way down from the stage to the green room. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPg5PTINXF2dy3cNNUIGpiffPI_2BolQXdkRhYxOqJwg1Yj8YF-w5dNCKs2lO7ScQ-aNOBJZnVjuBRRvkOTbeGf9ZSEoPMr2DLcPYuU9jVzYpnj1yH0Pij98i-7YXsFAV_ue-ca4uXG3EI/s1600/Screenshot+%2528734%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPg5PTINXF2dy3cNNUIGpiffPI_2BolQXdkRhYxOqJwg1Yj8YF-w5dNCKs2lO7ScQ-aNOBJZnVjuBRRvkOTbeGf9ZSEoPMr2DLcPYuU9jVzYpnj1yH0Pij98i-7YXsFAV_ue-ca4uXG3EI/s640/Screenshot+%2528734%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
At least our three hosts didn't waste too much time and just 11 minutes into the show it was time for our first song. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE264bjznn8mzj6lVyxC1F96hD-BKXnHEE0Jeqpo6HVTrud82_tEWUukrS0o3XKOaWQmssBulbBTsU8vsCYcwmg5GXgbn7uxnWCVwW5kq6efVW73Zi7myIn3PNWuKuvjLnVO25d0nrb3z6/s1600/Screenshot+%2528160%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE264bjznn8mzj6lVyxC1F96hD-BKXnHEE0Jeqpo6HVTrud82_tEWUukrS0o3XKOaWQmssBulbBTsU8vsCYcwmg5GXgbn7uxnWCVwW5kq6efVW73Zi7myIn3PNWuKuvjLnVO25d0nrb3z6/s640/Screenshot+%2528160%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis1Vhxv5xJHnMQCgM82aqXpVJPbGX7Wna-09zEGfq9R52sq08IxD27RV-pOAK1R8vZjxuAeqq4sOtV4AVo5rCetmXyu1hJEw5huE3JEZeV_yk3Nst4t2FyDu0gFE_QM0D52bgT7FdkXyim/s1600/Screenshot+%252827%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis1Vhxv5xJHnMQCgM82aqXpVJPbGX7Wna-09zEGfq9R52sq08IxD27RV-pOAK1R8vZjxuAeqq4sOtV4AVo5rCetmXyu1hJEw5huE3JEZeV_yk3Nst4t2FyDu0gFE_QM0D52bgT7FdkXyim/s640/Screenshot+%252827%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>ISRAEL: "I Feel Alive" - Imri.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Last song in semi-final 2, and first song in the final. A very energetic start and Imri was in good voice, although I thought he gave it more in the semi-final. This song had grown on me quite a lot since the semi-final though, and I particularly liked the little ethnic section in the middle of the song. It wasn't earth-shattering by any means, but I'd rather have something frothy and throwaway like this than the tiresome ballads polluting the contest. Ooh, talking of which.....<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_C-5gqrsjMfKvCMX6DDtGfnSpb3Qfn9goNdV2DC5SZQAVOxklPMxXtIShWHndoAwS1ou6ks2crDwDRMCmsrBjsIgHMK3dccawjI2pIp5yt5mSrJgItqdkjESgTSN6b1wrilSpRL9VjUgA/s1600/Screenshot+%2528162%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_C-5gqrsjMfKvCMX6DDtGfnSpb3Qfn9goNdV2DC5SZQAVOxklPMxXtIShWHndoAwS1ou6ks2crDwDRMCmsrBjsIgHMK3dccawjI2pIp5yt5mSrJgItqdkjESgTSN6b1wrilSpRL9VjUgA/s640/Screenshot+%2528162%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuqPGiASFPpJXeuWsThQ-edgXHh-HfoMiv1_BPG2OS3ds7Gqdps5G0GBsjg-ESzz1vaUyTKsaUNRkBRx1NZeoWV9luYcbR1d7OnNA9L9FBdopBXvsnrLVa7IZmd2AC6Jgv6zgiWBoCysJV/s1600/Screenshot+%252833%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuqPGiASFPpJXeuWsThQ-edgXHh-HfoMiv1_BPG2OS3ds7Gqdps5G0GBsjg-ESzz1vaUyTKsaUNRkBRx1NZeoWV9luYcbR1d7OnNA9L9FBdopBXvsnrLVa7IZmd2AC6Jgv6zgiWBoCysJV/s640/Screenshot+%252833%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>POLAND: "Flashlight" - Kasia Mos.</b><br />
<br />
I'm still not sure what the bad-rhyming lyrics of this song had to do with an animal rights theme? Yes she was certainly a fierce vocalist, no doubt about it, sometimes a little too fierce, but the song just wasn't there. Poland can, should, and probably will, do better. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRRLnkUcmg4xrAZXvxebzKgB-QzlWVpWpBTk53iuuWOkAEcf5H3KU1iEhBFxyyA2wHz11uGbGdKtbKIJ1oLNY3enZuM25i8WBWIgXl6oky8zG0GwXkgU7l47HWNdJJtad4Jpmoxj4u2kx4/s1600/Screenshot+%2528163%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRRLnkUcmg4xrAZXvxebzKgB-QzlWVpWpBTk53iuuWOkAEcf5H3KU1iEhBFxyyA2wHz11uGbGdKtbKIJ1oLNY3enZuM25i8WBWIgXl6oky8zG0GwXkgU7l47HWNdJJtad4Jpmoxj4u2kx4/s640/Screenshot+%2528163%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_gb3Jrg2obpdcFY4V34KryyfixLhjsUlEAIFaXEhpVRC_wYVjpgleeJ7nbAHzRRZYI6IikwgPUy3O_WPJMBlSFmXCwxoEheev_3UWJrSQvPZYaR8wd-EuUzZBpOJqRe0Tt90kropskv9s/s1600/Screenshot+%252843%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_gb3Jrg2obpdcFY4V34KryyfixLhjsUlEAIFaXEhpVRC_wYVjpgleeJ7nbAHzRRZYI6IikwgPUy3O_WPJMBlSFmXCwxoEheev_3UWJrSQvPZYaR8wd-EuUzZBpOJqRe0Tt90kropskv9s/s640/Screenshot+%252843%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>BELARUS: "Story of My Life" - Naviband. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
They had so much likeability and charisma together that you just had to root for them. Unfortunately the fans quickly stopped running on their boat, but that didn't stop them taking us on a fun (if occasionally frenzied) journey. The great thing about this was that it was in native language, but the hey-heys and the infectious singalong nature of the song crossed all linguistic barriers. And <i>that</i> kiss at the end! That is how you do a kiss - unlike some who made a mess of it later, to say the least...!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbSXK5XeDsP-x8D3tDl0wJV1v8BSyoywFD_KiS0yr8aJKyXBB1On39F3dwIh4G0EfmJCKeze4nhtQ3NLsfXyu8Nh7ePO9uwm9ZuTB_5aMUu9Gxe_9FFU6N7CXPYo8FWYVgx5eJsy11-vj/s1600/Screenshot+%2528164%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbSXK5XeDsP-x8D3tDl0wJV1v8BSyoywFD_KiS0yr8aJKyXBB1On39F3dwIh4G0EfmJCKeze4nhtQ3NLsfXyu8Nh7ePO9uwm9ZuTB_5aMUu9Gxe_9FFU6N7CXPYo8FWYVgx5eJsy11-vj/s640/Screenshot+%2528164%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6PuIyEZcQUZ7xdN0tXodXrpum0M9a-HITr5trQinO-QoyQS5YTaxrFt2o_TSi12EqYKxzi4kXgc9KslHv5eizANy9x3BdD5x0ARxADqqUKD0TSEcijm_EeDTgen5UmCXau1uszV49tNsC/s1600/Screenshot+%252846%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6PuIyEZcQUZ7xdN0tXodXrpum0M9a-HITr5trQinO-QoyQS5YTaxrFt2o_TSi12EqYKxzi4kXgc9KslHv5eizANy9x3BdD5x0ARxADqqUKD0TSEcijm_EeDTgen5UmCXau1uszV49tNsC/s640/Screenshot+%252846%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>AUSTRIA: "Running On Air" - Nathan Trent. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
In his postcard, Nathan was a dab hand at graffiti, so presumably if he inhaled some of that spray paint that might explain why he was running on air. That aside, he delivered another decent performance of this very lightweight song. I thought it might have had some televoting appeal - when in fact it took home this year's "nul points" from the televote, and was saved by a respectable jury vote. I just wanted to mention here though that I'm very impressed with Austria's approach to ESC of late. They seem to put a lot of time and effort into finding the right singer and song for the contest, which has been rewarded in the past couple of years with qualification to the final. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDIkeNDRoUOPg_1b6wMM_jqpDZg85AkheheXmAi2tNfFGGhqJBb2GV2OGxZ-NjkA_z2HwH89ydPNdJYBVLIMPRr5bqAKXR9Wb7aR0Eoqw2qksOTeGSvHdiXhsyelz2pzYbYHFzKgWUNzqw/s1600/Screenshot+%2528165%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDIkeNDRoUOPg_1b6wMM_jqpDZg85AkheheXmAi2tNfFGGhqJBb2GV2OGxZ-NjkA_z2HwH89ydPNdJYBVLIMPRr5bqAKXR9Wb7aR0Eoqw2qksOTeGSvHdiXhsyelz2pzYbYHFzKgWUNzqw/s640/Screenshot+%2528165%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwCZ1HTv0RaJN820I4aSp-SsEHe2LZf0Qopmi2bpzJ-sfJlXztO5IZGqDb-oHM3QfhxytX7so3L9WRmR6bqPLPIdJ2-TkfKTtku7kWdUzNA8y3Alb5O-BnxNMyti9pRC6UjIKbe7cM8Hkm/s1600/Screenshot+%252849%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwCZ1HTv0RaJN820I4aSp-SsEHe2LZf0Qopmi2bpzJ-sfJlXztO5IZGqDb-oHM3QfhxytX7so3L9WRmR6bqPLPIdJ2-TkfKTtku7kWdUzNA8y3Alb5O-BnxNMyti9pRC6UjIKbe7cM8Hkm/s640/Screenshot+%252849%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>ARMENIA: "Fly With Me" - Artsvik.</b><br />
<br />
Appropriately for a song called "Fly With Me" Artsvik and friends were in a hot air balloon, flying over some stunning Armenian landscapes in the postcard. . <br />
<br />
Armenia absolutely know how to stage a Eurovision entry, from killer camera angles to mystical arm-ography. Purple clouds and some leftover leaping pyros from last year's entry too. This was visually stunning, but for me the song still had a lot of shortcomings. It took a long time for "LoveWave" to grow on me but I thought the overall package of last year's song and performance was so much better than this year's. I say this every year, but I still think they are winners in waiting. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin8KBMO5smFtxJodvQP6CoswiXOqh134V0_UDHkZJZIkymYGfNk6J6Gnx7zje7LquwHqLerhpu21OuC3L_bZWy1js5suWEXpRXz44yaT8YNgW3GWfSoiTvi2gAQHMvNUztDYJLCZOLruVc/s1600/Screenshot+%2528166%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin8KBMO5smFtxJodvQP6CoswiXOqh134V0_UDHkZJZIkymYGfNk6J6Gnx7zje7LquwHqLerhpu21OuC3L_bZWy1js5suWEXpRXz44yaT8YNgW3GWfSoiTvi2gAQHMvNUztDYJLCZOLruVc/s640/Screenshot+%2528166%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdHZqLNYFCY4EAHi_6U0Wx_yrcEQv9Hjmef_nrjGEmd2YS5jTzd-MaBvIkh_U99TmITJ_5RXeTYSUra3QF6BrcCZRPRjJGx0byrzFB3T5774AJ1K2q3kumLw2VnEh3Gg8GBO6_UbkSAtF1/s1600/Screenshot+%252852%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdHZqLNYFCY4EAHi_6U0Wx_yrcEQv9Hjmef_nrjGEmd2YS5jTzd-MaBvIkh_U99TmITJ_5RXeTYSUra3QF6BrcCZRPRjJGx0byrzFB3T5774AJ1K2q3kumLw2VnEh3Gg8GBO6_UbkSAtF1/s640/Screenshot+%252852%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>NETHERLANDS: "Lights and Shadows" - O'G3NE. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Writing this post retrospectively, over three months on from the contest, it's inevitable that I must mention the very sad outcome of this story. O'G3NE of course is made up of the three Vol siblings and this song was written in tribute to their beloved mother, who sadly passed away in July 2017, aged just 47, after a long period of illness. <br />
<br />
Regardless of whether or not this Wilson Phillips-influenced harmony ballad was your thing or not, I think that it took great courage for the sisters to get up on that stage and give yet another faultless delivery of their trademark harmonies. It was very clear at the end just how much emotion was going on up there and it was a fine tribute. As a Eurovision song though, it was very clear that this was going to be much more popular with the juries than the televoters. Unlike the next entry....<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjow-5oKD75KG-2Noscon7ydbMKDieY-2c8vLKMeJnVhqiviZG1e6svDeHOq01ksRQKRxd4ELMMc4zqsZBWVbpqdh79HZGqVazPthTe1fkqY4TAY-joImqBnI-PrAx7qj3BxsD2IvVVAVsz/s1600/Screenshot+%2528167%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjow-5oKD75KG-2Noscon7ydbMKDieY-2c8vLKMeJnVhqiviZG1e6svDeHOq01ksRQKRxd4ELMMc4zqsZBWVbpqdh79HZGqVazPthTe1fkqY4TAY-joImqBnI-PrAx7qj3BxsD2IvVVAVsz/s640/Screenshot+%2528167%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB7i-U51QXG5EpM7EpEiqig5JdXnY1ANknBhnTtC5cW8BaLDPzmQADUG3G_5E7j04Q0mLSDazYJzd3322V_RXT9N7gLru5G-PUjFO3uTPaD4BAn3z20ppi2n2EZoh1XfYIViw0JX0HydLJ/s1600/Screenshot+%252824%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB7i-U51QXG5EpM7EpEiqig5JdXnY1ANknBhnTtC5cW8BaLDPzmQADUG3G_5E7j04Q0mLSDazYJzd3322V_RXT9N7gLru5G-PUjFO3uTPaD4BAn3z20ppi2n2EZoh1XfYIViw0JX0HydLJ/s640/Screenshot+%252824%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b>
<b>MOLDOVA: "Hey Mamma" - Sunstroke Project.</b><br />
<br />
I was delighted to see the Sunstroke Project back in the contest. In the intervening years since 2010 they have honed their professionalism and become a very slick and appealing act. Every aspect of this was a crowd-pleaser, from the snappy dance routine to the backing singers singing into their bouquets, before transforming into brides halfway through the song - and the most epic thing about it of course: Epic Sax Guy. In the modern Eurovision song contest, which has got all authentic and intense and dare we say just a little bit too serious, people want a genuine fun entry, without any cynicism. In 2017, this was that song, and I'm not surprised for a minute just how well it did. Moldova used to be relied upon to bring the crazy to ESC: this was a little more restrained, but they certainly brought back the fun. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMiRQ3dJXlB682TlkhVbkJ4hO3nFx1eF33ZX8xMuZX_UNFIfv-GS3Gin7l1Qtd0BCjggUHNWL5KSsvNFkRV-8kEHLq5JwP9-8HNtGemGZR1qDFpR4uETuo3ojIEQPbX2JDoIjzBIdBH1LR/s1600/Screenshot+%2528169%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMiRQ3dJXlB682TlkhVbkJ4hO3nFx1eF33ZX8xMuZX_UNFIfv-GS3Gin7l1Qtd0BCjggUHNWL5KSsvNFkRV-8kEHLq5JwP9-8HNtGemGZR1qDFpR4uETuo3ojIEQPbX2JDoIjzBIdBH1LR/s640/Screenshot+%2528169%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsxLLJtRyHhQ2pxLPja1afeFXWLC-84MCcmaBQILU_IrOcBCUqdhy8IHBlzQPOwdeNY4EeuR8Orce8_n8swZ1FLc6pvIWFaRyL5AVzAVWskpoN5QTYDVHp-xdkVmTgH6VYZr99vcMgOBVx/s1600/Screenshot+%252861%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsxLLJtRyHhQ2pxLPja1afeFXWLC-84MCcmaBQILU_IrOcBCUqdhy8IHBlzQPOwdeNY4EeuR8Orce8_n8swZ1FLc6pvIWFaRyL5AVzAVWskpoN5QTYDVHp-xdkVmTgH6VYZr99vcMgOBVx/s640/Screenshot+%252861%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b>
<b>HUNGARY: "Origo" - Joci Papai. </b><br />
<br />
Every year in Eurovision you listen to some songs more than others. Then there are those songs which you completely ignore, which were hiding in plain sight and you don't realise just how good they were until you actually see them in the contest. This was one of those songs which passed me by until the semi-final when the complete package blew me away. An ethnic-flavoured song in a foreign language, yet very simply staged and performed with bucketloads of heart and soul by Joci and the incredible dancer who accompanied him. This blended traditional and contemporary sounds to great effect and I'm very happy it did so well. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcbMhMHGC3QyqjQbF7DQshYQ47HPCssv-sye4VKNFXbGfj7dcrPrD47Vw2q2RLSWk2_C6fyRtlbXtxqXwwe_HI40UgvfTUMAvsGBmrT1PFYnVfhQGn_62_9gWzOC7C7QzWlcNeo8H7LIw3/s1600/Screenshot+%2528170%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcbMhMHGC3QyqjQbF7DQshYQ47HPCssv-sye4VKNFXbGfj7dcrPrD47Vw2q2RLSWk2_C6fyRtlbXtxqXwwe_HI40UgvfTUMAvsGBmrT1PFYnVfhQGn_62_9gWzOC7C7QzWlcNeo8H7LIw3/s640/Screenshot+%2528170%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkjPvk8rrMCzsCuJvc0cdu7wCV8EU-inDA2PktF-zX-ET_o7W22KpksqVLYtg1Yxj3sbVNgtxZinvZygqjnpNlfiQH4tX70WCw5nIuFQX3GAQXRLJFQTXeBDYkmN50-hjNr4cXsU0VdAC9/s1600/Screenshot+%2528744%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkjPvk8rrMCzsCuJvc0cdu7wCV8EU-inDA2PktF-zX-ET_o7W22KpksqVLYtg1Yxj3sbVNgtxZinvZygqjnpNlfiQH4tX70WCw5nIuFQX3GAQXRLJFQTXeBDYkmN50-hjNr4cXsU0VdAC9/s640/Screenshot+%2528744%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>ITALY: "Occidentali's Karma" - Francesco Gabbani. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
In the weeks and months leading up to the contest, this song had become such a resounding favourite that it was going to be an inevitable winner. For me, it became my favourite ESC entry of the past 20 years - that's how much I liked it. Yet on the other hand, I had mixed feelings about how it would go at ESC. Would the juries/televoters get the deep meaning of the song's lyrics, or would they just see a dancing gorilla gimmick on stage? <br />
<br />
Sitting in a cruise ship cabin on the day after the final, watching a report on the BBC news channel about the contest, there was one thought going round and round my head, once my delight at Portugal's win had sunk in. Italy only came 6th? How the hell did Italy only come <i>6th??????</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
To find out the answer I decided to put myself in the role of casual viewer, as if I was watching this song and performance in the final for the first time. It just appeared a frenzied and visually incoherent mess. Although Francesco is a very engaging performer, it was very hard to make a connection due to the wide-ranging sweeping camera angles. It was as if the team from RAI wanted to show off the LED backdrop, rather than allow Francesco to develop any engagement with the viewers. There were many audience scenes but they generally failed to take advantage of focusing on the audience all joining in with "Alé" until the end chorus. I got rather dizzy watching it all. The staging in the more intimate surroundings of Sanremo was ideal, but in Kyiv it just didn't work. <br />
<br />
Putting all that aside, "Occidentali's Karma" remains my favourite song of Eurovision 2017, even though I was delighted with Portugal's win. And I think many of us would agree that Francesco's was the best postcard this year and a lot of imagination went into it!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMGk544wVy_W4CCDyuKYh_Xv5PV7g3rdhzMjTFUIpWNUfANneCX8Af8SrvODfCsZN979lSQx5Vb9W4H709P6_w9qIo5WQ2_oPdMWqJIif7hOeX_QpA_yBXaf2vG_nQUefOSD65XLJfMh-I/s1600/Screenshot+%2528171%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMGk544wVy_W4CCDyuKYh_Xv5PV7g3rdhzMjTFUIpWNUfANneCX8Af8SrvODfCsZN979lSQx5Vb9W4H709P6_w9qIo5WQ2_oPdMWqJIif7hOeX_QpA_yBXaf2vG_nQUefOSD65XLJfMh-I/s640/Screenshot+%2528171%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXsTcMlNsS0kHheBOLSj7VlUG4POAsKw7_W59sLXLYA-55PeFsD5LfcxJ8i_meTaLaJl0TsRUEjjVqRBl1SOX-PQsy0KWQwdhVuAS045gl3IEyMi4T0eNo__-_wfZ3_pbJNRG2Oq-V3dv/s1600/Screenshot+%252870%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXsTcMlNsS0kHheBOLSj7VlUG4POAsKw7_W59sLXLYA-55PeFsD5LfcxJ8i_meTaLaJl0TsRUEjjVqRBl1SOX-PQsy0KWQwdhVuAS045gl3IEyMi4T0eNo__-_wfZ3_pbJNRG2Oq-V3dv/s640/Screenshot+%252870%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>DENMARK: "Where I Am" - Anja.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Proving that a well-upholstered dress and a big 'ol pyro curtain can take you a long way. Being drawn between the two big favourites in the final was never going to be easy, but Anja performed the life out of this rather anonymous ballad and it is to her credit that she ensured a place in the final for Denmark after two non-qualifying years. It was never going to be a contender, but it was good jury bait nonetheless. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAeGQVeBNCb7roebSmv04jlOCBAK1VHHzk0rrkdpwIdxqgh5_MC_by2cHC0M0aMRlTWgGFk8Dn0ySlbl8zjVgfMsHF8DQ1vsdPHyg1tapRdmutEdQ6mJDvj7xIYWZH2u6gk5F68XzJ1Sn/s1600/Screenshot+%2528172%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAeGQVeBNCb7roebSmv04jlOCBAK1VHHzk0rrkdpwIdxqgh5_MC_by2cHC0M0aMRlTWgGFk8Dn0ySlbl8zjVgfMsHF8DQ1vsdPHyg1tapRdmutEdQ6mJDvj7xIYWZH2u6gk5F68XzJ1Sn/s640/Screenshot+%2528172%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXNlgnf4jcNFndHnP2-PqGIX1xj0nXvFr4_iAkvt7q1egWJ4gZ0lSsnzpuHD_6T00vjkxNamp_e9sPO8uTWdAyILgpaaKLU0H7qfXOVhwCR5_A9Bc5a5GQx8agXrLwP_CMbUf-4ElXDgm7/s1600/Screenshot+%252882%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXNlgnf4jcNFndHnP2-PqGIX1xj0nXvFr4_iAkvt7q1egWJ4gZ0lSsnzpuHD_6T00vjkxNamp_e9sPO8uTWdAyILgpaaKLU0H7qfXOVhwCR5_A9Bc5a5GQx8agXrLwP_CMbUf-4ElXDgm7/s640/Screenshot+%252882%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>PORTUGAL: "Amar Pelos Dois" - Salvador Sobral.</b><br />
<br />
Those who hate Eurovision (and in this country, that means the bulk of our mainstream media) whose mindset is stuck in the 1970s/1980s, are always quick to target the contest for its cheesy pop, its diggi-loos and its boom-bang-a-bangs - whilst not making the effort to discover a contest which has moved on <i>a lot</i> since those days. In this decade, the Eurovision Song Contest has evolved into something much more modern and contemporary, with not a boom-bang-a-bang in sight. Which makes me very happy, but one negative factor in the rush to produce entries which sound more like modern mainstream chart hits rather than old-school schlager has meant that more and more countries default to singing in English, lessening the chances of native-language songs to do well.<br />
<br />
So it made me very happy in 2017 to see that native language songs all achieved some level of success. Every single song featuring a native language made it to the final The pre-contest favourite was a song in Italian. Portugal, meanwhile, a country which has always been true to its own musical heritage, to its detriment at Eurovision, returned to the contest after a year out, made no concession to the expectations of the modern song contest and sent a jazz ballad which sounded more 1927 than 2017. <br />
<br />
But it was an awesome and unique song, performed by the most awesome and unique performer. Salvador Sobral did not just sing this song. It was as if he was using his whole body as an instrument, conducting every little note, bringing a unique musicality to his performance. I know that sounds a bit pompous but that's the only way I can describe it. Or in more simple terms, once seen, never forgotten. In a contest of big choreography, complex staging and dazzling backdrops, this was the contrast of contrasts. It stood out from everything else. With the simplest of staging, Salvador's performance, of a song written by his very talented sister Luisa Sobral, was utterly heartfelt, genuine and true to himself. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVu7eTVX__FIdhmblboFtAShgu8beaaOVvKKnBKillMhMRcuA2Ld-ylWFb1RVI6F0o_XN4AjXJtmLKJ-CRNzK7W0jkqejASocg1AZe6POWHsGflz5O3qOmFSp1xRCRN7rvHPExHBARs935/s1600/Screenshot+%2528173%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVu7eTVX__FIdhmblboFtAShgu8beaaOVvKKnBKillMhMRcuA2Ld-ylWFb1RVI6F0o_XN4AjXJtmLKJ-CRNzK7W0jkqejASocg1AZe6POWHsGflz5O3qOmFSp1xRCRN7rvHPExHBARs935/s640/Screenshot+%2528173%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZvEAxQxb2miMaiwOeLq4XbAkC5WtyhRiqyiOBnxw8KL3eWZvStNnSpHlTvNqSSxvfrdu5DP053-pxdtPzetSuHOpSB3UKKRItLAFcgHd7rY3TCXNpb79ZlqLhdeJRLh7URwA3jjysWBl-/s1600/Screenshot+%2528748%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZvEAxQxb2miMaiwOeLq4XbAkC5WtyhRiqyiOBnxw8KL3eWZvStNnSpHlTvNqSSxvfrdu5DP053-pxdtPzetSuHOpSB3UKKRItLAFcgHd7rY3TCXNpb79ZlqLhdeJRLh7URwA3jjysWBl-/s640/Screenshot+%2528748%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b>
<b>AZERBAIJAN: "Skeletons" - Dihaj.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>The biggest shock about this entry? Me actually liking an entry from Azerbaijan. That is not a common occurrence. Judging by her postcard, Dihaj is probably the coolest person in Azerbaijan and she is the mother of probably the cutest toddler in Azerbaijan.<br />
<br />
For some reason I still think she's singing "have my last five million" in the chorus. Well, she is from oil-rich Azerbaijan after all, so it's not beyond the realm of possibility is it :) And most of the lyrics were completely bonkers anyway, so it wouldn't really have mattered. Thorn jeans indeed. And as I said in my semi-final review, everything can be improved with a man wearing a horse's head, standing on top of a ladder. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrbHImkvbj-VbiU5SaGb6obk1zCrhRTYNR_f6NVfVH21W1o3XAoqhGsxaw9558oCzdmaHHTxF2HDlHFe97xnwKrcWvko9PiR2s3kW60-D2W8LASPv0lHxNL0JILQtytgsNYkywjTo5qhrf/s1600/Screenshot+%2528174%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrbHImkvbj-VbiU5SaGb6obk1zCrhRTYNR_f6NVfVH21W1o3XAoqhGsxaw9558oCzdmaHHTxF2HDlHFe97xnwKrcWvko9PiR2s3kW60-D2W8LASPv0lHxNL0JILQtytgsNYkywjTo5qhrf/s640/Screenshot+%2528174%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vXhJ4yZAALO9_GVntbSZJScRb1tHeY0A4_fSbTkmcZOV35_QKmoa-Ddxz3IFAP_re3Hmoi_eIXgI5rcpcGQDv0Aok-_juZX77Z_X0-SID0ndceylvDD8aWFQDo2A2oJCYBecDL4BsJsc/s1600/Screenshot+%252896%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vXhJ4yZAALO9_GVntbSZJScRb1tHeY0A4_fSbTkmcZOV35_QKmoa-Ddxz3IFAP_re3Hmoi_eIXgI5rcpcGQDv0Aok-_juZX77Z_X0-SID0ndceylvDD8aWFQDo2A2oJCYBecDL4BsJsc/s640/Screenshot+%252896%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>CROATIA: "My Friend" - Jacques Houdek. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
"There are only two ways to live your life" says Jacques. "One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle". There is only one way to throw up into a sick bag....<br />
<br />
It's a miracle my friend, how this got to the final, although it has the same gruesome novelty value which people might vote for on "(wherever's) Got Talent". Yes I'll admit it, he did have a very good voice and got away with both vocal styles, however he had a bit of a wobble in the final chorus, not quite as bad as Isaiah's wobble in semi-final 1, but his backing singers - probably some of the best in the contest - kept it together. Talking of Isaiah....<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4lfAi7UlCcH-2NYifcH4ihyFSkPr051i-fkWqSptDKjLucmL5XqduTRjF6SpTGxpezJmS1UfLU_JpnGu1njXIb0i7F01SfoB55PriSYgfLzVl2YcSiZgb6qt4B1bugFgSrF4ubj8nm2Dn/s1600/Screenshot+%2528175%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4lfAi7UlCcH-2NYifcH4ihyFSkPr051i-fkWqSptDKjLucmL5XqduTRjF6SpTGxpezJmS1UfLU_JpnGu1njXIb0i7F01SfoB55PriSYgfLzVl2YcSiZgb6qt4B1bugFgSrF4ubj8nm2Dn/s640/Screenshot+%2528175%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2WizBYUE5WvLlt9joHDbomUfCaeZgrugQgZbeOn7R9XMiEIXX0yd0R2maNNa_-fXsH9ZRq_6kuQwNGXoFvT94hf9RpavzLnSoxyOUFr_c2_ZNDShKVPbeEUWvRiyRy46MPgohyatVaDZK/s1600/Screenshot+%2528102%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2WizBYUE5WvLlt9joHDbomUfCaeZgrugQgZbeOn7R9XMiEIXX0yd0R2maNNa_-fXsH9ZRq_6kuQwNGXoFvT94hf9RpavzLnSoxyOUFr_c2_ZNDShKVPbeEUWvRiyRy46MPgohyatVaDZK/s640/Screenshot+%2528102%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b>
<b>AUSTRALIA: "Don't Come Easy" - Isaiah Firebrace.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
No vocal wobbles this time round. However the lyrical themes of this song were maybe also a little too "old" for him - he is only 17 after all. Some rather egomaniac staging though, with multiple Isaiah images on the backdrop, whilst he was rotating on a microwave plate. <br />
<br />
I still like having Australia at Eurovision but they may have created a problem for themselves by having set the bar so high in 2015 and 2016. This song was a disappointment for me but then I'm not really into that Sam Smith-style ballad.<br />
<br />
Looking at the results table it is very hard to avoid talking about the elephant in the room: the biggest disparity between the jury votes and televotes of any song this year. Total score: 173. Total jury points: 171. Total televote points: 2. Australia have definitely established themselves as top jury bait - they topped the jury score last year - and 9th place overall isn't too bad. Nevertheless the fans will become very fed up if this pattern is to keep repeating itself, where Australia is saved by the juries in spite of very low televote scores, and possibly at the expense of a more deserving entry. Especially if they fail to maintain that high standard of their first two years in the contest....<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIcNLf-QfANIXBQWOgmGF24OfFwfZxCdwg2UAft9zD3HxiMI03o5akrqns3JPGqyHY6ifsvf3IiACMuNsY-4mQslFDCy-rHdokWSyYu0Wy2jdAtCQNKWIQsRzecokbUIgfrYWNn1NumQEo/s1600/Screenshot+%2528176%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIcNLf-QfANIXBQWOgmGF24OfFwfZxCdwg2UAft9zD3HxiMI03o5akrqns3JPGqyHY6ifsvf3IiACMuNsY-4mQslFDCy-rHdokWSyYu0Wy2jdAtCQNKWIQsRzecokbUIgfrYWNn1NumQEo/s640/Screenshot+%2528176%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwq8nMFqW6gFVoJjnmmL8w1dxbVL6C-Tmkwrqi89IDMjeL98wK8u1hZsSx2e8peqnNCBnBkcBkXJZ2htvHRI5QNuyWiDcbu1bCFUCJCtD8TBAbqzE1msulATWXdxnYgy_x7TmuIZJXe5jj/s1600/Screenshot+%2528114%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwq8nMFqW6gFVoJjnmmL8w1dxbVL6C-Tmkwrqi89IDMjeL98wK8u1hZsSx2e8peqnNCBnBkcBkXJZ2htvHRI5QNuyWiDcbu1bCFUCJCtD8TBAbqzE1msulATWXdxnYgy_x7TmuIZJXe5jj/s640/Screenshot+%2528114%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b>
<b>GREECE: "This Is Love" - Demy.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>Greece on the other hand is usually Australia in reverse: a country which always seems to do better with the televote. But even that wasn't true this year as the jury points outweighed the televote score, even though they'd thrown several kitchen sinks and a whole lot of water at the staging of this otherwise underwhelming pop song. The overwhelming feeling was that they tried just too hard, and even topless muscular men in knee-length pants doesn't guarantee you a spot on the left hand side of the scoreboard. But at Eurovision there is always someone worse off than you are......<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjseWYg5kOz9q4DBFCw7fO5k3Qunu6AGuvR1oJEJlb1fMX-8XmSDuGWiVldpVvAIBD7P4nOwynfNb3liXTGiWMK7sgs1i3hV2b72EN19ETfn_slVTsPqWrJMfFuIwabj5-lZZgCmmKrORTa/s1600/Screenshot+%2528177%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjseWYg5kOz9q4DBFCw7fO5k3Qunu6AGuvR1oJEJlb1fMX-8XmSDuGWiVldpVvAIBD7P4nOwynfNb3liXTGiWMK7sgs1i3hV2b72EN19ETfn_slVTsPqWrJMfFuIwabj5-lZZgCmmKrORTa/s640/Screenshot+%2528177%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEsvDMQ9oLri42wJCN67Ox1AwGKB8hhr6RrBr48M80uADwJQGx0Y2FiU_x05KHkdnz4jXjT4tWkxi6VUSEIHuK4PRcP8b-BYe8Xq0B8ExcKGZ3aWxMRNKqdL783cJaQsVEbj8MZmasV20J/s1600/Screenshot+%2528118%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEsvDMQ9oLri42wJCN67Ox1AwGKB8hhr6RrBr48M80uADwJQGx0Y2FiU_x05KHkdnz4jXjT4tWkxi6VUSEIHuK4PRcP8b-BYe8Xq0B8ExcKGZ3aWxMRNKqdL783cJaQsVEbj8MZmasV20J/s640/Screenshot+%2528118%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>SPAIN: "Do It For Your Lover" - Manel Navarro. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
