Eurovision 2023

(14-05-2023 09:18 )sandals1963 Wrote:  Australia and Israel not in EU either I believe.

Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iceland, Moldova, Norway, San Marino, Serbia, Switzerland and Ukraine are not in the EU either.

In previous years many other non-EU members have also entered Eurovision, such as Andorra, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, North Macedonia, Russia and Turkey.

Incidentally, in the last 20 contests EU members have managed 11 Eurovison wins and non-EU countries the other 9 (including 3 by Ukraine).

Despite watching a lot of Eurovision related programmes recently, including that programme on the red button, with annoying, inane commentary from Scott Mills and Natalie Cassidy(?!), I've yet to watch most of the performances in the semi-finals and the final.
I saw most of everything after the performances last night, and it was probably among the worst years' shows I've seen.

However much the contest has changed this century, there's a great gaping hole, where Terry Wogan and Ken Bruce would be.
Apart from the Ukrainian woman, the presenters were awful, with Graham Norton not filling those shoes comfortably, Alesha Dixon being characteristically characterless, and that woman who looks like a Nordic Action Man.

I liked the Czech song when I saw it in the semi-final, and the Israeli woman was gorgeous.

I liked the winning song more than her previous winner, which isn't saying much.

As I posted last year, I don't like Sam Ryder's song, but he has great stage presence, and 'star quality', unlike Mae Muller, whose song I prefer, nonetheless.

Whoever selected, allocated, and did the musical arrangements for the songs in the Liverpool medley, must have a very limited knowledge of that city's music history, and little musical sense...
There were some all too predictable songs, but surprising omissions, and awful performances.
It's a tragedy that Dadi Freyr's Think About Things was entered for the 2020 contest that never happened, as it and one other from that year which I can't quite recall rn, are among the best ever Eurovision songs.
His performance in that medley, was one of no more than three, that were passable.

Btw: membership of the EU has nothing to with eligibility for the contest, but being in the European Broadcasting Union does, Australia notwithstanding, about which, see my previous post.

There was the Radio 2 commentary, by Rylan and Scott Mills, on the red button.
I switched it to that, on YouView with BBC 1 in picture-in-picture(!), as I had more than enough of Giedroyc, very quickly.
My having started watching, when she obviously thought she could waffle on indefinitely!

Rylan got all choked up and teary by the winner, because she's one of his favourite singers, beyond Eurovision.
I listen to Rylan's Radio 2 show a lot, but Scott Mills is a shadow of his former Radio 1 self, on his Radio 2 shows.

I enjoyed much of Mills's Radio 1 programme, but on Radio 2 without Chris Stark, and the features involving him, as even more annoying as he could be, he just doesn't carry a major programme as well.

(14-05-2023 11:36 )skully Wrote:  Mel Giedroyc churning butter was indeed a highlight Charle...not gonna lie, I've got a thing for her

I always knew you were a strange one

Her commentary at the end was awful. She talked over everyone instead of waiting for gaps like Wogan and even Norton.

(13-05-2023 23:29 )lovebabes56 Wrote:  I am wondering if we lack A) someone writing a very good song & B) someone to perform it.

Did you actually watch last year? Had it been a normal year Sam Ryder would have walked it and deservedly so. He’s a talented performer and had a decent song. By all accounts he was very popular in the arena with the other acts too because he’s a decent bloke.

This year we had a crap song and a poor singer who didn’t seem to be particularly likeable.

^^ absolutely. I wish we could have had him representing us again this year. Space Man is such a good song. I had it playing on loop on YouTube whilst at work last week.

Shame about this year but I agree it was a poor and forgettable song.

(14-05-2023 11:36 )skully Wrote:  I actually watched the whole show for a change and aside from a couple of stinkers the quality was pretty high.
Ours wasn't very good at all imo, didn't like it when I first heard it, didn't like it last night either. lol.

Mel Giedroyc churning butter was indeed a highlight Charle...not gonna lie, I've got a thing for her

Yeah the last 4 to 5 years maybe longer i have only watched the show for the points but it was in England this year so i had no choice but to watch it.

(14-05-2023 20:14 )Regenerated Wrote:  ^^ absolutely. I wish we could have had him representing us again this year. Space Man is such a good song. I had it playing on loop on YouTube whilst at work last week.

Shame about this year but I agree it was a poor and forgettable song.

Maybe he might return in the future , we need him to have any hope of getting a win for the UK.

For the first time ever 4 songs from Eurovision are in the UK singles chart Top 10 (the entries from Sweden, Finland, UK and Norway).

There are rumours (to be taken with a big pinch of salt) that Sophie Ellis-Bextor is considering representing the UK in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest.