We’re live in the press center for the jury rehearsal of the first semi-final of ESC 2019!
read more
A German in Lisbon: Yeah Yeah, Inflammation
I’m crawling out of my bed to type this. So, Eurovision did it again: I’m ill!
Anyway, where were we? We were at that point when the Eurovision experience in the host city makes you lose your sense of time, your knowledge of what day it is (oh, it’s the Saturday!), and what is actually happening around you.
So as I really don’t remember what happened when in the last few days, let me mention just some of the highlights:
1. I met Jessika!
San Marino was the only song I cared about in semi-final 2, and sadly it didn’t qualify. I spent all my 20 votes on “Who We Are”, so you can imagine how I felt after the envelopes. At Euroclub though, I had the pleasure to meet Jessika, and you can probably imagine how she felt! I showed her all my votes, and received a hug from her in return. If I managed to console one of my favourite Eurovision artists of the year over a disappointing result, then my Lisbon visit was already worth it for just that.
They are who they are
2. The first dress rehearsal of the final
It was a very chilly experience in the hall yesterday, surely not helped my cold. Having watched all the songs in the final running order, I get the feeling they actively placed similar songs close to each other (Spain / Lithuania, Hungary / Netherlands, Australia / Finland), but then again there wasn’t a lot of room to play within, considering the allocation draw. As it was so damn cold in the arena, I approved of Hungary and Cyprus a lot, so my prediction might have been influenced by the warmth of the pyros. I didn’t see the interval act yet, as I literally escaped into warmer territory as soon as Italy was over, so that will be new for me as well.
3. Dinner in Bairro Alto
Yesterday I also happily got to do a little socializing with friends, so we went to Bairro Alto and had typical Portuguese food and wine. This part of the city was full of Eurovision fans – at one point we could hardly move any more as the narrow streets were completely packed. I think this was the night when Lisbon realized what Eurovision is. It’s not just a TV show. Whoever says so has not a single clue.
And now? The final awaits us.
I am going to watch it in the Eurovision Village, as long as my cold doesn’t completely knock me out. I literally have no idea if it’s really going to be Cyprus, or if Hungary is the surprise winner, or if it will be Israel after all, but that’s the good thing about this year: it still is quite an open contest. The Eurovision Song Contest is never won before the Eurovision Song Contest happens.
Yeah, yeah, winner?
I pretty much think that’s it for me with this blog from Lisbon. I would have loved to do a lot more, but my cold and the lack of electricity for fan-accredited people killed my plan. But that’s life. What’s next? I literally have no idea. I will drag myself to the public viewing of the show somehow, and take things as they come. And even if “Fuego” wins, a song from my personal bottom five, I will appreciate a new country joining the ranks of the ESC winners and hope we all get to party together on a beach in Cyprus next year. Lisbon hasn’t really brought the fans together, considering the separation with the Fan Café and Euroclub (and some fans had to stay out of both), but it has been a wonderful place to spend these weeks in, and I will surely come back for a non-Eurovision visit!
So in case I don’t get to write again tomorrow: Thank you for following my blogs and photo galleries from Eurovision in Lisbon! I hope I get to do this again, and I hope I can do more next time. We will know more – destination included – in less than ten hours from now. Enjoy the show!
Visit our Eurovision Chat!
Visit our Eurovision Chat!
Follow us:
Semi-Final 1, Jury Rehearsal: Live Blog from the Press Center
Meet the twelve finalists in SongHunt 2019!
We’re proud to introduce the twelve national finalists that have battled through the heats, quarter-finals and semi-finals for their big chance at SongHunt glory. Read, watch, listen, and vote for your favourite!
read more
The view from Tel Aviv: The sum and the parts
Semi-final two, the *sensible* semi? Not when you’ve got bizarre staging choices and press centre hypes to deal with. Shi picks through the bones of the last two days in Tel Aviv!
read more
Insta report: The artists of Eurovision 2019
We’ve checked out the profiles of this year’s Eurovision entrants so you don’t have to. Here are 10 posts we couldn’t leave unshared!
read more
The view from Tel Aviv: Is it true? Is it over?
All of the first semi-finalists have now had their first rehearsals. Who’s underperforming? Who’s brought the right package right from day one? Shi takes a look!
read more
Five things to look out for as rehearsals begin
Rehearsals for the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest begin on Saturday. But what in particular should the assembled fan media be watching out for as the 41 participating countries take to the stage for the first time? We take a closer look!
read more
Selam, selam, here we go again, on a journey to… well, you know
It’s been a long journey for Israel at ESC – and for Shi as an Israeli ESC fan. As the rehearsals begin and Tel Aviv beckons, she reflects on her own personal history with the contest and the steps that took her from there to here.
read more
Line-up check 2019: Our views on the automatic finalists
The Eurovision 2019 line-up check is complete! If you missed our reviews of the big five plus host country Israel, now’s your chance to catch up…
read more
Line-up check 2019: Our views on the second semi-final
Continuing its line-up check, the escgo! team has now reviewed all 18 participants in the second semi-final of the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest. Read what we think here!
read more
Line-up check 2019: Our views on the first semi-final
The escgo! team has cast its eye over all 17 participants in the first semi-final of the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest. Read what we think here!
read more
Here’s another fine mess EBU’ve gotten us into…
The full results of the ESC 2019 grand final have been revised following the EBU’s admission that it messed up the calculation of the Belarusian jury votes. We have questions.
read more
After 44 years, the Netherlands win Eurovision!
The winner of the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest is "Arcade" by Duncan Laurence from the Netherlands - ending a 44-year wait for the country dating back to Teach-In and "Ding-A-Dong" in 1975. In an incredibly exciting results presentation, Sweden won the jury vote...
read more
Better love: Some of the bets to look out for at Eurovision 2019!
It’s time for us to take our usual look at some of the most interesting betting markets for tonight’s Eurovision grand final!
read more
Jury Final: Live Blog from the Press Center
We’re live in the press center for the jury final!
read moreescgo! on Twitter
If anyone was wondering, this is why the internet exists. https://t.co/iF5QweYfS6
Photos emerge of Chingiz's latest Instagram shoot
Your #Eurovision longread:
How Malta got it wrong due to constant tinkering, how Hungary slowly deteriorated over the fortnight, and how Duncan Laurence lucked into the right way to lose.
All these post-bubble insights and more in Shi's first wrap-up!
https://t.co/Mz41481SAn
“Dua ta besoj” by Artemisa Mithi & Febi Shkurti from #Albania wins SongHunt 2019 and is the best non-winning #Eurovision national finalist of the season! https://t.co/au9NTAWZdf via @escgo
