We got a wild card entry -- Australia!
http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/feb/10/eurovision-song-contest-invites-australia-to-join-worlds-biggest-party
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 10 February 2015 18:20 (nine years ago) link
the only way the Australian entry could return would be if it won.
OK, so to win, Australia needs a flamboyant singer, maybe someone wearing outrageous clothes, perhaps, I dunno, a cape?
― You are swimming in spaghetti. Without a paddle. (snoball), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 18:30 (nine years ago) link
Silly (xp). I suppose they're expecting Aus to vote for the UK.
― Utterly huggers (Tom D.), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 18:31 (nine years ago) link
woah
Can't remember if I like any of the songs selected so far - maybe Belarus? The worst song I've heard is (as always) the Danish entry.
― ⊤ℝolliℵg M∃th H∑a∂ (seandalai), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 18:41 (nine years ago) link
I think they're banking on many of the voters not knowing the difference between Australia and the host country.
― anthony braxton diamond geezer (anagram), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 18:41 (nine years ago) link
Australia get a bye to the final and get to vote in both semis!
― ⊤ℝolliℵg M∃th H∑a∂ (seandalai), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 18:44 (nine years ago) link
I live in Vienna and I'm dreading May already. Planning to sleep through the whole hateful spectacle. That or leave town for the week.
― anthony braxton diamond geezer (anagram), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 18:45 (nine years ago) link
Cheer up, Australian voters will probably vote Austria
― Jeff W, Tuesday, 10 February 2015 19:02 (nine years ago) link
^ yeah I already made that joke lol
― anthony braxton diamond geezer (anagram), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 20:41 (nine years ago) link
This is basically the plot of Pitch Perfect 2.
― Tay-Tay Brooklynpants (Murgatroid), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 20:47 (nine years ago) link
yesssss Serbia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrwtoCMkIMw
― kriss akabusi cleaner (seandalai), Sunday, 15 February 2015 22:57 (nine years ago) link
Looks like Eric Saade breezed through the first round of Melodifestivalen - haven't heard the tune yet but if it's anywhere near as good as 'Popular' this could be very exciting
― nxd, Monday, 16 February 2015 11:00 (nine years ago) link
The favourite in the local semifinals in here seems to be Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät, a punk band whose members all have learning disabilities and/or Down syndrome:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEiM6l5meQI
I'm kinda of two minds whether they should make it to the final competition... On the one hand, having these folks display their creativity on an international arena like the Eurovision would be a huge thing for the visibility of disabled people, a group that usually haves very little representation in popular culture. But on the other hand, a lot of folks I know seem to think people should vote them just because they're disabled, which feels a bit suspect to me, like treating them as some kind of mascots instead of regular human beings. Me, I don't give a shit about punk music, so the tune itself doesn't do anything for me.
The other popular favourite in the semifinals is Shava, a band who does bhangra music in Finnish:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vX-Nwl4U8t4
I think the tune's okay, but the whole concept mostly works because of the novelty factor of hearing this kind of music in Finnish, and that doesn't really do much for people who don't understand the language. Plus the tune doesn't have a catchy chorus like their first single from a few years ago had.
― Tuomas, Monday, 16 February 2015 19:06 (nine years ago) link
My personal favourite in the semifinals is this one though, a perfect pastiche of the sort of Finnish schlager-disco that was popular in here in the 1970s, with accordions and all!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5iv6t2whds
― Tuomas, Monday, 16 February 2015 19:14 (nine years ago) link
Tuomas you don't rate Opera Skaala???
― kriss akabusi cleaner (seandalai), Monday, 16 February 2015 23:27 (nine years ago) link
Was a bit disappointed that post-Margaret Berger shambhala didn't succeed in Iceland:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sp0sim1RVfI
― kriss akabusi cleaner (seandalai), Monday, 16 February 2015 23:41 (nine years ago) link
I'm kinda of two minds on that tune. I like the arrangement and vocals, the singer is really charismatic, and their performance was by far the best in the first semifinals... But OTOH the song itself is kinda formless and doesn't have a hummable chorus or anything. That's not a huge problem for me, but it might be a problem in the actual contest. Also, I think this kind of combination of hypermelodramatic classical/opera vocals + techno beat has been done quite a lot in recent Eurovisions, like that Eastern European countertenor from a couple of years ago, for example.
― Tuomas, Tuesday, 17 February 2015 12:57 (nine years ago) link
Current overall entries in, 16 so far.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmUAE7aZ1rQ
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 24 February 2015 04:35 (nine years ago) link
Still mad at Latvia for not picking MNTHA, though I guess "Love Injected" is passable Alt/R+B.
― kriss akabusi cleaner (seandalai), Tuesday, 24 February 2015 09:43 (nine years ago) link
Anyone excited about the Irish selection on Friday? Thought not.
oh Finland :(
― kriss akabusi cleaner (seandalai), Saturday, 28 February 2015 22:25 (nine years ago) link
yay PKN :)
― The Crucifixion Of Sean Bean (DJ Mencap), Saturday, 28 February 2015 22:30 (nine years ago) link
Happy for PKN but the song is dire and will go nowhere in Vienna. I'm just bitter about Opera Skaala not winning...
― kriss akabusi cleaner (seandalai), Saturday, 28 February 2015 23:41 (nine years ago) link
UK entryhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6r1tUhl1cQ
― 0xFE Shades of Grey (snoball), Saturday, 7 March 2015 21:37 (nine years ago) link
I predict that will go about as well as when Germany tried big band nostalgia back in '09.
(jesus, the scatting)
― Leonard Pine, Saturday, 7 March 2015 21:59 (nine years ago) link
Very bad.
― abcfsk, Saturday, 7 March 2015 22:03 (nine years ago) link
It's mildly diverting and fairly inoffensive. The male singer phones it in a bit though. Reminds me of the YouTube ads for that Mr. Gr33n gambling website. Or maybe some Leonardo DiCaprio Great Gatsby nonsense. I'm sure if, I don't know, Olly Murs and Jessie J, or, you know, any actually famous-in-Europe British pop star were singing this, then it'd do a lot better. But no-one like that's going to get involved, because there's too much to lose and almost nothing to gain.
― 0xFE Shades of Grey (snoball), Saturday, 7 March 2015 22:08 (nine years ago) link
lol UK at least it's not a ballad I guess
― kriss akabusi cleaner (seandalai), Saturday, 7 March 2015 23:44 (nine years ago) link
everything's a ballad :(
go Israel!
― kriss akabusi cleaner (seandalai), Sunday, 15 March 2015 20:38 (nine years ago) link
not the banger I was hoping for from Russia but I'm impressed at how consistently they're sticking to the script they've established over the past few years:
We are the world’s peopleDifferent yet we’re the sameWe believeWe believe in a dreamPraying for peace and healingI hope we can start againWe believeWe believe in a dream
Praying for peace and healingI hope we can start againWe believeWe believe in a dream
― kriss akabusi cleaner (seandalai), Sunday, 15 March 2015 22:41 (nine years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0OeBrQBPNc
― kriss akabusi cleaner (seandalai), Monday, 16 March 2015 01:22 (nine years ago) link
they chose another guy who is originally from Adelaide, gonna perform a cape-less ballad
― AB de Villiers Terrace (King Boy Pato), Monday, 16 March 2015 07:26 (nine years ago) link
record points for the winner of melodifestivalen i hear, beating "euphoria"surely gonna be a favourite in viennanice big chorus too
― nxd, Monday, 16 March 2015 14:27 (nine years ago) link
the australian entry - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7MwzRBEY_M
― bae sremmurd (monotony), Monday, 16 March 2015 20:26 (nine years ago) link
That deserves to win actually.
― Hugh G. Wreckjoke (snoball), Monday, 16 March 2015 21:22 (nine years ago) link
Just found out someone i know (Armenian-Ethiopian) is going to Eurovision representing Armenia in this crazy supergroup they put together with Armenians from around thw world (Ethiopia, Australia, Japan, America & Europe)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuW3-PpvxTE
― H in Addis, Tuesday, 17 March 2015 12:17 (nine years ago) link
Okay, brilliant.
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 18 March 2015 01:07 (nine years ago) link
Cool! Though they had to change the title to "Face the Shadow" because Azerbaijan (and presumably Turkey, though I don't know if they count anymore) don't like songs where Armenians tell them not to deny <things>.
Was just reading this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenia%E2%80%93Azerbaijan_relations_in_the_Eurovision_Song_Contest
― kriss akabusi cleaner (seandalai), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 01:27 (nine years ago) link
The only songs I'm really into this year are Israel, Latvia, Serbia and (despite my disappointed mutterings upthread) Finland. Hope that some of them make it to the final.
― kriss akabusi cleaner (seandalai), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 01:28 (nine years ago) link
This feels like a week year at the moment, but other years have felt like that at this point and been surprisingly great on the nights so I'm hopeful. Not least because I'm going to all 3 "jury" shows this year unless I can find someone scalping a finals ticket on the streets. Estonia and Georgia are my favourites so far. A bunch of countries passed on better songs - Denmark, Finland and Norway I'm looking at you in particular.
― oh, boy, .GIF! That's where I'm a Viking! (edwardo), Thursday, 19 March 2015 02:10 (nine years ago) link
Oh and Ireland. Ireland fucked up big time.
― oh, boy, .GIF! That's where I'm a Viking! (edwardo), Thursday, 19 March 2015 02:11 (nine years ago) link
swiss entry isn't bad, in a goth kelly clarkson coaxed out into the world of tedder way
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_n_pXW3p74Q
― maura, Saturday, 4 April 2015 17:06 (nine years ago) link
this song is much better than the entry that won denmark's bid, which is a 'beatlesesque' track by a band called ANTI-SOCIAL MEDIA
anyway i like this track a lot, it's v kylie-in-traininghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L92AmzWVinQ
― maura, Saturday, 4 April 2015 17:08 (nine years ago) link
the netherlands are sticking with anouk-penned songs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSZwKW3RqT0
― maura, Saturday, 4 April 2015 17:09 (nine years ago) link
georgia's entry is making me long for the return of hi-nrg as epitomized by evelyn thomas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jo83OjRw-w
― maura, Saturday, 4 April 2015 17:11 (nine years ago) link
Denmark is always the worst
― kriss akabusi cleaner (seandalai), Saturday, 4 April 2015 20:12 (nine years ago) link
Julie Bjerre is exactly who I was thinking of when I was saying Denmark passed on a better song. Anti Social Media = "The Way You Do The Things You Do" if it had been written as a collab between one out of McFly, and Mika.
Other than the actual voice, the Dutch entry just sounds like Natalie Imbruglia, but worse. (NB I love Natalie Imbruglia).
My favourites now are Georgia, Iceland, Estonia, Sweden, Spain and (!!!!) Czech Republic. WTF?
― oh, boy, .GIF! That's where I'm a Viking! (edwardo), Sunday, 5 April 2015 00:18 (nine years ago) link
Other song I have positive feelings about: Albania, Belarus, Belgium, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, Poland, Slovenia.
― oh, boy, .GIF! That's where I'm a Viking! (edwardo), Sunday, 5 April 2015 00:28 (nine years ago) link
no love for Israel?
