*spoiler alert* readers from Australia who do not want to know the results before the show is broadcast should read no further until Saturday.
Although the live broadcast doesn’t start until 9pm, we have learned from last year to get there early to secure a good standing spot. So we walked down to Nyhaven from our hotel at about 5pm to allow plenty of time to catch the boat over. The boats don’t have any set timetable, they are on a continual cycle. It’s a great way to get to Eurovision Island, fast and scenic, passing the Opera House, Amalienborg Palace and other sights.
Land ahoy! Our first sighting of Eurovision Island.
The fans weren’t so crazily dressed this year. Maybe the cooler weather has dampened enthusiasm?
The site this year is B&W Hallerne, a former shipbuilding yard. The site still has much of its abandoned industrial feel. Weeds grow up through the cracked concrete wasteland where we queue up. Food and drink is provided from food vans and temporary bars. Toilets are portaloos – although immaculately maintained. Yet once inside, the stage, the lighting, it’s all completely state-of-the-art, built exclusively for these Eurovision shows. And the best part is that the ‘Fan Zone’ – the floor area reserved for OGAE members, is the area right in front of the stage! We are so close to the stage that we can feel the breeze from the wind machines!
The show begins with last year’s winner, Emmelie de Forest singing her winning song, “Only Teardrops” with a children’s choir. Emmelie and the choir are on stage ready to go before the opening sequence is played, so she stands right in front of us that whole time, just soaking up the atmosphere. She waves, we all wave back. Although she must have sung that song so many times over the past 12 months, it’s clear that she still really enjoys it. The show has begun on a high, and it just gets better from there.
Armenia
This is a great song. It’s very clever musically and has also proven to be popular with the punters, coming up as one of the favourites. It’s also one of the few songs featuring fire! Go the pyrotechnics!
Latvia
Yes, we all knew the words to this hand clapping, foot stomping song. The band’s enthusiasm was infectious, and it’s a fun song. Predictably, it didn’t get through, but everyone had a good time. I wasn’t able to get a photo of this band as an enthusiastic Latvia supporter was standing nearby.
Estonia
This is one of my favourite songs in the competition. Tanja wins the Pink award for being able to sing while simultaneously doing some complex dance moves with her hot, blonde partner. How could this song not make it through? It was certainly one of the crowd favourites.
Sweden
This song was a crowd favourite and is also one of the favourites for taking out the competition. Can Sweden win again? It’s basically a very simple production with Sanne standing and delivering her song with incredible passion. And yes, I just love the dress! It seems to be seventh time lucky for Sanne, who has entered the Swedish competition to select their national representative seven times, before finally achieving this success.
Iceland
Eurovision loves a song with a meaning and this catchy tune is no exception. The primary coloured ones have made it through to the finals.
Albania
This song sounded amazing live. Hersi has a fantastic voice and the arrangement was much stronger live than on the recording. Another great dress, but I could be old-fashioned and suggest that she wears a slip under it.
Russia
Yes, they’re blonde, cute and twins, and they really play this up with the ‘mirror image’ choreography, and the conjoined ponytail thing, although the see-saw idea is pretty baffling. I thought that this was one of the weaker vocal performances of the evening, yet this song made it through although definitely not a favourite with the crowd.
Azerbaijan
Another crowd and public favourite. How can you go past a powerful ballad, a gorgeous, ruby red dress, randomly changing backgrounds and a dancer suspended way above ground on a trapeze?
Ukraine
This cheesy song was a lot of fun live. Mariya just radiated energy and the vibe was infectious. Combine this with a hot dancer in a human size mouse wheel and dress made to flirt with the wind machine and you have an instant crowd favourite. onomatopoeia has proven to be popular with Eurovision voters in the past, and this time was no exception.
Belgium
Another fine ballad to bring a tear to the eye of mothers everywhere, but sadly not enough to make it through to the final.
Moldova
Just when I was beginning to wonder whether Denmark had imposed a one-dancer limit on Eurovision entries, Moldova took to the stage with the full production: dancing boys, drums, the spectacle – this is what Eurovision is all about!
San Marino
Well it’s third time lucky for Valentina from San Marino. Having missed out on the finals in Baku and Malmö – despite being a fan favourite last year – her seemingly birth of Venus inspired number has got her over the line this year! And wasn’t the crowd pleased for her?
Portugal
Another crowd favourite and more dancers and drumming. It’s good to see that drumming boys have remained popular, although they didn’t seem to help Ireland last year. And sadly they did’t help Portugal this year, either.
The Netherlands
For the second year in a row, The Netherlands have submitted an alternative type act to Eurovision, something other than the typical pop tune or torch song. These acts have both been successful in making the finals, just proving that Eurovision doesn’t really like to be predictable, and likes to support the acts that are different. This act had very simple staging and amazing backgrounds. It’s also a great song and was performed really well.
Montenegro
Now this act was pure Eurovision. I haven’t seen an ice skater on stage since Russia in 2008. And this act took great advantage of the touch-sensitive light-up stage. Happily, we get to see it all again at the finals.
Hungary
This act featured contemporary dancing, which is a little disturbing (along with the theme of domestic violence for a Eurovision song entry). It seems that, in 2014, the 80’s no longer live on forever in Eurovision. I guess it took until the 80’s for 60’s influences to disappear. Where is the cheesy choreography? Where the tragic costumes? Maybe things will improve in semi final 2?
Overall the show was very slick and the presenters very professional. Talking in between acts was kept to a minimum, with the focus on the music. The postcard theme of making the flag and focusing on the performer rather than their country was very inventive. The comedy sketches in between were clearly inspired by the success of last year’s comedy sequences – funny and short. The crowd cheered when the winner of ‘wearing most silver’ was announced – hey guys, it’s not really a competition, is this really something to be proud of?
So these are the 10 countries going through to the final:
