This post is now in chronological order.

14:40

The final week of Eurovision 2015 has arrived, and my escgo colleague MartinF has left into a well deserved holiday, after been on blogging duty throughout the first week. This means, you will now have to do with me blogging! Please bear with my non-native English, I’ll try my best to bring across what I’m observing in the first dress rehearsals of the semi-finals and the grand final!

For those of you who are used to our live blogs to be self-refreshing after a few minutes: We are not using this feature this year, so make sure you hit refresh yourself to see new updates on the post. However, because of the way one of our plugins work, there should be an automatic refreshing of the whole site after 20 minutes anyway.

Now we’re waiting for 15:00 CET, then we can kick off.

14:50

I packed my laptop and went to the arena, to attend the first Eurovision thing with an actual audience! It will be interesting to see which songs get the most applause from “normal” people, can it be the first indicator for what will happen tonight? I found a quite good place to watch both, stage and screen, now I hope the wifi connection remains as stable as it is now.

We’re having a quite excited audience, and there’s a countdown: 10 minutes to go! In the meantime, we’re hearing and watching Eurovision classics from the past.. what was it again?.. 60 years.

15:00

After a quite annoying warm-up, we are ready to go! We’re seeing a countdown from 60 to 1, with Eurovision winners year after year, for each countdown number. Here’s the Te Deum! We’re seeing the theme artwork “dots” drawing the Vienna skyline, the video of last year’s victory of Conchita Wurst, and now we see the backdrop opening to reveal a live orchestra! Animated balls are coming from the ceiling to “wave” over the audience and finally, Conchita Wurst herself is entering the stage to perform her winning song Rise Like A Phoenix.

Intro

Conchita Wurst now welcomes us to the Eurovision Song Contest 2015. “Contestants, the stage is yours!” Now, all the countries are being called on stage, and we see them walking over the ground floor through the middle of the audience. All semi-final 1 artists assemble on stage, as Conchita continues with the last chorus of RLAP. Now the hosts are announced, Mirjam Weichselbraun, Alice Tumler and Arabella Kiesbauer. Unfortunately I can’t comment on their English skills, as I’m not a native speaker (took over the blogging from Martin today), but to my German ears it sounds quite acceptable.

Moldova

Before the postcards, we’re seeing the artists waiting to enter the stage. In the postcard of Moldova, we are seeing Eduard driving a tractor.

Moldova is exactly the trash that this Eurovision needs, it’s just a pity that it’s coming so early. The performance is very dynamic, just the camera work is hard to judge, as the screens here in the arena turn off every now and then. Vocally, he improves from the first verse towards the later parts of the song. Parts of the audience dance to it. I like what I see and hear, but then I’m always the right audience for some Eurotrash from Moldova.

Armenia

Genealogy don’t have the best song, but it’s surprisingly nice on stage. The colours and the lights all suit it very well. Of course, all this doesn’t make the song any better, but as so many entries this year, they make the best out of a bad starting position. Camerawork is faulty before the middle part, vocally, they surely are fine if we would hear them individually, but all together it’s sounding quite sharp and screechy at the end.

Belgium

The audience welcomes Loïc with a quite positive reaction, and we hear a few excited screams from the people here and there. Vocally, our favourite Belgian this May is in good shape. He reaches the common audience in the arena, which also results in a quite big applause.

Belgium is probably the most effective and visually striking thing this year. It’s weird, but still staying on the right side of the fine line towards being ridiculous.

The Netherlands

Trijntje wears the veil again, and the normal black dress, i.e. not the zig-zag cleavage.
However, the Netherlands still seem to not be settled with it all, I don’t know if they still have time to sort out the last things, but I am afraid this will be – if at all – a borderline qualifier. Vocally, this is alright, as expected, I just think this got the wrong (cold) colours for being such a warm sounding song. A rather polite applause in the hall.

Finland

PKN do what they always do. Finland is what it is. I am sure it has its audience, but personally I find it very difficult judge it. Can it be judged at all? The audience quite likes it.

In the rest of the 3 minutes, the hosts are saying “Good morning” to Australia (we are slightly reminded of “Good morning Luxembourg”) and announce the first Australian entry on Saturday.