― kriss akabusi cleaner (seandalai), Sunday, 5 April 2015 02:41 (nine years ago) link
Can Eurovision introduce a music video award so Spain can win it?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-g92hNNbPQ
he run like he in a atari game
― Leonard Pine, Tuesday, 28 April 2015 21:22 (nine years ago) link
yeah I d/l'ed the app and it just triggers sending a 65 eurocent sms so funk dat
― droit au butt (Euler), Saturday, 23 May 2015 21:35 (eight years ago) link
SerbiaEstoniaFrance
can't remember the rest, Han's gone to bed with our voting doc
― gong mad (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 23 May 2015 21:37 (eight years ago) link
this chap would have made a fine castrato
― an absolute feast of hardcore fanboy LOLs surrounding (imago), Saturday, 23 May 2015 21:49 (eight years ago) link
nobody's voting for serbia! dear me
― an absolute feast of hardcore fanboy LOLs surrounding (imago), Saturday, 23 May 2015 22:01 (eight years ago) link
And now an hour of voting representatives in various states of inebriation.
― passive-aggressive rageaholic (snoball), Saturday, 23 May 2015 22:01 (eight years ago) link
why does evertybody want to hump italy's leg?
― rb (soda), Saturday, 23 May 2015 22:02 (eight years ago) link
because it was a fantastic leg
― an absolute feast of hardcore fanboy LOLs surrounding (imago), Saturday, 23 May 2015 22:02 (eight years ago) link
Italy was shite, wtf? Also I'm really confused about the voting, did they skip the small numbers last time too? I don't remember this.
― emil.y, Saturday, 23 May 2015 22:03 (eight years ago) link
http://clickamericana.com/wp-content/uploads/wargames-us-map-of-attack.jpg
― passive-aggressive rageaholic (snoball), Saturday, 23 May 2015 22:04 (eight years ago) link
xp they've skipped the small numbers in the voting for a number of years, they'd be here for another three hours otherwise.I don't get the votes for Italy, their song was your basic Il Divo act.
― passive-aggressive rageaholic (snoball), Saturday, 23 May 2015 22:06 (eight years ago) link
Italy is just straight pablum.
― rb (soda), Saturday, 23 May 2015 22:08 (eight years ago) link
Jesus can someone buy Graham Norton a map?
― Petite Lamela (ShariVari), Saturday, 23 May 2015 22:09 (eight years ago) link
italy was great! they nailed it
quite a few others were more interesting sure
― an absolute feast of hardcore fanboy LOLs surrounding (imago), Saturday, 23 May 2015 22:09 (eight years ago) link
DON'T FORGET SUSI
― gyac, Saturday, 23 May 2015 22:10 (eight years ago) link
All these technical faults remind me of when the video conferencing gear screws up at work.
― passive-aggressive rageaholic (snoball), Saturday, 23 May 2015 22:10 (eight years ago) link
"didn't see that coming" - THERE ARE TONS OF LATVIANS IN IRELAND
― gyac, Saturday, 23 May 2015 22:17 (eight years ago) link
find it illuminating how azerbaijan and armenia like georgia but fucking detest each other
― an absolute feast of hardcore fanboy LOLs surrounding (imago), Saturday, 23 May 2015 22:17 (eight years ago) link
Songs I like:
GeorgiaIsraelSerbiaNorwayRomenia
― rb (soda), Saturday, 23 May 2015 22:20 (eight years ago) link
I like to think of the 'bridges' as gravity's rainbow style super-rockets
― an absolute feast of hardcore fanboy LOLs surrounding (imago), Saturday, 23 May 2015 22:34 (eight years ago) link
Sweden have this, I think.
― Petite Lamela (ShariVari), Saturday, 23 May 2015 22:34 (eight years ago) link
Lithuanian - Russian beef is on
― an absolute feast of hardcore fanboy LOLs surrounding (imago), Saturday, 23 May 2015 22:35 (eight years ago) link
Russian results wonk totally misjudging the mood of the room.
― passive-aggressive rageaholic (snoball), Saturday, 23 May 2015 22:39 (eight years ago) link
love the idea that 200 sammarinese students in a single bar decided to give latvia 12 points
― an absolute feast of hardcore fanboy LOLs surrounding (imago), Saturday, 23 May 2015 22:42 (eight years ago) link
Taking the electro-country thing to its logical conclusion by thanking people for votin' 'n' supportin'.