It would probably be a major understatement to say that this was not one of this year's most popular Eurovision songs. In an already underwhelming Spanish national final, the jury vote swung the victory for this song, immediately resulting in boos in the studio, and accusations of cronyism and conflicts of interest. All this aside, the fact remained that "Do It For Your Lover" is probably one of the laziest compositions ever to represent a country at ESC. With verses in Spanish, the chorus was just basically do-it-for-your-lover-do-it-for-your-lover-clap-your-hands-and-do-it-for-your-lover ad infinitum. Now being a Jack Johnson fan from back in the day, I appreciate a good laid back sun-soaked surfin' tune but this was not it. I see what they were trying to do with the surfing theme but the phrase which comes to mind is probably "you can't polish a turd". Spain needs to rethink. Look at the success of Despacito (and the tons of other reggaeton-flavoured songs which have dominated the Spanish charts over the past couple of years). Maybe that's the way to go? <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9RuRFh8keD_lbPAFp8DOtqJnSyaWRua-WDA5OdPvFqOoPDH0Pf8XT6sWnEii_TEuafzfnnmGbkUdHmAVfwp976WRr0yZZLXI-l_Gann7MclnJaQ3l1C145N-UoeZ2L2taWxf63C6iOGCb/s1600/Screenshot+%2528178%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9RuRFh8keD_lbPAFp8DOtqJnSyaWRua-WDA5OdPvFqOoPDH0Pf8XT6sWnEii_TEuafzfnnmGbkUdHmAVfwp976WRr0yZZLXI-l_Gann7MclnJaQ3l1C145N-UoeZ2L2taWxf63C6iOGCb/s640/Screenshot+%2528178%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYj66VcZEQ6AwJNyEBIKp_KSuOwK5kvYOfg-6_GrzkaLSF6SYrxJe70-bimAvijl8UrJCjbTZX1YXhaktg2kyforsz6clls-M9YA1M1cNZjSqp0CqFqAPg3fZtGQAIq3Zp3BiHIXm7y6-6/s1600/Screenshot+%2528120%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYj66VcZEQ6AwJNyEBIKp_KSuOwK5kvYOfg-6_GrzkaLSF6SYrxJe70-bimAvijl8UrJCjbTZX1YXhaktg2kyforsz6clls-M9YA1M1cNZjSqp0CqFqAPg3fZtGQAIq3Zp3BiHIXm7y6-6/s640/Screenshot+%2528120%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>NORWAY: "Grab The Moment" - JOWST featuring Aleksander Walmann. </b><br />
<br />
The major issue around this song was the controversial use of whatever kind of sample everyone claimed it to be, the one after the chorus which went "I'm-I'm-gonna-gonna-kill-kill-kill-kill-kill". It completely enhanced the song so I'm glad it was allowed, but this also opens up a great big can of worms about playback vs live vocals. (Dear EBU, please keep live backing vocals at ESC, don't turn it into Melfest). This was one of my favourite songs in ESC this year, and still is. It's just a catchy modern dance-pop song, nothing fancy but it did the job and deserved its top 10 placing. <br />
<br />
TIme for an intermission and a sketch featuring the three hosts and very special guest Måns Zelmerlöw, with his Eurovision hosting masterclass.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqclCd0vx9Y9vlw9hqEMvKRe-ojvqGaimneXDiMr4IoLSv3Trj_CERZQ8-2X-DHvq7gwtWCoz_owYs1to3zjcdYoGjT1nh207v6PzW0mqDEx-AkteeGbCwD0FAJEhVLasAr50LIWasOADh/s1600/Screenshot+%2528749%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqclCd0vx9Y9vlw9hqEMvKRe-ojvqGaimneXDiMr4IoLSv3Trj_CERZQ8-2X-DHvq7gwtWCoz_owYs1to3zjcdYoGjT1nh207v6PzW0mqDEx-AkteeGbCwD0FAJEhVLasAr50LIWasOADh/s640/Screenshot+%2528749%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
By the way, Måns was over in Kyiv, co-commentating this year for SVT. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_quBxyzDVyqSYLbwRGgzoDGq-1mJgA70XPVihWL7cvuRpaGoCDoaJWX0Hvlssivpf46W9CWt09DRixpZRzvtpRD4o-1vVEZ2UgjvT0ozmDrFqdGdSVPYtc5ALzXOYCL8Mk9_lNqOx1BEM/s1600/Screenshot+%2528179%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_quBxyzDVyqSYLbwRGgzoDGq-1mJgA70XPVihWL7cvuRpaGoCDoaJWX0Hvlssivpf46W9CWt09DRixpZRzvtpRD4o-1vVEZ2UgjvT0ozmDrFqdGdSVPYtc5ALzXOYCL8Mk9_lNqOx1BEM/s640/Screenshot+%2528179%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFuW65T4-1gZSEbE7CM2FVs7KTA8O4VQMy8f-0S2Q5PpVda1RGpRr2clO2hjPuddQ0ncRKPamHj7_4ovh40cFetdQAUW8NXbtYN728rxL3Mc4PzWKvIaSPHGO0m7UVnbIeUo2p6YGuv28w/s1600/Screenshot+%2528123%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFuW65T4-1gZSEbE7CM2FVs7KTA8O4VQMy8f-0S2Q5PpVda1RGpRr2clO2hjPuddQ0ncRKPamHj7_4ovh40cFetdQAUW8NXbtYN728rxL3Mc4PzWKvIaSPHGO0m7UVnbIeUo2p6YGuv28w/s640/Screenshot+%2528123%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Firstly a flashback to that UK national final packed with past X Factor contestants. I thought it was a very good choice to send Lucie to Eurovision, even if I have never been too excited about the song itself (co-written by 2013 winner Emmelie de Forest). Since appearing in the 2009 X Factor series, Lucie has gone on to become an established musical theatre performer and that could only be an advantage in ESC. Too many times in the past has the UK sent inexperienced artists who, despite having done the best they could, just resembled rabbits caught in the headlights. Eurovision fans recognise when an effort has been made, and although the BBC will never promote Eurovision in any satisfactory shape or form, there was an acknowledgement this year that they were making more effort than usual with the staging of this song.<br />
<br />
Dressed in a gold Grecian-style gown, standing inside a multi-mirrored 'shell' backed by shimmering explosions of gold light, Lucie did her very best. My only gripe here - her facial expressions were a bit too... <i>expressive</i> and often came across as scowling or gurning, and at one point she looked as if she was plucking a difficult-to-remove eyebrow hair. But vocally she was perfect, and the golden lights and pyro effects provided a simple but very effective backdrop. <br />
<br />
To end in 15th place was a very reasonable result - after all these days you can usually see the UK down near the end of the scoreboard. Yet according to the British press, this was a disappointing result and that the UK was discriminated against because of B****t. It's the EU's fault. The usual utter garbage from our media. Think about this: Moldova, Azerbaijan, Australia, Norway all finished higher than the UK on the scoreboard. None of these countries are in the EU. Explain that one, British tabloids!!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_6LAmBcfkNfpAuZEDj3GUrVqw3qYi6z-OEqllfee484NA8b8DCHHtzFeHcddK_y20S6zkJ-m575dAC6vFA0FuucmrZrgGi6U5FuZD7Yy7BkdIx-PM_bbZknHrPiGvkIGMetmEbX47w4NF/s1600/Screenshot+%2528180%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_6LAmBcfkNfpAuZEDj3GUrVqw3qYi6z-OEqllfee484NA8b8DCHHtzFeHcddK_y20S6zkJ-m575dAC6vFA0FuucmrZrgGi6U5FuZD7Yy7BkdIx-PM_bbZknHrPiGvkIGMetmEbX47w4NF/s640/Screenshot+%2528180%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDQfte9Q-3TZCSJOXzePnwRYEVJDMeIYj56yzdUA1qKHpixCEoyfJf4ROKury7Ul0XT-4RlfgqEpP4Je752wlOgYrmNn_2LVzFs6L77oPo-2551HDgDBcLnn3m9oifNIPZJZLnUhJJwdla/s1600/Screenshot+%2528127%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDQfte9Q-3TZCSJOXzePnwRYEVJDMeIYj56yzdUA1qKHpixCEoyfJf4ROKury7Ul0XT-4RlfgqEpP4Je752wlOgYrmNn_2LVzFs6L77oPo-2551HDgDBcLnn3m9oifNIPZJZLnUhJJwdla/s640/Screenshot+%2528127%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>CYPRUS: "Gravity" - Hovig.</b><br />
<br />
Choreography was obviously influenced by the song's title, but it was more about 'balance' than 'gravity' as Hovig and his two sidekicks tried to hold their poses walking on the lines on stage. <br />
<br />
There is always a song every year which takes inspiration from a recent hit and the backing of this certainly owed a lot to Rag N'Bone Man's "Human". This song didn't really grow on me too much although I didn't hate it either, however its qualification to the final did surprise me especially when one particular better song failed to make it out of semi-final 1 (yes you're absolutely right, I'm still not over Finland).<br />
<br />
For 2018, reports suggest that Cyprus is internally choosing a songwriter <i>who is not G:son - </i>and the country will go down the Armenian route of choosing a singer and then matching them with the song. No offence to G:son but it's probably time for a change. Maybe this will allow him to focus more on Melfest - or will he offer his talents to another country?<br />
<br />
Something else worth mentioning here: Hovig is of Armenian extraction. Every Azerbaijan jury member ranked the Cypriot entry second-last; just in front of their usual bottom-placed Armenia. The Cypriot entry did pretty well out of the Armenian jury and televote. That's even before mentioning the usual depressing news every year that the Armenian and Azerbaijan ranked each other's entries rock bottom. Yet year after year, the EBU refuses to take any action on this very suspect annual occurrence.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFpORtA6q71zqeX_wn9m8ThGLsWapdO4-0qQf1X3nqyTsM-LKfL7z6VVNFvHuFaKFGZ5hu5ZrB4TyR59S34Zn6rln2uNNfqOaRS_2y363fiTgYwCS0BLp8X39aggbYL4CRYVdGV2A42uBy/s1600/Screenshot+%2528181%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFpORtA6q71zqeX_wn9m8ThGLsWapdO4-0qQf1X3nqyTsM-LKfL7z6VVNFvHuFaKFGZ5hu5ZrB4TyR59S34Zn6rln2uNNfqOaRS_2y363fiTgYwCS0BLp8X39aggbYL4CRYVdGV2A42uBy/s640/Screenshot+%2528181%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAFAi8-mhOmJVmRJ0sZUuIbbEnPh-6pdwE9UmXkMkq9aHTyQoIy4zBc092jyXUOW4oadtxIFp7lXD_QsB_73ovdnXAfndnuhi5B10j0qiJwVq_ZINMhgvB3b1Psfjqwk1eolrHeI3wVdGp/s1600/Screenshot+%2528130%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAFAi8-mhOmJVmRJ0sZUuIbbEnPh-6pdwE9UmXkMkq9aHTyQoIy4zBc092jyXUOW4oadtxIFp7lXD_QsB_73ovdnXAfndnuhi5B10j0qiJwVq_ZINMhgvB3b1Psfjqwk1eolrHeI3wVdGp/s640/Screenshot+%2528130%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>ROMANIA: "Yodel It!" Ilinca featuring Alex Florea. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Earlier in the evening, Belarus' Naviband showed us an example of a warm, romantic, end-of-song kiss. At the end of this over-stimulated mess, three minutes of cannons and virtual confetti and macho posturing, Alex moved in and forcibly kissed Ilinca and it was very uncomfortable viewing indeed. I really hope they're not a couple - she's far too good for him!<br />
<br />
I'm glad that this song didn't do as well as many had first thought. It was just horrible. and lacking in fun and warmth. As if Alex Florea hadn't annoyed us enough, he then went on to make negative comments following the contest, suggesting that Salvador had used "cheap theatrics" to win. Well, Alex, I guess it takes one to know one - "Yodel It!" was full of cheap theatrics!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQFb_LE5flwxJbNdmfp9sqNvQZ8C1cJMX46pzpH4L-vJn6Ydqrve_r7AMMLpABA2WlGTahxUx-0EXSBeFvPvm-jeT8S033df7CDYpkXh_NSqDfjJN4fnobGy9rsunPN2R5HDViib9RDstM/s1600/Screenshot+%2528182%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQFb_LE5flwxJbNdmfp9sqNvQZ8C1cJMX46pzpH4L-vJn6Ydqrve_r7AMMLpABA2WlGTahxUx-0EXSBeFvPvm-jeT8S033df7CDYpkXh_NSqDfjJN4fnobGy9rsunPN2R5HDViib9RDstM/s640/Screenshot+%2528182%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg02iipG2UkINtly2kNexX5yPLnGPZ6hy8LryFZaMEB6Uc_zEL-zygTqM8UkHVuYilwK6F-yBNVqt5x4f-mqQ-oDgCdWUUZy3I_uufgre7GU9jgviYN9vu31rxqXDqFks1YsQeP_YdDr1Nh/s1600/Screenshot+%2528133%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg02iipG2UkINtly2kNexX5yPLnGPZ6hy8LryFZaMEB6Uc_zEL-zygTqM8UkHVuYilwK6F-yBNVqt5x4f-mqQ-oDgCdWUUZy3I_uufgre7GU9jgviYN9vu31rxqXDqFks1YsQeP_YdDr1Nh/s640/Screenshot+%2528133%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>GERMANY: "Perfect Life" - Levina. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
All of you who sat through the German selection process will surely agree that it was 3 hours of your life you'll never get back. What happened to those musically diverse German finals? Their recent results at Eurovision haven't justified their selection processes. Levina, the latest lamb to the slaughter would probably have ended up bottom of the table had it not been for Spain. The song started with a Titanium rip-off and went nowhere, gave no-one any particular reason to vote for it, and the grey staging just created an overwhelmingly drab impression. Germany needs a big change in how it selects its entry for Eurovision, otherwise bottom-5 will be the norm in years to come. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhcK8UUc8LC_QQ6g5urAWPiWl0I7o5_d-3eqSN1EsvaWfKFebuyFro8N7yI5UBm6eRbFp3SNFL5VgGUHY-ViFnEZE2S1uqEVFlxBQcLE-fT26NHmrC9G29X_5qMXcZTswnVfd1Kyr8Htbk/s1600/Screenshot+%2528183%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhcK8UUc8LC_QQ6g5urAWPiWl0I7o5_d-3eqSN1EsvaWfKFebuyFro8N7yI5UBm6eRbFp3SNFL5VgGUHY-ViFnEZE2S1uqEVFlxBQcLE-fT26NHmrC9G29X_5qMXcZTswnVfd1Kyr8Htbk/s640/Screenshot+%2528183%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjICP0H69P60gxesDMI63rl9SOa1VcMXO7ujjXnBQc8wSYUPy2GGcmCtywpgS22WiIZWYlbhmdpi-ijpCT1hU4Pauijx90NF3evbkS3LW7VCVTjNjfhd4_Dp4jyPRbJiCyQvg1J7e8piCYZ/s1600/Screenshot+%2528141%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjICP0H69P60gxesDMI63rl9SOa1VcMXO7ujjXnBQc8wSYUPy2GGcmCtywpgS22WiIZWYlbhmdpi-ijpCT1hU4Pauijx90NF3evbkS3LW7VCVTjNjfhd4_Dp4jyPRbJiCyQvg1J7e8piCYZ/s640/Screenshot+%2528141%2529.png" width="640" /></a><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>UKRAINE: "Time" - O. Torvald.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Sometimes a song can be drastically improved between the national final and ESC, sometimes the reverse can be true. In the Ukrainian national final, the staging was very effective with an almost apocalyptic feel, with the band members wearing digital clocks ticking down to match the title of the song. By the time the ESC final came around, everything had been tidied-up, the clocks, the fire and the apocalyptic setting had been replaced with - a big head. (?)<br />
<br />
The song and the performance would have been more effective in its original form, instead of this diluted version. But credit to Ukraine for sending a bit of rock anyway, in these days where bands, and guitars, seem to be out of fashion :(<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5_Nj2Top42nh4VuklgLhfS5LibZcDnDZ9gaMnbtLOYN3A3Ykkz5n6iCACC6rXB2rZYT4mXtOP5MbPbDau43o8-WFPOS24Q31RwrGSzichDTHf4kmqimGpnNihqLUCJ4c5FD-aHJdbHfV_/s1600/Screenshot+%2528184%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5_Nj2Top42nh4VuklgLhfS5LibZcDnDZ9gaMnbtLOYN3A3Ykkz5n6iCACC6rXB2rZYT4mXtOP5MbPbDau43o8-WFPOS24Q31RwrGSzichDTHf4kmqimGpnNihqLUCJ4c5FD-aHJdbHfV_/s640/Screenshot+%2528184%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAb1kACi7iHWfemIoKnwD-Dkvpco2xx7eoEq9I419FRew1SU20bp9aTIGXzN9VXsAXB7pdIINq21ses7Jrsbxddyr9VE2PX7atNaqsXZ871W0KCPf7yZuFyrdapnJPcgiRxXfWN5nWSdgV/s1600/Screenshot+%2528142%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAb1kACi7iHWfemIoKnwD-Dkvpco2xx7eoEq9I419FRew1SU20bp9aTIGXzN9VXsAXB7pdIINq21ses7Jrsbxddyr9VE2PX7atNaqsXZ871W0KCPf7yZuFyrdapnJPcgiRxXfWN5nWSdgV/s640/Screenshot+%2528142%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>BELGIUM: "City Lights" - Blanche. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>Although she may have struggled in rehearsals and delivered a nervy performance in semi-final 1, Blanche finally cracked the mix of strength and vulnerability when it mattered. Dressed in a black gown, Blanche remained static and gave a controlled performance of one of this year’s best songs. There was that key moment in the middle of the song where she relaxed and gave that little smile, and everything was going to be ok. One of this year's biggest televoting successes and well-deserving of that 4th place finish. I hope Belgium keeps up the good work and if so, there could be a win on the way very soon. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP3k1bYEdm1fwb07jUTK0scf_QqpLWGxFzt6hu-f41Sb5FzSPR6KLIrfC3nWz8iF-VOzbofR2q1RyW_PQMXSvKqbhOA3ugCCyVZbvXPuiSsF0ldSblSbkfJe-7_CC-ZcWJkvgIhGyZkEjU/s1600/Screenshot+%2528185%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP3k1bYEdm1fwb07jUTK0scf_QqpLWGxFzt6hu-f41Sb5FzSPR6KLIrfC3nWz8iF-VOzbofR2q1RyW_PQMXSvKqbhOA3ugCCyVZbvXPuiSsF0ldSblSbkfJe-7_CC-ZcWJkvgIhGyZkEjU/s640/Screenshot+%2528185%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLl2xyYDX8heEB3cwpu0vcLPE638iZggFuS_elZ9fTx-_OVHKwv51NW7bKCi8eJ20PVtOda38IYCXw5B7hn_GfIRWQw3D9VCKK9CpkUzpIxQhJCguSztgUZnFfD-cPzsZ4asM4ThsU0sIb/s1600/Screenshot+%2528145%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLl2xyYDX8heEB3cwpu0vcLPE638iZggFuS_elZ9fTx-_OVHKwv51NW7bKCi8eJ20PVtOda38IYCXw5B7hn_GfIRWQw3D9VCKK9CpkUzpIxQhJCguSztgUZnFfD-cPzsZ4asM4ThsU0sIb/s640/Screenshot+%2528145%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>SWEDEN: "I Can't Go On" - Robin Bengtsson. </b><br />
<br />
An underwhelming winner of an underwhelming Melodifestivalen, but sometimes Sweden just needs to take a year out of being a contender for the win. Slick, clinical, cold and empty - although I must acknowledge that it was quite an achievement to dance on a moving treadmill ! - and all things considered, a 5th place finish for this song wasn't too bad. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH6673YFuUWtSVR7YEDIB_F3p5kZ_vvsbgecCSf86tC8lk3bAw6I6z6tQ41T_Uupis5ImwYZDh7JmvILL6uRmvV9j4BhhIF5Q_4Mmyd2AhYI_-uqlF2Qc51Jsl5PovNt0p26kAIcWHlLiz/s1600/Screenshot+%2528186%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH6673YFuUWtSVR7YEDIB_F3p5kZ_vvsbgecCSf86tC8lk3bAw6I6z6tQ41T_Uupis5ImwYZDh7JmvILL6uRmvV9j4BhhIF5Q_4Mmyd2AhYI_-uqlF2Qc51Jsl5PovNt0p26kAIcWHlLiz/s640/Screenshot+%2528186%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj9nPLxpy73vON4Q6ZG-4_WpO4kuld9-XDjnhdOpI1IehSFG1dgEkH34Ee-nYOatQlog8IvtNyK7EQgenieSQbfsfGKMfnltJ1DJ3nRpoButNm5JSo3zC1v98vMadHCiKuRvWFPPRRhPWJ/s1600/Screenshot+%2528148%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj9nPLxpy73vON4Q6ZG-4_WpO4kuld9-XDjnhdOpI1IehSFG1dgEkH34Ee-nYOatQlog8IvtNyK7EQgenieSQbfsfGKMfnltJ1DJ3nRpoButNm5JSo3zC1v98vMadHCiKuRvWFPPRRhPWJ/s640/Screenshot+%2528148%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b>
<b>BULGARIA: "Beautiful Mess" - Kristian Kostov. </b><br />
<br />
Proof that the draw still matters: three of the last four songs of the evening ended up with top-5 placings. <br />
<br />
Sometimes I just feel out of step with the acceptable way of thinking. So there was a school of thought that this song would have made a very worthy winner. Kristian - a young man with a mature voice beyond his years - was definitely better than the song, which for me was just a rather dreary modern ballad, and I wouldn't have been happy if this song had won purely because of the "cute young singer factor". My main probem is that he just looks too young at the moment - but I have no doubts however that we haven't seen the last of Kristian at Eurovision and I think he will come back to the contest after a couple of years and maybe even win it. He just needs a better song.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2j0PlenTSIAk2C0pl_FYQdW4gLqWWyQJRFicf0x8wemoziCqCnTGmV3IMuLcXkLAfszW4B-pMaIIwtPxfOGX7dpCmdZdDoMkRkecTYo3U8XQTOLbQOODycaTtn5VixwNW0D7z1PHs8ikN/s1600/Screenshot+%2528187%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2j0PlenTSIAk2C0pl_FYQdW4gLqWWyQJRFicf0x8wemoziCqCnTGmV3IMuLcXkLAfszW4B-pMaIIwtPxfOGX7dpCmdZdDoMkRkecTYo3U8XQTOLbQOODycaTtn5VixwNW0D7z1PHs8ikN/s640/Screenshot+%2528187%2529.png" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP6opu2x2L_EN43OKq-lV_o8kftQ7bnMYLe152cBHTUQDUPVroDUWsLuZstvhaKBCnaCJHIoGx2IWxTlw1o4jBL42P-Ox-NiDwdmoFiMTGvhLXgJLhuPrXZfLSWWveGfNePSm6KXcpnZmo/s1600/Screenshot+%2528153%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP6opu2x2L_EN43OKq-lV_o8kftQ7bnMYLe152cBHTUQDUPVroDUWsLuZstvhaKBCnaCJHIoGx2IWxTlw1o4jBL42P-Ox-NiDwdmoFiMTGvhLXgJLhuPrXZfLSWWveGfNePSm6KXcpnZmo/s640/Screenshot+%2528153%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>FRANCE: "Requiem" - Alma. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
It's been an amazing transformation for France over the last 2 years at ESC. They have gone from bottom 5 regulars to achieving very respectable performances. The secret is (a) send an artist with the initial A (Amir/Alma) and (b) get Nazim Khaled to write your song. 12th place was a very nice result for Alma's song which, like 2016's entry, was bilingual. I liked Alma's encrusted black and white mini dress. The messy and dizzying backdrop eventually gave way to the Eiffel Tower and a layout of Paris. I would have liked to maybe have seen some tango dancers on stage to reflect the mood of the song though. I hope France continue to build on their success of the past couple of years and I would really love it if they could win. *Laura dreams of France sending Kendji Girac, it will never happen, but I can dream*<br />
<br />
Songs over - time for some Eurovision royalty- the legendary Verka - to open the voting.<br />
<br />
It was then time for Ukraine's first ever ESC winner, Ruslana, to strut her stuff, dressed in a chain mail vest and singing "It's Magical". Another voting recap and then it was time for one of the most enjoyable interval act segments of recent years - ONUKA featuring the NAONI Orchestra, with a terrific blend of electronic and traditional Ukrainian sounds. Nice as it was to see Justin Timberlake last year, I'm glad that this precedent hasn't continued and the interval act slot is once again giving exposure to local performers from the country staging the contest. I really enjoyed this one. <br />
<br />
After an interview with an Aussie fan by Timur, there's a couple more issues to deal with - the annual appearance of the most recent Junior ESC winner - this time, Mariam Mamadashvili from Georgia which will be hosting this year's contest in Tblisi. Her English was incredible
too! One more recap and then the final interval act of the evening, the return of last year's winner Jamala with her new song "I Believe In U" which was disrupted by a mooning stage invader waving an Australian flag - but he was no Aussie Jimmy Jump - he was in fact a Ukrainian prankster. <br />
<br />
On to the jury voting which as usual featured a number of familiar faces among the spokespersons, including Wiktoria, Aminata, Juri Pootsmann, Iveta Mukuchyan, Bo Halldorsson (Svala's dad), Sanja Vucic, John Karayiannis, Douwe Bob, Zlata Ognevich and commemorating her win from 20 years ago, Katrina Leskanich announced the UK jury vote. Then of course there were the now legendary Lee Lin Chin from Australia and well what can we say about France's Elodie Gossuin? How would she follow up her "yououououououououou" from last year? With some style, as she tackled "Requiem" in her own inimitable way. Please come back again Elodie! <br />
<br />
There was an emotional moment in the jury voting as Israel's spokesman Ofer Nachshon announced that IBA, the broadcaster which had transmitted Eurovision for 44 years, was closing down that evening. <br />
<br />
After all the jury votes were revealed, Portugal had a 104-point lead over Bulgaria in 2nd place, with Sweden 3rd, Australia 4th and the Netherlands 5th. But after last year we all know how things can change with the exciting announcement of the televote at the end of the evening!<br />
<br />
The scoreboard looked very different as the televotes were revealed. Hungary, France and Romania were propelled to the left hand side, but Moldova, with the third top televote, ended in 3rd place. Bulgaria placed 2nd in the televote and on the scoreboard - meaning that Portugal won the Eurovision Song Contest for the very first time. They've only been competing in the thing since 1964 so who could deny them their victory after so long? The other remarkable thing here was that the jury voting and televoting totals were almost exactly the same (382 and 387 respectively) - what a consensus of popularity, and certainly a big change from last year's result.<br />
<br />
A happy yet calm Salvador took his victory walk from the green room to the main stage. And then he gave his victory speech.....<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMf8su5a9TtwZcKQ5xY_4_7d8l4ZE66rA7mnEBP7FYwIV9aAAQR4-pPeyPsy_VGgv06kG-EOUXcrCwpXTzJQ17G_Fu-7AKvkIRApZI5DfCOPVX7ajFJsxhIQhZKjshCKR8CKlUkHDIBQF/s1600/Screenshot+%2528751%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMf8su5a9TtwZcKQ5xY_4_7d8l4ZE66rA7mnEBP7FYwIV9aAAQR4-pPeyPsy_VGgv06kG-EOUXcrCwpXTzJQ17G_Fu-7AKvkIRApZI5DfCOPVX7ajFJsxhIQhZKjshCKR8CKlUkHDIBQF/s640/Screenshot+%2528751%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
"We live in a world of disposable music, fast food music without any content....I feel this could be a victory for people who make music that actually means something...music is not fireworks, music is feeling. So let's try to change this and bring music back."<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8fIOfW1IRj1NpiM5mg-IHTNS2npsOLbZ4CD7fnhoNfArZyFPD-CmzRCJLFelE9Na1frh2udMYd7X0knssOxCLKJ9bANbgY4EPIStg_FA0eV1nQ7Oi0247IG6H0P75zpj-ryNMpxrUlVYe/s1600/Screenshot+%2528757%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8fIOfW1IRj1NpiM5mg-IHTNS2npsOLbZ4CD7fnhoNfArZyFPD-CmzRCJLFelE9Na1frh2udMYd7X0knssOxCLKJ9bANbgY4EPIStg_FA0eV1nQ7Oi0247IG6H0P75zpj-ryNMpxrUlVYe/s640/Screenshot+%2528757%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Salvador was joined by his sister Luisa, the song's composer, for the traditional final reprise which they took turns to sing. It was a unique end to a very enjoyable evening. Our three hosts brought the show to a close with a final message from Alex that Ukraine is a tolerant, modern and very open country. Although there was an embarrassingly muted response when Timur asked the audience if they would be coming back again!<br />
<br />
But even when the contest was over, the controversy regarding Salvador's speech didn't go away. <br />
<br />
<b>Come on everybody let's sing along and feel the power of a song</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
You probably wonder why I've chosen to refer to the chorus of one of the most reviled ESC winners of the past 20 years. But I thought it was appropriate when it came to thinking about Salvador's comments. <br />
<br />
As I wasn't at home at the time of the final I wasn't really sure just how much reaction his comments had provoked, however I got the feeling that not everyone was too happy. Some felt that he was directly taking a shot at ESC and biting the hand that feeds - I don't think he would deliberately do this, but I think he was rather aiming at the general standard of pop music being produced today. (Have you listened to the charts lately? We need Eurovision season for an injection of quality every year!)<br />
<br />
However, it seemed to annoy a couple of his fellow contestants - Alex Florea with his "cheap theatrics" comments and an Instagram post by Robin Bengtsson which said that his speech was "below the level of a true winner" and that "fast food music" can be the best thing at the right time, as can "a song as beautiful as yours". Yes, we need better quality music - and that even goes for Eurovision, where the standard of songs submitted is much higher these days. The bar has been set higher and it needs to stay there; but as the quality has improved, some of the fun has gone out of the contest. Which explained why Moldova did so well this year. So in Eurovision there is room for both the "fast food music" and the more serious variety. <br />
<br />
In a wider context, different types of music work on different levels at different times. The most important thing is the power of music to move you - if it makes you smile, makes you sad, makes you dance, makes you think, then it has done its job. Even if it's the trashiest piece of pop, or an elaborately produced song by a serious artist. So, my own view is that Salvador's comments were both right and wrong, but I believe that they came from the heart of a performer who completely believes in the music he makes. "Amar Pelos Dois" was written by his sister, a performer who is also true to herself. <br />
<br />