Break

Now we see Conchita in the greenroom, chatting with Loïc, and praising his voice ad performance.
“What does rampampam mean?” – “The heart beating!”
Conchita finally points out, that there’s “just water on the table, what’s going on?”

Greece

Greece also makes the best of what they have, a rather weak song. It’s well sung and visually appealing. Maria-Elena looks amazing in her glitter dress, and that are words that you’ll hardly ever hear from me! The audience doesn’t seem to care a lot though. If I’m not totally mistaken, I can hear people talking to each other, throughout this. Something that I can definitely imagine also happening of Europe’s and Australia’s living rooms tomorrow. Also on Saturday? According to the reaction in the hall, that’s not totally unlikely.

Estonia

One of the big favourites in the house today! Both are in good shape, vocally. Estonia worked a lot on the camerawork and the shadows, and now it’s very effective. I am not sure about the ending, where Elina remains alone on stage, that’s a bit weird for being a duet. But overall, it’s quite convincing. In the end, Stig comes back on stage to say Danke. The applause… it’s decent, but not bigger than Belgium’s.

Macedonia

Macedonia’s attempt to turn this into an R&B thing doesn’t convince me at all. I wouldn’t be surprised if this stays in the semi-final, even though it was (!) actually a good song. They just didn’t find the right setting for it. However, the common audience won’t know it any otherwise, so what do we know? First I thought the audience would go with this, but now in the middle part, I am not so sure anymore. The “huuuhhuuuh” in the end is pointless, the reception decent.

But anyway, the reactions from the audience so far haven’t really varied a lot, so I might read more or less into it, than there is. Though, I think there’s definitely much headroom for it. So far, the audience didn’t go crazy to anything.

Serbia

Bojana got already quite a big applause when entering the stage. Serbia, the first trash moment since Moldova, begins rather solid (within its own limits), but as soon as it goes uptempo, they are losing the track here. It’s a mess. They look like they just paid a visit to a random local One-Euro-Shop and came on stage with the clothes they found there. It’s all coming across as cheap, and not in a good way. But that’s me talking. As indeed, this is the first song that the audience goes crazy about. Clapping throughout the chorus, screaming when she goes all mental with her voice, and in the end the biggest applause so far. I’m a little surprised. Need to cover my ears, it’s got a bit loud in here.

Hungary

Now I am reminded of something that the German commentator Peter Urban said after Guildo Horn’s performance in 98: “How am I supposed to do the transition to Malta now?”

But Hungary does it well. I have always been one of the few fans of this song, and I’m happy with what they deliver here. Especially in the last moments of the song, when they all stand close together (and they sound good together!), I am feeling quite warm around my heart, and so should probably do some more people across Europe. It’s not an entry for most Eurovision fans, also there’s talking here in the audience, but it should well qualify even without their help, as it’s jury fodder. But it isn’t ignored by the audience, either: Warm applause.

Belarus

Belarus could have done more with what they have: A quite catchy song. I think this isn’t well translated for the stage, it could do with more dynamics and energy. Static as it is, the staging doesn’t support the song well. Uzari’s timing is a little bit off in the 2nd chorus, and we also hear a few notes out of tune. Once in the song the audience started clapping along, but dropped it again quite soon.

Russia

Many were curious about what kind of reception Russia would be getting here, regardless of the song. Now we know more: No booing at the beginning, at least from what I can hear.

Polina begins quite nervous and shaky, but recovers before the first chorus. The audience tries to clap along in the middle clapping part, but doesn’t quite get it right.

Russia is the classical big Eurovision ballad this year. They are doing everything right that they can do right: Vocally brilliant, it’s got charisma, a suitable setting and checks all boxes with ease.

Whether it wins or not, depends on other things. Good response, and again, no booing.

Break

Conchita is again in the greenroom (which is white sofas on black floor), now talking to Estonia and Serbia. The hosts are saying something about hashtags and announce Denmark.

Denmark

Denmark is another good example for weak songs perfectly staged. When I saw this in Dansk Melodi Grand Prix, I wasn’t excited at all. Now here in the hall, there’s suddenly a spark coming across that didn’t before. They fill the hall with a sparkling energy, that I never thought could ever emerge from such a weak song. Does the audience  get going from it? Again, there is clap-along going on in the first half of the song, then they drop it again. Vocally, we heard them better, and we heard bigger applauses before.

