Eurovision 2025: Basel Calling

[lanky316]

6 minutes ago, johnnyboy said:

Some acts really seem to be struggling to fill that stage.  The runway to the T piece seems very hard to do anything with apart from stationing some dancers down there and then having a key change sprint.

It's a strange set up, way back when I was on the Knightclub - alas, it was kicked out by the German jury because "girls and the LGBT+ community don't like rock music" - train I caught the German finals and thought the set up was just trying to squeeze it into the studio but it was basically a miniature version of the actual staging. A "band" set up can work, you can have drums and keys stay there while vocals, guitar and bass can wander around a bit to use the runway but overall there's not much room for proper choreography. I get why they didn't want to leave it on a fairly standard arch stage but to be honest I love the way the lights and background work keeping it just there. Swedens use of the screens and arch worked really well with the woodland scenes and stuff for example. and Switzerlands song and staging seemed to work best in the more "intimate" sense from there. Of the first semi nobody really used it that much and it was just "there". 

[Vamp]

I really liked Switzerland. If they can get the camera working on Saturday it'll be interesting to see how well it does. 

Netherlands seem to have a good song but I didn't thunk it was particularly well sung and the staging was weak. 

Sweden didn't blow me away. I think it's good but it didn't stand out as anything extra special. 

The interval song was great and I loved the Petra cameo. 

One of the highlight videos reminded me how much I love it when they incorporate water into the staging. 

[johnnyboy]

To help us get through an evening without Eurovision here's Serving from the London Eurovision Party

 

[johnnyboy]

The better semi-final is tonight!

BBC One - 8pm

Here's the best song that never won.

My 3 year streak of French on Duolingo is entirely down to me wanting to tell Barbara Pravi that I love her in French should our paths ever cross.

 

Semi-Final 2 Tunes

19 acts tonight.  16 fighting for 10 final slots and the last 3 of the Big 5 just showcasing their tunes (France, Germany, and the UK).  UK viewers can vote in this semi if they want.

Quite a bit of sauce tonight with The Milkshake Man, Ich Komme (I'm Coming), and Serving (KANT).  Spotify streams for Miriana are going to look a bit wonky as the original "Kant" track and the retitled "Serving" where the served kant is silent are both on the platform so I hope they add them together if they mention X gazillion streams.

If you were being burned in a Wicker Man I imagine you could hear Latvia's number being sung around the Maypole as the flames licked at your toes.  Catchy and haunting.

Even though this is the better, overall, semi there are a couple of duffers (and Israel).

[SuperBacon]

Thought some of you might like this.

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/may/15/eurovision-song-contest-quiz-trivia-basel-2025

Expecting full marks from @johnnyboy 

[johnnyboy]

17 minutes ago, SuperBacon said:

Thought some of you might like this.

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/may/15/eurovision-song-contest-quiz-trivia-basel-2025

Expecting full marks from @johnnyboy 

16/18

I am shame

Spoiler

Heart logo year and multiple host city

 

Edited May 15, 2025 by johnnyboy

[Lion_of_the_Midlands]

14/18 for me. Should have been 15 but a moment of rashness cost me. 

[lanky316]

Full house for me, the years of being "The Walking Eurovision Spoiler" during my time on local radio and all the marathons I'd do on air have clearly stayed with me. Almost got one wrong

Spoiler

The Aussie start date, I knew it was an anniversary and was going to put it earlier, before remembering I had to explain the difference between the EBU and EU on air to a caller and I wasn't on air at the earlier date I was thinking about.

 

[Harry Wiseau]

Gutted that my Milkshake Man didn't qualify, or the Norwegian Ireland dog lady. Malta and Finland were my other favourites from this semi going in and nothing tonight changed that, I wasn't impressed by the staging of the UK girls, I prefer the song on the radio to live.. And God I wish Rylan and Mills were commentating on Saturday instead of Norton, I dont't dislike Nortons watered down Wogan but after two nights of coked up insight from the crazy boys Graham will be a bit of a comedown.

 

Overall two great semis, I hope Tommy, Malta and Finland give the Swedish boys who aren't actually Swedish a run for their money on Saturday 

 

Let the Eurovision buffet assembly begin!

[FLips]

Absolutely baffled how Milkshake Man didn’t make it through. It was one of my favourites. 

[lanky316]

10 hours ago, Harry Wiseau said:

 God I wish Rylan and Mills were commentating on Saturday instead of Norton, I dont't dislike Nortons watered down Wogan but after two nights of coked up insight from the crazy boys Graham will be a bit of a comedown.

They did mention they'll be providing it on radio 2. I'm not sure if that'll be behnd the red button but might be worth checking Saturday night.

 

Finals running order for Saturday... Sweden late on is probably going to be great news for them. France are also well fancied so them two going late could be an advantage. Israel early is likely a "death slot" but I wouldn't be surprised to see all the usual grifters trying to get all the people not watching to rally behind them again with the public votes.

Edited May 16, 2025 by lanky316
adding final running order

[johnnyboy]

THE GRAND FINAL

BBC One - 8pm

Easily swayed as I am, I had some lovely baklava with my lunch so I'm all in on the big spectacled Greek lady.

Swiss cheese melts for tea, with a fondish cheese dip so if nothing else I'll be having some killer nightmares tonight.

Poland sent the same act as they had in 1995, which means we dropped the ball and could have sent LCG.  30 years on and still sounding f-f-f-fresh.

BOLD PREDICTIONS

Austria top 5 with the juries, but bottom 5 with the televote.

Israel win the RoW televote.

UK in the 50-75 points range, putting them in the high teens on the scoreboard.

Cyprus will not be the only country to give Greece 12 points.

No one gets the 0-0 from the jury and televote combined.

[lanky316]

The Jaded Star and Visions of Atlantis singer Maxi is the Greek vocal coach and as I've known her for donkeys years so I can fully get behind the Greek glasses lady hype train. I'm not holding out a lot of hope for them but I'll happily see them get some 12 points just to see Maxi waving her little flag.

[FLips]

3 hours ago, johnnyboy said:

BOLD PREDICTIONS

Israel win the RoW televote.

Wouldn’t go as far as to call that prediction bold. An Isreali company sponsors the competition and they’re muting the boos/piping in cheers for them whenever they perform.

Last year I’m sure they did the same thing too. Without even going into whether they should even be taking part (they shouldn’t), the unashamed bias, open secret online/telephone bot voting their entry and preferential treatment they get during their participation is a stain on the competition.

There was a thing on Reddit earlier I saw where the Isreali commentary said “I can’t believe we gave these guys a quarter in Jerusalem” about the Armenian entry. Just gross that they’ve been allowed to stay in it, their song isn’t even good but it will finish Top 10.

[johnnyboy]

19 minutes ago, FLips said:

Wouldn’t go as far as to call that prediction bold.

That one was slightly tongue in cheek as Israel have got 12 points from RoW vote the two years it has run.  Is it diaspora, is it bots?  I couldn't tell you.

There was a really noticeable part in Semi Final 2 when a Palestinian flag was visible between the two presenters.  Within seconds one presenter starts shuffling sideways and a slight pan to cover it. - 2hrs 2 and about 10 seconds into the iPlayer stream - unless I'm imagining that it was deliberate.

Edited May 17, 2025 by johnnyboy