Regardless of whether or not you agreed with his views, Salvador's main achievement was to bring Eurovision to Portugal in 2018. I'm excited to see what Lisbon 2018 will deliver - perhaps a more low-key contest with more national character? I'd love it if the success of native-language songs in 2017 would inspire more countries to take a risk and send songs in their own language. Whatever happens, the Eurovision Song Contest is just under 9 months away from its 63rd edition. Bring it on!!<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
Laura (EuropeCrazy)http://www.blogger.com/profile/00049762365144495234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810011721804766871.post-59737971210501929162017-08-06T14:42:00.001+01:002017-08-06T14:42:47.365+01:00Eurovision 2017 Semi-Final 2, Thursday 11th June 2017: Rewatch and ReviewFollowing the now standard recap of what happened two days ago at the first semi-final, it was time for semi-final two. I missed the live broadcast at the time as I had to get some sleep before setting off on holiday in the middle of the night.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikogbbvkYuvxkoNZzCGo7s3MDrqyJxkHTAHkxV4rRzqBssnjXjOyXCxmPNw5TQ1WMSk2ZY5SbH_Xst3N2bsQXvDr1fUXL7Uak7vU5LrXkj4WbNz4Qp0sRoqwvadWI9g1642HGaUTRssJ9S/s1600/Screenshot+%2528620%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikogbbvkYuvxkoNZzCGo7s3MDrqyJxkHTAHkxV4rRzqBssnjXjOyXCxmPNw5TQ1WMSk2ZY5SbH_Xst3N2bsQXvDr1fUXL7Uak7vU5LrXkj4WbNz4Qp0sRoqwvadWI9g1642HGaUTRssJ9S/s640/Screenshot+%2528620%2529.png" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
Although I thought our three hosts were a bit wooden and underwhelming in the first semi-final, there was a glimmer of some personality coming through, (particularly from Vova) and the Alex/Vova partnership grew on me as the evening progressed. Although Timur, dressed in tribute to Robin Bengtsson's backing dancers, remained a rather wooden and robotic green room host. Sorry Timur :(<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAimo27XDCzhtzChTyQEiZ-UgS6QhYhhPM3opIhqV6kh4Eo5FSdGrJHBrZVNKzIuJjWO18u75OYAiBZDFShAPghlgYfeLs9vPHaWrpt2WpxWbTTI7W2iOs1yJeOFR1Ykl9Uhz7k4zF8Gig/s1600/Screenshot+%2528615%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAimo27XDCzhtzChTyQEiZ-UgS6QhYhhPM3opIhqV6kh4Eo5FSdGrJHBrZVNKzIuJjWO18u75OYAiBZDFShAPghlgYfeLs9vPHaWrpt2WpxWbTTI7W2iOs1yJeOFR1Ykl9Uhz7k4zF8Gig/s640/Screenshot+%2528615%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Alex and Vova kicked off the show with quite an entertaining Ukrainian-style Eurovision medley with folklore dancers and musicians, ending with an emotional "Rise Like A Phoenix". </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdpD7PkSXf2zVDftsT0Oz9zfP-QgWGmEtylQm5s88mymwPmUUGItbcUOVRo4Zg3WlBCIqUNd3bJAULiBeWXcSaimwviMkiHYHpg2tqxknYylF_BAJQXE49q2NK7HLUj0ksr9jIy2B7gWbR/s1600/Screenshot+%2528625%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdpD7PkSXf2zVDftsT0Oz9zfP-QgWGmEtylQm5s88mymwPmUUGItbcUOVRo4Zg3WlBCIqUNd3bJAULiBeWXcSaimwviMkiHYHpg2tqxknYylF_BAJQXE49q2NK7HLUj0ksr9jIy2B7gWbR/s640/Screenshot+%2528625%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVW3cQ_CMQPlshgLG_HkE-D-zH3cNhOvPfij17uZmLb1cDVjDSEYpmhOWfVDOClF-mfRhvz3Hb6MBKyOeRKOlcVQg2DOcoCxDi0V4jw4GXqXSavrh_vL5ia2-ws8NztoMLHI2F04QNZjy2/s1600/Screenshot+%2528626%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVW3cQ_CMQPlshgLG_HkE-D-zH3cNhOvPfij17uZmLb1cDVjDSEYpmhOWfVDOClF-mfRhvz3Hb6MBKyOeRKOlcVQg2DOcoCxDi0V4jw4GXqXSavrh_vL5ia2-ws8NztoMLHI2F04QNZjy2/s640/Screenshot+%2528626%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>SERBIA: "In Too Deep" - Tijana Bogićević.</b><br />
<br />
This song had never appealed to me since first hearing. I would always expect something special from Serbia at ESC with some kind or originality or national characteristic. Instead we got "Walk On Water II" and I really couldn't stand that song. Tijana, in a see-through floaty dress, looked uncomfortable throughout and the whole package just didn't give anyone any reasons to vote for this entry. I was therefore surprised to see that it closely missed out on a qualifying place. This was written by the same songwriting team who wrote this year's entries from Bulgaria and FYR Macedonia. That kind of thing really gets on my nerves, but I'll rant about it some other time.<br />
<br />
<b>AUSTRIA: "Running On Air" - Nathan Trent.</b><br />
<br />
For me, Nathan had been one of the most likeable characters of the pre-season, with his high profile at all the promotional events. Nathan didn't do much running here but the crescent moon staging was quite sweet. The song itself was average rather than great, but Nathan delivered it with such enthusiasm and I was glad to see him make the final and defy the running-order curse.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgAiHhYfZ8dMJ_qjsVCOvkC0da9pgmNGCxHQvO5ZpVlZ8YULrMiMiHZjzEPVUt4iMFk4vlVUVjaHOltT7323F5ogMPa9Kvao3p9fZQcLfiSzz-cjQvJDaH7Jx8Y1RLbCkS9kHwJWfuR8Ee/s1600/Screenshot+%2528630%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgAiHhYfZ8dMJ_qjsVCOvkC0da9pgmNGCxHQvO5ZpVlZ8YULrMiMiHZjzEPVUt4iMFk4vlVUVjaHOltT7323F5ogMPa9Kvao3p9fZQcLfiSzz-cjQvJDaH7Jx8Y1RLbCkS9kHwJWfuR8Ee/s640/Screenshot+%2528630%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4TXP0rMqMjNGIRuZ-HWqMIWG2GbdT2mC7OOdCiy2SYR2klOXH6JmXBILuufZyml9oeLJTSUfGTQEQcoBMsGtHwP2Tp-ArSYcRRmq8rrY6v8hHpVzBjc-oRgd2tHmdmVvjURvf7RDSpWh/s1600/Screenshot+%2528631%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4TXP0rMqMjNGIRuZ-HWqMIWG2GbdT2mC7OOdCiy2SYR2klOXH6JmXBILuufZyml9oeLJTSUfGTQEQcoBMsGtHwP2Tp-ArSYcRRmq8rrY6v8hHpVzBjc-oRgd2tHmdmVvjURvf7RDSpWh/s640/Screenshot+%2528631%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>FYR MACEDONIA: "Dance Alone" - Jana Burčeska.</b><br />
<br />
Jana delivered one of the most unique postcards yet as she revealed her pregnancy! <br />
<br />
For me this was one of the more likeable dance-pop songs at this year's contest, although I had to level the same criticism at this as the Serbian entry as it could come from anywhere; there was no defining national flavour. What it did have was that "HEY!" which seems to turn up in many a modern pop song these days. But her delivery fell short of what was required of the song; she didn't deliver a believable performance and there was just something missing from the whole package.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDQv9jJke3Z0FCclp3ykSP3HISdcaXJ7KcyVf7oeJT6PvceVXIcWV7wdV0ekRUGfKVNRig-1D1Nu_xt_AtklXyZEyyqSFkN8ZQpSfNcy_jXm5ZGFGJ0Jcc1J8V7sPUnF6fy2YXO012Uj-/s1600/Screenshot+%2528634%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDQv9jJke3Z0FCclp3ykSP3HISdcaXJ7KcyVf7oeJT6PvceVXIcWV7wdV0ekRUGfKVNRig-1D1Nu_xt_AtklXyZEyyqSFkN8ZQpSfNcy_jXm5ZGFGJ0Jcc1J8V7sPUnF6fy2YXO012Uj-/s640/Screenshot+%2528634%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhujdUAhmS9iaRMWQIrOE4bZiWPjNUk7HdHJdv9rSrQI65FHhlERA1HPwAX7_xakMHOasHPfZxoE0dMrUw3-5CXpYwR6SjDlKtDMY8dDDKLB0QVbOvGQBu_TV2GLl1tjx0K_-reylDSuUCC/s1600/Screenshot+%2528636%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhujdUAhmS9iaRMWQIrOE4bZiWPjNUk7HdHJdv9rSrQI65FHhlERA1HPwAX7_xakMHOasHPfZxoE0dMrUw3-5CXpYwR6SjDlKtDMY8dDDKLB0QVbOvGQBu_TV2GLl1tjx0K_-reylDSuUCC/s640/Screenshot+%2528636%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>MALTA: "Breathlessly" - Claudia Faniello.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Another song with an egomaniac LED music-video backdrop of the performer. I really don't like this trend. <br />
<br />
Claudia finally got the chance this year to represent her country. This ballad may have been a bit too old-fashioned for the modern contest, but you couldn't deny that she delivered a very professional and faultless performance, which oozed class. The song just didn't have any televoting appeal at all. <br />
<br />
<b>ROMANIA: ""Yodel It!" - Ilinca and Alex Florea.</b><br />
<br />
And now from class to trash. Yodel It! divided the fan community this year. Some loved it, and some hated it with a passion. I was definitely in the latter camp. Now you know I'm all for either native language or national characteristics, but a Romanian duo performing a rap/yodel combination just left me baffled.<br />
<br />
<b>NETHERLANDS: "Lights and Shadows" - O'G3NE.</b><br />
<br />
When this trio were announced to represent the Netherlands, I was incredibly excited at this news. Amy, Shelley and Lisa are very talented singers and their harmonies are unique and exquisite. Although they deserved a much better song than this to showcase their vocal talents, I understood that this was a very personal song to them, written about their mother's struggle with her illness.<br />
<br />
They performed the song with their usual professionalism and faultless harmonies. <br />
<br />
<b>HUNGARY: "Origo" - Joci Papai.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
This was one of the songs which I had probably ignored before the contest and I couldn't get into it at all. However, in similar style to Armenia, which has the awesome skill of transforming an entry with an unforgettable visual presentation, Hungary absolutely got it right here and I finally sat up and took notice. <br />
<br />
<b>DENMARK: "Where I Am" - Anja.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
An Australian entry in all but name, Anja finally succeeded in representing Denmark. The staging and the pyro curtain finale matched the performance quite well, although this wasn't much of a song in my opinion. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxacyF8ogvp8CquKjUxBdXyvXQayPq9omQlo3OTCUOeYbQi6RZeNVv1l2XHtGQR7Qk2IhKk1Hma5GDAnOHKYBM77sK22y4UH0B4QQS3GtUGUpKUAqbwXr8zblcYiwlC9HoubK7Q4atLJpG/s1600/Screenshot+%2528643%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxacyF8ogvp8CquKjUxBdXyvXQayPq9omQlo3OTCUOeYbQi6RZeNVv1l2XHtGQR7Qk2IhKk1Hma5GDAnOHKYBM77sK22y4UH0B4QQS3GtUGUpKUAqbwXr8zblcYiwlC9HoubK7Q4atLJpG/s640/Screenshot+%2528643%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDbQinKGz1-D-1mDrPZWPkOlXSBUK50erEDjUhHgbKEGz7cbA-dAu8BYlP5ldtZSpLsFtH8TdFlWHiNfc2yqGcnlvv_GnHJ7X_AgjuAFV8uyEzgd23x3mcXWGVwOyqZ5M8yg7D-CPg4TcC/s1600/Screenshot+%2528645%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDbQinKGz1-D-1mDrPZWPkOlXSBUK50erEDjUhHgbKEGz7cbA-dAu8BYlP5ldtZSpLsFtH8TdFlWHiNfc2yqGcnlvv_GnHJ7X_AgjuAFV8uyEzgd23x3mcXWGVwOyqZ5M8yg7D-CPg4TcC/s640/Screenshot+%2528645%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>IRELAND: "Dying To Try" - Brendan Murray. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Brendan was previously a member of Irish boyband Hometown, masterminded by Louis Walsh. So it was no surprise really that in an internal selection masterminded by Louis Walsh, he chose Brendan. Unfortunately from the minute this song was revealed, it was under fire in the fan community. The problem with "Dying to Try" (co-written by Jorgen Elofsson) is that it sounds like a dated boyband album track, the one in which the young, cute one (not the lead singer) finally gets the chance to take the lead. For some reason they had Brendan standing on a hot air balloon prop. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0c8DKrBUcycHoNoDtycm71nwIOIcawfhIelPYGs7vvk3ns7kZSFVEe0L3H_Ptt3FpLXPB42ZL3E3nxnKdNUizFUtd62HTb7XVmY6pIzottUbawUiHo7GkbR2qUQEHffrjZS6thABBK6P/s1600/Screenshot+%2528647%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0c8DKrBUcycHoNoDtycm71nwIOIcawfhIelPYGs7vvk3ns7kZSFVEe0L3H_Ptt3FpLXPB42ZL3E3nxnKdNUizFUtd62HTb7XVmY6pIzottUbawUiHo7GkbR2qUQEHffrjZS6thABBK6P/s640/Screenshot+%2528647%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0vbEjloQvfLOIdQTHBPVJglSTmE2EkNNNkjGMdL4Q2m2QiECMtCggVwWVwVBsZOlCPLVYs1rwgqR3toq9K4x-giQjxp4jcWuaQDtKwSAvRVEj_pJ7c4EaYpP5sU1sNhmn9_KslWCatZUj/s1600/Screenshot+%2528651%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0vbEjloQvfLOIdQTHBPVJglSTmE2EkNNNkjGMdL4Q2m2QiECMtCggVwWVwVBsZOlCPLVYs1rwgqR3toq9K4x-giQjxp4jcWuaQDtKwSAvRVEj_pJ7c4EaYpP5sU1sNhmn9_KslWCatZUj/s640/Screenshot+%2528651%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b>
<b>SAN MARINO: "Spirit of the Night" - Valentina Monetta and Jimmie Wilson. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Aww bless. You can't have San Marino at ESC without Valentina, can you? So she came back again this time accompanied by musical theatre performer Jimmie, and together they took us back to the disco days with call-and response lyrics and energetic moves. Unfortunately it's not 1977 but 2017, so when it came to voting time there wasn't much love for this Ralph Siegel co-write. However, I do have a soft spot for this; it wasn't the worst song of the evening. Maybe now that a jazz-flavoured song has won ESC, Valentina might want to come back again and finally sing something in her own style!<br />
<br />
<b>CROATIA: "My Friend" - Jacques Houdek. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Where to begin with this? Jacques was a buy-one-get-one-free combination of r'n'b balladeer and opera singer, and the split-personality song had enough novelty value to make people vote for it. However it had no appeal for me whatsoever. Apparently Jacques had made some allegedly homophobic remarks earlier in his career so he found himself backtracking rather a lot after being selected for Croatia. As if to labour the point, he then ended the song with a big rainbow display on the arch covering the stage. <br />
<br />
<b>NORWAY: "Grab The Moment" - JOWST featuring Aleksander Walmann.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
One of this year's most contemporary entries from a country which has brought two of the top dance acts of the past couple of years (Kygo/Alan Walker) so it was interesting to see them send something in that very current EDM style with a twist - the particular "X factor" here being Aleksander Walmann who managed to bring warmth to the cool electronic beats. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm58HSDkWFcfMHgLn8glDtBjcV7ZWuIC8E7KdJyveIbVgByePtCXTc0E6W6j-KoQVONRDux64SlQ_OLeDtaLrL0_7_kJMEBKM38E_HuXSxomj_4iMqnAgqvPqMXZR1HnVMTrCo_ZdWKtg0/s1600/Screenshot+%2528654%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm58HSDkWFcfMHgLn8glDtBjcV7ZWuIC8E7KdJyveIbVgByePtCXTc0E6W6j-KoQVONRDux64SlQ_OLeDtaLrL0_7_kJMEBKM38E_HuXSxomj_4iMqnAgqvPqMXZR1HnVMTrCo_ZdWKtg0/s640/Screenshot+%2528654%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTqTwgDsjZMPXwABZZKNw5yEtzTB-6Ydkq5q4VAmFzSpntM5dVwilSaFCRhH488gZd0vE_rq2qcvPUI9h9mVKrK3H0i7BlmRoIBxnsWJww2p0e6CLfZMaJdrySx5DVyPkJQhwGhflORBJ2/s1600/Screenshot+%2528655%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTqTwgDsjZMPXwABZZKNw5yEtzTB-6Ydkq5q4VAmFzSpntM5dVwilSaFCRhH488gZd0vE_rq2qcvPUI9h9mVKrK3H0i7BlmRoIBxnsWJww2p0e6CLfZMaJdrySx5DVyPkJQhwGhflORBJ2/s640/Screenshot+%2528655%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<b>SWITZERLAND: "Apollo" - Timebelle. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Sebalter excepted, Switzerland continue on their merry way and maintain their reputation as every year's Eurovision "fillers" and failures. Trying to say something positive here, this was at least better than "The Last of Our Kind" - it wouldn't be hard, but the combination of the overpowering yellow styling and the stupid lyrics of the song had this near the bottom of my annual ranking. (OK then, I don't do an annual ranking but if I did, this would be near the bottom of it). Please, please, please Switzerland, send something good to Eurovision, It can't be that difficult. <br />
<br />
<b>BELARUS: "Story of My Life" - Naviband. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
This is a great story. Belarus had sent an entry to ESC in their national language for the first time ever, and it was just a little joyful explosion of hey-heys. I originally had this down as a non-qualifier based on the fact that their qualification rate is not the best, but the charm and happiness radiating from this charismatic couple definitely floated the voters' boats. <br />
<br />
<b>BULGARIA: "Beautiful Mess" - Kristian Kostov. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
A 17 year old young man (who only looks about 12!) with a vocal maturity beyond his years, Kristian went into the contest as one of the favourites. Thanks to Poli's excellent result last year, Bulgaria is now rated at Eurovision and is likely to win within the next few years if they get the mixture of song and performer just right. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW4FVxIUkrPK9_3sip5PpDw4AocNImNF48ZBpToP5KJV3CcW7xYkGrdb-M9GvpV0i1jxITbdaey4F2zSMSYjgEmPemseKgOaxMiJIJhqWattq0HlOgxn0StidzA0-7xZmSyXrOkSUpUUOm/s1600/Screenshot+%2528658%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW4FVxIUkrPK9_3sip5PpDw4AocNImNF48ZBpToP5KJV3CcW7xYkGrdb-M9GvpV0i1jxITbdaey4F2zSMSYjgEmPemseKgOaxMiJIJhqWattq0HlOgxn0StidzA0-7xZmSyXrOkSUpUUOm/s640/Screenshot+%2528658%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeqXv0kKFESpgA1QJzVyEbIAkyW000ecFUzh-q2AthT3RSERhrxkgN_LMSvHWPdJj-xpx-UURQeEWuD3Nip4uRkbh_K1TcTFdSh-1Rn5_71nx0GkU_VdvRZ6G9IXDpyM90LLs7S-uXFa4c/s1600/Screenshot+%2528663%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeqXv0kKFESpgA1QJzVyEbIAkyW000ecFUzh-q2AthT3RSERhrxkgN_LMSvHWPdJj-xpx-UURQeEWuD3Nip4uRkbh_K1TcTFdSh-1Rn5_71nx0GkU_VdvRZ6G9IXDpyM90LLs7S-uXFa4c/s640/Screenshot+%2528663%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b>LITHUANIA: "Rain of Revolution" - Fusedmarc. </b></div>
<br />
Lithuania has an interminable annual selection which goes on for weeks and months only for the process to deliver yet another also-ran. YEAH YEAH! YEAH YEAH! YEAH YEAH!<br />
<br />
They do have an impressive diaspora vote so that was the only reason I had this down as a qualifier. It started off with all the right moves and funky foot-tapping rhythms and then went nowhere and turned into a mess. NO NO! NO NO! NO NO! NO NO!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-iV1Kc6r8T8Hhc6HjU-lEwAyM8GzcOybvMY9t4bM29agGHGWjhiOjHldP3OT472Dq-BG4VOvh_n8pch4uz2hVXFlmzEKt46oHsKyh6cXJmqWgea7bKWKOohg5L8q5-sTMAufqjht7ZjbL/s1600/Screenshot+%2528669%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-iV1Kc6r8T8Hhc6HjU-lEwAyM8GzcOybvMY9t4bM29agGHGWjhiOjHldP3OT472Dq-BG4VOvh_n8pch4uz2hVXFlmzEKt46oHsKyh6cXJmqWgea7bKWKOohg5L8q5-sTMAufqjht7ZjbL/s640/Screenshot+%2528669%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_LDIVIbQVhsn4DdmjShjqmVwuPdu6HiAwFeg8cb2K8VRDEbq75FJlo-RMt2FRonDsJD4mrQvz78LGVWdqij_tSqIaQVyhPB5QN4suwAlHT2JeM8SWMGae7rm9zLUPMqWOlvR5f13HURso/s1600/Screenshot+%2528667%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_LDIVIbQVhsn4DdmjShjqmVwuPdu6HiAwFeg8cb2K8VRDEbq75FJlo-RMt2FRonDsJD4mrQvz78LGVWdqij_tSqIaQVyhPB5QN4suwAlHT2JeM8SWMGae7rm9zLUPMqWOlvR5f13HURso/s640/Screenshot+%2528667%2529.png" width="640" /></a><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>ESTONIA: "Verona" - Koit Toome and Laura. </b><br />
<br />
I wanted this to be a qualifier, well, because Estonia.<br />
<br />
Secondly, the old-fashioned fan in me wanted it in the final because it's an old-style song with a tune, something which, for example, Modern Talking might have done back in the day. However, with hindsight and with fresh eyes, I understood why it didn't qualify. It was <i>too</i> old-fashioned, and rewatching flagged another few things up which might have put the viewers off. The song's concept meant that the duo spent very little time together, and many viewers may not have understood the reason for that. Then there was Laura's diction ("like two silly boats in the sea") whilst she missed her initial cue. Finally, was Koit's stare just <u>too</u> much....?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisU70xGkLXpadDqeC2zrKkErRn1R3_LIQ5n5vqor1iuDMckZJVsG1oVCxfx377XAwa3DqjqiaR2Fgr_GnfTxRg72JbJuylt_89hvwC_77aKfHCV9NvikvK8MuvH8NiSPpk3zNPUKGrozPB/s1600/Screenshot+%2528665%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisU70xGkLXpadDqeC2zrKkErRn1R3_LIQ5n5vqor1iuDMckZJVsG1oVCxfx377XAwa3DqjqiaR2Fgr_GnfTxRg72JbJuylt_89hvwC_77aKfHCV9NvikvK8MuvH8NiSPpk3zNPUKGrozPB/s640/Screenshot+%2528665%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>ISRAEL: "I Feel Alive" - Imri.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
During pre-season I constantly got this entry and Cyprus' mixed up, and I couldn't remember who was Hovig and who was Imri. <br />
<br />
Basically both of them were eye candy and I was very happy about that, even if neither of their songs particularly appealed to me. There were probably a lot worse ways of spending 3 minutes and it was an energetic performance, so I was ok with this qualifying over, say, Serbia, or Switzerland, which just left me cold. <br />
<br />
Songs over, and EUROPE! START VOTING NOW!<br />
<br />
Another episode of Verka's Eurovision journey before a quick segment to meet some of the fans. <br />
<br />
Interval act time, with a contemporary number by Ukraine's Apache Crew with a piece called "The Children's Courtyard". At one point they were playing one of my childhood favourites - you all know it as hopscotch but in my part of the world it was called peever and you had to play it by throwing a shoe polish tin. But I digress, because my attention was wandering....contemporary dance never holds my attention for too long. <br />
<br />
After this interval act it was back to the green room with a very big surprise. We've never had a live marriage proposal on air, but that's exactly what happened here as the partner of Jana from FYR Macedonia asked her to marry him and she said yes!<br />
<br />
Next we had the preview of Saturday's remaining automatic finalists - France and Germany, and this year's host country Ukraine.<br />
<br />
Finally, Jon Ola gave the go-ahead for results time! Qualifying to Saturday night's final:<br />
<br />
Bulgaria<br />
Belarus<br />
Croatia<br />
Hungary<br />
Denmark<br />
Israel<br />
Romania<br />
Norway<br />
Netherlands<br />
Austria<br />
<br />
I got a couple of my predictions wrong in semi-final 2: I'd predicted Estonia and Lithuania to go through in place of Belarus and Denmark. I was delighted for Belarus however, and completely undersood why Estonia and Lithuania never made it. I felt a little bit sad though, that none of the Baltic states (especially Latvia) would be represented in Saturday night's final. <br />
<br />
Coming soon: my review of the Grand Final.Laura (EuropeCrazy)http://www.blogger.com/profile/00049762365144495234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810011721804766871.post-89922611321124544262017-08-01T17:02:00.001+01:002017-08-12T19:49:41.353+01:00Eurovision 2017 Semi-Final 1, Tuesday 9th June 2017: Rewatch and ReviewMy Eurovision experience was a bit different this year. As usual, I had intensively watched all the rehearsal clips and also the first semi-final, however as I was going on holiday very early on the day before the ESC final, this meant that I wouldn't see the second semi-final or final until I returned home. <br />
<br />
As so much time has passed since then I have decided to rewatch all three shows and review them here. Although it's almost 12 weeks since the contest took place, my opinion on the songs or the whole event itself hasn't changed, so my views now were the same as they were back in May. <br />
<br />
I am reviewing the shows from the commentary-free DVD rather than the BBC's coverage. I particularly find the BBC's semi-final commentary very tiresome - Scott Mills is ok but the less said about Mel Giedroyc the better - and I hate the way they miss out chunks of the televised shows to broadcast stupid VTs and sketches instead. At least with the DVD you get the full show to enjoy uninterrupted. Who needs commentary anyway?<br />
<br />
On with the show...<br />
<br />
Although there hadn't been much blogging action from me over national finals season, I had followed all the rehearsals. I was also off work on 9th June so had lots of time to prepare myself for the first of three big nights. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9aHFbfTZouajWrk2HVqpf_trQA36Wq6eorO3TpPGmwVLyccRJwoZ0bbXmHaYCV1GnjHzCfqeyqfRhgzTXQzBj9PJomfzpcOYxG2vrX-jEx23DhkZg5BrubFbnDI3wZ9KGEPgbEDLh8TCF/s1600/Screenshot+%2528609%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9aHFbfTZouajWrk2HVqpf_trQA36Wq6eorO3TpPGmwVLyccRJwoZ0bbXmHaYCV1GnjHzCfqeyqfRhgzTXQzBj9PJomfzpcOYxG2vrX-jEx23DhkZg5BrubFbnDI3wZ9KGEPgbEDLh8TCF/s640/Screenshot+%2528609%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
The show began with a display of Ukrainian national costume and in a contrast from ancient to modern, straight into a performance of "Spinning" by Monatik (above). <br />
<br />
In a year where 'Celebrate Diversity' was the catchphrase it would be fair to say that the host broadcaster didn't get the memo and sent three young men to host the competition! <br />
<br />
Oleksandr Skichko (Alex), Volodymyr Ostapchuk (Vova) were the main hosts and Timur Miroshnychenko was the green room host. We were clearly spoiled by Petra and Måns last year, and my first impressions were that we were back to the days of the stilted and wooden presenters. Although at least Vova was trying to inject some humour into the proceedings.<br />
<br />
<u>The Postcards</u><br />
<br />
I rather liked these. They began with a freeze frame shot of the artist and their entourage, followed by a video clip of the artists at work and/or play in their home countries or elsewhere, and then they ended with the artist getting ready to go on stage.<br />
<br />
The evening has only just begun, but Vova declared "I can't go on!" <span style="font-family: inherit;">Anyway, let the Eurovision Song Contest 2017 begin! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<b>SWEDEN: "I Can't Go On" - Robin Bengtsson.</b><br />
<br />
I recognised one of Robin's backing dancers as Alvaro Estrella who had competed back in Melfest a few years ago (remember that saucy "Bedroom" song?) There were no other changes to the staging of the song which won Melodifestivalen. <br />
<br />
One thing which really annoys me about Eurovision these days is that with very few exceptions, the backing singers are hidden away, if they're not singing and dancing around the main arist. Backing singers do a very important job at Eurovision and they should have their moment in the spotlight too. This year Sweden was hiding away no less than Erik Segerstedt, formerly of E.M.D.!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-GpcsYaGedUNQqV1FR4hp7mHCpgOkirSmK6YLIQ3tORA9AzjyL1EV70l4bYjPWTY4WYWbU_veeoIpPtIq6msylxqaPinvlAriRfsFCRdF-g0ftI-CuIbrLsSgEWtHvqu_HLgVEz565FCr/s1600/Screenshot+%2528231%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-GpcsYaGedUNQqV1FR4hp7mHCpgOkirSmK6YLIQ3tORA9AzjyL1EV70l4bYjPWTY4WYWbU_veeoIpPtIq6msylxqaPinvlAriRfsFCRdF-g0ftI-CuIbrLsSgEWtHvqu_HLgVEz565FCr/s640/Screenshot+%2528231%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5I7zBB-5s35o-Hi8841SsxEIqXei0EO_UiCXjyeFUDT5jvMvgTl4_mnkG-hGFHU-swC8YyGxoPDPOShPKUidOYgEA0IvOmjVFEg9h4U-sWCeBDIL6_Dz34wdY-K9IDqZCARNe9sqTYn5q/s1600/Screenshot+%2528233%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5I7zBB-5s35o-Hi8841SsxEIqXei0EO_UiCXjyeFUDT5jvMvgTl4_mnkG-hGFHU-swC8YyGxoPDPOShPKUidOYgEA0IvOmjVFEg9h4U-sWCeBDIL6_Dz34wdY-K9IDqZCARNe9sqTYn5q/s640/Screenshot+%2528233%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b>
<b>GEORGIA: "Keep The Faith" - Tamara Gachechiladze. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Georgia is a country which I have quite a soft spot for at ESC, because they submit something genuinely different every year. This is not always a good thing though: for every "Visionary Dream", "Shine" and "Midnight Gold" there is a "Three Minutes to Earth" and "I'm A Joker".<br />
<br />
"Keep The Faith" is this year's attempt at the great lost Bond theme. Tamara's red dress is gorgeous and she definitely delivers a weapons-grade diva performance to match. A couple of interesting facts: Tamara was a member of Stefane and 3G of "We Don't Wanna Put In" fame (a song I still love, love, love!) and this song was co-written with Anri Jokhadze, not just a joker but proving that he can write 'serious' songs too. I never rated this song in the lead-up but Tamara certainly gave it all she had. <br />
<br />
<b style="font-weight: bold;">AUSTRALIA: "Don't Come Easy"- Isaiah Firebrace. </b><br />
<b style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></b>
In the spirit of "Celebrate Diversity", Isaiah is the first Aboriginal performer to represent his country.
This was another DNA composition (they wrote "Sound of Silence") but for me this was the weakest of the country's three entries so far and a bit too much of a Sam Smith soundalike. Isaiah is only 17 years old but his voice has an incredible maturity. But what the hell happened with that vocal wobble towards the end? Looking back he was very fortunate to make it out of the semi-final, as other songs have been punished for less.
