Good morning from the press centre! Today the Big Six will rehearse for the first time. And like the first rehearsals for the semi finals we will not be allowed inside the arena. However we will bring you what footage we can from eurovision.tv and blog all we see (and hear!)
Spain
Ruth looks very relaxed and happy on stage and sounds wonderful. The stage is dark at the beginning, raindrops. The raindrops theme continues as the stage gets brighter. On the backing we have raindrops and for the views from above the look like they land on the stage. It is very beautiful. I have been told before that Spain never seems to care about their backdrops but this year’s has certainly been worked on!
The dress is simple and white except for jewels on the shoulders. I suspect it might be the dress we will see on Saturday.
The lighting has also been thought through and at the end the beams join to focus on her.
Italy
I really do not think this is the actual outfit. For the first run through she had a jacket but she took it off for the later ones. However her band are in matching white outfits so they may be dressed already for the final. On their heads they wear golden Laurel wreathes.
Emma walks a lot during the performance and is confident in her vocals and with the cameras.
The background is amazing. Very bright, lots of whites and creams, with pictures of lips following Emma’s words, eyes, Xs and Os, guitars… at one point her face, singing. And a Versace-like pattern to compliment the Laurel wreathes.
The song is not one of my favourites but I still love it because of her confidence as a performer. However today people say she looks a little aggressive. There is one point where she crawls on the stage and that is one part I do not understand.
Denmark
It starts out a little too dark I think. He is in a tuxedo and everyone is in black and white on stage. There seems to be a very simple yet sparkly lighting. I think he had problems with his ear piece, he did not sound very well on the first run through.
He sounds hoarse overall. He shouts “Come on!” to the audience but it comes out like a whisper.
The final runthrough had a firework and as the firework fades a flag drops. It is not the Dannebrog as word here says that that was not allowed. But it is a flag of Basim with LOVE written on. It hangs for the last chorus and then falls behind the performers as they pose at song end.
France
I wish the sound was louder in the arena for this as I really need a beat to go into my brain and wake it up after so many ballads and slower songs. I have been really looking forward to see how France would look on stage and I am worried the stage is too big to fill. The dancing and vocals are pretty good and the reaction in the arena is positive. The background is as lively as the song, with some text and of course moustaches with bright colours.
No two run throughs were the same. They are experimenting with light and where to move on the stage. Could this not have been done before today?
United Kingdom
Molly starts the performance with her eyes closed. There is a Paisley pattern on the background and on the stage. The delegation is in casual clothing today. During the first run through Molly paused twice to ask for more volume in her ear.
Her hands have Paisley henna tattoos. But she is wearing a sweater today. We are wondering if the tattoos will be on the arms to match the stage design.
Ah. We have a waterfall firework for the last chorus.
Germany
This all looks very simple. The three are standing close together on stage, opening shot of close up of the accordion with the group’s name on like we have seen before. A little bit of a shaky start, Elżbieta looks nervous! But she recovers well and the first take is applauded. I think they are in casual clothes and I am sure I have seen Elżbieta wear this jacket before.
The second run through was also good. Elaiza is interacting with the camera more now. The background is purple / pink with the Elaiza signature and some of the squares have moons and sparkles.
The third run through is the best so far. The stage looks like a chessboard at times. Ribbons fall for the last chorus.
I do not know if the stage is too big or what but like Malta yesterday this is missing umph. It filled the stage and hall in Cologne just fine. I do not understand. Maybe it is early stages and on the night it will be different but I just did not feel any magic from Germany today. The people sitting around me said the same, one saying “It feels like a long three minutes.”
The one good thing everyone says is Elżbieta’s vocals. They are strongest for the fourth and final run through.