― Petite Lamela (ShariVari), Saturday, 23 May 2015 22:53 (eight years ago) link
Latvia and Israel were the best. Didn't care for the winner but I rarely do.
― List of people who are ready for woe and how we know this (seandalai), Sunday, 24 May 2015 01:36 (eight years ago) link
Some absurd political voting from the juries on Russia. Lithuania's televote had Gagarina 3rd, the jury members voted it 20th, with two making it 26th. San Marino had it in 18th.
Apparently Italy won the televote by some distance and it was only the juries that led to Sweden winning, which is the first time that has ever happened.
― Petite Lamela (ShariVari), Sunday, 24 May 2015 07:35 (eight years ago) link
01. Italy – 36602. Russia – 28603. Sweden – 27904. Belgium – 19505. Estonia – 14406. Australia – 13207. Israel -10408. Latvia – 10009. Albania – 9310. Serbia – 8611. Armenia – 7712. Romania – 6913. Georgia – 5114. Azerbaijan – 4815. Poland – 4716. Lithuania – 4417. Norway – 4318. Montenegro – 3419. Slovenia – 2720. Spain – 2621. Greece – 2422. Hungary – 2123. Cyprus – 824. United Kingdom – 725. Germany – 526. France – 427. Austria – 0
― Petite Lamela (ShariVari), Sunday, 24 May 2015 07:36 (eight years ago) link
Latvia came third with juries, Italy sixth.
01. Sweden – 35302. Latvia – 24903. Russia – 23404. Australia – 22405. Belgium – 18606. Italy – 17107. Norway – 16308. Israel – 7709. Cyprus – 6310. Georgia – 6211. Estonia – 5312. Montenegro – 4413. Austria – 4014. Azerbaijan -4015. Slovenia – 3616. Lithuania – 3117. Hungary – 2918. Greece – 2919. France – 2420. Germany – 2421. Romania – 2122. Armenia – 1523. United Kingdom – 1224. Serbia – 1225. Spain – 626. Albania – 427. Poland – 2
― Petite Lamela (ShariVari), Sunday, 24 May 2015 07:38 (eight years ago) link
*second*
the French announcers were hilariously anti-Russian. when Germany gave Russia 12 points one announcer groaned "oh no". as Sweden started to rise the French announcers got progressively more gleeful, cheering each time Sweden came up higher than Russia.
― droit au butt (Euler), Sunday, 24 May 2015 09:42 (eight years ago) link
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenia–Azerbaijan_relations_in_the_Eurovision_Song_Contest
he was told by his interrogators that they had the names and addresses of all 43 Azerbaijanis who voted for Armenia
― an absolute feast of hardcore fanboy LOLs surrounding (imago), Sunday, 24 May 2015 10:04 (eight years ago) link
This was excellent trolling from Armenia:
http://i.imgur.com/l31Y4Ng.jpg
― Petite Lamela (ShariVari), Sunday, 24 May 2015 10:24 (eight years ago) link
So, the UK got 7 with one set, 12 with the other, and in Total we end up with 5?
― Mark G, Sunday, 24 May 2015 11:38 (eight years ago) link
any jury that voted the UK above Serbia ought to be forced to join Electro Velvet
― droit au butt (Euler), Sunday, 24 May 2015 12:22 (eight years ago) link
I'm trying to remember what the UK entry sounded like and all I'm getting is this...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvLDm8821jQ
― passive-aggressive rageaholic (snoball), Sunday, 24 May 2015 12:36 (eight years ago) link
did no-one else like Electro Velvet? I thought they were good, though maybe not as good as this provisional Austrian entry for 2012 that ended up being disqualified because it was publicly performed before the official start date for that year
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qplHN8o4rTk
― Category:Low-importance biography (musicians) articles (soref), Sunday, 24 May 2015 15:31 (eight years ago) link
it was replaced by the imperishable Trackshittaz and 'Woki Mit Deim Popo' though, so can't be too cut up about it
― Category:Low-importance biography (musicians) articles (soref), Sunday, 24 May 2015 15:36 (eight years ago) link
I thought the Electro Velvet tune was decent enough Charleston pastiche until, you know, the electro bits. I don't think "let's please every possible viewer demographic" has ever been the recipe for a Eurovision victory, so I'm not sure why they thought it would work this time?