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFEj_yjwb7BuvUfFPmDm2WDvmjGGPmSSzcCBMAoL0AUx440ypU148iYnjSWu-61B1-xMl5yxpolTuD3HUcoob0KcQsgeUVcBkbAXQAqljkWTLCrCnSdpvwPDZ5YjbRTKkH3vajQWg0Ig57/s1600/Screenshot+%2528235%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFEj_yjwb7BuvUfFPmDm2WDvmjGGPmSSzcCBMAoL0AUx440ypU148iYnjSWu-61B1-xMl5yxpolTuD3HUcoob0KcQsgeUVcBkbAXQAqljkWTLCrCnSdpvwPDZ5YjbRTKkH3vajQWg0Ig57/s640/Screenshot+%2528235%2529.png" width="640" /></a></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHapYL61gT99oWqvcSXvCuLll1AVHXiDzJtSUhcsvOHL3i-J3MbiRE94LBbGSKD5mvFEj0HJNzDav7HJ9MvVvd5dilZOXU7jAPXkkAOgHoy0HcohkzDhhLCnOU6xCBuFc1x_YnPboQ1cff/s1600/Screenshot+%2528236%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHapYL61gT99oWqvcSXvCuLll1AVHXiDzJtSUhcsvOHL3i-J3MbiRE94LBbGSKD5mvFEj0HJNzDav7HJ9MvVvd5dilZOXU7jAPXkkAOgHoy0HcohkzDhhLCnOU6xCBuFc1x_YnPboQ1cff/s640/Screenshot+%2528236%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<b style="font-weight: bold;">ALBANIA: "World" - Lindita. </b><br />
<b style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></b>
When Lindita announced that she was competing again in Festivali i Kenges, I had hoped that she would come back with another banger like her debut FiK song "S'të fal". However, it was this song which won FiK back in December. It disappointed me then and it still does. She is a very strong performer but nothing about this song or its staging really connected here or did her any favours - what have clocks and flying ships have to do with the song's theme?<br />
<br />
<b>BELGIUM: "City Lights" - Blanche. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
One of the things which makes the lead-up to Eurovision so special is the coverage of the rehearsals, which are supposed to give some insight into how the artists will do when the semi-finals and finals come around. However, I was rather annoyed this year as many of the critics had already written off Blanche following some nervous performances in the rehearsals. She is still a very young and relatively inexperienced performer and this has to be taken into account. By the time we reached the semi-final, it was still a little tense, nervous and edgy, but I thought this worked perfectly with the theme of the song. After all, you wouldn't be singing lyrics like "all alone in the danger zone" with a big grin on your face, would you?<br />
<div>
<b><belgium: -="" a="" after="" all="" alone="" and="" any="" arrogant="" article="" as="" big="" blanche.="" contest="" criticism="" critics="" danger="" day="" eagerly="" escaped="" et="" eurovision="" every="" f="" face="" field="" for="" fter="" grin="" had="" has="" he="" i="" if="" in="" it="" ity="" just="" lap="" lights="" like="" lyrics="" missed="" modern-day="" nbsp="" nerves="" not="" on="" one.="" opinion="" performance.="" phenomenon="" piece="" plus="" point.="" point="" s="" sake.="" season="" semi-final="" sing="" song="" t="" that="" the="" they="" this="" to="" tweet="" up="" vulnerability="" was="" were="" whilst="" with="" work.="" wouldn="" you="" your="" zone=""><br />
</belgium:></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjldO-nuMurzBAA63dgrtA53ZltDFQbw81YkqxH4Z_jM0SSC3J0JdYvOuc_3MWIx1urFGaeD6zGt4udL7OSwUCNfOqBIY44iIYwCUK5CbwDBO_NurkmHGOqN3sOu9JzOVUR_JSShu0tskv2/s1600/Screenshot+%2528239%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjldO-nuMurzBAA63dgrtA53ZltDFQbw81YkqxH4Z_jM0SSC3J0JdYvOuc_3MWIx1urFGaeD6zGt4udL7OSwUCNfOqBIY44iIYwCUK5CbwDBO_NurkmHGOqN3sOu9JzOVUR_JSShu0tskv2/s640/Screenshot+%2528239%2529.png" width="640" /></a></b></div>
<b>
<
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZUvXEST7jAgGtvNyu1GdNOlOjsAQyc10MzOFs4-tM8UGy_pLQxOkqa_FoDAdg922EWj1PQAONNlZmYy1l5ufsY-wpVy7fdRbNQsge-RTZqaLVx2HP8YEk_EdSH2_Rhz1Sx2Nu6KhI8grm/s1600/Screenshot+%2528245%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZUvXEST7jAgGtvNyu1GdNOlOjsAQyc10MzOFs4-tM8UGy_pLQxOkqa_FoDAdg922EWj1PQAONNlZmYy1l5ufsY-wpVy7fdRbNQsge-RTZqaLVx2HP8YEk_EdSH2_Rhz1Sx2Nu6KhI8grm/s640/Screenshot+%2528245%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
</b>
<b>MONTENEGRO: "Space" - Slavko Kalezic.</b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
In its studio version, "Space" had been one of my most-played songs in the lead-up to the contest. A deliciously trashy piece of disco with hilarious single-entendre lyrics. And when you add that wondrous Montenegrin specimen to the mix then it was inevitable that he was going to be one of my favourites. However we have been here before. I quickly drew parallels between this and Zoli Adok's "Dance With Me" which the song shared a lot of similarities with.<br />
<b><br /></b>
This was probably the most "visual" of the evening's entries which inevitably meant that the musical side would suffer. So let's just talk about the visuals, shall we... Slavko began in his see-through vest top and a long blue skirt, before throwing off the skirt to reveal glittery leggings. And then of course there was <b>the plait</b>. The sight of Slavko swinging his plait around will live in the memory for years to come. Rocket to the stars :)))))<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXYCwwljgkKjy1deK_lTLHricZgQEqb-x6hhRqLe4kG998Lw0F-4EyKoTw7FHR9qinjtftOT9SVBeXfJIkPhMVwlFMPD1Cd1Ic6H_BPHddcn_DrQBU3TX9YuFTKWciSjtn09XREx6MfIR/s1600/Screenshot+%2528246%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXYCwwljgkKjy1deK_lTLHricZgQEqb-x6hhRqLe4kG998Lw0F-4EyKoTw7FHR9qinjtftOT9SVBeXfJIkPhMVwlFMPD1Cd1Ic6H_BPHddcn_DrQBU3TX9YuFTKWciSjtn09XREx6MfIR/s640/Screenshot+%2528246%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisaWt0VOuUNY9e7mo-R6GYcSyrmOMZ37JMw7Qe-WfamxQW-95Cgc4snYR5Y8XNkTDb_A-Goi_aTQ5R3YoJCc_B38UOMiZv6kLqP35wXZdZIOpEco-Zw5DwZj_IIcWj_hAzEdtltn967-T7/s1600/Screenshot+%2528596%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisaWt0VOuUNY9e7mo-R6GYcSyrmOMZ37JMw7Qe-WfamxQW-95Cgc4snYR5Y8XNkTDb_A-Goi_aTQ5R3YoJCc_B38UOMiZv6kLqP35wXZdZIOpEco-Zw5DwZj_IIcWj_hAzEdtltn967-T7/s640/Screenshot+%2528596%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Alex and Vova were then back to plug the Eurovision app before our first trip to the green room which, Timur pointed out, was not green. Oh, and thanks Timur for reminding us that the UK didn't award Abba a single point in 1974...!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixmB2t7AGg0LOFJYn3gaDNbdahFStUhQGhbgqJMFYIMWZ1EDbY0SdCF__s-BFWu4wCRdPWxs8K2DL2d_9Jarpc5B_D7R4sNXHAy9PC4Wj611FHcZB89eDk8eZsrAIcIBSwAI1PRT4i4K9R/s1600/Screenshot+%2528247%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixmB2t7AGg0LOFJYn3gaDNbdahFStUhQGhbgqJMFYIMWZ1EDbY0SdCF__s-BFWu4wCRdPWxs8K2DL2d_9Jarpc5B_D7R4sNXHAy9PC4Wj611FHcZB89eDk8eZsrAIcIBSwAI1PRT4i4K9R/s640/Screenshot+%2528247%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-fB113eaUzdc1NXig9fC1WEJQTZPNoGN4rTxYbjBlYv4kNeTkya1ZE-56_DVvkuhtTsQlz8K1DuEx89rTWAfqg3O0fDhFZhNf7gnGEc6tZT2Dw04A8OsR2Hr_il3F76_uiLxXiZDYulGI/s1600/Screenshot+%2528249%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-fB113eaUzdc1NXig9fC1WEJQTZPNoGN4rTxYbjBlYv4kNeTkya1ZE-56_DVvkuhtTsQlz8K1DuEx89rTWAfqg3O0fDhFZhNf7gnGEc6tZT2Dw04A8OsR2Hr_il3F76_uiLxXiZDYulGI/s640/Screenshot+%2528249%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>FINLAND: "Blackbird" - Norma John. </b><br />
<finland: -="" b="" john.="" lackbird="" norma=""></finland:><br />
Neither of them is called Norma, or John, but they are in fact two very talented individuals named Leena and Lasse and I hope there is much more to come from them. This song blew me away when it won the UMK final and became one of my favourites of 2017 searon.<br />
<br />
Leena was dressed in a black gothic gown to match the theme and the staging, which hadn't changed too much since the UMK final. The staging started off as dark blue and turned to red by the end of the song. Leena delivered another terrific vocal performance and Lasse's piano solo was exquisite and beautiful. It wasn't quite a burning fake piano but there was dry ice coming out of it! <br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>AZERBAIJAN: "Skeletons" - Dihaj. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
This was another song which passed me by in the lead-up but is proof yet again that memorable staging, combined with an unique and quirky personality, can go a long way. <br />
<br />
I am never all that excited about Azerbaijan at Eurovision, with their bland, bought-in songs and performers with no personality. This year, Azerbaijan finally brought something worthwhile thanks to Dihaj, a genuine artist, and a thrilling staging concept. It goes without saying that every song can be improved with the addition of a man wearing a horse's head, standing on top of a ladder. <br />
<br />
<b>PORTUGAL: "Amar Pelos Dois" - Salvador Sobral. </b><br />
<br />
When this won its national final, I was blown away. The song sounded as if it had come from another era, and the unique and expressive delivery by Salvador Sobral, dressed in loose clothing as he recovered from hernia surgery, gave birth to a new adjective: "Salvadorable". The song, written by his sister Luisa, quickly found a lot of appreciation within the fan community (although was not universally popular it must be said) purely because it was different. Just how would a jazz-flavoured ballad in a native language do at a modern Eurovision where English language mid-tempo ballads and top 40 dance-pop songs are the norm?<br />
<br />
There was also the question around Salvador's health, with some out-of-control rumours flying around. Salvador sent Luisa to rehearse and he would then arrive for the dress rehearsals and contest. Happily he made it.<br />
<br />
Standing all alone on the satellite stage, with a simple forest backdrop, Salvador delivered yet another unforgettable performance. Many watching for the first time will have felt that same feeling that we had seeing him win the national final; and there would be even more people, those who only watch the final on Saturday night, who would experience that feeling for the first time. He just needed to get to the final. <br />
<br />
Alex and Vova are back with some tweets. <br />
<br />
<b>GREECE: "This Is Love" - Demy</b><br />
<br />
She is a vivacious and attractive performer and visually reminds me of Nolwenn Leroy - now there's someone I'd love to see represent France in ESC some day...but back to Greece. This song is written by the Kontopoulos/Ballard team who wrote Russia's song last year and ridiculously over-the-top staging from Fokas Evangelinos with everything but the kitchen sink - well there's water anyway and topless male dancers. <br />
<br />
Unfortunately there seems to be a problem with the backing singers on the chorus. After the beauty and simplicity of the Portuguese entry the contrast is more evident and this just seems tacky and trashy. <br />
<br />
<b>POLAND: "Flashlight" - Kasia Mos</b><br />
<br />
Fire, like a burning desire, taking me higher, walking a wire....oh FFS. Remember Norway and their "bad crimes", well this should be done for "bad rhymes". Poland has a very powerful televoting diaspora which was particularly evident in 2016. The difference then was that it was a melodic if old-fashioned song. This is just drama for the sake of drama, and one of their worst entries for some time. <br />
<br />
<b>MOLDOVA: "Hey Mamma!" - Sunstroke Project. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
The trio first came to our attention in ESC 2010 - who could forget Epic Sax Guy - and came back this year bigger and better than ever. Slick stagecraft and choreography to go along with a fun song. which brought some much-needed charm and fun to the proceedings. But after this semi-final performance there was only one thing on my mind. How did Sergei Yalovitsky get so hot? <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBk776yjvzl20vps45tzvy7RAZ3crRywwHxmvx7kE_jMvtyA07kq58IcSDsc4f-rBhk0vgnxHW0Xyjc-AisJ6Ev2_b5ryiosZfJ-fOACRka5g-jYfcBLQ2rYflgs46ECxtITInGaWd-ot/s1600/Sergei.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBk776yjvzl20vps45tzvy7RAZ3crRywwHxmvx7kE_jMvtyA07kq58IcSDsc4f-rBhk0vgnxHW0Xyjc-AisJ6Ev2_b5ryiosZfJ-fOACRka5g-jYfcBLQ2rYflgs46ECxtITInGaWd-ot/s1600/Sergei.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib8LYucGa9btEKOvgarkgruBGS9R1E3VD_3Zp_6A9kZWOu9V7ORXa8gxggu2pko8JwIzoZedqd-lhr62kFTVIj3or0jDpXUpL5NWXaSqchcwlEb1EDhVeryFsMkv-eIPGO1ByWujy0Ur22/s1600/Screenshot+%2528707%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib8LYucGa9btEKOvgarkgruBGS9R1E3VD_3Zp_6A9kZWOu9V7ORXa8gxggu2pko8JwIzoZedqd-lhr62kFTVIj3or0jDpXUpL5NWXaSqchcwlEb1EDhVeryFsMkv-eIPGO1ByWujy0Ur22/s640/Screenshot+%2528707%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6AL62N86jkf1YQ4dwykNCxtp5vJctjbQravrTxJrR6v_3iS-02frzmNssEywlwMNuSFHE35F5GEsaSU5hy2c2RA-qMLXxCElHckHWKtlf6RtC_wIkAvMud27fLJJQ-kA7D8J4Y_dDVFQN/s1600/Screenshot+%2528711%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6AL62N86jkf1YQ4dwykNCxtp5vJctjbQravrTxJrR6v_3iS-02frzmNssEywlwMNuSFHE35F5GEsaSU5hy2c2RA-qMLXxCElHckHWKtlf6RtC_wIkAvMud27fLJJQ-kA7D8J4Y_dDVFQN/s640/Screenshot+%2528711%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>ICELAND: "Paper" - Svala.</b><br />
<br />
It seemed to escape my attention until recently that Svala is the daughter of Bo Halldorsson who represented Iceland in 1995. That's an amazing statistic - have we ever had a parent and child separately represent their country at ESC before? (Bo would deliver the Icelandic votes at Saturday's final). The other question here is: what does Iceland have to do to qualify for a Eurovision final? <br />
Svala, dressed in a white catsuit and cape, gave it her all with a dramatic and professional performance. I had called this as a non-qualifier though as I thought it may have just come over as being a little too cold and clinical. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHu4wA4elW_H4iNZINhvCKj2C8iWzQxSU9uqIUmfyYw4rd1_zK95YpCgPdAfm4PJ3mXdJW3GwR9jLBon9P4_Z3EA40SA5qff7eyVONXsFwWTerFDvcKAhPwbOKPuR9KOf9GfGzZqJC_Cnr/s1600/Screenshot+%2528715%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHu4wA4elW_H4iNZINhvCKj2C8iWzQxSU9uqIUmfyYw4rd1_zK95YpCgPdAfm4PJ3mXdJW3GwR9jLBon9P4_Z3EA40SA5qff7eyVONXsFwWTerFDvcKAhPwbOKPuR9KOf9GfGzZqJC_Cnr/s640/Screenshot+%2528715%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Back to the green room with self-confessed ESC geek Timur, who met the Sunstroke Project. Not that he ever needed much persuading, but the legendary Epic Sax Guy gave us a blast of his greatest riff from "Run Away".<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhddlVklRbcrti7LQSpLdAhbywOqZDt3_VnqynRyY5zDRe3FkwakObdlD9fULbNYneA7g3YuvlM40CybJFf3YBgvx9nrk-NWbgtUVGrMGZUvhSBZyDoqng1VTCcojRz9AK-wOQQuJuo1kqH/s1600/Screenshot+%2528717%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhddlVklRbcrti7LQSpLdAhbywOqZDt3_VnqynRyY5zDRe3FkwakObdlD9fULbNYneA7g3YuvlM40CybJFf3YBgvx9nrk-NWbgtUVGrMGZUvhSBZyDoqng1VTCcojRz9AK-wOQQuJuo1kqH/s640/Screenshot+%2528717%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBXLBxuggpFswjwzspjkJ47LWibiINYKoA3zdm7qRhn5_DMOJ1fRPGolRhDVHC3VFA11mG_mk5Dau6_PKUDjxgFlYLsQ7wdprILsjLoCC_N_eGH15Y4JsA3Cd9tMkl7Sf286_9gdVNbgcP/s1600/Screenshot+%2528253%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBXLBxuggpFswjwzspjkJ47LWibiINYKoA3zdm7qRhn5_DMOJ1fRPGolRhDVHC3VFA11mG_mk5Dau6_PKUDjxgFlYLsQ7wdprILsjLoCC_N_eGH15Y4JsA3Cd9tMkl7Sf286_9gdVNbgcP/s640/Screenshot+%2528253%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>CZECH REPUBLIC: "My Turn" - Martina Barta.</b><br />
<br />
Martina is obviously a very good singer who deserves a much better song than this. And don't get me started on the costume, the Barbara Dex-worthy metallic gold jumpsuit-thing with a bra top underneath. Even her hair and make-up is awful. The LED screen features images from the 'under-dressed' video for the song. This is probably one of the worst entries this year, which is a shame because as I said she is a good singer.<br />
<br />
<b>CYPRUS: "Gravity" - Hovig.</b><br />
<br />
Another year and another Cyprus entry written by G:son. This year it's not a 'schlager-rock' song but rather a modern pop song. In the lead-up this has been another one of those songs which has just screamed "meh" to me and even with all the visuals it still doesn't impress. He's quite pleasant to look at, but that's it. Before the semi-final I didn't have this qualifying and it was probably one of the evening's most surprising qualifiers. <br />
<br />
<b>ARMENIA: "Fly With Me" - Artsvik.</b><br />
<br />
I still see Armenia as one of those countries who are "winners in waiting" over the next few years. Iveta was always going to be a hard act to follow, but Artsvik did a decent job. They seem to get the importance of the visual impact of a song. For that reason alone it was inevitable that this would be a qualifier. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3YMn9Gnbul3r9PCpLVSHf-SXM5E2UP2aUfuJQ5KYo92lkvZZQ2vXFk2Buqi-DlHuiErOfHHMpr6HcI5QaKKHVcM0jeKmjjjr51bLShToOdkXo7n-U3Az3fNa_GFq27SzTbsrb4v9CC8UI/s1600/Screenshot+%2528254%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3YMn9Gnbul3r9PCpLVSHf-SXM5E2UP2aUfuJQ5KYo92lkvZZQ2vXFk2Buqi-DlHuiErOfHHMpr6HcI5QaKKHVcM0jeKmjjjr51bLShToOdkXo7n-U3Az3fNa_GFq27SzTbsrb4v9CC8UI/s640/Screenshot+%2528254%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCEOaXoON1gKBjIVu8vFxJRscbi6ZdjCBufWiGpG4EI6rJbGHKM8YQxKiCU7MpvIka-I2wuOo9QqcojJUZsTdDDlG6EX-OjxFky9WOxHGGFlMbR818kQi2haPkD6e4DRUjZWvWFguGj95R/s1600/Screenshot+%2528719%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCEOaXoON1gKBjIVu8vFxJRscbi6ZdjCBufWiGpG4EI6rJbGHKM8YQxKiCU7MpvIka-I2wuOo9QqcojJUZsTdDDlG6EX-OjxFky9WOxHGGFlMbR818kQi2haPkD6e4DRUjZWvWFguGj95R/s640/Screenshot+%2528719%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>SLOVENIA: "On My Way" - Omar Naber.</b><br />
<br />
The last time Omar Naber represented Slovenia in ESC, it was in Kiev. He didn't qualify for the final then either.<br />
<br />
When this won EMA, his rock star styling didn't match the song, which originally was a rather nice and moving, if old-fashioned, ballad. Since that time, the song had undergone a horrible makeover into a bombastic mess. But at least his styling now matched the song. A cabaret singer in a glittery suit, to match his cabaret song.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxgkI6zsEy8o824dr9JOy1Wa5cV7lMq0Fnb1G5bcXZRj-0kR5tRFowpngRpE83w1oHm4u_3Fv1ihLy_xZV8EXQyXQkkBXdGfnXoCgSaNaybBe3L-Ut3Zo4fgALH4ewz9IVuT6cqmjQmkxa/s1600/Screenshot+%2528721%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxgkI6zsEy8o824dr9JOy1Wa5cV7lMq0Fnb1G5bcXZRj-0kR5tRFowpngRpE83w1oHm4u_3Fv1ihLy_xZV8EXQyXQkkBXdGfnXoCgSaNaybBe3L-Ut3Zo4fgALH4ewz9IVuT6cqmjQmkxa/s640/Screenshot+%2528721%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO_vjOASQRrRY3kXZOhz8Zo6Ep27JLAa9sxNZBLm4_BaqvsfFC7uaOAs0VjzbpyVjpS1eZf5h01_aiP5y60OASi2v4TXp4d-hm4ETwd2O8ZWMQaT3c_hF1H-i19APFdZGhLEScAu5sLARF/s1600/Screenshot+%2528258%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO_vjOASQRrRY3kXZOhz8Zo6Ep27JLAa9sxNZBLm4_BaqvsfFC7uaOAs0VjzbpyVjpS1eZf5h01_aiP5y60OASi2v4TXp4d-hm4ETwd2O8ZWMQaT3c_hF1H-i19APFdZGhLEScAu5sLARF/s640/Screenshot+%2528258%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>LATVIA: "Line" - Triana Park.</b><br />
<br />
Postcard: the band hanging out in Riga and eating doughnuts.<br />
<br />
A very popular winner of its national final and another credible ESC entry for Latvia to be proud of. Visually, the staging was a hallucinogenic assault on the senses, whilst Agnese was as unique and compelling as ever. What I particularly liked about this is that they don't seem to have compromised themselves for the competition and stayed true to themselves. I never thought this was anything other than a qualifier, so its last placing in this semi-final came as a great shock to me. <br />
<br />
EUROPE! START VOTING NOW!<br />
<br />
After the recap we had a performance of the song which brought ESC to Kyiv, last year's winner "1944" by Jamala in a slightly different version with an orchestral track. <br />
<br />
Second recap and then EUROPE! STOP VOTING NOW!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTf4YpnbfLF2aTx-vva3FKvE-8Hw83YDWzWdcfcZoI4d2SfCmj13KzA4r-jHpnupa_cvyP8MYAwSkg5UBK7D8mhBJgBOKJRwKXD92o2n8gnWPBo3Ma4pE3MSF4dPf44aMxY0y2ngKg6zAf/s1600/Screenshot+%2528726%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTf4YpnbfLF2aTx-vva3FKvE-8Hw83YDWzWdcfcZoI4d2SfCmj13KzA4r-jHpnupa_cvyP8MYAwSkg5UBK7D8mhBJgBOKJRwKXD92o2n8gnWPBo3Ma4pE3MSF4dPf44aMxY0y2ngKg6zAf/s640/Screenshot+%2528726%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
It was then time for one of Ukraine's greatest: Verka Serduchka. We are taken on a colourful journey through Kyiv, starting with a baby Verka in 1974 to singing "Hallelujah" in 1979, to the present day, styled by Dolce and Gabbana.<br />
<br />
Then Jamala returned to sing "Zamanyly", an ethnic folk number. <br />
<br />
One more trip to the green room with Timur, whose robotic delivery didn't improve over the course of the evening. <br />
<br />
In the first semi-final we were introduced to 3 of the "Big 5" automatic qualifiers. Firstly Manel Navarro, whose "Do It For Your Lover" has, to say the least, been one of the most reviled entries I can remember for a long time.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqT0zvdPYDjFL3QObfUztam4L_IGYoshV8xlHJHjThCun3Ou2ann1jGsQh33IhqEkcJOFZiFGrJQN9hxsoqw60BTE5TRw2n-8BYUnoAA5wwkA4RVMhRr0PT-CKKHUBZA331duk6PPW_5kV/s1600/Screenshot+%2528728%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqT0zvdPYDjFL3QObfUztam4L_IGYoshV8xlHJHjThCun3Ou2ann1jGsQh33IhqEkcJOFZiFGrJQN9hxsoqw60BTE5TRw2n-8BYUnoAA5wwkA4RVMhRr0PT-CKKHUBZA331duk6PPW_5kV/s640/Screenshot+%2528728%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Manel had been quite prominent on the pre-party circuit and it was then time to meet one of his best mates - the UK's Lucie Jones, who for once actually gave us hope that the UK might get off the bottom of the scoreboard thanks to an experienced singer who actually wanted to be there; also, the BBC had actually put some effort into impressive staging for a change. By the way if Timur was such a Eurovision nerd I thought he might have mentioned that to his right was the 2013 ESC winner, Emmelie de Forest who has co-written the UK's entry this year.<br />
<br />
FInally we have the hottest favourite to win Eurovision in years - Francesco Gabbani - "the gorilla is not just for fun...." before mentioning Desmond Morris' book "The Naked Ape". The clip of "Occidentali's Karma" was shown.<br />
<br />
Jon Ola gave the go-ahead to announce the qualifiers. Which 10 countries were going to Saturday night's grand final? In random order:<br />
<br />
Moldova - before the semi-final I was calling this as a very tight 10th place with Moldova edging out Greece. However it was one of the most impressive and assured performances of the night and absolutely deserved its qualification. <br />
Azerbaijan - this country's always a guaranteed qualifier, but it was a deserved one for a change thanks to a wonderfully wonky and obscure effort. It's the horse wot won it. </div>
<br />
Greece - my initial predictions had either Moldova or Greece qualifying, not both of them. Someone was going to be disappointed...<br />
Sweden - No freakin' surprise that smarmy Robin and his smarmy dancing sidekicks would qualify. <br />
Portugal - YAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!<br />
Poland - I can only attribute this yet again to the power-voting diaspora as this song really did not deserve a final place. <br />
Armenia - this was again an obvious qualifier thanks to the visual impact. <br />
Australia - credit to them again, qualifying in spite of that vocal wobble. I guess there are more Sam Smith fans out there than I first though. <br />
Cyprus - What? When this was called out, I quickly had the realisation that one of my favourites was not qualifying. <br />
And finally....<br />
Belgium - relief mixed with great disappointment as neither Finland or Latvia would be in the final on Saturday night.<br />
<br />
I didn't take Finland and Latvia's non-qualification very well, it had to be said. Semi-final 1 was probably the toughest of the two, but I still can't understand the result, even all these months later. At least Portugal had made it.....
Laura (EuropeCrazy)http://www.blogger.com/profile/00049762365144495234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810011721804766871.post-12839572809802480822017-08-01T15:23:00.000+01:002017-08-01T15:23:14.982+01:00Melodifestivalen 2017: The Final, Stockholm, 11.03.2017Finally my review is here - I had a lot of technical problems and had lost a large chunk of my review due to problems with HTML codes and tags and whatever you call them, so had to rewrite a part of it. Anyway, it's only almost 5 months late :)<br />
<br />
After the traditional story so far recap, it was time for the first musical number of the evening. A funky although rather underwhelming start to this year's
final as the 3 hosts performed "Skaka Den" backed by funk collective Damn! Funky
yes, but final-class? Hell no!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpieG-105P3P2gKVvugU4itGijV8IVzopUQQ_xYnYNQgLm3HoW0NvvzVzjB3B-xP46g_B_xI1yGMr-J3JhpG8IgIh8CvRoqwjgzSHIKuSVjEZ-_ATHE76HZlE9Cgzj0eDMbKiah_a-HPu-/s1600/Screenshot+%2528533%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpieG-105P3P2gKVvugU4itGijV8IVzopUQQ_xYnYNQgLm3HoW0NvvzVzjB3B-xP46g_B_xI1yGMr-J3JhpG8IgIh8CvRoqwjgzSHIKuSVjEZ-_ATHE76HZlE9Cgzj0eDMbKiah_a-HPu-/s640/Screenshot+%2528533%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm;">
David and Hasse were in suits and Clara was in a lurex trouser suit. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR-9iyIwf3ruiPFz2Kslxe16HskCNkZ3Dy3XpsXHcxJPy08vFoC4w345CeDiRa4bq0q6VO3rDsB7KaaVcCzMfDpR8IIfdxFlmXGgbZaapOkzyWvVDxI9Ycphe_9wN1Iv4a6Tq-9WDpgDtE/s1600/Screenshot+%2528539%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR-9iyIwf3ruiPFz2Kslxe16HskCNkZ3Dy3XpsXHcxJPy08vFoC4w345CeDiRa4bq0q6VO3rDsB7KaaVcCzMfDpR8IIfdxFlmXGgbZaapOkzyWvVDxI9Ycphe_9wN1Iv4a6Tq-9WDpgDtE/s640/Screenshot+%2528539%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>"Wild Child" - Ace Wilder.</b><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #222222;">An upbeat beginning to tonight's line-up of songs, even if the initial momentum was very quickly lost and we knew that this wasn't going to be a contender. Which is a shame, as despite its title, "Wild Child" was for me the most accessible of her three Melfest songs. </span><span style="color: #222222;">The floor dissolved Sergey-style after the middle eight. Ace proved once again that she was queen of the Melfest performance, even one as simple as this. However, one of the things which has spoiled Melfest for me in recent years has been the reliance on pre-recorded backing vocals. These were particularly obvious on this song and Ace’s vocal shortcomings were shown up before the final chorus.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkNz8SNapZK879pnFDhP_7ul94VDA98oKskidmYPEYNIlBukElbH5lxR65PTXKAXHM9fbMh7QUiq4zFUbIdR2hRAXpxbnqCrkIlsZwJGcZ2UGrzxHYWVCbr4Y7IlST4CdwpU4tLJ277eUB/s1600/Screenshot+%2528541%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkNz8SNapZK879pnFDhP_7ul94VDA98oKskidmYPEYNIlBukElbH5lxR65PTXKAXHM9fbMh7QUiq4zFUbIdR2hRAXpxbnqCrkIlsZwJGcZ2UGrzxHYWVCbr4Y7IlST4CdwpU4tLJ277eUB/s640/Screenshot+%2528541%2529.png" width="640" /></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<b>"Her Kiss" - Boris René.</b></div>
<br />
No hat for Boris this year, but he was dressed in a red silk bomber jacket and tight trousers which were too short for him! His dancers were also in silver silk bomber jackets. Boris has a lot of charisma and the "likeability factor" and managed to hold my interest. He may be the whipping boy of the Melfest fandom but I like him, and I liked this song a lot more than I probably should - although not as much as last year's song about the little box/litter box/letterbox but it's still quite decent, and the writers have been a regular fixture in Melfest over the past few years as well.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjR7FlW-Oj-rGmaCuOPb7vENA6H1LFiJ6YO_wwIILB3vhGEVfu40UcZnH4gr-DPehli1NlnZz-YGO2zoUfymkl3szafjGk8eUSJxEMRI3uyMbcWKnUepGJBCRSrQNbXBX0t0aKh-jfk2A0/s1600/Screenshot+%2528671%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjR7FlW-Oj-rGmaCuOPb7vENA6H1LFiJ6YO_wwIILB3vhGEVfu40UcZnH4gr-DPehli1NlnZz-YGO2zoUfymkl3szafjGk8eUSJxEMRI3uyMbcWKnUepGJBCRSrQNbXBX0t0aKh-jfk2A0/s640/Screenshot+%2528671%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>"I Don't Give A" - Lisa Ajax.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Which precisely summed up my feelings about this song. Although it must be said that she doesn't get the most favourable draw positions - 2nd last year and 3rd this year. I can’t believe Ola Svensson had a hand in writing this. Not his greatest moment was it?
Horrible styling and staging. Bad language isn't big or clever, I don’t know what story it was trying to tell. The nasty girl image just doesn’t
fit well with her. Last year's song was infinitely more preferable to this one. I feel she really needs to rethink who she is as an artist, and come back in a couple of years with something more substantial.<br />
<br />
Next up, a parody of the phenomenally successful Norwegian teen drama Skam, or as it was called here, Smak - featuring a guest appearance from Alexander Rybak (below) who seems to have popped up everywhere during national finals season this year. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS2FLTFn7Cf58D-u_rEJwTGlFF3vFlr8VdHPbqqsu6lBOVP5PFeTpGjC1SITpt4X8scP90AVLECJyjkOwxqRb8ZmowSfxRvw2SUYrFhaGhrUBKGcWFGhbmG0CKTmE-m4Zqt2j66-cXaKhd/s1600/Screenshot+%2528603%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS2FLTFn7Cf58D-u_rEJwTGlFF3vFlr8VdHPbqqsu6lBOVP5PFeTpGjC1SITpt4X8scP90AVLECJyjkOwxqRb8ZmowSfxRvw2SUYrFhaGhrUBKGcWFGhbmG0CKTmE-m4Zqt2j66-cXaKhd/s640/Screenshot+%2528603%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<next 2017="" a="" alexander="" appearance="" as="" br="" by="" called="" drama="" during="" finals="" guest="" has="" here="" hich="" it="" lot="" meant="" national="" nbsp="" norwegian="" of="" or="" phenomenon="" rather="" rybak="" season="" segment="" skam="" smak.="" spoof="" teen="" the="" this="" turned="" up="" was="" who="">
</next>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcP8qmwry3qa1Pe4HKVGqQS2pujt803r1EOZ6zQ8om46Bl8P4G55dhM_cEjvsXR2iQMM_CDAPSYEqOd9TqYg5BWxtq37xeH5myqn6JsHJNyhUOkH8Cl83p8AGGUPE6OndOPEuAchN2-xEL/s1600/Screenshot+%2528527%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcP8qmwry3qa1Pe4HKVGqQS2pujt803r1EOZ6zQ8om46Bl8P4G55dhM_cEjvsXR2iQMM_CDAPSYEqOd9TqYg5BWxtq37xeH5myqn6JsHJNyhUOkH8Cl83p8AGGUPE6OndOPEuAchN2-xEL/s640/Screenshot+%2528527%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Clara changed into a navy blue sequinned gown in time for the next song.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
The previous song was by an ex-Idol contestant - Lisa was actually a winner in Idol 2014. Melfest seems to be a logical progression for ex-Idol contestants. Talking of which....<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO76zleSJmE1v8t1tliJQ0gOsnMbMb-kRe9sWYWbpsHAocWYhOf177RgsMimQ5LwwJST1tFAAeE-XNHUUnS4Tatv6DxhLRtA8H8rCjVIsDs6KPYmZflJJ37J4IAdq-XY00adRXBAKqkNZA/s1600/Screenshot+%2528673%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO76zleSJmE1v8t1tliJQ0gOsnMbMb-kRe9sWYWbpsHAocWYhOf177RgsMimQ5LwwJST1tFAAeE-XNHUUnS4Tatv6DxhLRtA8H8rCjVIsDs6KPYmZflJJ37J4IAdq-XY00adRXBAKqkNZA/s640/Screenshot+%2528673%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>"I Can't Go On" - Robin Bengtsson. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Well, he remembered to sing freakin' rather than f*****, as it had now been “cleaned up”. It was a very slick and professional show, and major credit to Robin and his crew for managing to dance on treadmills, but the vocals weren't that great. The whole package just left me cold, and the most annoying thing about it was that stupid hand signal. Actually, there were a lot of annoying things about it...! Was it a song or a fashion show?<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin1DR1fxkNo5qCT5BHFi7ojuAksY_PiEbturgmb5MuKrx-Y9k_wjcFl4EGemT5dm1qyydzWLCLnGA8EfT1FL3_yLaTs22KtY8pWwQ0Fn2XDrmWlyCB2KvL36JeJt92aET64bTyKUoT7pNp/s1600/Screenshot+%2528678%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin1DR1fxkNo5qCT5BHFi7ojuAksY_PiEbturgmb5MuKrx-Y9k_wjcFl4EGemT5dm1qyydzWLCLnGA8EfT1FL3_yLaTs22KtY8pWwQ0Fn2XDrmWlyCB2KvL36JeJt92aET64bTyKUoT7pNp/s640/Screenshot+%2528678%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzkwAH7_sYLViFaBv-513RUx84_gPwjmjZqZC524D2Ofe0pxKPzef738mSxhxtggWdF7buxukMqlqrM1kPLrWFamj8DM9iHcISBViGj0xrRsxrLtF9xOE8PQcOIv4pqhUko59b1ELhqwxV/s1600/Screenshot+%2528680%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzkwAH7_sYLViFaBv-513RUx84_gPwjmjZqZC524D2Ofe0pxKPzef738mSxhxtggWdF7buxukMqlqrM1kPLrWFamj8DM9iHcISBViGj0xrRsxrLtF9xOE8PQcOIv4pqhUko59b1ELhqwxV/s640/Screenshot+%2528680%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“En v</span></span>ä<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">rld full av strider” – Jon Henrik Fj</span></span>ä<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">llgren and Aninia. </span></span></b></div>
<br />
Unfortunately I can't listen to this now without thinking of the Norbergs' ski-ing parody. They looked good together although they
spent much of their time apart on stage.
There was a talky bit and a joiky bit and a great big singy chorus by Aninia who I’m sure will return to Melfest in her own right at a later date. My main criticism remained that it just got too shouty towards the end. But it was very pretty and wintery and filmic and staged in epic fashion. They hugged at the end. Awww.
<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZGuaY4zZsmRwlzoAtQW099ubetjLbdQ7aTTStjID9hdvbAeGU_ytyAtHS6FQqXsRUYoZGgpxfcT4yAqgZK_mLov9BOtrDJ6EjUev4PjeMASaRuvU_ezrMXGNHL0Fq7XW5OY5KQgUjJn6w/s1600/Screenshot+%2528682%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZGuaY4zZsmRwlzoAtQW099ubetjLbdQ7aTTStjID9hdvbAeGU_ytyAtHS6FQqXsRUYoZGgpxfcT4yAqgZK_mLov9BOtrDJ6EjUev4PjeMASaRuvU_ezrMXGNHL0Fq7XW5OY5KQgUjJn6w/s640/Screenshot+%2528682%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>“Kiss You Goodbye” – Anton Hagman.</b><br />
<br />
How must this young guy have felt, with all that criticism since Andra Chansen for daring to take Loreen’s place in the final? But
he won that vote so he deserved to be there as much as anyone else. Like Lisa Ajax, his image dominated the back projection screen and that’was a bit too much of an egotistical touch. The chorus was catchy but the main problem remained that this song is not his own, for it is instead “Stitches” by Shawn Mendes.<br />
<br />
A brief intermission here: the day I understand what Hasse Andersson is saying is my new life goal :)))
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlBZL1gvN0maDkPXgAYQlg4y_c2cC2jkcyP5sGTLHQFeAzzG2IlDTttvMTOPOiuqNvAD5tCyFUQOBwy_okBewYZaA8ye7SYC9zwhxdBCb-NudpNCvAcg8WjPZRwGedwSUxFvDMotC_xsIn/s1600/Screenshot+%2528683%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlBZL1gvN0maDkPXgAYQlg4y_c2cC2jkcyP5sGTLHQFeAzzG2IlDTttvMTOPOiuqNvAD5tCyFUQOBwy_okBewYZaA8ye7SYC9zwhxdBCb-NudpNCvAcg8WjPZRwGedwSUxFvDMotC_xsIn/s640/Screenshot+%2528683%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b>
<b>“A Million Years” – Mariette.</b><br />
<br />
She is a charismatic and genuine performer. The circus show going on in the background was a bit too distracting and unnecessary (quite unsettling too as at points they looked as if they were hanging themselves).as Mariette is such a compelling performer she didn't need all that. One of the genuinely good songs in this year's Melfest - and there weren't many of them - and one which I would listen to long after the contest was over.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimF9bUeI8NPPkRQlsASkw-9CkNtlWEZfp24iEHqgv9MVtzet4BhyphenhyphenFT7sX5oPxgxBGtyqCrsGi_35xOD0xGa4XJ0nZ4iSQIuxbIDzSFZpFFJ9NtHFQL7w7nkeJZcOTvOkJhUAOLlPAnEA0E/s1600/Screenshot+%2528686%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimF9bUeI8NPPkRQlsASkw-9CkNtlWEZfp24iEHqgv9MVtzet4BhyphenhyphenFT7sX5oPxgxBGtyqCrsGi_35xOD0xGa4XJ0nZ4iSQIuxbIDzSFZpFFJ9NtHFQL7w7nkeJZcOTvOkJhUAOLlPAnEA0E/s640/Screenshot+%2528686%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
</b><br />
<b>“Gotta Thing About You” – F O and O.</b><br />
<br />
Pee break
time sorted then. Even the songwriters couldn’t be arsed to turn up, so why
should the voters be arsed to listen or vote for it? Sorry boys but this for me was one of the worst songs
to grace a Melfest stage in years, with no appeal whatsoever outwith their
vociferous fanbase.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibemv8UVoEG5fuP0A4XoOu0RE58ZGttE4EUQsCsJIhs6BUXc52MAcl8yq8AMunc3blTAh0Gd0k_OGE-PemQKuD4A0o-lKI-eRzrIG6fP0bi7XspH-74edZkHF9BROz6q_ndBzy9qIi2Rem/s1600/Screenshot+%2528691%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibemv8UVoEG5fuP0A4XoOu0RE58ZGttE4EUQsCsJIhs6BUXc52MAcl8yq8AMunc3blTAh0Gd0k_OGE-PemQKuD4A0o-lKI-eRzrIG6fP0bi7XspH-74edZkHF9BROz6q_ndBzy9qIi2Rem/s640/Screenshot+%2528691%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>“Hold On”
– Nano. </b><br />
<br />
Written
by Nano and a cast of thousands yet this ended up sounding very much like a Hozier/Rag
N’Bone Man/Sigma mash-up. T<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">he staging started in shadow and then exploded into light at the chorus. Check out that burning app heart - there was no doubt that this was going to be a big hit with the televoters. This wasa quality modern song and deserved success. It would have been interesting to see how this would have done if it had got the ticket to Kyiv. I think this will be a good starting point for his music career and I'm curious to see what else he will come up with. </span>
<br />
<div style="color: #222222;">
<by 5th="" evening="" glasgow="" in="" melfest="" now="" point="" span="" the="" this="" trending="" was=""><br />
</by><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEsOJBZLzSyssIIvi622RVjTBR3rrUy3ZF8_mJT1K-0qIrMkGwmPuPqI4kWuEm6s5Hc-WefLlJBAhTBv0Al4rHKk5vnlo1f2V6zIzGdCGkV2uX9wwvZijUgajwslm4hjP4iD0f52o7m0dU/s1600/Screenshot+%2528693%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEsOJBZLzSyssIIvi622RVjTBR3rrUy3ZF8_mJT1K-0qIrMkGwmPuPqI4kWuEm6s5Hc-WefLlJBAhTBv0Al4rHKk5vnlo1f2V6zIzGdCGkV2uX9wwvZijUgajwslm4hjP4iD0f52o7m0dU/s640/Screenshot+%2528693%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b>
<b>“As I Lay
Me Down” – Wiktoria.</b><br />
<br />
For the final, she swapped her dress for a red catsuit.
Wiktoria strikes me as a 21st century Carola who will make multiple
appearances in Melfest and will keep going until she wins the thing, and then she will keep coming back again after that. My problem with
her is that she also oversings like Carola.
So it was all a bit too shouty/shrieky for me, and the staging with the metal “bed” was still a little too clumsy. I preferred this song to "Save Me" though.<br />
<br />
Part 2 of
“Smak” and then it was time for one of the more understaged efforts this year.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRp72A166SvyxFFazC6WSp1CxO_oRk7N_xSy6m8_Z0r2alYrxB6sh2_40eVyEm9kxCDJC5A9r3vMLkj-wCn8akrcew6cTdHoVYLatWqKSUF1w-Zgy8izL7PTnj6EuOGHcAoYch3loCbHGw/s1600/Screenshot+%2528694%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRp72A166SvyxFFazC6WSp1CxO_oRk7N_xSy6m8_Z0r2alYrxB6sh2_40eVyEm9kxCDJC5A9r3vMLkj-wCn8akrcew6cTdHoVYLatWqKSUF1w-Zgy8izL7PTnj6EuOGHcAoYch3loCbHGw/s640/Screenshot+%2528694%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>“Good
Lovin’” – Benjamin Ingrosso.</b><br />
<br />
With not much more than a tinfoil backdrop (which again I can't watch any more thanks to the Norbergs' parody) and Benjamin dressing down for the occasion in his jumper, he delivered a slick enough performance of this rather lightweight pop song with Justin Timberlake influences. It did better than I thought it would, particularly with the juries. I wonder if he'll follow his mum's example and make a few more Melfest appearances in the future?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi30h3WpDtnrTsawvoEEO0GR0kJGCmkJSg3lPcN-a5IPDyp9zSQcwZ4WAiwI9LLpmA9deJDkDyp-r4gZPgOt6QujMKFSJx_QnR3kuc0_vaSRrYUa6L6BsYyMQd4O2J6zSmNMLSMMksLHK0S/s1600/Screenshot+%2528529%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi30h3WpDtnrTsawvoEEO0GR0kJGCmkJSg3lPcN-a5IPDyp9zSQcwZ4WAiwI9LLpmA9deJDkDyp-r4gZPgOt6QujMKFSJx_QnR3kuc0_vaSRrYUa6L6BsYyMQd4O2J6zSmNMLSMMksLHK0S/s640/Screenshot+%2528529%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<br />
<b>“Boogieman
Blues” - Owe Thörnqvist.</b><br />
<br />
The novelty to end all novelties, yes, but this was a
fun song packed with personality. Owe managed to make it through his big
number and could walk away with his head held high. Another great achievement in a long
career. I don’t for a minute deny him
his place in the final. That’s what
Melfest is about, there is always room for a long established artist as well as
the new up and coming names. <o:p></o:p>
<br />
<br />
All 12 songs have been sung and it's now time for a quick interview with Zara Larsson. Would that be the same Zara Larsson, whom I recall some years ago on her journey up the ladder to worldwide fame, said words to the effect that she basically wouldn't touch Melfest with the proverbial bargepole unless her career was doing down the dumper? But I guess that a special guest appearance is ok to plug her songs then?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_JNElfh_ZUX37n0upzqAFf_ESTaDCAOkPz-C3V-PcIkgMECfOTgXQol92UQWiM8f56cYvtfECu3Qry0An3SjDyhdrFYItwMDcMcZNSq9vDpaw-ZFNW_JEvAQw9ihrE9Chrq-U4MDSohn/s1600/Screenshot+%2528517%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_JNElfh_ZUX37n0upzqAFf_ESTaDCAOkPz-C3V-PcIkgMECfOTgXQol92UQWiM8f56cYvtfECu3Qry0An3SjDyhdrFYItwMDcMcZNSq9vDpaw-ZFNW_JEvAQw9ihrE9Chrq-U4MDSohn/s640/Screenshot+%2528517%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Recap
time and then off to the green room for David's movie medley of power ballads.
