Eurovision 2024

[RunningAndSinging]

Anyone interested in the build up this year? I have been more aware this year as the songs are announced. I like Croatia, Ireland and Finland. Dizzy is hopefully going to do well which makes it exciting - Olli Alexander should be good performing live and he is well known in Europe.

Just reading about the controversy with Israel’s entry and I see that Iceland might send a Palastinian singer.

Ukraine have been the favourites for a while but Croatia is just ahead of them now.

SF1 feels like the harder semi to call - even though if has fewer acts competing. My predicted qualifiers (in alphabetical order) are:
Croatia
Cyprus
Finland
Ireland
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Portugal
Serbia
Slovenia
Ukraine

Like @RedToothBrush, I’m
wonder what the 2024 equivalent of Bridges will be. The bookies seem more certain about the SF2 qualifiers, so that’s where I’m expecting a surprise. Perhaps San Marino or Latvia?

Latvia would benefit from a jury vote. On a televote I can't see it. The staging is awful and I don't think the rehearsals suggest his vocals will be mind-blowing. Good yes, but not mind blowing.

But yeah I think there could be a surprise somewhere.

Some clips have leaked of Ireland today and it is WOW! Some people will hate it but lots will love it, and it sure as hell won't be forgotten!

Such a strange feeling to be excited about our entry.

The reaction to Olly is very strong too, it's a shame these two are right next to watch other in the running order.

How? They were so strict about phones when we were there and today, and we’re artist guests.

The rehearsal shows that there is a presenter break between Ireland and the UK. So not quite back to back.

Ireland have shot up in popularity with the bookies today. They are now 6th edging France into 7th.

It's not crowd footage, it looks to be from the stream that was made available to the press.

https://twitter.com/Pascets/status/1787504920830066912?t=jbp2nbhw1aW3EcM9icTqyA&s=19

Wow 😲

That staging is incredible.

Ireland are beating the UK this year.

Well looky here...

I wonder if it's the Irish delegation that deliberately released that to increase their publicity/fan awareness.

Cos, well... It's seems to be working.

As I say the bookies are noticing it. Wouldn't surprise me if it over took the Netherlands by tomorrow in the betting at this rate.

You can see Bambie’s original background in ballet, can’t you?

Already ahead of the Netherworld here:

We've overtaken The Netherlands in the odds! Fifth now.

After all the years of NQs I can't quite believe this, but I'm loving it!

Snap @OublietteBravo

I’m surprised Israel are so high in the odds. Their song is just a generic power ballad with a stormy weather theme. Hardly groundbreaking or original. Do they have spectacular staging that I’m unaware of?

Wow that's changed since I watched the full video above! It was still behind the Netherlands then.

I bet the RTE execs are shitting themselves!

Press poll after first dress rehearsal.

I'd take this seriously, but Australia??? Wtf?!

I suppose the Australian song has some quite clever lyrics. It’s a lot less generic than Cyprus/Luxembourg/Poland.

I’m surprised Iceland is so high. I had them down as certain non-qualifiers.

And actually there’s really nothing in it between 7th and 15th when you look at the points spread.

Fuck. I had hoped Azerbaijan, Poland and Moldova would get through.
I clearly understand nothing.
I still don't like the Witch's song but I do think their staging is interesting.

Bambi Thug had an issue in last night's live show (remember this used to be the jury show but there isn't for the semis anymore). The candles malfunctioned and didn't come on. They still knocked the socks off everyone.

Ollie Alexanders vocals apparently weren't great at times which worrying. That's the thing he should be good at. And the jury will punish him for it on Saturday.

Heres an audience vote from people who were in the arena. (Apparently. Don't know how they did it - guess it's fan club).

Once again Australia really high on this! But this looks a lot closer to what I expect will happen (I'm not ruling out Serbia just yet though but there was notable disappointment expressed about the staging). Ollie got 107 votes which puts us 9th. We are expecting to do badly on the televote and score well with the jury, but that's still doesn't bode terribly well for the final especially if his vocals are off. This is only half the entries and we are that low.

Ukraine down in 5th is surprising. By all accounts one of the artists tripped and fell yesterday at one of the two shows (not sure if it was the earlier rehearsal or the first audience show).

Finland is higher than I might have expected.

https://wiwibloggs.com/2024/05/07/eurovision-2024-rest-of-world-voting-now-open-for-semi-final-1-so-who-did-you-vote-for/281510/

Rest of the world voting is now open!

You have to watch every clip before being allowed to vote, but if you are in a none Eurovision participating country you can vote. I know DH has some weird US and Canadian friends who watch it so ...

I didn't think the juries were voting until the second dress rehearsals on Friday?
Have I got that wrong?

No. That's right. The semi performance last night and the one on Wednesday still are generally referred to as the jury show which confuses matters. Semis are televote only.

The fanclub looks to have run its own vote though based on last night's performance. The fanclub arguably is closer to the televote than a jury vote.