Good Morning Australia, Good Evening Europe – that was it from the 1st dress rehearsal of the 2nd semi-final.

Conclusions: I am less sceptical about Israel, even more convinced about Latvia, worried about Norway and still not overwhelmed by the actual show – it’s once again quite unspectacular.

Thanks for staying with us on escgo, despite the limited blogging today, due to the situation for the press in the hall, but we didn’t want to miss the reaction of the common audience. We all know, what we fans are thinking. Now it’s time for the world to judge “our” songs!

Fake results

Jon Ola Sand says we’re ready to go, and here are our FAKE qualifiers:

Latvia, Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Norway, Lithuania, Iceland, Portugal, Ireland and…. (the audience chants: Israel! Israel!”) – Montenegro.

Here we are gladly seeing they are rehearsing the qualifiers reaction, which they didn’t do on Monday.

2nd interval “act”

Now we get another set of Eurovision clips, this time with glitches and funny voting moments throughout the years.

Conchita is now in the greenroom talking to a fake Monika Kuszyńska, a fake John Karayiannis and af few fake others.

Now we’re having a short interruption, as they are testing out lights and positions. Meanwhile, the “Conchita! Conchita!” chants in the audience remind me of the “Samir! Viktor!” chants in the venue of Melodifestivalen, back in March.

Interval “act” and second recap

We are again getting video clips, comparable to the ones of semi-final 1.

So you wanna know who the audience’s winner of this show is? Conchita Wurst, as the schoolkids here shout “Conchita! Conchita” at every possible moment.

So, here’s another recap, and another chance to observe reactions in the crowd.

Sweden and Israel get the biggest applause, followed by Latvia, and after a gap also Malta (missed that) and Slovenia (missed that too). Remember, that the loudest people in the hall are not Eurovision fans, and not adults, but school groups. This is as expected for Sweden and Israel, but quite good news for – especially – Latvia.

First recap

Now that the songs are over, large parts of the press left, so I can follow the recap from a seat finally. This also gives me the opportunity to watch the crowd reactions from a different corner in the hall.

I missed the first few ones, but I can tell now, that Israel and also Latvia get a good extra applause. Iceland’s reaction is not measurable, Sweden’s very loud,  and finally Poland gets a surprisingly warm applause.

17 – POLAND

“Fabric softener” – Martin put it perfectly in his line-up check! He was talking about the backdrop, though the song itself is just as soft.
From an earlier spot, this would be hopeless, but I actually think it can qualify. It’s pleasant, but probably not instant. Again, just a polite applause.

16 – SLOVENIA

So, this doesn’t get the crowd going, either. I like the staging a lot, it feels like could be from a 1979 ESC in a parallel Universe.
Catchy song, BUT, rather weak applause.

15 – CYPRUS

Wow, there wasn’t much of a song, but they made the best of the situation.
I love the staging here, with the chaming backdrop colours. Charming is the keyword in general here. The crowds are being told to switch their phone lights on – which they do. I guess he will be more lucky than Anna Bergendahl: good reaction here.

14 – SWITZERLAND

Wait, what’s Switzerland again… Ah, this. And this thought process is never a good sign, but maybe it’s just me?
No. Limited applause.
I like the song. I just forgot it yet again.

13 – SWEDEN

The big favourite. Måns is a great singer, the entry is a polished, highly professional, top-notch product. And exactly this might be Sweden’s biggest problem. The lightshow itself didn’t get any response from the schoolkids here, thought that’s worth mentioning!
No clapping along, no party in the audience as for Serbia.
I am one of the few ones who say it, but I’ll say it again: this is not the winner.
Applause is decent, but not overwhelming compared to the others.

12 – ICELAND

For those who tuned into this liveblog later: I am bound to type on my phone, hence the comments are shorter than usually.

Iceland has a beautiful stage, but a completely hopeless song, badly spiced with weak vocals. She also still feels a bit lost on stage.

Very limited reaction in the crowds.

11 – AZERBAIJAN

Well, this is a mess. It will surely qualify, if only to give Europe that WTF moment. Distracting, irritating dancers, but quite a big reaction here.

10 – LATVIA

Aminata’s experimental song gets quite a good response here. Her vehement performance results in a good applause, but again, not the biggest one. Vocally it could be a bit less sharp for my likings.

9 – ISRAEL

As said before, it could’nt have gotten a better position, coming after a whole set of dark songs.
Is this the Serbia of Semi 2? No. The audience reacts well, but not comparable to the response that Bojana got. I am afraid it the disqualification hammer will hit Israel once again.

8 – CZECH REPUBLIC

Many people here hope that it qualifies, but doubt it. It would be cool to have some shoe throwing on the steadycam, in the final!
I am not to keen on his rough voice in the lower notes, but would be happy if it makes it. Oh, no shoe throwing on the steadycam, but into the backdrop! Does it stay this way?
The audience once again reacts rather politely.

7 – PORTUGAL

Can’t we have Lithuania again? Surprisingly, the common people here clap along, but drop it again rather soon.
Oh well, this is the best that Portugal can do with the song that they have. Can it qualify? In this semi with lots of mediocre songs, it has a chance I think. Weak reaction in the hall, though.

6 – NORWAY

I like this, now, after 2 months. Will the Audience like it after 3 minutes?
Honey, I don’t know. It might qualify. I like a lot how it’s staged. Good reaction in the hall on the last chorus, but finally, one of the weakest reactions so far.

Break

Conchita is in the greenroom, talking to Sammarinese Michele and Irish Molly.

5 – MALTA

The other Warrior. Will there been a war between Malta and Georgia in the final? I doubt it. This is painful and I still try to find the song in it.
After this depressive sequence from Montenegro to Norway, I wish Lithuania was still coming up!
The kids in the hall quite scream a lot for this. Wait, this wasn’t Jedward!

4 – MONTENEGRO

Been there, done that. This is nothing new, nothing interesting, and nothing that should qualify. Adio! Audience reacts politely, again.

3 – SAN MARINO

I slaughtered this in our line-up check, while making it clear, that these kids are not responsible. Well, this has turned into a cult in Vienna. But those 3 minutes won’t be enough to make it a cult all over Europe. Polite response in the hall.

2 – IRELAND

Quite beautiful staging here, and this kind of song surely has its fans, but I doubt there will be enough appreciation in Europe to make it qualify. Inaccessible ballad, not my type of music, mild applause.

1 – LITHUANIA

This has so much charme, and it comes across well in the hall. I hope it qualifies! Vocally all sounds fine.
Good reaction in the hall.

—–

The good news, for me, is that I’ve never been so close to the stage in a Eurovision show before. I can see facial expressions, which tells me they are actual human beings!

intro

I am sorry to announce that this will not be a blog as you know it from us – as there are no seats in the hall for the press! So I left the floor now, as it bacame too dangerous for my laptop.

Working on my phone now, as the artists are being called to the stage like yesterday.

14:57

I found my place on the arena floor (no seats for press) and hope I can continue to work from here.

Here we go!