That boy can certainly sing. And Robin, be very afraid.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwKwcUv6KMGLF0FYtbZHK8Pdi197lpQ6x5WKYLjfnT_uVouy3WP24Lx1szhcyE7oyuni53suvEcLUH65t4IzEICXznHlFtq9YgpM72osT39O4m8JJ3WCiVwjLyXEv5iI1XrqLcFsa_mv4E/s1600/Screenshot+%2528695%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwKwcUv6KMGLF0FYtbZHK8Pdi197lpQ6x5WKYLjfnT_uVouy3WP24Lx1szhcyE7oyuni53suvEcLUH65t4IzEICXznHlFtq9YgpM72osT39O4m8JJ3WCiVwjLyXEv5iI1XrqLcFsa_mv4E/s640/Screenshot+%2528695%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Of course
Melfest wouldn't be Melfest without an unusual cover version of the previous
year's winner. This year it was the turn of Damn! who opened the show,
performing a jazzy version of If I Were Sorry, featuring Shirin, who was a
little reminiscent of Amy Winehouse, and then Frans joined them for the end of
the song. Frans has been quiet over the past year and hasn’t capitalised
on his Melfest 2016 win: instead he’s been focusing on his studies.<br />
<br />
The
international juries have been reshuffled a bit this year with some newcomers
joining the fun. It should be noted that there was therefore no place in 2017 for the legend that is Cyprus' jury spokesperson Klitos Klitou, whose name always raises a chuckle in
the fan community :))<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
This
year's international juries came from Poland, Czech Republic, Norway, Italy,
Malta, Israel, France, Australia, the UK, Armenia and Ukraine. There was no obvious favourite with the 12 points being shared between Robin, Lisa, Jon Henrik
and Aninia, Nano, Benjamin and Mariette. although Robin had the most 12s (from 3 juries). Benjamin's song did surprisingly well in the jury vote but Wiktoria's song was probably the biggest jury flop as it was one of the original frontrunners to win. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
By the
end of the jury vote:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
1. Robin<o:p></o:p></div>
2. Nano<br />
3. Mariette<br />
4. Jon Henrik and Aninia<br />
5. Benjamin<br />
6. Ace.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf8BFkqm9xqxO2jaL3xYpwPJBbpLu7rYdQsI78c-STynXduP9H-f60tGluB8HohD4CE0USf5zEhyphenhyphenCilvvrBezYuQ-AsBctDUZbTbyaFIKb5fC09qoE16IXpwdAh5-fzViPsru7c7NMUTzp/s1600/Screenshot+%2528698%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf8BFkqm9xqxO2jaL3xYpwPJBbpLu7rYdQsI78c-STynXduP9H-f60tGluB8HohD4CE0USf5zEhyphenhyphenCilvvrBezYuQ-AsBctDUZbTbyaFIKb5fC09qoE16IXpwdAh5-fzViPsru7c7NMUTzp/s640/Screenshot+%2528698%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
Televote
recap and then a rather ill-advised interval act song from the 3 hosts which was like a parody of an 80s movie song and had lyrics
like "din mamma jobbar inte har" or something, and I just didn't get what they were trying to do. I am
going to miss Hasse's wonderful accent even if I didn't understand a word over all those weeks.
His "nio nio nio" when reading out the televote numbers was a
classic. He also introduces the next interval act, the one and only Showra
Lowson.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxV7TcMrdjJpqhAQM3GqxKI78SQd-eahL1pIQpFcLhMDBs1vBAPNE2EEQ0lccv8EO6ETPPPy-jumlRzOUUJuRt9dP_mby9I5yWS_EOEGhXCMh-iETDqPmMHWSXQNL1ISOT6dO2kX0WTys_/s1600/Screenshot+%2528607%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxV7TcMrdjJpqhAQM3GqxKI78SQd-eahL1pIQpFcLhMDBs1vBAPNE2EEQ0lccv8EO6ETPPPy-jumlRzOUUJuRt9dP_mby9I5yWS_EOEGhXCMh-iETDqPmMHWSXQNL1ISOT6dO2kX0WTys_/s640/Screenshot+%2528607%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
You know
Showra - she's had a lot of chart hits over the past couple of years and she was going to perform a couple tonight. OK then it's actually Zara Larsson
which in Hasse-speak is Showra Lowson! Firstly a ballad, "Only You", and then she moved on to a medley of "I Would Like" and "Ain't
My Fault" which provided enough time for a change of clothing for Clara and
David to announce the final televote results.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHzqde-yWFKya09Xu2hMnxThjFoRUGxEP3unjOtSIoEWkCZMqvuvbQ8zvyyNPWjZSQzP6IbaWo8LzoxmRQ_Q9_gDczTsZmzrnQ6fIQ0o9_VxBNyyYmNhrQeoudwGt8aFcPB1Z3KAFJyz6l/s1600/Screenshot+%2528701%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHzqde-yWFKya09Xu2hMnxThjFoRUGxEP3unjOtSIoEWkCZMqvuvbQ8zvyyNPWjZSQzP6IbaWo8LzoxmRQ_Q9_gDczTsZmzrnQ6fIQ0o9_VxBNyyYmNhrQeoudwGt8aFcPB1Z3KAFJyz6l/s640/Screenshot+%2528701%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Melfest's exciting jury and televote announcement always ensures an exciting end to the evening, and this voting system has now been introduced to very exciting effect in the Eurovision Song Contest to great effect. Not for the first time did the final results of the jury and televote differ. What was very noticeable this year, like last year, was that the televoting percentages were all very close and that there was no runaway winner.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGoJ9vcMZQAE6Ve8s7knR5cQFOPEOZ0rSgyNKHNnBp4EVU1g7H3EXQ9l7_w5SPxvNAs4bZNKUjGhRVJzNIIbpz_mGYqnyiDb-AjyxTDubmcal3ld9W2nvnOf0NzS-Y2zwjNmzmswzFMa6L/s1600/Screenshot+%2528618%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGoJ9vcMZQAE6Ve8s7knR5cQFOPEOZ0rSgyNKHNnBp4EVU1g7H3EXQ9l7_w5SPxvNAs4bZNKUjGhRVJzNIIbpz_mGYqnyiDb-AjyxTDubmcal3ld9W2nvnOf0NzS-Y2zwjNmzmswzFMa6L/s640/Screenshot+%2528618%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
Although Nano topped the televote with 11.9%, when this was translated into points it wasn't enough to beat Robin Bengtsson, who only came 3rd in the televote but the combined total was enough to send him, complete with his treadmills and Dressmann ad polo-necked sidekicks, to represent Sweden in this year's Eurovision Song Contest in May in Kyiv.<br />
<br />
Final Result:<br />
<br />
1. Robin Bengtsson - 146 pts<br />
2. Nano - 133pts<br />
3. Jon Henrik and Aninia - 105 pts<br />
4. Mariette - 99 pts<br />
5. Benjamin Ingrosso - 87 pts<br />
6. Wiktoria - 80 pts<br />
7. Ace Wilder - 67 pts<br />
8. Boris René - 66 pts<br />
9. Lisa Ajax - 46 pts<br />
10. Anton Hagman - 43 pts<br />
11. FO and O - 41 pts<br />
12. Owe Thörnqvist - 33 pts<br />
<br />
For me, the whole Melfest 2017 experience left me feeling a bit underwhelmed, a bit like last year., although I thought the presenters were an improvement even if many of those musical numbers fell well short of greatness.<br />
<br />
The contest no longer creates long-term stars and increasingly for many artists, they don't have any kind of career outwith Melfest. This seems to create a rather stagnant and below-par contest where certain people can be relied upon to compete, with the content being secondary. Being the old-school fan who's all about the <i>melodi</i>, I would like to see an improvement in the standard of songs at Melfest. Sweden has a reputation for slick, well-produced pop music; but Melodifestivalen no longer seems to deliver the quality it used to. It may be Europe's biggest and best national selection, but it now needs better songs if it is to maintain that reputation.
Laura (EuropeCrazy)http://www.blogger.com/profile/00049762365144495234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810011721804766871.post-67045050928764806072017-07-02T18:34:00.001+01:002017-07-02T18:34:59.676+01:00Melodifestivalen 2017: Andra Chansen, Linköping 04.03.2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYtyzju-TeJtAakkjHsYL4QXQYVleTjhKYBYVdt30i5zkRqDTpSXkuANk0AqHw11fBStCZ5BYTkMJ6KpaGZVIdPDmzLNydttJWUjJtNKrs0Sjk4cO9p6UXt7pYJDWkD2j8agfPHOrAjPRF/s1600/Screenshot+%2528525%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYtyzju-TeJtAakkjHsYL4QXQYVleTjhKYBYVdt30i5zkRqDTpSXkuANk0AqHw11fBStCZ5BYTkMJ6KpaGZVIdPDmzLNydttJWUjJtNKrs0Sjk4cO9p6UXt7pYJDWkD2j8agfPHOrAjPRF/s640/Screenshot+%2528525%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Linköping was the venue for Melfest's Andra Chansen. Of course this meant the duels, which I personally feel are a very unfair way of selecting the remaining finalists. I would prefer a straight-up 8 song heat with the top 4 going to final. but Christer and SVT prefer to jazz it up, and try and bring some excitement to an otherwise mainly boring set of songs.<br />
<br />
This week's postcards featured the artists in each duel watching and listening to their rival. By the looks of it there was a lot of love there though!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcvGzbNKh7DMMsdcitoiAGimVAX82hj_jEadX5kQxO2GALAgcKPqC8NyzOWx9q4QiP7y7HhnuCKPquSAA0P9GHuWHv3VkCNT5vX8kDGL2DnlsCh3HyS2DX8AuAFup4qw7SGWTajZZU45dW/s1600/Screenshot+%2528531%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcvGzbNKh7DMMsdcitoiAGimVAX82hj_jEadX5kQxO2GALAgcKPqC8NyzOWx9q4QiP7y7HhnuCKPquSAA0P9GHuWHv3VkCNT5vX8kDGL2DnlsCh3HyS2DX8AuAFup4qw7SGWTajZZU45dW/s640/Screenshot+%2528531%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikAU-jxaf8SoOUwXwp_Tzi9IBTH4bEz7NzFz2fGjWGc77kn4MoAZA745pjt-x2OZFxf7qnIxaiT-lviGwTW8NhzVCqXnqU-yumDRrEUtuK1F-KztZNl1PlS2zrVTjPpTrfn8R8dvGPyvG6/s1600/Screenshot+%2528532%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikAU-jxaf8SoOUwXwp_Tzi9IBTH4bEz7NzFz2fGjWGc77kn4MoAZA745pjt-x2OZFxf7qnIxaiT-lviGwTW8NhzVCqXnqU-yumDRrEUtuK1F-KztZNl1PlS2zrVTjPpTrfn8R8dvGPyvG6/s640/Screenshot+%2528532%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx7WQ6HyeNDxmwtdeTy-dtbGwuL_9J7yDSVrSHqJuSNnt-quP_xGq6Dg85-UIVxhltaYsr1aQF_K803yQJjzbPGn9ghE9_vrdqY2oMtuKO95N-geBPiI1YNiBmAVp0uzRs9_5LkdAks7Za/s1600/Screenshot+%2528533%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx7WQ6HyeNDxmwtdeTy-dtbGwuL_9J7yDSVrSHqJuSNnt-quP_xGq6Dg85-UIVxhltaYsr1aQF_K803yQJjzbPGn9ghE9_vrdqY2oMtuKO95N-geBPiI1YNiBmAVp0uzRs9_5LkdAks7Za/s640/Screenshot+%2528533%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjYV7hGgWkGkwe3D-V7XNWaPMKWK90JgqWxBUMEjrR424UG_92KV_bSpNulblGqTGgM4RXOl8oAPYAv80W8UsItYmg6_MAtTZHxlagq7wVXAS-XVsrSmyIt3ztT9S62uAMrGKti6DgYdeg/s1600/Screenshot+%2528534%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjYV7hGgWkGkwe3D-V7XNWaPMKWK90JgqWxBUMEjrR424UG_92KV_bSpNulblGqTGgM4RXOl8oAPYAv80W8UsItYmg6_MAtTZHxlagq7wVXAS-XVsrSmyIt3ztT9S62uAMrGKti6DgYdeg/s640/Screenshot+%2528534%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Duel 1: "Gotta Thing About You" - FO and O vs "Road Trip" - De Vet Du. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
So the boyband fan in me wants to like Foooooo-whatever-they're-called-this week but for me they are completely lacking in appeal and charisma. Oh, and those lyrics are still terrible, verging on parody, no wait, they are beyond parody, more than any "parodi" that the Norbergs will ever come up with.De Vet Du are a one-joke joke, but at least "Road Trip" is a fun song and a bit of effort has gone into the visual presentation. It's very entertaining although if I'm honest, none of these really deserve a place in the final.<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV5j0G4xqN9yrVb08fsxQyo62Am9zog3PJqcU3Nct6GfJMvPSJRsAguH2tpgY8o2IVWztV0UM4pxlm5xUXsL_VD_XC7q8G2ebLIbhOjmavDZeMQIJnBmMUdQ2y27qNDQfAFfL9uIEUwQW8/s1600/Screenshot+%2528535%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV5j0G4xqN9yrVb08fsxQyo62Am9zog3PJqcU3Nct6GfJMvPSJRsAguH2tpgY8o2IVWztV0UM4pxlm5xUXsL_VD_XC7q8G2ebLIbhOjmavDZeMQIJnBmMUdQ2y27qNDQfAFfL9uIEUwQW8/s640/Screenshot+%2528535%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhbOn7Y2s1KnbgriHi515K5BKY1JZzYG3KBFg_tHPNn5SMI8OU-kbjmBLe8d-Oj6UXeddjTsT4hwdnkekdbfDvyLKXdHMWR_7JSkoXFfoPV13qzaVbVuGa7ZURhlw8_KZN2oWrHdwi5NFL/s1600/Screenshot+%2528536%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhbOn7Y2s1KnbgriHi515K5BKY1JZzYG3KBFg_tHPNn5SMI8OU-kbjmBLe8d-Oj6UXeddjTsT4hwdnkekdbfDvyLKXdHMWR_7JSkoXFfoPV13qzaVbVuGa7ZURhlw8_KZN2oWrHdwi5NFL/s640/Screenshot+%2528536%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4fVy8D7aeYJkdNANjwzlWu0Yv9oEsTUUXIFdLtyBJpM96Ab49wK-IVXiSu3hyphenhyphenlACn_MjYfjMBNlrIzXldBk9qTuAIDw3k9Rrm8g4aBIPExTaHDEL0wjKYmtbm0qq7XGGQwGR7ITjG3KnI/s1600/Screenshot+%2528537%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4fVy8D7aeYJkdNANjwzlWu0Yv9oEsTUUXIFdLtyBJpM96Ab49wK-IVXiSu3hyphenhyphenlACn_MjYfjMBNlrIzXldBk9qTuAIDw3k9Rrm8g4aBIPExTaHDEL0wjKYmtbm0qq7XGGQwGR7ITjG3KnI/s640/Screenshot+%2528537%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmYGzRNIKEeB4S0bqcM2cbRkM_G6gGJKkE6T46t0xo5wfEhF2cTdMQF0szPZIlyyqoumV7FY4D4yvBpXVtOmiKPxIV6ZeShxvhj510lK3Ma7s_-H0ABBrUZW2F6gwsDfTtqYThuEDd9ZAh/s1600/Screenshot+%2528538%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmYGzRNIKEeB4S0bqcM2cbRkM_G6gGJKkE6T46t0xo5wfEhF2cTdMQF0szPZIlyyqoumV7FY4D4yvBpXVtOmiKPxIV6ZeShxvhj510lK3Ma7s_-H0ABBrUZW2F6gwsDfTtqYThuEDd9ZAh/s640/Screenshot+%2528538%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b>Duel 2: "N</b><span style="color: #222222;"><b>är Ingen Ser" - Axel Schylström vs "I Don't Give A" - Lisa Ajax.</b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #222222;">I was Team Axel all the way here, his song was old-school uptempo Melfest boy pop which now seems to be an endangered species in the contest. Extra points for a native language song too. Axel performed it with energy, professionalism and class. </span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">'Class' was not a word I would ever use to describe Lisa's song which is not the best song which The Family (the Debs-and-Anton) have ever written. The standards are slipping. it was just desperate and the song and staging were unlikeable.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">We then had a musical "mean tweets" segment from </span><span style="background-color: transparent;">David Lindgren...ending on David for the win!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMBwOGZnXSlN-iri7ImdE9ChBi5Z0QFi8Fcha7IJAYdC71UDcE-S8p79TetnugBrYwAoZRL2KPgw5OGXdAgD8Qf24Mn-sdQTKQSgAoWeTayJdOI98Qqp87ofX-bLdZ8EV-JO2RtLvu5eb/s1600/Screenshot+%2528539%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMBwOGZnXSlN-iri7ImdE9ChBi5Z0QFi8Fcha7IJAYdC71UDcE-S8p79TetnugBrYwAoZRL2KPgw5OGXdAgD8Qf24Mn-sdQTKQSgAoWeTayJdOI98Qqp87ofX-bLdZ8EV-JO2RtLvu5eb/s640/Screenshot+%2528539%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_kR3zJtxpG6f1O4Q-GW0gvcl81e6WWV9EUbz3woiN3aprm8CSjrcWU4FUYQwTHMvTme7GQ5hEU3bQVLDeyMfySXpsKPJshI74vCyMzsV-c-hhcqI8-22OuVdNXPgXKC7hCFOXS7xT_I3j/s1600/Screenshot+%2528542%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_kR3zJtxpG6f1O4Q-GW0gvcl81e6WWV9EUbz3woiN3aprm8CSjrcWU4FUYQwTHMvTme7GQ5hEU3bQVLDeyMfySXpsKPJshI74vCyMzsV-c-hhcqI8-22OuVdNXPgXKC7hCFOXS7xT_I3j/s640/Screenshot+%2528542%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUlJf9xw11MEwiDuITH3dLKzVcdmFlUXQg26X_RlOuwfdqrA2lu0YA1m0WJwgnsTamXTGat6Rqx97W7SSMYGe4zSc0GfgJnXy3GIZMceRZ_81T0_3j7qJrtp398ceId9xjWaIOAVzqf0Lo/s1600/Screenshot+%2528544%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUlJf9xw11MEwiDuITH3dLKzVcdmFlUXQg26X_RlOuwfdqrA2lu0YA1m0WJwgnsTamXTGat6Rqx97W7SSMYGe4zSc0GfgJnXy3GIZMceRZ_81T0_3j7qJrtp398ceId9xjWaIOAVzqf0Lo/s640/Screenshot+%2528544%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgshLFwkCdp8rtU9vjywT2ZkU1UVQF2jPcc7aYrl_8IZRy6bHSIkQLQUgNKX_WFP_PVoNm-cs4Zzr-zzhXo2UK-M6jpAYcF44xk4LIv2vw62o1u_kWYG5zor10KPWpJ7Ronzlim6B50-bd-/s1600/Screenshot+%2528548%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgshLFwkCdp8rtU9vjywT2ZkU1UVQF2jPcc7aYrl_8IZRy6bHSIkQLQUgNKX_WFP_PVoNm-cs4Zzr-zzhXo2UK-M6jpAYcF44xk4LIv2vw62o1u_kWYG5zor10KPWpJ7Ronzlim6B50-bd-/s640/Screenshot+%2528548%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent;"><br /></span>
<b>Duel 3: "Her Kiss" - Boris Rene vs "Hearts Align" - Dismissed.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>The reason I find the duels system unfair is that depending on the draw, inferior songs can go through from one duel, at the expense of better songs from another duel. I would have liked both of these from duel 3 to go through.<br />
<br />
Next came the Zeynos dry cleaning sketch and my only answer was....why? (By the way, completely boring fact alert - that cream-coloured curtain was the very same as the curtains in my house). I really didn't understand this sketch, apart from being a vehicle for cameo appearances by Christer and Afro-Dite.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQUnWSvqDDVEYfnR33LyBjdS8TLTWDW6tEAdq79lfFPWCrEcTOskbYPfUK-hE2V2qdATonMjAXpdsLstKJXDQh3xe8jUQ2amd0WaWY7genZ9PzPoZrxcDd_I8adgthpX4Z-7GWUEfl2IIT/s1600/Screenshot+%2528549%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQUnWSvqDDVEYfnR33LyBjdS8TLTWDW6tEAdq79lfFPWCrEcTOskbYPfUK-hE2V2qdATonMjAXpdsLstKJXDQh3xe8jUQ2amd0WaWY7genZ9PzPoZrxcDd_I8adgthpX4Z-7GWUEfl2IIT/s640/Screenshot+%2528549%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Ysppf6fRus6E1hdK255hwxKn5kG7eT2A63DDa8dA6QRGhhF8vyJRrsl_qlpKE80uBNXoOWHb8zfo8OF9xZLzx4EB25LXUYFVaQ334lz2mYoDYhD4NixZr1SMbcFj1hRXWnkMOxPY78fq/s1600/Screenshot+%2528551%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Ysppf6fRus6E1hdK255hwxKn5kG7eT2A63DDa8dA6QRGhhF8vyJRrsl_qlpKE80uBNXoOWHb8zfo8OF9xZLzx4EB25LXUYFVaQ334lz2mYoDYhD4NixZr1SMbcFj1hRXWnkMOxPY78fq/s640/Screenshot+%2528551%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIp61BkJ-kooXujJGfLHVKuw-n4uGDDybQZsFPb0RH_wNehdTQJJU5NPqYit_3pMNIFi1gPcAu5gh3pk3EDNDTXIBjrBvcBJdf7O-mYpq4enYTHC3exZ2pVg91noFB4fTnVMSlZ-sLRsz5/s1600/Screenshot+%2528555%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIp61BkJ-kooXujJGfLHVKuw-n4uGDDybQZsFPb0RH_wNehdTQJJU5NPqYit_3pMNIFi1gPcAu5gh3pk3EDNDTXIBjrBvcBJdf7O-mYpq4enYTHC3exZ2pVg91noFB4fTnVMSlZ-sLRsz5/s640/Screenshot+%2528555%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuQr4vSXNBvaMTcJJSjNtDYuddyPu5ZcUZbsOeyY-Y55YJXOPqPzhoOfcG-ebeoJFYvkiZWZsvOHSm_0t9ebvACbCSe3nV9KuPtynp8xY_iZs2YaDOfGp1gxDVSt_9tYgD-QG3nu0MNnNo/s1600/Screenshot+%2528557%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuQr4vSXNBvaMTcJJSjNtDYuddyPu5ZcUZbsOeyY-Y55YJXOPqPzhoOfcG-ebeoJFYvkiZWZsvOHSm_0t9ebvACbCSe3nV9KuPtynp8xY_iZs2YaDOfGp1gxDVSt_9tYgD-QG3nu0MNnNo/s640/Screenshot+%2528557%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<b>Duel 4: "Kiss You Goodbye" - Anton Hagman vs "Statements" - Loreen.</b><br />
<br />
The story so far: Loreen never made it <i>direkt till final</i> but by the time of Andra Chansen the general view seemed to be that everyone had seen and heard "Statements" enough to get used to it. However, foregone conclusions are never all they seem! The "app heart" crackled away during Anton's song but hardly made a move during Loreen's song. That should have been a big indication of how the result would go.<br />
<br />
This week's interval act was the duo of Daniel and Emil Norberg with an exclusive preview of the final in their well-known "parodi" style. I always enjoy this type of spoof and let's face it, Melfest can be a very good target for parody!<br />
<br />
A quick chat with Norway's commentator Per Sundnes before the next interval act, Linda Pira and Dani M - an interesting choice given that the "urban" performers in this year's Melfest didn't do very well. I wonder if Linda or Dani will take their chances in a future Melfest?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg31xDf22j7RFPAoekd6vUmhH2QH4YT9d7Yusu8QLnLlqLHGv6robsIFc8ytDbtTqZXpkWxegw8BeJiCIIihUlYXfqwT59WSy0UuylPSA0eGxG8pdyjw3u1zSxUD0Kc0vIoY-gzmaVNGvN1/s1600/Screenshot+%2528647%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg31xDf22j7RFPAoekd6vUmhH2QH4YT9d7Yusu8QLnLlqLHGv6robsIFc8ytDbtTqZXpkWxegw8BeJiCIIihUlYXfqwT59WSy0UuylPSA0eGxG8pdyjw3u1zSxUD0Kc0vIoY-gzmaVNGvN1/s640/Screenshot+%2528647%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
David Lindgren's green room serenades have become a big feature of this year's contest and this week it was the turn of "Stad i Ljus" to get the Lindgren treatment, With that <i>very</i> long note at the end!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW-fVui8ed4hxwtNu_TxrNPvUA2UWA-GwfmZ1_mqCdnPUKnxgdK-T0Augil3jXF9k_8WY_VyURadCeLXjXps5F1vDpLR5dj9p8WZG7OXOMKPOaIGiITRPX9rtl4bIp9HNfnTdCJRnngJw5/s1600/Screenshot+%2528653%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW-fVui8ed4hxwtNu_TxrNPvUA2UWA-GwfmZ1_mqCdnPUKnxgdK-T0Augil3jXF9k_8WY_VyURadCeLXjXps5F1vDpLR5dj9p8WZG7OXOMKPOaIGiITRPX9rtl4bIp9HNfnTdCJRnngJw5/s640/Screenshot+%2528653%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<i>Vi har ett resultat:</i><br />
<br />
FO and O (pronounced Fo and o) beat De Vet Du, which I wasn't too happy about. Although "Road Trip" was a novelty song, it was also good fun, whereas "Gotta Thing" was (and is) the most embarrassingly bad boyband song which my ears had suffered in a long time. <br />
<br />
Lisa won duel 2, beating Axel. (Not happy).<br />
<br />
Boris won duel 3 - but was then drawn into the running order "slot of death" - 2nd in other words.<br />
<br />
And finally....the result of the Anton v Loreen duel was revealed - and it was Anton who was going direkt, not Loreen. Anton was drawn to sing in 6th place in the running order in the final. <br />
<br />
Melfest season had started off with a big surprise - the return of Loreen - which was threatening to turn the contest into a foregone conclusion - but then came that shock result. By the end of Andra Chansen, the final line-up was known and it looked as if either Wiktoria or Nano would get the ticket to Kyiv. More surprises were to follow!Laura (EuropeCrazy)http://www.blogger.com/profile/00049762365144495234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810011721804766871.post-62274786518133692452017-07-02T18:29:00.000+01:002017-07-02T18:29:13.834+01:00Melodifestivalen 2017: Week 4, Skellefteå 25.02.2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSmSR0rfQt82B8w2b4Z3ZxpOvw8454mJ86fp6cjD0V3ps9NmeQcwke4NUdpa78a_k0nKqHuxZdUR9LIUgDo2FFrZt-kuwIwcnGekyo_vetcszLuqKpbECj9lGULa7Pe1kyIYhfGJiISpka/s1600/Melfest+Week+4+2017.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="366" data-original-width="650" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSmSR0rfQt82B8w2b4Z3ZxpOvw8454mJ86fp6cjD0V3ps9NmeQcwke4NUdpa78a_k0nKqHuxZdUR9LIUgDo2FFrZt-kuwIwcnGekyo_vetcszLuqKpbECj9lGULa7Pe1kyIYhfGJiISpka/s640/Melfest+Week+4+2017.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
A couple of weeks ago, Melfest paid tribute to Hasse's home region. Now it was the turn of Skellefteå native David Lindgren to pay tribute to his home city - a very lively "You Can't Stop The Beat"-style opening number "i Skellefte"<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt-HnA7-bGvTTlc-YWZAFTvTT5yc2bWGTam8y-S7atrRGTIWz6b2SRg2gQxJOmOy2Hd-fnQ6JADghVYMGEQrYBmUzwm_8B2cnT8HYLVcStmWVy3MoGfn-0bRwsohm14PBag0-GfLmg7vtl/s1600/Screenshot+%2528458%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt-HnA7-bGvTTlc-YWZAFTvTT5yc2bWGTam8y-S7atrRGTIWz6b2SRg2gQxJOmOy2Hd-fnQ6JADghVYMGEQrYBmUzwm_8B2cnT8HYLVcStmWVy3MoGfn-0bRwsohm14PBag0-GfLmg7vtl/s640/Screenshot+%2528458%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
By the way, for the first minutes of the show, SVT gave us all a fright with the 'broadcasting is temporarily unavailable' message. There was also some competition tonight from Dansk Melodi Grand Prix. Now, I would usually watch DMGP but had made the decision not to watch the full show, purely based on my lack of enthusiasm for the final line-up of songs this year, but just caught the superfinal later on. Finals were also taking place tonight in Moldova and Ukraine.<br />
<br />
But back to Melfest. Connection restored and time for this week's line up of songs.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9-VD95RmhBgH-Zu5r_QcFZeXWIJGxFBuqJ2NknIG5Ls0Qwp9-mKG8Fcf2xdQA2miaybldQmu60buqEIacOk41uYfBh4cMRvIo1r4CHsJQXXAGByPW8FfAPt12GostuYRYFdAmcNImf7D9/s1600/Screenshot+%2528469%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9-VD95RmhBgH-Zu5r_QcFZeXWIJGxFBuqJ2NknIG5Ls0Qwp9-mKG8Fcf2xdQA2miaybldQmu60buqEIacOk41uYfBh4cMRvIo1r4CHsJQXXAGByPW8FfAPt12GostuYRYFdAmcNImf7D9/s640/Screenshot+%2528469%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b>
<b>"En Värld Full Av Strider" - Jon Henrik Fjällgren featuring Aninia. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
A postcard in the snow. I feel the need to throw in yet another shallow note here - I forgot just how hot this guy is...<br />
<br />
But what about the song? Well, it was very mystical, with magical and epic staging. I had quite a bad time during the week in the lead up to the 4th semi-final, so this song was just what I needed. I was floaty, and pretty, the audience waved their lights in the air and there was even a key change. A bit too much oversinging by Aninia though, who has the wind machine turned up to 11. I think we may see her again in Melfest. They hugged at the end. Awww. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG50rcDe92a3f0hqV6GBnUIwGgtWuO5ah5j1w2KhxclK2XsiC2w7fEC7xBnREA7ezhq4GkGMRgwy14oX7mtSpDHZDwtubqRvNhuPgYv66UKlD1VMwL4y9XEl5RyJGmgq8hxba_sVqnI0p6/s1600/Screenshot+%2528477%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG50rcDe92a3f0hqV6GBnUIwGgtWuO5ah5j1w2KhxclK2XsiC2w7fEC7xBnREA7ezhq4GkGMRgwy14oX7mtSpDHZDwtubqRvNhuPgYv66UKlD1VMwL4y9XEl5RyJGmgq8hxba_sVqnI0p6/s640/Screenshot+%2528477%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>"Running With Lions" - Alice.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Another former Swedish Idol contestant. Alice sailed through Stockholm in her postcard. "Running With Lions" was another song in that very on-trend modern-midtempo style a la Sia. Flippin' eck, there are even lyrics inspired by Titanium here ("shoot me down but I get up"). And you know what I think of Titanium...ok I'll shut up now.<br />
<br />
Alice is likeable and it was quite an ok pop song but not too memorable. There were some good bits in it though and I might listen to it again. Tonight's show seemed to have a nod to the Melfest of old, as the wind machine was working overtime again.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMqVZrCibPOiDesnt85x6xbKuqeKMQ2fCz8IYRuvIzLMPojffdIhnd7ECa2rEBo6xeDLTnXWHOBB_FDdDwXcsu72hQ10Syo6h6mmKrgt1uFEX_j__DbZlE9wMVjJjpYbWOHrUckKhEcWk_/s1600/Screenshot+%2528484%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMqVZrCibPOiDesnt85x6xbKuqeKMQ2fCz8IYRuvIzLMPojffdIhnd7ECa2rEBo6xeDLTnXWHOBB_FDdDwXcsu72hQ10Syo6h6mmKrgt1uFEX_j__DbZlE9wMVjJjpYbWOHrUckKhEcWk_/s640/Screenshot+%2528484%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>"Bound To Fall" - Les Gordons. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Chosen from the preliminary Svensktoppen Nästa round but surprisingly not in the 2nd song 'draw of doom' slot for a change. Les Gordons are a sort of indie rock band - there are so few rock bands in Melfest now, so let's appreciate a bit of much needed musical diversity. This wasn't much of a song but it was ok.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjepG84bsX5G2Bp763BDFMM-54ihAg0S5oxwl6fXJbWE0cQIyKIaui_aPlt4D93e3ciQAjMpWs__O_xGOGy2NlzD5JladfDl9arAx7PoME502-ZsIa_CrEH432N2XpQW9pnpbFdON2ZZvpN/s1600/Screenshot+%2528488%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjepG84bsX5G2Bp763BDFMM-54ihAg0S5oxwl6fXJbWE0cQIyKIaui_aPlt4D93e3ciQAjMpWs__O_xGOGy2NlzD5JladfDl9arAx7PoME502-ZsIa_CrEH432N2XpQW9pnpbFdON2ZZvpN/s640/Screenshot+%2528488%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>"As I Lay Me Down" - Wiktoria. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
After her reasonably successful debut last year, it was inevitable that she would return to Melfest very quickly and see if she could improve on that 4th place. She wasn't wearing the projection-suit this time although that stupid logo made a brief appearance just to remind us of last year. This song was another country-flavoured pop song, a bit more appealing than "Save Me" but the one thing which still annoys me is her tendency to over-sing. So I concluded that I would probably like this song better if it wasn't belted out so forcefully. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6xNdZg47rjlDfo5LS59Z6DykJvQ6Z2DamxONyndtRVJrMD2oogH4iqMnd4k72WFicRK-zml7Wb3nudsT3gBf3LZAapeUqvZSDC1CysVyCNSdKUX1nGUYFbseiqZ1Skl2qKhdx5mst-kC_/s1600/Screenshot+%2528494%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6xNdZg47rjlDfo5LS59Z6DykJvQ6Z2DamxONyndtRVJrMD2oogH4iqMnd4k72WFicRK-zml7Wb3nudsT3gBf3LZAapeUqvZSDC1CysVyCNSdKUX1nGUYFbseiqZ1Skl2qKhdx5mst-kC_/s640/Screenshot+%2528494%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b>"När Ingen Ser" - Axel Schylström.</b></div>
<b><br /></b>
Axel, yet another former Swedish Idol contestant (from 2015) is a real survivor with an incredible back-story: 70% of his body was burned after being electrocuted in 2012. <br />
<br />
With this song, Axel brought back the upbeat boy-pop which was once a regular feature in Melfest. This was an energetic number which I thought had a little bit of the "Don't Worry" about it. Lively and well-performed, and well-deserving of a place in Andra Chansen.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5DEQAtHdL2GqZnwN0zouBAHi0wlQ4wHEK8vP7JDOHg7oZa8dPPFgvbzQMBnQM3iz3SI8Sz9z6hC54CHEkDopVaP25_PcXHf8l6Pmw5jNo80hnFZa97RRnZ73tWChQpmC6aDFMLZsrlw1m/s1600/Screenshot+%2528498%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5DEQAtHdL2GqZnwN0zouBAHi0wlQ4wHEK8vP7JDOHg7oZa8dPPFgvbzQMBnQM3iz3SI8Sz9z6hC54CHEkDopVaP25_PcXHf8l6Pmw5jNo80hnFZa97RRnZ73tWChQpmC6aDFMLZsrlw1m/s640/Screenshot+%2528498%2529.png" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<b>"Du får inte andra på mig" - Sara Varga and Juha Mulari.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Sara is like the anti-Wiktoria - a singer with a small voice. This song was the calm before the Loreen storm, but unfortunately it was a real sleeping pill of a song and had no real redeeming features. How did this make the final 28? Sara was very different looking from her last appearance on Melfest, dare I say: I think it was fair to say that she has had "work" done. Quite a lot of work.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyJMGQAzghXrsQlcgKcwNQ9-mTwdCYZEbvwVzDI8NIlMfSyFhI-DMO5BQQqTWr5FHsqxzAM1FyU7QWyX3GSTSxaqYTfLN1DMYVgn2_xbX5Oq9nz28868e07cdfK3hjCTvuvJVe4zPrq5oK/s1600/Screenshot+%2528508%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyJMGQAzghXrsQlcgKcwNQ9-mTwdCYZEbvwVzDI8NIlMfSyFhI-DMO5BQQqTWr5FHsqxzAM1FyU7QWyX3GSTSxaqYTfLN1DMYVgn2_xbX5Oq9nz28868e07cdfK3hjCTvuvJVe4zPrq5oK/s640/Screenshot+%2528508%2529.png" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<b>"Statements" - Loreen. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