The reason why I felt Belgium was the best (though Serbia was almost as good) was because their tune was so unashamedly stripped-down and modern. Usually the attempts to bring contemporary dance music into the contest have still included some traditionally "Eurovisiony" power strings and vocals melismas into them, which tends to water them down. But Belgium's song refused to do any of that, there were no embellishments or modulations or shit, and it may have cost them the old fogey vote, but it was clearly the best pop tune of this year.
― Tuomas, Sunday, 24 May 2015 18:04 (eight years ago) link
wikipedia says that Electro swing is popular in Europe
― Category:Low-importance biography (musicians) articles (soref), Sunday, 24 May 2015 18:10 (eight years ago) link
i hate 20s pastiche but i think Electro Velvet's main problem was not so much the song as the fact that they were a bit shit
― gong mad (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 24 May 2015 18:32 (eight years ago) link
me and Han were debating whether Ms Electro Swing was wooden and grooveless naturally or whether it was the high tech costume she was wearing but either way tbh
― gong mad (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 24 May 2015 18:33 (eight years ago) link
Electro swing not just popular in Europe, festivals in London (Swingfest) and Birmingham (Swingamajig) this year. Maybe the most 'current' a British entry has been in decades.
― the bowels are not what they seem (aldo), Sunday, 24 May 2015 18:43 (eight years ago) link
A guy I used to work with is a near-the-bottom-of-the-bill Electro Swing DJ.
― the bowels are not what they seem (aldo), Sunday, 24 May 2015 18:45 (eight years ago) link
maybe Electro Velvet are just too current for the fuddy-duddies of ilx, will try and console myself with that thought
― Category:Low-importance biography (musicians) articles (soref), Sunday, 24 May 2015 18:48 (eight years ago) link
Read somewhere that every juror who voted for Electro Velvet was over 60.
― List of people who are ready for woe and how we know this (seandalai), Sunday, 24 May 2015 21:04 (eight years ago) link
Electroswing got big at least 5 years ago, it's really not "current", you guys. Also it's only popular amongst reprehensible posh twats.
― emil.y, Monday, 25 May 2015 13:04 (eight years ago) link
I'd wager it's more "current" than Eurobosh or power ballads.
― the bowels are not what they seem (aldo), Monday, 25 May 2015 13:09 (eight years ago) link
Electro Velvet were shit yeah, in an in-your-face kind of way, but the song was also the world's first objectively bad tune.
― abcfsk, Monday, 25 May 2015 13:44 (eight years ago) link
The UK selectors may exhibit rank cluelessness, but the German ones have got themselves into a row already:
Germany withdraws 'homophobic' Eurovision act
The arguments against Xavier Naidoo paint him as a caricature right-winger, based on a few statements/lyrics from a long career. The truth seems a lot less clearcut. The charges against him are (in German) here. Herbert Grönemeyer defended him, calling Naidoo a "Christian free-spirit", not sure if that's a paradox. The ARD coordinator supported him in an interview. But now they've decided it's better not to bother persisting with it.
Anyway, back to the UK selectors. I'm betting that our 2016 song will contain at least one shout of the word "Selector!".
BUT this dream might be scuppered, if the 'new' selection system can pick something a bit more up-to-date.
There's going to be a public vote at some point, presumably after the experts get rid of anything too interesting. The process isn't well explained, but song entries closed last week.
http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2015-09-30/public-given-back-power-to-choose-uk-eurovision-entryhttp://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/sep/30/bbc-to-hold-open-talent-search-for-uks-next-eurovision-entry
― flyingtrain (sbahnhof), Friday, 27 November 2015 23:24 (eight years ago) link
Eurovision 2016
― bored at work (snoball), Friday, 26 February 2016 19:37 (eight years ago) link