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It might be a rest day on the stage, but there’s a day of rehearsals to review over breakfast to find out who managed to send a message, who dropped the ball, and who decided that a circular piano would be a really neat idea.
Eurovision Insight Podcast: Daily Chat from Copenhagen, Thursday 1st May
Hosted by Ewan Spence, with…Samantha Ross (ESC Insight)
Steven Newby (ESC Insight)
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I rarely agree with opinions here (ESC Insight), maybe 50% overall. Maybe today a little more…
Austria – great from all points of view.
Finland & Switzerland – OK – I don’t mind either of them qualifying.
Greece – OK it’s clear that Steven cannot be objective! Yes, one of their best songs in years, but hopefully not a winner…The trampoline did not impress me.
Ireland – I actually liked Ryan last year until he brought in the show those dancers. So, yes I agree Ireland is obsessed in showing the world the Riverdance thing and I don’t buy it. Not keen on their song this year…
Romania – Hearts Collide was my favorite as song in the national selection too. Though not sure how strong the singer really is. Unfortunately with all media manipulation and allowing all sort of media personalities with no talent to participate and reach the final, the televote screws the results and at the end it was a relief that Paula & Ovi were selected. Could have been worse. I don’t think they are as bad as you project them to be, but I believe they will be disappointed with the result.
Much talk about Conchita not getting support from Eastern Europe but what about in her own country? Rise Like a Phoenix was only in the Austrian chart for 1 week at #51.
Good podcast, thanks for taking the time to record one and not hide in Tivoli all day! 😉
It’s a real shame Lithuania have such a bad song.
Watching the interviews, Vilija comes across as a fun, warm, genuine person and has a spark that can make even the dullest puff-piece exciting to watch (this year’s “Kaliopi”.) But her song is so painful, it’s a struggle to want them to actually do well.
Did it only feel like you spent half of the time talking about Austria, or did you really? Luckily I was just drawing myself a bath (yes, that’s right – I listened to you while I was relaxing in the tub) and didn’t understand all of it. All this overhyping of Austria is starting to make me turn against it, although I was rather indifferent towards it in the beginning. I know that’s not fair, although Conchita is doing her best to become my official overkill candidate, but I can’t help it. I’m tired of Austria.
I’m not really following the rehearsals, so I can’t comment on them, but I do hope Finland and Switzerland make it through. I’ll probably do my part to help them. 🙂 Anyway, it’s really interesting to see how differently the rehearsals and meet & greets are judged by different websites. Sometimes makes you wonder if they all watched the same thing. 😀
I think that mix of opinions is one of the best things… It’s also why we try to get other voices in the podcast where possible, but it was a bit trickier today
To be fair Austria can’t vote for her, any pr in the home country will not help victory
Since you did bring on the subject of Austria even though the full discussion will be heard tomorrow – and with Ewan certainly hinting at the kind of reception the number received – I feel a great need to vent. And I am fully prepared to be censored or even have my contribution removed. But what on earth is going on here? Eurovision “experts” I’ve followed for years suddenly seem to have gone completely round the bend in outrage. One particular Irishman, whose initials are KM, took to calling Ms. Wurst a “freak show” and, to my astonishment, “that nasty thing from Austria.” Be that as it may; one bearded “freak” is another’s beauty queen. But then KM went one step further and excoriated the Austrian broadcaster ORF for having dared to even submit said “freak.” Instead of criticizing Russia, who KM claimed “has brought so much class to the competition in recent years” (!), Eurovision fans should question what Austria had ever contributed (!!). This is clearly KM working through some personal problems, but he is not alone. It is amazing what a beard apparently can do to certain people. What KM and his ilk of course fail to address is that Conchita Wurst, the creation, and Tom Neuwirth, the creator, contribute one of the greatest torch songs and, if what Ewan and Sam hinted at, one of the performances that will undoubtedly go down in history. So good on ORF to dare provocakate Irish Catholic sensibilities, etc. And about time, too!
Hans,
While your points are addressed at one of our irregular podcast contributors, I feel that that person is only an indirect association with the site. That said, the comment is close to the knuckle but well argued. Feel free to continue contributing but go easy on the calling out of individuals not directly associated in the post you are commenting on. Thanks.
Out of the bunch of songs discussed today, I like Greece best, although I will probably not like the trampolin gimmick.
Romania is the worst one imo. There is simply nothing endearing or likeable about this act. It is loud, messy, pretentious, dated … in short the love child of bad taste and kitsch.
I miss “Hearts Collide” too.
Ewen, from what i heard yesterday i found out that there were more thing wrong with the irish camp
A. i found out that kasey had Hay Fever and/or a sour throat so that could have been something to do with the ropey vocals maybe. an interview with ESCKAZ got this info
B. i believe ireland have some technicall issues and this was reported to the irish media, you can read that of escdaily.
so i guess we will have to wait till saturday to judge the performance.
Great show all around on May 1. Kudos to all three presenters. Plus, re my previous post, a show complete with an intriguing sign off.
Romania – I don’t like the song,never did, but I will believe they don’t qualify when this actually happens.Until than they qualify,even if they have a dated song and kitchen sink performance.It will be a miracle(and a blessing) if they they don’t,but sadly they will
Romania and Ireland are two of the worst songs in ESC 2014. The former is cold, artificial and completely fake – 100% instant pudding syndrome. Ireland tries frantically to come across as Irish (hence the dancers – what the heck are they doing there?!) and manages to be nothing – no discernible melody and colorless vocals. They even ditched their only redeeming quality – the beautiful green dress worn in the Irish NF.
Austria and Finland are solid proposals, imo.
Greece winning this year? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA
And I’m pretty sure Romania are sailing through, but it would be pretty freaking hilarious if they didn’t!