I hadn't had the chance to listen to the song clips for heat 4 so this was my first listen on the night. <br />
<br />
On the one hand, it was a compelling performance piece - obviously Loreen attempted to create yet another "everlasting piece of art". But on first viewing/listen it just came across as deliberately obscure and incoherent. The song was called Statements, but I couldn't make out any of the unintelligible lyrics. If there was a story or a point to be made, it struggled to get through. That was only my view; many Loreen fanatics were lapping up the song with glee and declaring it the best thing since "Euphoria". <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqRS4_eD-ISjcs6ufthjU1RKbsdD-sp_6cmVdh_it23jagdKTYepeWULkgrxo0lutJtaYgfLv-7o8K8Rr6-pBT5D2MIKKo6_1_nqvp1rRL5J2uD376o1K3s3DPz5lujuKAXY5N_jB43Cd/s1600/Screenshot+%2528515%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqRS4_eD-ISjcs6ufthjU1RKbsdD-sp_6cmVdh_it23jagdKTYepeWULkgrxo0lutJtaYgfLv-7o8K8Rr6-pBT5D2MIKKo6_1_nqvp1rRL5J2uD376o1K3s3DPz5lujuKAXY5N_jB43Cd/s640/Screenshot+%2528515%2529.png" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
Hasse performed the interval act song with Nisse Hellberg. (pictured above)<br />
<br />
Just what was the point of that Zeynos drycleaner sketch, apart from an excuse for some Melfest cameos from Lill Lindfors, Anna Book and Tommy Nilsson?<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCH8GP4ySpvax-JYP8WfjIBi94hzOtjcH_Ih42_ZRemt8_8G0TsoAsuI12wlc1iXskb7nNV4L0ouhAXcIUM-Lwi08Tvg0ErnIrvzBCe9e8-6gOpp-dUZ8rd7d0Pxs91NMSb6P_d_iQrDBw/s1600/Screenshot+%2528516%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCH8GP4ySpvax-JYP8WfjIBi94hzOtjcH_Ih42_ZRemt8_8G0TsoAsuI12wlc1iXskb7nNV4L0ouhAXcIUM-Lwi08Tvg0ErnIrvzBCe9e8-6gOpp-dUZ8rd7d0Pxs91NMSb6P_d_iQrDBw/s640/Screenshot+%2528516%2529.png" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrap5X4G-3L_HRkrnunrjbomW3G2lJNsNzbAScsPuOz79tC0c4B1y_6MH6WHO6-lunjqBvwsg97OxiQP8RfNzRx9F4NY50u-ivpL2Da8yBJlKtCGWqb4QuNv1soICr_yfZlIpm3woWx4UE/s1600/Screenshot+%2528523%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrap5X4G-3L_HRkrnunrjbomW3G2lJNsNzbAScsPuOz79tC0c4B1y_6MH6WHO6-lunjqBvwsg97OxiQP8RfNzRx9F4NY50u-ivpL2Da8yBJlKtCGWqb4QuNv1soICr_yfZlIpm3woWx4UE/s640/Screenshot+%2528523%2529.png" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
The question in everyone's lips was....just what would David do in the green room tonight? As it turned out, he sang a song to the tune of Bra Vibrationer and produced his scissors. And then Hasse threw iced water over him. I guess David was just trying for a few GIFs this year?<br />
<br />
<i>Vi har ett resultat:</i><br />
<br />
To the final - Wiktoria and Jon Henrik and Aninia<br />
To Andra Chansen - Loreen (shock!) and Axel Schylström<br />
5th - Alice Svensson<br />
6th - Les Gordons<br />
7th - Sara Varga and Juha Mulari<br />
<br />
Needless to say, there were frenzied reactions on social media to Loreen *only making it to Andra Chansen*.<br />
<br />
EITHER<br />
<br />
<i>But she's <b>Loreen</b>, the Melfest/Eurovision legend, and this song will grow on people, and by the time next week comes, everyone will love it and it will completely walk Andra Chansen.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
OR<br />
<br />
<i>She only made it to Andra Chansen and she was even lucky to make it there. Who's to say that she would win in a duel? Particularly when against a newcomer whose fanbase will mobilise and app-vote till they can app-vote no more.....</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
As for me, I watched the clip and listened to "Statements" quite a lot in the lead-up to Andra Chansen. The song grew on me, and I probably came to the first of the above conclusions. Not for the first time, I would be very, very wrong......!Laura (EuropeCrazy)http://www.blogger.com/profile/00049762365144495234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810011721804766871.post-90252947325007080332017-07-02T18:28:00.000+01:002017-07-02T18:28:34.272+01:00Melodifestivalen 2017: Week 3, Växjö, 18.02.2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3p4nW8Aj8GkFziOiCcgGWUemXKWzzoOKKfNl00tA6B_4KXxPT2Ujg-9sJY8QJvoGDutjB4hehWKUrLXjb-2bbZXtq-a1-MEf8b8efmVXcmPexCWEHjVAspBdA3r9CDm5aVyCiiypN_DIy/s1600/Melfest+Week+3+2017.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="366" data-original-width="650" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3p4nW8Aj8GkFziOiCcgGWUemXKWzzoOKKfNl00tA6B_4KXxPT2Ujg-9sJY8QJvoGDutjB4hehWKUrLXjb-2bbZXtq-a1-MEf8b8efmVXcmPexCWEHjVAspBdA3r9CDm5aVyCiiypN_DIy/s640/Melfest+Week+3+2017.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b>
Week 3 kicked off with yet another self-referencing number, a disco-style tune, the theme of which seemed to be about what people are doing when they're watching Melfest? (In my case, I was just sitting in my living room, Chromecasting the SVT coverage to my telly, with wine and crisps at the ready).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim46kffp2evEvQS1iBrrZJ02MLAkLYPrrNV4Vc1Ok9E00AnT4mgTl-R0-vWWbOz827TF6bKk672jJiUBuHUlFLj_fz_wmJEjyvtn7GaRVkm9jmN3lY3c9Bsipu65lMHEU7H8f1zxyEsDYM/s1600/Screenshot+%2528394%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim46kffp2evEvQS1iBrrZJ02MLAkLYPrrNV4Vc1Ok9E00AnT4mgTl-R0-vWWbOz827TF6bKk672jJiUBuHUlFLj_fz_wmJEjyvtn7GaRVkm9jmN3lY3c9Bsipu65lMHEU7H8f1zxyEsDYM/s640/Screenshot+%2528394%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>"I Can't Go On" - Robin Bengtsson.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Prior to Melfest, this was probably the song I most wanted to hear. After all, "Constellation Prize" had turned out to be my favourite Melfest 2016 song. This song, co-written by 2013 Melfest winner Robin Stjernberg, promised to be a more uptempo number. All good so far then, until I actually heard the song.<br />
<br />
And I took an instant dislike to it. Everything about it was just wrong - the stupid treadmills routine, the polo necks, the whole Dressmann ad look, that stupid hand signal, and above all the completely unnecessary use of the F-word. What is it about this year's Melof-ingdifestivalen that there needs to be so much swearing? I;m no prude and not annoyed by swearing at any other time, but can we keep it out of Melfest/ESC? Good songs don't need gratuitous swear words. (Of course, the lyrics of the song were later changed, replacing the f-word with another f-word: "freakin'". Why couldn't they just have gone for that in the first place?)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXEO4mbXz7BZMaVBeMfqcj6se8HDfoeCXPXqmvTWxZ9jGtaws3iiVgnWiCylM9r4ncUWlCbtyFFhyE4b6frQ0EhSIFWrjjIuRuOV5pfRcsCd8dX114cGupktMGUjexp5dtvrdWESuT1mT1/s1600/Screenshot+%2528395%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXEO4mbXz7BZMaVBeMfqcj6se8HDfoeCXPXqmvTWxZ9jGtaws3iiVgnWiCylM9r4ncUWlCbtyFFhyE4b6frQ0EhSIFWrjjIuRuOV5pfRcsCd8dX114cGupktMGUjexp5dtvrdWESuT1mT1/s640/Screenshot+%2528395%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>"Snurra Min Jord" - Krista Siegfrids.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Fresh from her success hosting Finland's UMK, Krista returned to Melfest to try and build a schlager fanbase. She is trying hard, but I don't really know if there is a place for her in the Swedish music market. This song was OK but not spectacular. We'll probably see her again though, either in UMK or Melfest.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh-5DyAzlQk6NtOx2TJuKBCAi3l2mE53CZoTUNJgq8f82jIC8CGILqRU6GAYibx5P7BqOSQP_CGOTl3N-oJ1LIcseX_9tAn33htcIfpFgRnuU1llPpRx3hyTknhi_zXx0nUgvmtagXJxYf/s1600/Screenshot+%2528410%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh-5DyAzlQk6NtOx2TJuKBCAi3l2mE53CZoTUNJgq8f82jIC8CGILqRU6GAYibx5P7BqOSQP_CGOTl3N-oJ1LIcseX_9tAn33htcIfpFgRnuU1llPpRx3hyTknhi_zXx0nUgvmtagXJxYf/s640/Screenshot+%2528410%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b>"Kiss You Goodbye" - Anton Hagman.</b></div>
<b><br /></b>
And now Melfest turns into Stars In Their Eyes. My name is Anton Hagman and tonight Matthew, I'm going to be...Shawn Mendes! *Walks through the smoke and doors and re-emerges as Shawn Mendes*<br />
<br />
"Kiss You Goodbye" was also rather too close to "Stitches" for comfort. But the power of the "youth" vote in Melfest can't be underestimated (and the less said about that "app vote" the better) so it was inevitable that he would qualify to something. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOv7hth31DZjYKr3Rf-_fPA7gC_OGT770Ewr1iJkGgeefKNOEOsCfEQ3umq7H_GJE6MZJV3CSQXCy5EAleXeoMO-0xDqocSVIGoSB1I8mJdl0agD5KSu12hbdHZN0r3Rutvlw-5yB6OKzB/s1600/Screenshot+%2528414%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOv7hth31DZjYKr3Rf-_fPA7gC_OGT770Ewr1iJkGgeefKNOEOsCfEQ3umq7H_GJE6MZJV3CSQXCy5EAleXeoMO-0xDqocSVIGoSB1I8mJdl0agD5KSu12hbdHZN0r3Rutvlw-5yB6OKzB/s640/Screenshot+%2528414%2529.png" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<b>"Gravity" - Jasmine Kara.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Before the contest I thought that Jasmine Kara might sneak some kind of qualification place so it was a surprise that she only ended in 6th place in this heat. Maybe people have just had enough of "Titanium"....! As indeed have I, as regular readers of this blog over the past couple of years might remember.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZR-RSgaMW0Qvhp-6k793i-7xEKJM6mktVR_eB0O1l3VTD70r1JcyJDbpJ2eGFQQaxAzURIkJb02xqxVwJLuVJaVR2UHHHRPXsAPHvY0sPd1RrT0430xLL5gRGgMIi7xYRjQX3BEMym_FQ/s1600/Screenshot+%2528432%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZR-RSgaMW0Qvhp-6k793i-7xEKJM6mktVR_eB0O1l3VTD70r1JcyJDbpJ2eGFQQaxAzURIkJb02xqxVwJLuVJaVR2UHHHRPXsAPHvY0sPd1RrT0430xLL5gRGgMIi7xYRjQX3BEMym_FQ/s640/Screenshot+%2528432%2529.png" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<b>"Boogieman Blues" - Owe Thörnqvist.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
At 87 years old at the time of the contest, Owe Thörnqvist is the oldest Melfest contestant ever. So it's understandable if he wasn't as light on his feet as he used to be! I wasn't the least bit surprised at this doing so well, thanks to all the advance publicity, the nostalgia factor and, well, Owe still rocks!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbqGZ82YeLmV707PT99GkKiEddpenMVAE31ab2TjVmhXMgkDLCEbFOGkHZRM5mHejPyLUN6wOpTZq0ECiO_bNsfAhK5uaMBjA31GXPTTsk5AFjxxAS3MQ8WobXvOAbU2mNcGy0GWQoa4_/s1600/Screenshot+%2528435%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbqGZ82YeLmV707PT99GkKiEddpenMVAE31ab2TjVmhXMgkDLCEbFOGkHZRM5mHejPyLUN6wOpTZq0ECiO_bNsfAhK5uaMBjA31GXPTTsk5AFjxxAS3MQ8WobXvOAbU2mNcGy0GWQoa4_/s640/Screenshot+%2528435%2529.png" width="640" /></a><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>"Crucified" - Bella and Filippa.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Remember the Common Linnets' simple but effective visual effect of the line down the middle of the road? So did Bella and Filippa, with a cheeky steal here. It must be a new "country music in song contests" trope. This was a very pleasant song although lacking in any spectacular features to take it out of its heat.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidyeqNxuoa1enWlWmOmw-Xs6w9-L-Ka1tPvXozd-8hyphenhyphenLNaT8gqndaN3m8qBaO7B0oaY-jSnW4nIRpaW5Q41gBazZNxArCdpI19AgIkW-q-J1odaQCI7Ie4XGz_X8woY5t0ld6yu-_9aE6A/s1600/Screenshot+%2528442%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidyeqNxuoa1enWlWmOmw-Xs6w9-L-Ka1tPvXozd-8hyphenhyphenLNaT8gqndaN3m8qBaO7B0oaY-jSnW4nIRpaW5Q41gBazZNxArCdpI19AgIkW-q-J1odaQCI7Ie4XGz_X8woY5t0ld6yu-_9aE6A/s640/Screenshot+%2528442%2529.png" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<b>"Gotta Thing About You" - FO and O.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
The popular boyband with more names than we've all had hot dinners (recent change of name due to them losing an O) finally made their Melfest debut. So, was this nonsense the best that legendary songwriter Mutt Lange could come up with? "Every time you bake I wanna eat cake". By the way that is not a tribute to the Great British Bake Off. At this rate, Melfest will be getting an X certificate. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6qxcf7UzJiN7WqUW_7oQnh6srs1IrOUDBV-s3HpK7uV9stKL3OF8WoDf65gWNkBs1lHzJHg9jLE2LMWf3ykoyE0XDKEY49BH_XsBIGHwGJnlrjOi0pbScFthUp3j1kGZPKbNvB96evu51/s1600/Screenshot+%2528448%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6qxcf7UzJiN7WqUW_7oQnh6srs1IrOUDBV-s3HpK7uV9stKL3OF8WoDf65gWNkBs1lHzJHg9jLE2LMWf3ykoyE0XDKEY49BH_XsBIGHwGJnlrjOi0pbScFthUp3j1kGZPKbNvB96evu51/s640/Screenshot+%2528448%2529.png" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
Top of the class indeed! The first interval act was Clara singing a rewrite of Alcazar's "Not A Sinner Nor A Saint", reinvented as a female empowerment anthem. So it was very appropriate that she should be joined by Lina and Tess from Alcazar. Maximum glitter and glamour.<br />
<br />
Melfest this year also welcomed a new tradition: the green room song by David Lindgren, which formed the second interval act. So I'm trying to do screenshots here but sometimes you just have to press the pause button for full effect. Sorry readers.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLHopKJ_xawqyfZ433VoJRjdp3OoucVTXuDU3qx6WUfE1UOFaZ1Axa1g1YyLOKDxh8pmAoMl3vyq1BNPyqPjRGixshzDdUJTzsa-xIHnh2qw0eP23GpxqbvFqs4QlrJR4Q29ZmfgiP-s6Q/s1600/Screenshot+%2528453%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLHopKJ_xawqyfZ433VoJRjdp3OoucVTXuDU3qx6WUfE1UOFaZ1Axa1g1YyLOKDxh8pmAoMl3vyq1BNPyqPjRGixshzDdUJTzsa-xIHnh2qw0eP23GpxqbvFqs4QlrJR4Q29ZmfgiP-s6Q/s640/Screenshot+%2528453%2529.png" width="640" /></a><b><br /></b><br />
<br />
(Anton Hagman grins a painful but relieved grin that he was spared David Lindgren's tongue. Robin Bengtsson not so lucky).<br />
<br />
<i>Vi har ett resultat:</i><br />
<br />
To the Final: Robin Bengtsson and Owe Thörnqvist<br />
To Andra Chansen: Anton Hagman and the Foooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo<br />
5th - Bella and Filippa<br />
6th - Jasmine Kara<br />
7th - Krista SiegfridsLaura (EuropeCrazy)http://www.blogger.com/profile/00049762365144495234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810011721804766871.post-31427603479020726162017-07-02T18:27:00.001+01:002017-07-02T18:27:49.015+01:00Melodifestivalen 2017: Week 2, Malmö 11.02.2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguCCrpqY1v6461WeXdxpQx-EWWbyoBbVqHWQnOBjQvIQenJM9m53nA5Kd__LkgnLZjhD5uLxGBXRA4gEXC9fex8TKPWEArrQzkOZ2gPkJZvxmOf4onC0l7wHxnhEBWz2Ioom2Rzf_vH-wS/s1600/Melfest+Week+2+2017.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="366" data-original-width="650" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguCCrpqY1v6461WeXdxpQx-EWWbyoBbVqHWQnOBjQvIQenJM9m53nA5Kd__LkgnLZjhD5uLxGBXRA4gEXC9fex8TKPWEArrQzkOZ2gPkJZvxmOf4onC0l7wHxnhEBWz2Ioom2Rzf_vH-wS/s640/Melfest+Week+2+2017.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">This week: three returnees (Mariette, Lisa Ajax and former winner Roger Pontare) and four debutants.</span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMB2ci795dbD9UQ4Fi-zXOz6I_LRhFKpHQ_mHpX1xuCBnTlOe2g0Wx-m8k7jKsZqVWtr6nABbyR8glcTSoc5CPR5fXzmrt_nD2UwSqpiaIrn3hiV1-GpPGgWb62kL_mNG7auTJ_Aw6fklZ/s1600/Screenshot+%2528323%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMB2ci795dbD9UQ4Fi-zXOz6I_LRhFKpHQ_mHpX1xuCBnTlOe2g0Wx-m8k7jKsZqVWtr6nABbyR8glcTSoc5CPR5fXzmrt_nD2UwSqpiaIrn3hiV1-GpPGgWb62kL_mNG7auTJ_Aw6fklZ/s640/Screenshot+%2528323%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">As ever, the Swedish tabloid press was keeping a close eye on the proceedings, monitoring every line of every script and every musical number. This week's opening number, "Han är en skåning" was a tribute to the unique accent Hasse Andersson and the area of southern Sweden where heat 2 was taking place - but the general view of the press was that it was cringeworthy. I didn't really enjoy it either and it overstayed its welcome.
<b style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
</span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu594qDuRveDkQ-HnjeHCLO6J1aICr8z4r2HOHGX-hevle18V4G1uySaDTY8fPALBbyDzBXeRAbVqUSTnLzb_Pl0khogOzYotGW_CM4TMBWQO1p70yzfAyDh0B8hjbBPli9vlMkDH-rpyu/s1600/Screenshot+%2528331%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu594qDuRveDkQ-HnjeHCLO6J1aICr8z4r2HOHGX-hevle18V4G1uySaDTY8fPALBbyDzBXeRAbVqUSTnLzb_Pl0khogOzYotGW_CM4TMBWQO1p70yzfAyDh0B8hjbBPli9vlMkDH-rpyu/s640/Screenshot+%2528331%2529.png" width="640" /></a></span></b></span></b></div>
<b style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
<b style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
<b style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b>
<b style="color: #222222;">"A Million Years" - Mariette.</b><br />
<b style="color: #222222;"><br /></b>
Mariette made her long-awaited debut with something more uptempo than her debut song. She absolutely deserved her qualification. She was one of the most talented artists in this year's contest, although the staging for me left a lot to be desired: backing singers/dancers hanging from bungee cords, were later to be mocked in Daniel Norberg's annual "Parodifestivalen" sketch. </span></b></span></b><br />
<div>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><b style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></b>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmxVxpWgVSosbfL9S8vHJyljUeWFeXSYAzUNwOwpko1zFntO49rFxgcOx2z7kSDDrix1lY7hhQYmMToFvBZFIzpD7lIvXSmiVunnShmfFf3FA19p5LQ06d-tVjR3jkuUzhSWhwbCvTPeOx/s1600/Screenshot+%2528338%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmxVxpWgVSosbfL9S8vHJyljUeWFeXSYAzUNwOwpko1zFntO49rFxgcOx2z7kSDDrix1lY7hhQYmMToFvBZFIzpD7lIvXSmiVunnShmfFf3FA19p5LQ06d-tVjR3jkuUzhSWhwbCvTPeOx/s640/Screenshot+%2528338%2529.png" width="640" /></a></span></b></div>
<b style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></b>
<br />
<div>
<b style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b><br /></b></span></b></div>
<b style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></b>
<br />
<div>
<b style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="color: #222222;">"Himmel och Hav" - Roger Pontare.</b></span></b></div>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
<b style="color: #222222; font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<span style="color: #222222; font-weight: normal;">Fire! Traditional clothing! Dramatic Swedish anthemic music! Yes this could only mean one thing - the return of the legendary Roger Pontare to the Melfest stage. Many (myself included) were of the view that Roger should have at least got a place in Andra Chansen, This was Roger effortlessly doing what he does best. </span><br />
<br />
</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKLAvHVZ10HwGroOhdaI8bmMIiyEEI2LnkAHSIiOfhD3XI4ADy1naZILZZA63VFCabojcvCZq0qNQnk6roInmRe-RzGcP_7Me2JTTC-2XWdUURgGmLz8cDAKnyMtDTvp0uIm_TEf1S43iR/s1600/Screenshot+%2528350%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKLAvHVZ10HwGroOhdaI8bmMIiyEEI2LnkAHSIiOfhD3XI4ADy1naZILZZA63VFCabojcvCZq0qNQnk6roInmRe-RzGcP_7Me2JTTC-2XWdUURgGmLz8cDAKnyMtDTvp0uIm_TEf1S43iR/s640/Screenshot+%2528350%2529.png" width="640" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
<br />
</span></span><br />
<div style="color: #222222; font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>"Up" - Etzia.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b><br /></b>
An energetic debut for Etzia with a song with a similar style and feelgood factor to "Kizunguzungu" from last year. Dancers on roller skates. A lively and enjoyable song, but the vocals let it down in places. I hope we see her again though. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_3qaoC07OI1ZEo171lH03kVuxzdBoa4unCtsTBlYnqt7cGSDMh6ZZVjOmFup9gWo5YrjjfVx09qWPSwPtixnJOEQBjrVc6LdgjPZqUxQLwO4RzCiXXoaMENIqMMfm0kGJ6sFxGpX5jr8L/s1600/Screenshot+%2528352%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_3qaoC07OI1ZEo171lH03kVuxzdBoa4unCtsTBlYnqt7cGSDMh6ZZVjOmFup9gWo5YrjjfVx09qWPSwPtixnJOEQBjrVc6LdgjPZqUxQLwO4RzCiXXoaMENIqMMfm0kGJ6sFxGpX5jr8L/s640/Screenshot+%2528352%2529.png" width="640" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b><br /></b><b>"Vart Har Du Vart" - Allyawan. </b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b><br /></b>
Despite being very contemporary, r'n'b or rap doesn't travel very well in Melfest and I think it would be fair to say that Allyawan delivered one of the most off-key performances since Jemini. Actually, scrap that, nothing even comes close to <i>them.... </i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyC731XABBNBRbsEuUUcJpT4n7IckB1TOmLV37FBcxTTyZByGjK8ji_xQUfWMKjG8mjBEtb0lvCcococs-OlYBg-RBWgHMdk1UrI-80pWBrSvtcpVcU1QL8MyMEpC43qvA09ePKUYWMGrc/s1600/Screenshot+%2528364%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyC731XABBNBRbsEuUUcJpT4n7IckB1TOmLV37FBcxTTyZByGjK8ji_xQUfWMKjG8mjBEtb0lvCcococs-OlYBg-RBWgHMdk1UrI-80pWBrSvtcpVcU1QL8MyMEpC43qvA09ePKUYWMGrc/s640/Screenshot+%2528364%2529.png" width="640" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>"Hearts Align" - Dismissed.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b><br /></b>As the picture above proves, Dismissed have a very strong androgynous image and they also had a rather good song which was written by none other than Ola Salo and Peter Kvint. This certainly deserved its qualification place although the visuals maybe just overshadowed the song a bit too much.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI48G-Ou21-aHyZ9mpiQ_VUTSo3mv3f2vGqdhiuiWzOylSgPFwmTa63-Dewn9IwswZm5E8oA8v3D93sz4qT3RWCpP6WZeUI70v_LB6SAmFZuR0WgQEr0UpAXs-FTb1nbECdX92W-zEQp1x/s1600/Screenshot+%2528370%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI48G-Ou21-aHyZ9mpiQ_VUTSo3mv3f2vGqdhiuiWzOylSgPFwmTa63-Dewn9IwswZm5E8oA8v3D93sz4qT3RWCpP6WZeUI70v_LB6SAmFZuR0WgQEr0UpAXs-FTb1nbECdX92W-zEQp1x/s640/Screenshot+%2528370%2529.png" width="640" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b><br /></b>
<b>"I Don't Give A" - Lisa Ajax. </b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b><br /></b>
Lisa Ajax made a quick return after last year's debut with an ill-advised potty-mouthed song by team Deb, this time co-written with Ola Svensson. Combined with the egotistical backing screens (which would inspire many a Eurovision participant to later plaster their own face all over the backing LED screens in Kyiv), everything about this was just wrong for me.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b><br /></b>
</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG2c2kucV9nGXwTWx_anDvv42rAmO5W5xDbXoNUctE0oKyhRnVVKITTc75GL7Aavj7-31Yi97KzTsyBgLTFQFd0ox1XY7DY4eD-g33wKH8LcTu3XBce7Q_9G-k1g_A6HFXJpUARMOMafVe/s1600/Screenshot+%2528374%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG2c2kucV9nGXwTWx_anDvv42rAmO5W5xDbXoNUctE0oKyhRnVVKITTc75GL7Aavj7-31Yi97KzTsyBgLTFQFd0ox1XY7DY4eD-g33wKH8LcTu3XBce7Q_9G-k1g_A6HFXJpUARMOMafVe/s640/Screenshot+%2528374%2529.png" width="640" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b><br /></b>
<b>"Good Lovin'" - Benjamin Ingrosso. </b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b><br /></b>
From a family of Swedish showbiz royalty - the Wahlgren/Ingrosso clan - Benjamin Ingrosso made his debut as a well-known face. Yet his song was just a pale attempt at emulating "Can't Stop The Feeling", accompanied by some very low-budget staging. This is another one I can't watch without thinking of the Norberg 'parodi' version.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwk7NedZwF4x-yjeFEvAZhj0BPJMM9c7cpC9ZjBguhdPCBFq0Mz4qE4rSehX-m-l67WUP2cecCBXMFmJjf6BBImLEEODhNDV3C5LQks0XseJ_dbXxXhuvithsM7YtyuQIkjcmdyHl0Vpjd/s1600/Screenshot+%2528384%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwk7NedZwF4x-yjeFEvAZhj0BPJMM9c7cpC9ZjBguhdPCBFq0Mz4qE4rSehX-m-l67WUP2cecCBXMFmJjf6BBImLEEODhNDV3C5LQks0XseJ_dbXxXhuvithsM7YtyuQIkjcmdyHl0Vpjd/s640/Screenshot+%2528384%2529.png" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAL77R8OLonuEY1Wx5d3JeIvbPkURe3Nv5l1w2H6pLgdwgHLy1Nrts9q0wNAoRP2WbFydvoHI897LgsKXk15ztuX1jns0CV9vzTdPdTf_B7bdiPgKpiS41Y0Pbi65jXsQwXqILmH5Kq5Ba/s1600/Screenshot+%2528386%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAL77R8OLonuEY1Wx5d3JeIvbPkURe3Nv5l1w2H6pLgdwgHLy1Nrts9q0wNAoRP2WbFydvoHI897LgsKXk15ztuX1jns0CV9vzTdPdTf_B7bdiPgKpiS41Y0Pbi65jXsQwXqILmH5Kq5Ba/s640/Screenshot+%2528386%2529.png" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="color: #222222;">
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
If week 2's songs were a bit of a rather disappointing mixed bag, the real highlight of the evening was to come. This week's interval act was David Lindgren's "Mellokavalkad", a quickfire and quick-change medley of Melodifestivalen hits, which showed off his impressive vocals and proved he has a great sense of humour too, although that Tommy Nilsson was just a little too cruel for my taste!</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
There's nothing Melfest likes more than self-referencing these days, so the second interval act was a song called, I think, "Tack för alla röster".</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>Vi har ett resultat:</i><br />
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
To the Final: Mariette and Benjamin Ingrosso</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
To Andra Chansen: Dismissed and Lisa Ajax</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
5th - Roger Pontare</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
6th - Etzia</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
7th - Allyawan.</div>
</span></span></span></div>
Laura (EuropeCrazy)http://www.blogger.com/profile/00049762365144495234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810011721804766871.post-68140222059146107532017-07-02T18:27:00.000+01:002017-07-02T18:27:04.565+01:00Melodifestivalen 2017: Week 1, Gothenburg 06.02.2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Y1hvfzrck4LW2Cb1bKB5hCfe8BdPrO7ae75qr_-0knaUrqs0dqG2NWp-PkhFFZEjEE7lpPXqsmZZNIyNmRlts6nwxrAv5hAiRad119GPyBrcEWf_5gBA8FGNJn-aU6xXa7qIlEtpLjtn/s1600/Melfest+Week+1+2017.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="480" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Y1hvfzrck4LW2Cb1bKB5hCfe8BdPrO7ae75qr_-0knaUrqs0dqG2NWp-PkhFFZEjEE7lpPXqsmZZNIyNmRlts6nwxrAv5hAiRad119GPyBrcEWf_5gBA8FGNJn-aU6xXa7qIlEtpLjtn/s640/Melfest+Week+1+2017.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-1nkz7zNpYAoh2nS7jwuqg04Mqgjl-mgFx6axqWzGb5wQOSFOnAboJhff7FG168kHb32dZvglhgOhgTHscT8xv2RAESAfLXeJQs55X_QbT7ua8FmukdKYJ6UGmW2hRoEpdxtDVakBRBz/s1600/Screenshot+%2528265%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-1nkz7zNpYAoh2nS7jwuqg04Mqgjl-mgFx6axqWzGb5wQOSFOnAboJhff7FG168kHb32dZvglhgOhgTHscT8xv2RAESAfLXeJQs55X_QbT7ua8FmukdKYJ6UGmW2hRoEpdxtDVakBRBz/s640/Screenshot+%2528265%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
After the traditional recap from last year, it was time for the opening number, a celebration of <i>hela Sveriges fest. </i>But was there really any need for "Melo-f***ing-difestivalen"? Maybe it was a nod to the potty-mouthed entries in the weeks to come?<br />
<br />
Even if it was a return to a very familiar venue in Gothenburg, there was a new look to Melfest with not one, not two, but three presenters. Gina Dirawi had co-presented for three out of the previous five years, but this year marked the presenting debut of blogger and presenter Clara Henry, joined by former contestants David Lindgren and Hasse Andersson, I thought they were a good mix.<br />
<br />
Clara was very professional and I would definitely welcome her back to present the show again. Over this year's contest, David effortlessly made the leap from three-time competitor with that dull boring-bank-clerk reputation, to an all-singing, all-dancing revelation with a great sense of humour. Who knew? Well, he is a very experienced musical theatre performer, and that experience certainly paid off in this year's Melfest.<br />
<br />
And as for Hasse....aww bless! Hasse is just, well, <i>Hasse</i>, and is there for no other particular reason other than tying us up in knots with his unique Skåne dialect. To begin with, it was incomprehensible, but as the weeks progressed it became all the more endearing, and his reading out of the "nio nio nio" telephone numbers was a weekly treat. <br />
<br />
<b><u>The Set</u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
This year's stage set was diamond-shaped and very futuristic. I liked it and thought it was an improvement on some of the more anonymous sets of recent years.<br />
<br />
<b><u>The postcards</u></b><br />
<br />
The postcards this year focused on the artists at home with their families or showing them following particular interests. It was a nice personal touch. The same electro-dance music as last year was also used for the postcards and I was very happy with that.<br />
<br />
Week 1 featured no less than 4 returnees - Boris Rene, Ace Wilder, Dinah Nah and 1999 ESC winner Charlotte Perrelli.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1bfs6z5MsjyAVKxbbZ7N-CELhxUcWxZNwPJ3EwplEOevbxhifzY0LSSHIPVKmZ_AXI0-tBC1ooer7pYBLXz1g4BVX3BisXapkkAlqnNH-V6asf5FC5h50zJU1Ntvqn4w4qlZx2pib_wbK/s1600/Screenshot+%2528269%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1bfs6z5MsjyAVKxbbZ7N-CELhxUcWxZNwPJ3EwplEOevbxhifzY0LSSHIPVKmZ_AXI0-tBC1ooer7pYBLXz1g4BVX3BisXapkkAlqnNH-V6asf5FC5h50zJU1Ntvqn4w4qlZx2pib_wbK/s640/Screenshot+%2528269%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>"Her Kiss" - Boris Rene.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Boris provided a lively start to the show, with a song by the Larsson/Lundgren partnership who have been a regular fixture in Melfest over the past few years. "Her Kiss" wasn't as instant as the "litter box" song from 2016 but I quite liked it, even if most of the fandom didn't.
One more piece of good news: everyone's favourite dancer Edin Jusuframic was back again :) In case you don't know who I'm talking about - if you think back to "Love Love Peace Peace" in last year's ESC final, he was the young guy replaced by the old guy with the traditional musical instrument!
