Eurovision 2014

[JenniferParisHusband]

Nobody takes Eurovision seriously which is why Conchita or Lordi or Dana International can come out and win. If you come out and do something memorably outside the box you can win.

I always remember when Ireland was winning a lot and the Father Ted comedy show did an episode where they wanted to throw the competition by selecting the worst choice imaginable to ensure they didn't have to host it again. Take a look at some of those acts that get sent and ask yourself if those acts were entered purely for the sake of talking points. It's a lot better to be interesting than good but not good enough to win.

I don't know. I think the UK is really the only country that doesn't take it seriously. But if they keep sending crap acts, they aren't going to win. Send Muse one of these years, or Adelle and watch how well they do. It always bugs me a little when people talk about the "Crap Acts" or how "weird" the rest of Europe is. It's not that they're weird or crap, they're just different. I spent a year in Russia. the Russian twins are very much what is entertainment in Russia.

[robertlouis]

Having spent a lot of time in Austria, I can assure you that in the sentence "Austrian Drag Queen wins Eurovision", the weirdest word by far is "Austrian."

[Stavros]

It might also be of interest that the figures released show that in the UK Poland won the popular vote, and that overall Poland would have polled far higher than it did:

The UK jury... placed the Poles in last place, with an average ranking of 25. The UK public, however, couldn't have felt more differently about Donatan and Cleo's performance, selecting the Polish act as their favourite.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/t...UK-public.html

It is a pity that a song competition ends up being about the performer, with the winner this time being a poor singer, Conchita's voice lacks depth, colour and expression; at least Dana International can sing, and produced a zippy disco type number that had instant appeal.

Meanwhile, for those who are interested, the BBC Young Musician of the Year 2014 has been producing an awesome display of teenage musicians, the percussion section was particularly good this year.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00bb3wt

[JPeterson]

Just heard the Bake The Cake song on someone's facebook not sure how that didn't do well.

[martin48]

Now on sale in Austria - very moorish

[alpha2117]

It might also be of interest that the figures released show that in the UK Poland won the popular vote, and that overall Poland would have polled far higher than it did:

The UK jury... placed the Poles in last place, with an average ranking of 25. The UK public, however, couldn't have felt more differently about Donatan and Cleo's performance, selecting the Polish act as their favourite.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/t...UK-public.html

It is a pity that a song competition ends up being about the performer, with the winner this time being a poor singer, Conchita's voice lacks depth, colour and expression; at least Dana International can sing, and produced a zippy disco type number that had instant appeal.

Meanwhile, for those who are interested, the BBC Young Musician of the Year 2014 has been producing an awesome display of teenage musicians, the percussion section was particularly good this year.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00bb3wt

Poland ... ahhh Poland ... the Butter Churning ... the Washboard ... the impressive Cleavage. I dont think talent was behind that popularity ... well not signing talent.

I thought Conchita sang well, I thought a couple of others were better. I loved Norway's bouncer and I think it was Montenegro that was really impressive early, a few others too. None stood out as being way in front of the field though.

[Prospero]

Not a single song was any good at all. It was and has for a long time been about spectacle - and politics of course.

[JenniferParisHusband]

Not a single song was any good at all. It was and has for a long time been about spectacle - and politics of course.

"Start A Fire," by the girl from Azerbaijan is really good, but you have to be into singers like Diana Krall and Norah Jones who have more of a softer jazzy style.

The Dutch song is a country music song, it would have done well in the states.

The rest were pretty much awful. I'm still trying to figure out the bake a cake thing.

[Stavros]

[JenniferParisHusband]

Stavros, yeah, that's the song. I still don't get it. Especially what Latvian Richard Marx is doing with the Shaker and the whole "Piece of Cake" thing. strange. If that's the extent of Latvian music, I think I'd be begging Putin to invade just to have the Russian conjoined hair girls representing me instead.