However, they couldn’t “do” this song any better.

Albania

Elhaida looks a bit lost here, and that isnt helping the fact that the song isnt very instant. It all is quite bulky and inaccessible (says a fan of Festivali i Këngës). Some notes are not where they should be, either.

Well, this is an absolutely difficult song to sing, and I’m sorry she doesn’t nail it. I am a bit worried that Albania stays in the semis once again.

Romania

Călin, the lead singer of Voltaj, is now dressed all in black, with a golden “thing” around his neck.

This staging could all radiate a bit more for my likings, but it’s got a pretty decent setting. I am not sure if the suitcases are supporting the power of the song well, as they put a feeling of weight onto the stage, where there should be more of a flow between the artists and the cameras / audience.

It’s a very powerful, great composition, and I think the static setting doesn’t do it a lot of favours. It’s not a song to dance to and run over the stage of course, but some more dynamics and energy are missing here, which isn’t compensated by the camerawork either, from what I can see.

Georgia

Time to oximate!

Georgia doesn’t convince me. I was a fan of the song, and while there were some entries that grew on me here in Vienna when watching the rehearsals, this one is losing. Just like the other warrior, this looks a bit lost on stage. She’s also quite off in places. It doesn’t really click with the audience I think, and the applause was limited.

First recap

Europe, start voting now!

As we are getting the first recap, it’s a good opportunitey to see which songs get an extra applause in here. Moldova and Armenia are being ignored, Belgium gets some cheers, Netherlands is ignored as well, as is Finland, Greece, Estonia and Macedonia. Now Serbia gets the crowds going crazy again, a cheering that gets immediately muted as soon as Hungary sets in. Russia gets a bit of an applause, Belarus, again, no response, same for the rest of the songs.

So, if it was down to the people here, Serbia would win this semi by far, followed by Belgium. Then, I have no idea.

Interval act

We see a video with animals guiding us through Vienna with an action cam. How much of that is real, gets revealed quite quickly, as you see a horse trying to get money from a cash machine. We hear bits of Hunter of Stars and Cake To Bake and a few other known songs.

Now we see the hosts again, introducing the last recap, and it confirms my impression that Serbia, and then after quite a gap, Belgium, are the biggest ones in here. The rest doesn’t get any measurable additional applause.

Finally we can notice that this is a rehearsal, as the hosts try to find their positions and clearly have work in progress going on.

We’re now seeing a video showing Austrian icons from various categories, such as scientists, writers, sports etc., mixed with Eurovision clips and some humour that I am not really sure of yet, if I get it, even if I’m a native German speaker. The audience doesn’t really react, either.

Arabella is in the greenroom, interviewing a fake Elhaida, quickly finishing that obvious rehearsal with “ja ja ja okay, and thank you very much.”

Now we are seeing Australians in Eurovision, such as Olivia Newton John, Johnny Logan and Gina G. The audience doesn’t react.

Introduction of “Big 7”

Of course, the Makemakes get some response here. The same can’t be said about the United Kingdom and Spain. Il Volo have a few random people in the hall clapping mildly, German Ann Sophie had a little more of a response, but nothing to write home about, either. Australia had a few Australian fans reacting, of course, but that’s about it.

Voting

First, Jon Ola Sand is being introduced, the hosts are clearly in true rehearsal mode again, and now we are told about the random fake finalist announcement. The revelation isn’t fully prepared yet it seems, so we have to wait a bit. This takes a few restarts, and now here we finally go, and these are the random fake finalists:

Russia, Romania, the Netherlands, Moldova, Greece, Finland, Armenia, Albania, Belgium and Macedonia (she corrects herself: “Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”).

We see on the screen which countries are still not mentioned, that’s very helpful!

Now we get a recap of the fake qualifiers.

The End

Finally we have the hosts back on stage, saying some last words and finishing with “Good Morning Australia, and Good Night Europe!”

I am saying goodbye for now, thanks for following my dress rehearsal liveblog, and I hope you’ll be with escgo again for the first dress rehearsal of the second semi-final!

Hugs from Vienna, FelixK