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQXPpA3CfocvtfU3jZWG0cAPiY26dCFsogd4D7_lYBIjCMWGVKTD07_lhU67XLjjPTKO4HefxFd7Vood_DlWCFDCVjaHqIzLvkJ6zXyF0RbmreBLtxgw3uqhxcYiSEv7EX7kWQsTR3ujWB/s1600/Screenshot+%2528273%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQXPpA3CfocvtfU3jZWG0cAPiY26dCFsogd4D7_lYBIjCMWGVKTD07_lhU67XLjjPTKO4HefxFd7Vood_DlWCFDCVjaHqIzLvkJ6zXyF0RbmreBLtxgw3uqhxcYiSEv7EX7kWQsTR3ujWB/s640/Screenshot+%2528273%2529.png" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
<b style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></b>
<b>"Amare" - Adrijana. </b></span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b>
Adrijana has a fascinating background and she had a very interesting postcard as well. Unfortunately this was in the 'slot of death' and she struggled with her vocals at times. I think I read somewhere that she wasn't feeling very well in the lead-up to the show. Despite some positive comments from Melfest fans she probably suffered from the draw position and lack of name recognition. </span>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRdnwBJQhtjbPU014FekU4h_71omPh4wl-8a2wDFliV9KMEFL8j9lx6X5IJfYBdgMvx9-8TKd9Ke0nckE2mVAGGh4yshXUkxgA74b17zQ8kSKkVqD53QUJxVA7VpXHetwG6ILj7uLmsn2e/s1600/Screenshot+%2528276%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRdnwBJQhtjbPU014FekU4h_71omPh4wl-8a2wDFliV9KMEFL8j9lx6X5IJfYBdgMvx9-8TKd9Ke0nckE2mVAGGh4yshXUkxgA74b17zQ8kSKkVqD53QUJxVA7VpXHetwG6ILj7uLmsn2e/s640/Screenshot+%2528276%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<b style="font-family: inherit;">"One More Night" - Dinah Nah. </b><br />
<b style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></b>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Dinah's styling was really over the top this year -a cross between After Dark, Charlotte Perrelli and showgirl-Kylie, and topping it all was a pink wig. Yes it's all old-school Melfest but this song just didn't have the same appeal for me as "Make Me (La La La)" although having said that, it took that song some time to grow on me.
<br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr94obnNVg34DPIu9IibVdiwNZ7_0L7zsYeCGF-skMV60ItR68F7809ZlcKNFyqN72wb_S9YStV9GI_AWiyb6b-LpF0WtiwxewSQuEYQbyE8-TTcA7Cqvp_j6kzfxa5fHHhqB1tjq2NXFM/s1600/Screenshot+%2528287%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr94obnNVg34DPIu9IibVdiwNZ7_0L7zsYeCGF-skMV60ItR68F7809ZlcKNFyqN72wb_S9YStV9GI_AWiyb6b-LpF0WtiwxewSQuEYQbyE8-TTcA7Cqvp_j6kzfxa5fHHhqB1tjq2NXFM/s640/Screenshot+%2528287%2529.png" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="background-color: #f8f9fa; font-family: "times new roman";"><b><br /></b></span>
<b style="font-family: inherit;">"Road Trip" - De Vet Du.</b><br />
<b style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></b>
<span style="color: #222222;">De Vet Du are that most modern thing - YouTube and social media stars crossing over into Melfest. One of these guys is called DJ Hunk. (The process of elimination should have been a pretty easy one). He must save a fortune on clothes - well, tops anyway! </span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222;">There were lots of sharp camera angles, and it was filmed like a music video. I</span><span style="color: #222222;"> expected to hate this but it was good fun, and I do have a slight crush on Christopher Martland....! </span><br />
<br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv_C87sQ_KWQTNwHmuuf0owMD32C0Fm0ykILfemx9AiKd6KbFnir3PyOEfVEvzV801IGVZjDKQDZfXx41VWlBHXfrn4ekJ-KxR2pu-zi_YzQpSsC1vEZdPGcnZATccWM0SLYcZJG8vS_kN/s1600/Screenshot+%2528291%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv_C87sQ_KWQTNwHmuuf0owMD32C0Fm0ykILfemx9AiKd6KbFnir3PyOEfVEvzV801IGVZjDKQDZfXx41VWlBHXfrn4ekJ-KxR2pu-zi_YzQpSsC1vEZdPGcnZATccWM0SLYcZJG8vS_kN/s640/Screenshot+%2528291%2529.png" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
<b style="color: #222222;"><br /></b>
<b>"Mitt Liv" - Charlotte Perrelli.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
A very cute postcard for C<span style="font-family: inherit;">harlotte Perrelli, featuring her little boy. The only glitter going on this time round was the glitter on her cape and her guitar. Yes, that's right, <i>an acoustic guitar - what????</i> This was really just a promo for the all-new Charlotte with a rather dull new musical style, and no-one was buying it. Good luck to her though for staying true to herself.</span><br />
<br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLfW1xdpmDhxn64yi2a-SE4r11hptUhqiKJbvCCIrMi-d256_J09HZi7r_dLjYe-wI69mC1UgzjgyiqxmdAdLRvCDaeQTYNvB_hNNPeeGYrXIwIwUOtkjDCVL4-ZpienAF7-OA32MgV6We/s1600/Screenshot+%2528297%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLfW1xdpmDhxn64yi2a-SE4r11hptUhqiKJbvCCIrMi-d256_J09HZi7r_dLjYe-wI69mC1UgzjgyiqxmdAdLRvCDaeQTYNvB_hNNPeeGYrXIwIwUOtkjDCVL4-ZpienAF7-OA32MgV6We/s640/Screenshot+%2528297%2529.png" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
<br />
<b>"Wild Child" - Ace Wilder. </b></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ace was dressed in a crop top and tracksuit bottoms, although I wasn't keen on her new platinum blonde style. "Wild Child" (a G:son co-write, no less!) was perhaps a more 'accessible' pop song and showed a softer side than her previous entries, although I have liked all three of her Melfest entries to date. </span></div>
<div style="color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGav9TXuheAuNS0ODjQ2uMyjPGUDMMrY7WmlJiL0OigZSipDE1h1_G4ZBX2Kp-GBpDuooDEHPtz3sfA3NPBzTAeHUY7sFBC7vC0f4JDSu17GKVEUFRoVX9z2Vzoaz7mEBIfuLEhkw8VP5d/s1600/Screenshot+%2528307%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGav9TXuheAuNS0ODjQ2uMyjPGUDMMrY7WmlJiL0OigZSipDE1h1_G4ZBX2Kp-GBpDuooDEHPtz3sfA3NPBzTAeHUY7sFBC7vC0f4JDSu17GKVEUFRoVX9z2Vzoaz7mEBIfuLEhkw8VP5d/s640/Screenshot+%2528307%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="color: #222222;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #222222;">
<b>"Hold On" - Nano.</b></div>
<b><br /></b>
Rag n'Bone Hozier? This song seemed to be influenced by those recent hitmakers. New name Nano had a <span style="font-family: inherit;">back story of course, which has had a lot of publicity. He's now a reformed character concentrating on his music career. With a number of very positive reviews of this contemporary song before the first heat, it was no surprise he did so well. </span><br />
<br />
<div style="color: #222222;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #222222; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR7Nq-FNjjv7Trp_tg9EjalUiEjkHri6hPr-X6O3R0D-CCa8Ucfdsw1JxiQMGTTdY5OTo-HW6txBEw-PeRsIqjvi7_xGaMy2vIUeyVGRLLcstXODAi2YVEPmSHGEzpdZDu6x5kFyujw5J8/s1600/Screenshot+%2528318%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR7Nq-FNjjv7Trp_tg9EjalUiEjkHri6hPr-X6O3R0D-CCa8Ucfdsw1JxiQMGTTdY5OTo-HW6txBEw-PeRsIqjvi7_xGaMy2vIUeyVGRLLcstXODAi2YVEPmSHGEzpdZDu6x5kFyujw5J8/s640/Screenshot+%2528318%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The interval act featured a musical makeover for Hasse Andersson, reinvented as the "bad boy of heavy metal", head to toe in leathers, performing on stage with Mustasch, whose frontman Ralf competed in Melfest 2013 with "Bed On Fire". Hasse's beloved song "Änglahund" was reinvented as "Hound From Hell"! The second </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">interval act of the evening was the Gothenburg Opera Dance Company with "Untitled Black", a modern dance number. I don't really like 'contemporary dance' all that much if I'm honest. </span><br />
<div style="color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Vi har ett resultat: </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">To the Final: Nano and Ace Wilder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">To Andra Chansen: Boris Rene and D</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">e Vet Du</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">5th - Dinah Nah</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">6th - Adrijana</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">7th - Charlotte Perrelli.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
Laura (EuropeCrazy)http://www.blogger.com/profile/00049762365144495234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810011721804766871.post-63306689057981052862017-07-02T18:24:00.003+01:002017-07-02T18:24:39.101+01:00Let the EuropeCrazy blog posts backlog begin!Good news! Finally getting round to posting all my outstanding backlog of blog posts. <br />
<br />
In the coming weeks you can look forward to some posts about Melodifestivalen, Eurovision, and two fabulous holidays. <br />
<br />
Let's get the backlog started with a look back at this year's Melodifestivalen. Laura (EuropeCrazy)http://www.blogger.com/profile/00049762365144495234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810011721804766871.post-11512205701757770162017-07-02T16:12:00.000+01:002017-07-02T16:12:50.316+01:00The Square-Eyed Couch Potato: May-June 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEMl6MTPY8jmXMYk6grhNbl5Hjggi6X7slwbRDStcCpc3izgZZZ87ddTzuKq2gON3RW7jxsvOD-MaZEPo5-GoaLPxTHTBgKJkCiohfQ8xDRfpX510_ONvTSr8RWBANh8vvP8O9oRlwTE0G/s1600/The+Same+Sky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="700" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEMl6MTPY8jmXMYk6grhNbl5Hjggi6X7slwbRDStcCpc3izgZZZ87ddTzuKq2gON3RW7jxsvOD-MaZEPo5-GoaLPxTHTBgKJkCiohfQ8xDRfpX510_ONvTSr8RWBANh8vvP8O9oRlwTE0G/s640/The+Same+Sky.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Top pick this past month? A German-language drama series on Netflix - <b>"THE SAME SKY". </b>If you liked "Deutschland 83" last year on Channel 4 - I <i>loved </i>it - then this is well worth watching. Set a decade earlier, in the summer of 1974, this ZDF series written by no less than esteemed British TV writer Paula Milne, and directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel of "Downfall" fame) focuses on a little-known aspect of the Cold War: the East German "Romeo spies" who were sent over the border to seduce women and persuade them into giving away state secrets. But this is just one part of the story.<br />
<br />
There are several other fascinating sub-plots running too, including the talented young swimmer caught up in the doping programme, and the gay teacher desperate to reunite with his true love in the west - but needs to dig a tunnel to get there. It's an excellent series and if you have Netflix I highly recommend you watch it. Nordic Noir fans will be interested to see Sofia Helin (third from left, above) in the role of Lauren, the first secret service employee targeted by "Romeo" Lars. As is the rule in most modern TV dramas, the numerous loose ends were not tied up by the end of this excellent first series. It can't end here! There are so many more stories to be told, so please don't keep us waiting too long for that second series ZDF/Netflix!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfxEjvoBnDP7AJFq-ksg9Vx6Pt8QgjWzY44ScLzLCwUD5RLzS7YSFzKdQWTAOtUbwLiarwEAJZyMtk2uWB3xmV9JqWUlzsm90h0VVEf-1NHMNeKo3ZiNbxQ82RHCruC_X6LstmtpGUveO/s1600/Bethany+and+Nathan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="590" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfxEjvoBnDP7AJFq-ksg9Vx6Pt8QgjWzY44ScLzLCwUD5RLzS7YSFzKdQWTAOtUbwLiarwEAJZyMtk2uWB3xmV9JqWUlzsm90h0VVEf-1NHMNeKo3ZiNbxQ82RHCruC_X6LstmtpGUveO/s640/Bethany+and+Nathan.jpg" width="474" /></a></div>
<br />
After a 5 month break, I decided to return to <b>"CORONATION STREET" (ITV) </b>on its annual "big week" which as usual coincided with the week of "Britain's Got Talent" live shows. This time round the big stories were the Bethany Platt grooming storyline (Bethany and her abuser Nathan pictured above), the lead-up to the decision of Nick Tilsley to leave Weatherfield, after a ridiculous episode in which he was trapped in quicksand and saved by enemies Peter Barlow and Steve McDonald, and the conclusion of the "Who Pushed Ken?" storyline (which I had missed over those months I didn't watch the show). It will be fascinating to see where they take the character of Ken's son Daniel, who has the potential to become one of the show's most complex characters; a nice change from many of the one-dimentional characters polluting the show. Now we have a couple of promising new storylines - Phelan's discovery that he has a daughter, Nicola; and Eva's discovery of Aidan's affair with Maria. A delicious revenge storyline in prospect, then!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidMAucssupq9hIYHE5R6v60YIdASbQLzuikRev5Jqw4792LLymkdfys4gI2Uyy0t6mzQqdUVOHjFPOATbGf8agHy5bYlg2kawcLz4Gx5uAXPaGVT7Rhv_DcqKzp5cAfbmiVLjj3tXLRcmw/s1600/Three+Girls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="480" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidMAucssupq9hIYHE5R6v60YIdASbQLzuikRev5Jqw4792LLymkdfys4gI2Uyy0t6mzQqdUVOHjFPOATbGf8agHy5bYlg2kawcLz4Gx5uAXPaGVT7Rhv_DcqKzp5cAfbmiVLjj3tXLRcmw/s640/Three+Girls.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
The Bethany storyline attracted a lot of media attention lately. But the fact remains that it can only go so far, due to the show's pre-watershed slot. For a more brutal take on the horrific impact of grooming, there was the <b>BBC1</b> drama series <b>"THREE GIRLS" </b>based on the true story of the three vulnerable teenagers who were the victims of long-running abuse by grooming gangs in Rochdale. This story highlighted that the police and other services did not cover themselves in glory. It took the efforts and hard work of a brave and fearless youth worker, Sara Rowbotham, to finally achieve justice for these young women. <br />
<br />
<b>"TANNADICE '87"</b> was an entertaining documentary on <b>BBC Alba</b> which commemorated the 30th anniversary of Dundee United's UEFA Cup run of that year. Although I'm not a United fan, I distinctly remember being caught up in the hysteria around that time and cheered them on to the final. Those were very different times of course, when a team exclusively composed of Scottish players, managed by one of Scottish football's toughest taskmasters of that time (Jim McLean), could make it all the way to a European final. Sadly the fairytale had an unhappy ending as although they made it as far as the final, they lost out in the end to their opponents IFK Gothenburg.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe_u5NHeoihtqdGbZbbn-N6tRnwks8VAEPVD56Z86hGl_9yZ6OdEk8Pn9xp9Qj3v-JcISO9liAc69FsKqRrFm1aZUTWrPoxXApXZ-sUCvs33-hj3iRGh62I1VHuf11paRFilnBoLuBGG32/s1600/Frankie+Goes+To+Hollywood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe_u5NHeoihtqdGbZbbn-N6tRnwks8VAEPVD56Z86hGl_9yZ6OdEk8Pn9xp9Qj3v-JcISO9liAc69FsKqRrFm1aZUTWrPoxXApXZ-sUCvs33-hj3iRGh62I1VHuf11paRFilnBoLuBGG32/s640/Frankie+Goes+To+Hollywood.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Not only are we halfway through the year already, but in the real-time reruns of <b>"TOP OF THE POPS" (BBC4) </b>we have now arrived at 1984. Each new TOTP year brings a must-see documentary going behind the scenes of the year's music scene. In the real world it was a very turbulent year - the miners' strike and the growing threat of the Cold War - meanwhile TOTP was at the height of its studio party days, with clowns, balloons, attention seeking dancers, and pop in its prime. <b>"THE STORY OF 1984" </b>had everything from Frankie Goes to Hollywood (above) to Hi-NRG, one man electro bands, new jazz to Nena to music with a message and ending the year with Band Aid. <br />
<br />
Talking of Frankie Goes To Hollywood, I probably lost count of the amount of times I played the 12" version of "Two Tribes" over and over again that summer....it's still one of my favourite songs of all time.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUvNzFrhE7fnfh7KyVUz4ZA2zKv4xXIMUdrrc2ZTKOFY5tD1yERUG_tE5bpQMNhUhWZxO5g_7tp6vRf1C1qDo3DV9XPq32SYSba0yVH2xYuaNJDbDtm7fNW1IOwDWv1nzvTxxTAaJoRUIN/s1600/All+Things+Must+Pass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="481" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUvNzFrhE7fnfh7KyVUz4ZA2zKv4xXIMUdrrc2ZTKOFY5tD1yERUG_tE5bpQMNhUhWZxO5g_7tp6vRf1C1qDo3DV9XPq32SYSba0yVH2xYuaNJDbDtm7fNW1IOwDWv1nzvTxxTAaJoRUIN/s640/All+Things+Must+Pass.jpg" width="570" /></a></div>
<br />
I am probably too old to accept streaming as any kind of substitute for owning physical/downloaded copies of music, and I have a nostalgic yearning for times when music seemed to matter more than it does these days. <b>"ALL THINGS MUST PASS: THE RISE AND FALL OF TOWER RECORDS" </b>was a fascinating documentary which you would usually expect to turn up on BBC4 but it was actually broadcast over on<b> Sky Arts</b> which also has built up an impressive musical catalogue. This chain, which evolved from humble beginnings in Sacramento, California, eventually became a US giant and even expanded to the UK in the '90s, including a shop in Argyle Street in Glasgow. For those of us of a certain age, this documentary was a warm piece of nostalgia; for those of a younger, different generation thay may not understand the importance of what record shops meant to us, it was probably a strange history lesson. Essential viewing.<br />
<br />
<u>Backlog</u><br />
<u><br /></u>
On to some older stuff now: I've been stockpiling several films and series and am finally getting round to watching them.<br />
<br />
Let's go back to just before Christmas 2016 and the long-awaited second series of <b>"HUMANS" (Channel 4). </b>After that excellent first series, this one took a while to get going; once it did, however, it was gripping viewing. Fans of "Nashville" might be interested to know that Sam Palladio (Gunnar) had a role in this series as a cafe owner who had a relationship with Mia.<br />
<br />
It is a credit to all the actors involved in "Humans" that those playing the Synths are so authentic that you often forget they are only acting. A third series is on the way next year.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8PsHIu3_iNGk_XfbrOBV1qX7QFqCHsxFR4W-5K5dX9TFHPxj5KIb01DEIERIaZN8RWZN5etidssUB1FXVBhb28Fdbfo17-OY5vL2M0PeHG_Puy0JTGE_XNVT5N93cKyF9pnDdOYvtq6h4/s1600/Pride.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1085" data-original-width="1448" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8PsHIu3_iNGk_XfbrOBV1qX7QFqCHsxFR4W-5K5dX9TFHPxj5KIb01DEIERIaZN8RWZN5etidssUB1FXVBhb28Fdbfo17-OY5vL2M0PeHG_Puy0JTGE_XNVT5N93cKyF9pnDdOYvtq6h4/s640/Pride.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>"PRIDE" (BBC2) </b>was screened around Christmas 2016 and has been on my Tivo box since that time. It is a lovely, warm feelgood film and even more remarkable is that it is a true story - "Lesbians and Gays Support The Miners" was a real organisation set up by a group of activists during the 1984-85 miners' strike.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately there were other things happening in the mid-80s - the rise of AIDS for example. Mark Ashton, one of the leaders of the support group in the film, lost his life to AIDS, aged only 26.<br />
<br />
I guess that my way of watching TV has changed now: for series on terrestrial/satellite TV, I'd rather record the full series and then watch it at my leisure, whether one or two episodes at a time. The idea of "binge-watching" is still a bit too much for me, as my attention span isn't that great; however it's nice to know that I can watch a couple of episodes one day and then another couple the next day, without having to wait till the following week for the next episode.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg663f4FjHeP8xC7uKZ_9WXNFgEbm-NiHZWnxJScR-7NWc8ivEPOMLNVCKitISTcXaAroo7r67y4UTL1WZTL87uspfuR3m2uDpqrBO51odYf1WPAWb7LZEBfv7lN6NAtxtZTElTyQCOOIlF/s1600/Broadchurch+Series+3+cast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="374" data-original-width="620" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg663f4FjHeP8xC7uKZ_9WXNFgEbm-NiHZWnxJScR-7NWc8ivEPOMLNVCKitISTcXaAroo7r67y4UTL1WZTL87uspfuR3m2uDpqrBO51odYf1WPAWb7LZEBfv7lN6NAtxtZTElTyQCOOIlF/s640/Broadchurch+Series+3+cast.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
I finally caught up with the third and final series of <b>"BROADCHURCH" (ITV) </b>which was broadcast between February and April of this year. After <i>that</i> disappointing second series, this was definitely a return to form. David Tennant and Olivia Colman were back in their leading roles as Hardy and Miller. Apart from the original characters including the Latimer family, series 3 introduced a new whodunnit storyline, focusing on the rape of Trish Winterman (played by Julie Hesmondhalgh, always remembered as Corrie's iconic Hayley Cropper). Series 3 captured all the aspects which made that first series so special. Wisely, the series' creator Chris Chibnall decided that only three series were ever going to be made, so there will be no more Broadchurch. That's the secret of good TV - leave them wanting more.<br />
<br />
Back to the present day now. The first anniversary of the EU referendum was commemorated by several TV shows. One of these proved that one of the original reality TV formats still has legs. "<b>WIFE SWAP - BREXIT SPECIAL" (Channel 4) </b>in which the wife of a remainer family swapped with the wife of a leave family, and each tried to persuade the other family of their point of view. <br />
<br />
There were some priceless moments, not least when the remainer wife decided to use a Daily Express featuring a picture of Nigel Farage, for the family dog to, um, do its business on. The minute the dog finally poo'd on Nigel was priceless. Talking of that supreme irritant, the wife of the leave family proudly displayed his picture over the fireplace and left it as a gift for the remainer family. In the end, the picture ended up in the fire...! In the end they concluded that Brexit may have been a 'class thing', although as a working-class remainer, I still don't get that.<br />
<br />
Over on <b>BBC2</b>, there was a slightly offbeat documentary, <b>"BREXIT MEANS BREXIT" </b>where documentary maker Patrick Forbes presented the events of the past year as top-class political farce. Which, depending on your point of view, could be argued that it was. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDrG-n8034WlpERLsQOg2-8LeCPMVB5Ws1bNAMIeqbO-HnYdP1NoNJgHw7eMu-3eqmKwGfNjVYqOJYg2ElyLMjD8wHwfRhJs0-D_eTOrBNdo8b-ruT7YEPP6Xm4rBrGjmoIJFwn55zRWYp/s1600/Pitch+Battle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="351" data-original-width="624" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDrG-n8034WlpERLsQOg2-8LeCPMVB5Ws1bNAMIeqbO-HnYdP1NoNJgHw7eMu-3eqmKwGfNjVYqOJYg2ElyLMjD8wHwfRhJs0-D_eTOrBNdo8b-ruT7YEPP6Xm4rBrGjmoIJFwn55zRWYp/s640/Pitch+Battle.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
It's summer of course, which means that BBC1 and ITV have their summertime talent contests keeping the seat warm for yet another autumn and winter of Strictly Come Dancing and X Factor. ITV has "The Voice Kids" which seems to be doing very well with the critics and viewers alike, whilst <b>BBC1 </b>has gone for a show based on the popular movie franchise "Pitch Perfect" where acapella singing groups "riff-off" against each other. <b>"PITCH BATTLE" </b>is presented by Mel Giedroyc, and the jury members include choir guru Gareth Malone and, inexplicably, Kelis, along with a guest judge every week. I watched the first couple of instalments but my main criticism is that the show is far too long and drawn-out. An hour would be enough. You can't deny the musical talent of all the singing groups who have put so much work into their performances, it's just a shame that they have to compete against each other. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj5UFqhf88gLd-_fn2O1Vb79XNair8aRlwxJ9E-VXm0j7YRmwV9l1dhewPCYvOOrIWCVcbPGuAT8JL_zCq8VvOCNUq9H3NvcXSvA1e65PtukqsfI54nfgLBxjYRFj_SK03gvrL0A1crjis/s1600/Proclaimers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="860" data-original-width="1187" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj5UFqhf88gLd-_fn2O1Vb79XNair8aRlwxJ9E-VXm0j7YRmwV9l1dhewPCYvOOrIWCVcbPGuAT8JL_zCq8VvOCNUq9H3NvcXSvA1e65PtukqsfI54nfgLBxjYRFj_SK03gvrL0A1crjis/s640/Proclaimers.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(picture courtesy of www.proclaimers.co.uk)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Finally, a tribute to one of Scotland's most popular and enduring duos. "<b>THE PROCLAIMERS: THIS IS THE STORY" (BBC2 Scotland) </b>a warm-hearted documentary in which Craig and Charlie were interviewed by superfan David Tennant, commemorated the fact that it was 30 years since the Reid twins' debut album. Since that time they have enjoyed varying degrees of success, whilst always remaining true to themselves and never needing to compromise their distinctive Scottish accents. Needless to say their music is synonymous with being Scottish: "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" is our unofficial national anthem and no social event is complete without it. Laura (EuropeCrazy)http://www.blogger.com/profile/00049762365144495234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810011721804766871.post-59530464287014398832017-06-11T20:00:00.000+01:002017-06-11T20:00:01.142+01:00Break time....In case you're wondering why there have been no posts lately, I'm on a bit of a break from blogland! There is a lot going on at the moment and I've just been too busy lately. All being well, the blog should return on or around 25th June, along with some of those overdue blog posts!Laura (EuropeCrazy)http://www.blogger.com/profile/00049762365144495234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810011721804766871.post-72001897273388768522017-05-11T16:46:00.000+01:002017-05-11T16:46:03.456+01:00Eurovision 2017 Semi-Final 2: PredictionsSo, I got 7 out of 10 on Tuesday and let's just say I didn't take Finland's non-qualification well. There are some songs which, for whatever reason, you just have a feeling that they're not qualifying. I didn't have that feeling with "Blackbird". Not only did I think it would qualify but I genuinely felt that this song would get a top 10 placing on Saturday night. Instead, we just wonder what might have been.<br />
<br />
I will review the first semi-final in more detail in the next few weeks but I wanted say that - apart from the non-qualifications of Finland, Latvia and Iceland - there were other disappointments throughout the evening. The vocal shortcomings of many of the artists, for one. And despite "Celebrate Diversity" we had three male interchangeable identikit robot-hosts. Now we all know that Petra is a very tough act to follow, but were these three the best that Ukraine can do? Having said that though, at least Timur is quite nice to look at *shallow alert*.<br />
<br />
So let's have a look at tonight's semi-final 2 and the songs I think will qualify.<br />
<br />
<b>SERBIA: "In Too Deep" - Tijana Bogićević.</b><br />
<br />
This song has never had any impact on me from day one. It goes down the very same musical road of "Walk on Water" - enough said. I've liked a few of Serbia's songs in recent years but this is just far too anonymous.<br />
<br />
<b>PREDICTION: Non-qualifier. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>AUSTRIA: "Running On Air" - Nathan Trent.</b><br />
<br />
One of this year's most likeable and charming participants, with a sweet and likeable song, and cute staging to match. Austria is maintaining its very strong resurgent phase at ESC and it looks like it will continue this year. I worry of course about the 2nd-placed draw of doom, but hopefully it will work to his advantage after that anonymous opener. <br />
<br />
<b>PREDICTION: Qualifier.</b><br />
<br />
<b>FYR MACEDONIA: "Dance Alone" - Jana Burceska.</b><br />
<br />
In its studio version, this is one of the songs I've played quite a lot this year. It's just a straightforward upbeat pop song, and there are never too many of those at ESC these days. However, rehearsal footage indicates a rather trashy and tacky presentation which may put off many of the juries and televoters. <br />
<br />
<b>PREDICTION: Non-qualifier.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>MALTA: "Breathlessly" - Claudia Faniello.</b><br />
<br />
As old-school 90s ESC ballad as you're likely to get this year. She has a very strong voice and has tried so hard for years and years to represent Malta so I'm happy for her that she's finally made it to ESC. However I think this will just get lost and won't appeal to those who like a more contemprary ESC song.<br />
<br />
<b>PREDICTION: Non-qualifier.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>ROMANIA: "Yodel It" - Ilinca feat. Alex Florea.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
I mentioned in one of my previous posts that although I didn't hate any of this year's songs, there was one which I really wouldn't want to win. This is it. I know it's a controversial opinion as this is hugely popular in the fandom, but I just find it intensely irritating. Ilinca's yodelling talent can't be disputed but the whole mix of rap and yodelling just screams clip-show fodder for the next 20 years. Yes, it's a fun song, and boy oh boy do we need more fun in an often very po-faced line-up of songs, but this is just not to my taste. <br />
<br />
<b>PREDICTION: Qualifier. </b><br />
<br />
<b>NETHERLANDS: "Lights and Shadows" - O'G3NE.</b><br />
<br />
Good old Oh-Gee-Three-Knee haven't been so popular with the fandom since this song was chosen. The song isn't as good as it should be, and yes they are certainly far better than the song. I've seen lots of clips on YouTube and their vocal harmonies are never anything less than tremendous. This is one of 2017's most underrated entries and although I still have reservations about the song, their vocal talent should be enough to get them to the final.<br />
<br />
<b>PREDICTION: Qualifier. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>HUNGARY: "Origo" - Joci Papai.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Again I never really made a connection with this song during national finals season but credit to it for being (a) in a native language and (b) a break from the norm. Since the beginning of this decade Hungary have qualified to the final every year so this will probably continue that record. <br />
<br />
<b>PREDICTION: Qualifier. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>DENMARK: "Where I Am" - Anja Nissen.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
On a fashion note I think we're all relieved that she's wearing the red dress rather than the Bebi Dol-inspired combo she wore in the rehearsals. This song still leaves me cold and I am genuinely unsure of how this will do. Yes she can sing, but it all turns into an outbreak of big singing, and that didn't bode well for Albania or Georgia in semi-final 1. If this had been in semi-final 1 it wouldn't have made it, but in the weaker semi-final 2 who knows? However the non-qualification record of the past couple of years doesn't bode well.<br />
<br />
<b>PREDICTION: Non-qualifier. </b><br />
<br />
<b>IRELAND: "Dying To Try" - Brendan Murray</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Dying to try to remember that this song is not called Trying to Die, but Dying to Try. Whatever it's called it's just a soggy old boyband album track which you just press the skip button on. Young and cute will only take you so far, and in a semi-final where he'll be up against the vocally superior Kristian, then Brendan is likely to lose out in the battle for the cute-young-boy vote.<br />
<br />
<b>PREDICTION: Non-qualifier. </b><br />
<br />
<b>SAN MARINO: "Spirit of the Night" - Valentina Monetta & Jimmie Wilson.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
No doubt Valentina is a Eurovision legend within the fandom, but that means nothing to a casual fan or a jury member with no prior ESC knowledge. This is another Ralph Siegel effort and is a tribute to the 70s disco sound, with a bit of "One Night Only" thrown in. They are good singers, yes, but outwith the fandom I can't really see it having much wide appeal.<br />
<br />
<b>PREDICTION: Non-qualifier. </b><br />
<br />
<b>CROATIA: "My Friend" - Jacques Houdek. </b><br />
<br />
I remember this guy from the Croatian national final a few years ago, singing "Break A Leg". He was beaten by Darja Kinzer, the song eventually became "Celebrate" and failed to qualify for the final in 2011. Jacques might have the last laugh though as this is a completely bonkers, original and memorable concept which will be enough to get him to the final. Jacques is duetting with himself as opera singer and r'n'b singer. He has an impressive voice but the song for me is pretty hideous.<br />
<br />
<b>PREDICTION: Qualifier. </b><br />
<br />
<b>NORWAY: "Grab The Moment" - JOWST.</b><br />
<br />
I might have been underwhelmed by this year's MGP final in Norway but this was an immediately likeable winner. It's modern, but in a good way. It's catchy and well-sung, and very accessible. I have been a bit concerned about the controversy around the vocal samples and hope that this doesn't eventually lead to taped backing vocals being allowed - that would ruin ESC, the same way it has ruined Melodifestivalen. <br />
<br />
<b>PREDICTION: Qualifier. </b><br />
<br />
<b>SWITZERLAND: "Apollo" - Timebelle. </b><br />
<br />
Ah, Switzerland. Eurovision's first ever winners - and eternal underachievers ever since. This is just one of the emptiest songs for me this year. The singer's yellow dress is hurtling towards the Barbara Dex award whilst the chorus ("I'll follow you Apollo") is just plain stupid. <br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>PREDICTION: Non-qualifier. </b><br />
<br />
<b>BELARUS: "Story of My Life" - Naviband. </b><br />
<br />
Belarus' first ever entry in its national language, sung by a very appealing duo who spread joy in every performance they give. I would love to see this qualify but I'm worried as the country's qualification rate is not good, and the hey-heys can be a bit irritating after a while. <br />
<br />
<b>PREDICTION: Non-qualifier. </b><br />
<br />
<b>BULGARIA: "Beautiful Mess" - Kristian Kostov. </b><br />
<br />
Kristian is only 17 but he has a vocal quality beyond his years, and he's also been one of the more high profile artists on the pre-party circuit. After Poli's success this year it's very clear that Bulgaria are becoming a force to be reckoned with at ESC. Kristian performs this song very well - but my main problem is with the song itself. It's just too dull for my tastes and is in the same Sam Smith-ballad category as the Aussie entry. It's one of the main contenders but lacks that something special to make it truly great. He is better than the song. <br />
<br />
<b>PREDICTION: Qualifier.</b><br />
<br />
<b>LITHUANIA: "Rain of Revolution" - Fusedmarc. </b><br />
<br />
This song was this year's winner of Europe's most interminable national finals process. And at the end of it, the general view was...."is <i>that</i> it???". Along with Poland, Lithuania always has a strong diaspora vote - but on the other hand, "Attention" didn't qualify, and that was better than this. This has no redeeming features for me and I can't see it having any voting appeal, so that would normally make a non-qualifier. However: it's Lithuania, so expect qualification even in the most impossible circumstances. Yeah yeah!<br />
<br />
<b>PREDICTION: Qualifier.</b><br />
<br />
<b>ESTONIA: "Verona" - Koit Toome and Laura. </b><br />
<br />
Is it too old-fashioned? Will the viewers get their interpretation of lost love? Will Koit and Laura find that chemistry? We will know this evening. I would just like to say that for me this is one of the more memorable songs this year, I remembered it after one hearing. Eurovision is a very different contest nowadays though, but in a semi-final of many below-par songs, this stands out as one of tonight's best. <br />
<br />
<b>PREDICTION: Qualifier.</b><br />
<br />
<b>ISRAEL: "I Feel Alive" - IMRI. </b><br />
<br />
Another song which has underwhelmed me from the beginning, and I spent weeks and weeks getting this mixed up with the Cypriot entry even though they don't sound like each other (but because two good-looking guys!). If Cyprus qualified, then so can this. It's an upbeat and lively ending to a rather unexciting semi-final line-up.<br />
<br />
<b>PREDICTION: Qualifier. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>Laura (EuropeCrazy)http://www.blogger.com/profile/00049762365144495234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810011721804766871.post-38340360229811275342017-05-09T17:44:00.001+01:002017-05-09T17:44:59.528+01:00Eurovision 2017: Semi-Final 1 preview and predictionsIn just under 2 hours, the first semi-final of the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest kicks off in Kyiv, Ukraine. So here, as ever, are my foolish predictions about who will qualify for the final and who won't.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>SWEDEN - "I Can't Go On" - Robin Bengtsson</b><br />
<br />
I didn't agree with this song winning Melodifestivalen. Yes, it's a very slick and well-executed pop song but it's completely joyless. But it's slick, and it's Sweden, where polished, confident and professional come as standard. The swear word in the original version was unnecessary; the "ok" hand-signal is intensely annoying. The only redeeming feature for me is that I think the polo-necks have been replaced by shirts. I like polo-necks, but for me, shirts are better.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>PREDICTION: Qualifier. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>GEORGIA - "Keep The Faith" - Tamara Gachechiladze</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Georgia is definitely not on my mind this year. They are so inconsistent with their ESC entries but the law of averages should mean that we get a decent entry from them next year. I've always had a soft spot for Georgia since "We Don't Wanna Put In" ;)<br />
<br />
It's this year's great lost Bond theme - there's always one - and the first outbreak of "big singing" this evening. <br />
<br />
<b>PREDICTION: Non-qualifier.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>AUSTRALIA - "Don't Come Easy" - Isaiah Firebrace</b><br />
<br />
I heard an interview with their Head of Delegation on the ESC Insight podcast and I was very impressed with his vision and ambition for Australia in Eurovision and eventually an Asiavision which has its own set of problems. Australia established very quickly that they "get" Eurovision. After Guy and Dami, this is a minor setback but more to do with the song than the artist. Isaiah is clearly a talented young man, this is well-staged if a little egotistical with all the faces in the background (which has become an unwelcome trend for me at ESC this year if I'm honest). The main problem I have with this is that it sounds like a Sam Smith song. Enough said. Although Isaiah delivers it well enough I guess.<br />
<br />
<b>PREDICTION: Qualifier.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>ALBANIA - "World" - Lindita</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
To really understand how I feel about this song, you have to know that I am a devotee of the Albanian Festivali i Këngës (FiK), which is an annual Christmas tradition in our little world of FiK fanatics. That contest also selects Albania's ESC entry. If Lindita had gone to ESC 2015 with "S'të Fal" she would completely have ripped up the competition and got Albania's best result since "Suus". But she didn't. She came back to FiK with this song, which disappointed me. Yes she can sing, and she can sing big long notes too. But this song is just a bit too much on the shouty side, and the staging of it doesn't really make any sense either. In my parallel universe Lynx would be up on that ESC stage tonight :)<br />
<br />
<b>PREDICTION: Non-Qualifier. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>BELGIUM - "City Lights" - Blanche. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
This has been a fan favourite from day one, continuing that trend (of the RTBF-years anyway) of Belgium upping its game and becoming serious contenders, winners in waiting. No-one really rated Laura's song last year either and she did very well indeed. This song is working that Lana del Rey sound, a feeling of emptiness and isolation. It is very contemporary and I can see it doing very well although there have been some concerns over nervous rehearsal performances by this young singer (she is only 17 years old) and I hope that she has received a good level of care and support from the people around her, to help her overcome any nerves and cope with the biggest performance of her life. <br />
<br />
<b>PREDICTION: Qualifier.</b><br />
<br />
<b>MONTENEGRO - "Space" - Slavko Kalezić</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Just let me take a moment here, a moment of completely irrational thought. "Space" has been one of my most-played songs this year. I love this song in its studio version. It's packed with innuendo, the whole package is camper than the proverbial row of tents and as a middle-aged straight woman I'm probably a long way off from his target demographic but what the hell, I love him. Just watch out for that swinging plait......aargh! Too late! <br />
<br />
When it comes to the live version, there is one major problem. He can't sing for toffee and this will suffer the same fate as that other great-in-studio, car-crash-live camp dance banger fave of mine from 2009, "Dance With Me" by Zoli Adok. <br />
<br />
<b>PREDICTION: Non-qualifier. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>FINLAND - "Blackbird" - Norma John</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
I said it all in my previous post, but just to reiterate, I love this.<br />
<br />
<b>PREDICTION: Qualifier.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>AZERBAIJAN - "Skeletons" - Dihaj</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
I've never been able to get too enthusiastic about this very modern, abstract mid-tempo ballad but credit to Azerbaijan for at least trying something a bit more edgy/leftfield this time round. However it may just go up in my expectations for the crazy staging. Put a man with a horse's head on top of a stepladder and now we can talk about this. <br />
<br />
<b>PREDICTION: Qualifier. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>PORTUGAL - "Amar Pelos Dois" - Salvador Sobral.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
If there's any justice this will be the winner of semi-final 1 :)<br />
<br />
<b>PREDICTION: Qualifier.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>GREECE - "This Is Love" - Demy</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
This is a rather sterile pop song from the team behind "You Are The Only One". She seems quite a likeable performer but there have been vocal issues (either from Demy or her backing singers) during rehearsals so I really can't predict how this will go tonight. After some thought I decided that it will very narrowly miss out on qualification, losing out to Moldova. Although (covering my back here!) it could go either way.<br />
<br />
<b>PREDICTION: Non-qualifier (borderline with Moldova)</b><br />
<br />
<b>POLAND - "Flashlight" - Kasia Moś</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
It's hard to review a Polish song without mentioning the "D" word who strongly mobilise when it comes to the televoting. So it feels like they have an automatic pass to the final. Kasia is a strong singer, so that should also ensure jury points. She is probably better than this rather drab ballad which should automatically be disqualified for that /desire/higher/walking the wire rhyme.<br />
<br />
<b>PREDICTION: (an undeserving) Qualifier. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>MOLDOVA - "Hey Mamma" - Sunstroke Project</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
And now it's time for some fun at Eurovision. OK so we don't want a load of throwaway novelty songs but it's nice to have a bit of light relief among all the serious songs and ballads, even if they are songs you love. Sunstroke Project are slick, professional and they look as if they are enjoying themselves. And they have Epic Sax Guy. This is not much of a song though, but they could be a shock qualifier thanks to the fun factor - however it may just be too lightweight when voting time comes round. So I have it qualifying by a thread in 10th place. <br />
<br />
<b>PREDICTION: Qualifier (borderline with Greece). </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>ICELAND - "Paper" - Svala</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
I have desperately wanted Iceland to win ESC for years, but these days I'd settle for qualification to the final. This is strong, and she is a strong performer. But it is coming across as a little too cold and clinical, and in a field which also includes other cool electro songs I worry that this is going to get lost. I would love to be wrong though.<br />
<br />
<b>PREDICTION: Non-qualifier.</b><br />
<br />
<b>CZECH REPUBLIC - "My Turn" - Martina Barta</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
One of the few absolute certainties for non-qualification tonight. Again, another instance where the performer is better than the song. Sorry but this is probably tonight's toilet break :(<br />
<br />
<b>PREDICTION: Non-qualifier. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>CYPRUS - "Gravity" - Hovig</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
I really wanted to love this - it's a G:son song, and Hovig is a good looking guy. However, I can't get excited about this song at all and it has never grown on me. I just can't see it qualifying in this cut-throat semi-final.<br />
<br />
<b>PREDICTION: Non-qualifier. </b><br />
<br />
<b>ARMENIA - "Fly With Me" - Artsvik</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Ethnic and mystical. Armenia, more than any other country in the modern Eurovision, know how to absolutely elevate a song which doesn't sound like much in the studio version, and turn it into a strong Eurovision entry. They "get" the vision-part. So it was last year, when the performance and staging of Iveta's song blew everyone away. This isn't quite up there, but Artsvik is a strong singer although my problem with this song is that it lacks a definitive hook.<br />
<br />
<b>PREDICTION: Qualifier. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>SLOVENIA - "On My Way" - Omar Naber</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
At the time of the Slovenian national final I thought this might have an outside chance of qualification, despite the criticism that it was too "old fashioned". But the same was said for Michal's song last year and how well that did. But aah, there is no "Slovenian diaspora", then they went and revamped the song, ruining anything which was good about it. Since that Slovenian final I discovered a very unpleasant fact about Mr Naber - he served a prison sentence for sexually assaulting a young woman in a nightclub. He may have "done the time" but for that reason his presence just taints this contest and I can't bear the sight of him. <br />
<br />
<b>PREDICTION: Non-qualifier. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>LATVIA - "Line" - Triana Park</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
We end the first semi-final with the entry from one of my absolute favourite ESC countries, from a band who are completely true to themselves. Yes, "Line" is repetitive, but it is also a welcome break from the heavy/arty/abstract ballads and the sterile pop songs. And when that rave-breakdown comes in after the second chorus, it's a euphoric moment like no other. This brings a very welcome change of musical style and like Georgia last year, it's needed in the final. <br />
<br />
<b>PREDICTION: Qualifier. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
It's usually the second semi-final is traditionally the strong one, however tonight's semi-final has been a very tough one to call. We'll see after tonight just how many of my predictions are right.<br />
<br />
So have a great night everyone and enjoy the show!Laura (EuropeCrazy)http://www.blogger.com/profile/00049762365144495234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810011721804766871.post-58379615400204486672017-05-09T16:07:00.000+01:002017-05-09T16:07:20.535+01:00Eurovision 2017: My favouritesIn my last post I mentioned three spectacular songs in this year's contest. Two of them are in semi-final 1, one of them is in the final. Have you guessed yet? OK then, here's the answer.....<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpeR6UM3QELrnMGRh0igHzgIAiYjLsFfKyd0Rc4VdpuDPxZqVVmz_Gd-ewlUAJn4zFM-EnNMUe2f3kfj0s67XpXBaFVwx2rbirluMtB8e_ta8RHuUgv9F2mOLsumkqU1NdKn6UUGc8BgwU/s1600/Screenshot+%2528734%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpeR6UM3QELrnMGRh0igHzgIAiYjLsFfKyd0Rc4VdpuDPxZqVVmz_Gd-ewlUAJn4zFM-EnNMUe2f3kfj0s67XpXBaFVwx2rbirluMtB8e_ta8RHuUgv9F2mOLsumkqU1NdKn6UUGc8BgwU/s640/Screenshot+%2528734%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>"Occidentali's Karma" - Francesco Gabbani (Italy)</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
It's a very unusual feeling, having this year's favourite as my favourite too. The first time I heard "Occidentali's Karma" was when it won Sanremo and I immediately loved it. That doesn't usually happen with me, and songs, and it takes a special song to appeal to me on first listen. This was an explosion of joy, a catchy and appealing song fronted by a likeable and charismatic performer. One man.....and his gorilla. Of course those who haven't bothered to read up about the meaning behind the lyrics will just think that this is a novelty song with a dancing gorilla gimmick. But we know differently, don't we, friends! <br />
<br />
I like this song so much that I even bothered to learn all the Italian lyrics and can sing along with it. Then of course there is the dance routine, so simple that everyone can do it. There is a lovely little moment towards the end of the national final performance where Francesco and Mr Gorilla are out of sync on the dance routine, but it doesn't matter. Francesco wrote this song and in his performance he completely makes that connection with the viewers. He is an absolute showman and clearly conveys that he is enjoying every moment of this.<br />
<br />
This is probably my favourite Eurovision entry of the past 20 years. Not since "Minn Hinsti Dans" in 1997 have I loved a song so much. "Occidentali's Karma" still sounds as fresh as it did when I first heard it on that Saturday night in February, and has stood up to repeated listening. As Simon Cowell used to say in the days when I watched X Factor, it has "the likeability factor". This song would be a very worthy winner for so many reasons: a catchy uptempo song in a foreign language, from a country which has mainly provided a consistently high quality of entries since its return to the contest in 2011. Italian music is still loved across the continent. And it would finally give Italy the chance to atone for <i>that</i> 1991 contest...!!! (maybe????)<br />
<br />
My second favourite song is.....<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwPaBAYIqC-TCgwGoSegydW5ir7_OFNLsH1_PZYK8jPO_ychyphenhyphen9wZqp0vOYUNPPWGr17-iCcj5VfyWX4vLnhHy4Ls6UKFjAllv9Hxck7QEpQWb6hPtLN5RAuEmq8JVH-XUalnLhy59NHb6J/s1600/Screenshot+%2528742%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwPaBAYIqC-TCgwGoSegydW5ir7_OFNLsH1_PZYK8jPO_ychyphenhyphen9wZqp0vOYUNPPWGr17-iCcj5VfyWX4vLnhHy4Ls6UKFjAllv9Hxck7QEpQWb6hPtLN5RAuEmq8JVH-XUalnLhy59NHb6J/s640/Screenshot+%2528742%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>"Amar Pelos Dois" - Salvador Sobral (Portugal)</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
I missed the Portuguese national final so didn't hear the winning song until the next day. The first time I heard this song, I began to cry, such was its emotional impact on me. Again, it takes a lot for a song to move me in this way on first listen. And then I read the lyrics translation and just sobbed again. Salvador's performance was unique, honest and completely true to himself, on a song written by his sister Luisa. This is a timeless song - that's "timeless" and not "dated" by the way. I played this song to faithful travelling companion (not an ESC fan) at the weekend and he said that it sounded like a classic old jazz song. Something from the Great Portuguese Songbook! <br />
<br />
People often refer to Salvador as "Salvadorable" and that is so true. He is such a sweet, gentle and unique performer, and when you know what you know about his health difficulties then you just want him to succeed even more. If "Occidentali's Karma" doesn't win, I wouldn't object to this song winning, and finally giving Portugal its long, long, long awaited first ESC win.<br />
<br />
My third favourite song is....<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYuW4qvamS4tqiJV5TzSuguJSZwFcU8skTDGJd4ri5InkE6sqHX5AbJ8Jg1_oXZbcL6C3eqNOik5X3DKksfDeEKUbpHAErtOohwSCsOopCE1YE04zkL4M4bsBQBjKoB3sdKald8yVGR7OL/s1600/Screenshot+%2528749%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYuW4qvamS4tqiJV5TzSuguJSZwFcU8skTDGJd4ri5InkE6sqHX5AbJ8Jg1_oXZbcL6C3eqNOik5X3DKksfDeEKUbpHAErtOohwSCsOopCE1YE04zkL4M4bsBQBjKoB3sdKald8yVGR7OL/s640/Screenshot+%2528749%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>"Blackbird" - Norma John (Finland)</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
My thoughts on this song have not changed since the Finnish final. I loved it then and I love it now. What really surprised me during the lead-up to this year's contest was that it tended to be forgotten about, and wasn't really rated in fan polls/rankings. That was until the rehearsals of course, when the duo of Leena and Lasse gave exceptional performances and suddenly many fans who had previously overlooked the song were talking about it. What "Blackbird" has in common with my other two favourites is its emotional impact. I am not a ballad fan as you know, but will make an exception for those songs which move me in different ways. I have "something in my eye" when I listen to the Portuguese song. When I listen to this dark song, "Blackbird", there is just this chilling feeling of loss and sadness, yet of anger and strength too. I don't know if that's really the right way to describe it but they're the best words I can use right now. This is Finland's best ESC entry in years.<br />
<br />
Now, where did I put my notes on the deep emotional impact of the lyrics and performance of "Do It For Your Lover"?........OK then, maybe not. In my next post I'll be attempting to predict which songs are going to qualify from tonight's semi-final. <br />
<br />Laura (EuropeCrazy)http://www.blogger.com/profile/00049762365144495234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810011721804766871.post-73679730037518361262017-05-09T16:05:00.001+01:002017-05-09T16:05:35.115+01:00Eurovision 2017: an overview <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrbsy6CEwdUq7XMiUnD1TSVx8DxzufBubkRKbO4ePLhP6kjch8ogpEqT00oFxv2nydppyI56xKe36T2UTBkI9SjF-la0FzWARYLC9azD0qXM42qKD5KYmcwyM8Gqu5ipaMnENFLlxSgMsj/s1600/ESC+2017+logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrbsy6CEwdUq7XMiUnD1TSVx8DxzufBubkRKbO4ePLhP6kjch8ogpEqT00oFxv2nydppyI56xKe36T2UTBkI9SjF-la0FzWARYLC9azD0qXM42qKD5KYmcwyM8Gqu5ipaMnENFLlxSgMsj/s640/ESC+2017+logo.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Just an explanation before I go on - I have still to post my Melodifestivalen 2017 reviews but as these are rather extensive and my time is consumed by both Eurovision and upcoming holiday preparations, I've decided to leave these until nearer the end of this month. <br />
<br />
Although I haven't been blogging or tweeting very much over recent months - due to lack of time/health reasons - I have extensively followed the lead-up to the contest over the past 5 months, through national final season to the pre-parties and finally to the rehearsals, watching every video clip, downloading and listening to lots of podcasts etc. As ever at this time of year I want to thank all of you who put so much work into bringing ESC season alive, particularly for those of us whose Eurovision experience is confined to watching the contest on TV in the living room :) I'll be watching both semi-finals but this year, due to what I can only describe as a scheduling conflict, I will be on holiday and "off the grid" on the night of the final. Call me a bad fan, but it was unavoidable as I could only go on this particular date. Anyway, I haven't missed an ESC final since 1997 and we know what happened then! <br />
<br />
In my "Eurovision Memories" post published on this blog in 2012, I wrote:<br />
<br />
<i>"That was a pretty significant night for me, as it would be the first time since the early 1970s that I hadn't been at home on the evening of the contest due to a prior engagement. On the way home by taxi, the driver had the radio news on, and I heard the announcement that the UK had won Eurovision. My first thought was, for goodness sake, I really must be drunk!! Did they just say what I thought they said?"</i><br />
<br />
I haven't written much about this year's ESC on the blog or on Twitter so I thought I'd take the opportunity to give you a little overview of my feelings about the contest this year. As national finals season progressed, I was beginning to feel that this was going to be another one of those "meh" years, dominated by ballads and songs lacking memorable melodies. As I say every year, I'm an old-school ESC fan who still puts "the song" above all else. If a song moves me in any way - whether it makes me happy, or sad, or just makes me want to dance, as long as it makes that crucial connection, then that's enough for me.<br />
<br />
However, I have also moved with the times and accept that the modern-day ESC is as much about the Euro-"vision" and the importance of costumes/staging/camera angles/choreography; at their best, these can make or break a song's chances. Nevertheless, I've watched all the rehearsal footage and nothing has changed my mind. I still love the same songs and although there are others which I'm not so keen on, I wouldn't go as far as to say that I hate any of the songs (ok then, maybe there is one, which is quite popular but which I would detest the idea of it winning. More on that in a later post) because the bar has been raised so high over recent years and every artist and their delegations put so much work in delivering the best possible performance they can. <br />
<br />
<b>@eurovisioncamaraderie</b><br />
<br />
One of the very nice aspects of social media, which has transformed the Eurovision Song Contest beyond recognition over the past few years has been the way that the contest has brought all of us together in the fan family. Over the past 2 or 3 years however I have also noticed the artists developing a strong camaraderie with each other, thanks to the many pre-parties and also on Twitter. This may be a contest, but we now see a lot of love, friendship and respect between the contestants, not to mention artists covering each other's songs or duetting with each other on YouTube videos. Honourable mentions to Spain's Manel Navarro and Austria's Nathan Trent. Probably the most bizarre clip is Switzerland's Timebelle doing a mash-up of this year's ESC entries to the backing of Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You". Proof, if any was needed, of the more "contemporary" nature of ESC songs. Although try telling that to the UK media who still think the contest is stuck in the 1970s/80s....!<br />
<br />
Forget the politics and the dark clouds - ESC should be celebrated as a competition like no other, a happy place and a genuine escape from the increasingly dark world around us. Although from the minute Ukraine won the 2016 contest with a song about historical events with an undercurrent relevant to more recent history, politics have never been far from the surface. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXHg-2n-IZUcaTiVThylLEKtPIf3fIjkW7qocrpPfzw4tvbMivN_8EpNjvYRskHd2kxlqf-l6sCogjx-i3vM-hFCvSFNvWOwj6owFSQZGOyC7HLrd9YjhVb4AHWT46UmJz1BWfFWdgbSkO/s1600/Julia+Samoylova.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXHg-2n-IZUcaTiVThylLEKtPIf3fIjkW7qocrpPfzw4tvbMivN_8EpNjvYRskHd2kxlqf-l6sCogjx-i3vM-hFCvSFNvWOwj6owFSQZGOyC7HLrd9YjhVb4AHWT46UmJz1BWfFWdgbSkO/s640/Julia+Samoylova.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Flame extinguished</b><br />
<b><br /></b>Rewind to that crazy Sunday evening of 12th March, when within the space of a couple of hours we digested the news that Valentina Monetta was representing San Marino for her fourth time, and then we all headed off to Russia's Channel One to suffer our way through their news show - the things we do for Eurovision! - and eventually, at the end of the show, we got to see the Russian entry: a pleasant female singer Yulia Samoylova, singing a simple and rather saccharine song, "Flame Is Burning". In a year where the contest's theme/tagline was "Celebrate Diversity", the Russian singer happened to be in a wheelchair. So far, so good for Russia, although by the end of the song, my thoughts were...."is that it?" Over the past couple of years, Russia have been winners in waiting, yet on hearing this song I just felt that they weren't even making an effort. They were "phoning it in" this time round. Just what was on their mind?<br />
<br />
Of course we would eventually find out what was on their mind. This was a classic exercise in manipulation: no-one would dare to criticise a singer in a wheelchair with a "nice" little song. But since Russia annexed Ukraine in 2014, Ukraine introduced a law banning any performers who have performed in Crimea. You would need to be completely off the scale of naivety to think that Russia had accidentally chosen a performer who'd played in Crimea. They knew what they were doing here. When Channel One eventually announced in April that they would not broadcast the contest and therefore withdrew, it brought a very troubled few weeks of Eurovision season to an end. So Yulia was effectively collateral damage - an artist and song which was never really a contender, sacrificed in an exhausting political stand-off. But that wasn't the end of it: Yulia will perform in Crimea while the ESC semi-final is going on. So it would appear that she wasn't such an innocent victim after all.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1KRUjSAZ3wboBmPAuRY-wNMIkXnEKMazKiM8UnZQZRhpI7ow6yPEcd3pzKDSGm125b5znUISjkmOj1HJ4qQO12ThpmqSN3EfZupqav9qOjjnv3zPUj9N-F3CcQvGDwZByBjxhJ1PB7JMa/s1600/Lucie+Jones.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1KRUjSAZ3wboBmPAuRY-wNMIkXnEKMazKiM8UnZQZRhpI7ow6yPEcd3pzKDSGm125b5znUISjkmOj1HJ4qQO12ThpmqSN3EfZupqav9qOjjnv3zPUj9N-F3CcQvGDwZByBjxhJ1PB7JMa/s640/Lucie+Jones.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>"Blame B****t"</b><br />
<br />
As usual, the mainstream UK media will go down that same old road. The excuses are being prepared even as we speak, for why the UK entry will not do well this year. "Blame Brexit" they will say, in the same way that the Iraq war was blamed for Jemini's nil points in 2003, rather than their car-crash vocal "performance" and cringeworthy stagecraft. The UK this year is represented by Lucie Jones (above), with "Never Give Up On You" which was co-written by 2013 winner Emmelie de Forest. Although I'm not a particular fan of the song in its current form (I'd have preferred a dance-banger version, but that's just me) you can't argue that this is probably the best package of song and singer we've put together since 2009. At that time I described Jade Ewen's "It's My Time" as "a pile of mince" but what a well-performed pile of mince it turned out to be. The BBC really made an effort, and it proved that the more effort you put in will bring rewards. What we would give for 5th place now. <br />
<br />
Former X Factor contestant Lucie has gone on to establish herself as an actress and experienced musical theatre performer. This experience will serve her well on Saturday night and I have every confidence that she will do nothing less than her very best. She has been vocally flawless during the rehearsals and the pre-party season. For once the BBC have also made an effort with the staging - Lucie is standing inside a mirrored shell-like shape with the backdrop of a shower of golden firework-style lights. Whatever the result on Saturday, we can be proud of Lucie, who seems genuinely thrilled to be participating in Eurovision. <br />
<br />
This year's line-up of songs is a very strange one - for all the "meh" songs which either leave me cold or don't trigger any emotion in me at all - there is a spectacular trilogy of songs which are among the best Eurovision entries in years, so ESC 2017 may end up being a vintage year after all! In my next post I'll tell you all about my three favourite songs this year.Laura (EuropeCrazy)http://www.blogger.com/profile/00049762365144495234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6810011721804766871.post-19086907384444644862017-05-09T11:33:00.002+01:002017-05-09T11:33:55.539+01:00Notes from National Finals: Supernova, Latvia 26.02,2017It's always one of my favourite annual national final processes, and 2017 was no different. By this point, many of the national finals or internal selections were pretty underwhelming. Saturday nights were congested with heats, semi-finals and finals, so Sunday night brought pleasant relief from all that congestion with the heats, semi-finals and finals of "Supernova", the contest to choose Latvia's Eurovision entry. In 2015 and 2016 this proved to be a very successful format, thanks to two consecutive entries written by Aminata Savadogo, both of which ensured qualification to the ESC final.<br />
<br />
The great thing about Supernova is the diverse and often left-field selection of songs mixed in with the more mainstream entries. But above all, Supernova has one thing which sets it above and beyond all the national song selections....<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirIezsrqc4C4HYRUiZXQIgM16s_2xJr-A80cdW3aRA2ehXV4Ek92IfpEQsbA-JI_6EaGvJK-k9-m58ZKof3gAkvCCUueL_kfmH643yu2wydEE1IbaVNcO0A-aFy1cKkSOWDTLOE_rWsB6S/s1600/Screenshot+%2528314%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirIezsrqc4C4HYRUiZXQIgM16s_2xJr-A80cdW3aRA2ehXV4Ek92IfpEQsbA-JI_6EaGvJK-k9-m58ZKof3gAkvCCUueL_kfmH643yu2wydEE1IbaVNcO0A-aFy1cKkSOWDTLOE_rWsB6S/s640/Screenshot+%2528314%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Yes, the legend that is the Riga Beaver was back again to entertain us over the weeks during the ad breaks, to the enjoyment of the fandom, the slightly amused confusion of the studio audience and the bemusement and dismissiveness of the professional jury.<br />
<br />
Talking of the jury, I thought I would take the completely gratuitous opportunity to post a screenshot of guest judge Intars Busulis in a cardigan. You know how much I love men in knitwear :)))<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9L78dsRZ8GuWPj324l221QbmdUDNbkLjIEU3QYW-FcTgcnlVIsZGgRD64-sl8YkG5xVE2dDk4zEJ2OLguVkJtmxB0_wdwEFgPWWYSgnWiItp3emfKQ8CalGMFYtb1d8lMIIZXFuXmEQ1n/s1600/Screenshot+%2528320%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9L78dsRZ8GuWPj324l221QbmdUDNbkLjIEU3QYW-FcTgcnlVIsZGgRD64-sl8YkG5xVE2dDk4zEJ2OLguVkJtmxB0_wdwEFgPWWYSgnWiItp3emfKQ8CalGMFYtb1d8lMIIZXFuXmEQ1n/s640/Screenshot+%2528320%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
OK enough of the gratuitous shallowness and let's get to the music!<br />
<br />
As I said earlier, there was a lot of musical diversity over the semi-finals, from the creepy "One By One" by UP, to the "if at first you don't succeed" serial Supernova entrant Markus Riva (below)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPXDaBy96XzjcD18EjoOTKHHFLcaxIVRZL3zpEun0ODNZU2eGR72czZI3lmOBaOiSSeLwxXiF1UVOhbRMNmVVMPfU9QrHf-pVh9t7SnTEG8ie6LWqF13NwrYXeG8xQ-t-_kndwZtuHGVBL/s1600/Screenshot+%2528715%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPXDaBy96XzjcD18EjoOTKHHFLcaxIVRZL3zpEun0ODNZU2eGR72czZI3lmOBaOiSSeLwxXiF1UVOhbRMNmVVMPfU9QrHf-pVh9t7SnTEG8ie6LWqF13NwrYXeG8xQ-t-_kndwZtuHGVBL/s640/Screenshot+%2528715%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Unfortunately he suffered from what I call "the Melodifestivalen law of diminishing returns" where recurring contestants return with weaker songs. "Dynamite" was a case in point. Compared to the great "Take Me Down", this was just dire. This time round he didn't even make the semi-final, never mind the final.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDJ9Oi1ROScm3iYlA3jAnGsmG62vFRjY3DMlbTYoY4l0wsocRhGrOkjUXfGJJjoHiaRQVj7DEnn5YL-TvOEaWBd3HHAyVRr8A8sBvYmrwsOC3f1vn-8WEJgIzktTrpvhJBlauRhuWK-QLM/s1600/Screenshot+%2528693%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDJ9Oi1ROScm3iYlA3jAnGsmG62vFRjY3DMlbTYoY4l0wsocRhGrOkjUXfGJJjoHiaRQVj7DEnn5YL-TvOEaWBd3HHAyVRr8A8sBvYmrwsOC3f1vn-8WEJgIzktTrpvhJBlauRhuWK-QLM/s640/Screenshot+%2528693%2529.png" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
Another Latvian national final contestant from the past returned this year. Linda Leen's "Who Is In Charge", (above) which made it as far as the semi-final, had bizarre staging and a very unusual musical arrangement. It was a complete mess, to say the least. Yet something strange happened. This song surprisingly grew on me and I ended up playing it rather a lot after Supernova ended. I still can't understand why I got into this song as it is jarring and screechy and all the things I hate, but there you go. Music still has the power to surprise. <br />
<br />
This year's Supernova took that most modern approach, including Spotify streams in the voting. Now you know I'm not a fan of streaming but it just shows how forward-thinking Latvia is. However, like all voting systems, streaming and YouTube views can be skewed, let's just say. There were suspicions surrounding unusually large Spotify streams for a certain artist this year for example; however, he wasn't disqualified. <br />
<br />
On 26.02.2017, four songs competed in the Supernova final. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh67xhEw4N1r6FqpUd48iEDdLe3A4n91a-zgg_EIBC46N9n3V1o0oAdK0-YYIZ9Vv7L8wIaV-qVvNLLsKOKz7lXkUpJYdvfxiBchfoR9HWLO28wTZzGcz-rpZTEERevdFhzgvX4NYi2KBRO/s1600/Screenshot+%2528703%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh67xhEw4N1r6FqpUd48iEDdLe3A4n91a-zgg_EIBC46N9n3V1o0oAdK0-YYIZ9Vv7L8wIaV-qVvNLLsKOKz7lXkUpJYdvfxiBchfoR9HWLO28wTZzGcz-rpZTEERevdFhzgvX4NYi2KBRO/s640/Screenshot+%2528703%2529.png" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<b>1. "Your Breath" - Santa Danelevica.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
The kind of dull contemporary ballad which now pollutes national finals all over Europe - and sometimes even makes it as far as ESC. Throwing in a drum & bass backdrop "Walk On Water"-style is just a lazy box-ticking "let's make this contemporary" exercise. I didn't think this was worth a place in the final.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi_T_AExTp5MqdmEkwJpLsmZHQFZbN35v4GH769Q1UMS0fGnexCUQxM3WIPiw_hbnMMFxEUV9YBDBvzwJaaqsxwOjI0VeBnGOztCv727MZdK7pvT9NMVIlQoJJtbhGfjNOl4e42wCzw4i9/s1600/Screenshot+%2528697%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi_T_AExTp5MqdmEkwJpLsmZHQFZbN35v4GH769Q1UMS0fGnexCUQxM3WIPiw_hbnMMFxEUV9YBDBvzwJaaqsxwOjI0VeBnGOztCv727MZdK7pvT9NMVIlQoJJtbhGfjNOl4e42wCzw4i9/s640/Screenshot+%2528697%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>2. "I'm In Love With You" - The Ludvig.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
The Ludvig took the minimalist approach with a song which really didn't have much depth beyond, well, "I'm in love with you". I can understand its appeal I suppose - a young male singer-songwriter would get votes from young fans as well as old, and it ended up as runner-up. But after a couple of years where Latvian entries to ESC have had some depth and artistic quality, we expect more. If this had won Supernova, it would have got completely lost in Kyiv. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJuyxsDnKiT5iqi2SHlbFyqR_iPVsP01XzwKWw_B_dzpZcDHFD-5DwOGN2vzN3VFfwKmA9j8Z8UOcGDqKSDk5LUhyfEGTcDIYoTcm9SMdL8IFotea5DmlkCq_piAe_qhWn4E5UkA0JedON/s1600/Screenshot+%2528708%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJuyxsDnKiT5iqi2SHlbFyqR_iPVsP01XzwKWw_B_dzpZcDHFD-5DwOGN2vzN3VFfwKmA9j8Z8UOcGDqKSDk5LUhyfEGTcDIYoTcm9SMdL8IFotea5DmlkCq_piAe_qhWn4E5UkA0JedON/s640/Screenshot+%2528708%2529.png" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<b>3. "All I Know" - My Radiant You.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Yes, that's the artists formerly known as My Radiant U, who also have some Supernova history of their own. I never thought for a minute that this would win Supernova but I was delighted to see it reach the final. It came 3rd. Of course the verses are, um, "inspired" by "Dancing In The Dark" but I don't mind. This was, and is, such an uplifting, catchy and feelgood song which I have continued to listen to long after the contest and it will certainly take up a spot in my year-end chart. It's just a good pop song, that's all. And finally....<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhebftsuTPBf73tuN1OuwBCrhPXSNRv_UQJ3Z4wH3y5LQWgKFTaOxVMLE-GEoJ5S5tT65gFrfdVa5TrV6KDrT4mvEn1iW8M-3WiAlhZzD71EjenYSxHdUJ64qBjsxdY_Vry2j8xpcaU69I6/s1600/Screenshot+%2528701%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhebftsuTPBf73tuN1OuwBCrhPXSNRv_UQJ3Z4wH3y5LQWgKFTaOxVMLE-GEoJ5S5tT65gFrfdVa5TrV6KDrT4mvEn1iW8M-3WiAlhZzD71EjenYSxHdUJ64qBjsxdY_Vry2j8xpcaU69I6/s640/Screenshot+%2528701%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b>4. "Line" - Triana Park.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Even before the final I thought that this would be the best choice for Latvia's Eurovision entry this year, as it is yet another representation of Latvia's uniqueness in the contest. So I was delighted when it won, a resounding win too, well-ahead of The Ludvig even with his high Spotify total. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I wasn't too familiar with Triana Park's music so I checked out some more of their songs and came to the conclusion that they are staying true to themselves and not compromising their style for Eurovision. Agnese Rakovska is a compelling frontwoman with her own amazing style. As for "Line", well yes it is a bit too repetitive, but then again people will remember it; my favourite part of the song is that mid-song breakdown after the second chorus, when Agnese brings the moves and the song just explodes into a euphoric rave classic.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlnDV85UJ2Umdyw9gkCbXEt8kupLHRWuZq5JaNgfmpmA9ur06NOBq8cnusZGFePoi3atA0SZr_Uc5MPiQn0yoKLDSGMLIYKiiKI0JY-fdLDe-LgaGD4Z3_IuM_qu0n1Zsu8kXpSGHHHgNS/s1600/Screenshot+%2528322%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlnDV85UJ2Umdyw9gkCbXEt8kupLHRWuZq5JaNgfmpmA9ur06NOBq8cnusZGFePoi3atA0SZr_Uc5MPiQn0yoKLDSGMLIYKiiKI0JY-fdLDe-LgaGD4Z3_IuM_qu0n1Zsu8kXpSGHHHgNS/s640/Screenshot+%2528322%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So that was Supernova for another year. I hope LTV use the same format again next year, as it's one of the most unmissable Eurovision national final formats every year. And as for our furry friend, he certainly didn't disappoint this year, with everything from his rapping and crazy dancing to his incredible improvisation. Our lives are all the more enriched in the knowledge of how to make an elephant mask out of a cardboard box. So thank you so much Riga Beaver. Hope we see you again in 2018!</div>
Laura (EuropeCrazy)http://www.blogger.com/profile/00049762365144495234noreply@blogger.com0