Andrew's Blog from Paris (formerly London / Bordeaux / Sheffield)

So here we are, Eurovision 2009, and I think the UK might genuinely have a chance with their entry this year. Who knows? Stranger things have happened: Follow my comments as the evening unfolds below:

Notable Final Scores: 1st: Norway 387pts; 2nd: Iceland 218pts; 3rd Azerbaijan 207pts; 4th Turkey 177pts; 5th United Kingdom 173pts; 8th France 107pts.

10.05 Relive the victorious entry now: watch the Norwegian entry from Alexander Rybak below:

00.18 Ok, it's all over for another year, and I really cannot remember who the winning Norwegian singer/violinist looks like! Suggestions in the comments at the bottom please! In the meantime, thanks for following me tonight, hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Until next year in Oslo, Adjø, god natt og passe.

00.11 Well I for one am chuffed. My top-two both finished in the top-three. Well done to Norway, off to Oslo will go the Eurovision bandwagon. The French commentators are keen to sign off and cry, no doubt because they finish so far behind the UK, guess that must really hurt. Let's here the winning performance once again.

00.09 Norway have won, and they're also the last to give their points. Well done to Norway, running away with the competition in what is a new competition record. The UK was beaten down to fifth place by Turkey in the final two sets of results but it is still an excellent result.

00.07 Looks like the UK is going to finish fourth. Not bad at all.

00.00 Will Ireland give their neighbours 12 points? No, but we'll take the 10 though, cheers!

23.58 Excellent. The French commentators have just described being behind the UK and Bosnia as being a "horrible dream". Time to wake up...

23.51 Haha absolutely love the dismay in the sighs of the France 3 commentators when they get given two or three points. Be grateful for what you get! Another eight for the UK from Albania, and another eight from Serbia, wow thanks. Can we make the top-three? Perhaps that's too optimistic... Oh and you've got to love the hateful oh la la la la la when the UK outscore France...

23.47 Thank you Greece! 12 points for the UK! Get in! How long has it been since we last got a 12 points? Anyone know? That confirms it, this evening has been a success for us British :-)

23.43 Half-way through the voting and the top-three is all-but decided: Norway, Iceland, Turkey. UK are doing very well and are beating France, much to the dismay of the commentary team I'm listening to - good stuff!

23.40 What the heck is that idiot from Blue doing presenting the UK vote?! One point for France, oh they were not happy with that. Seven for Germany and the 12 points for Turkey, interesting choices UK.

23.36 Andorra to give 12 points to Spain? Oh yes... so predictable sometimes...

23.32 Russia give 10 to France - the commentators are very happy with that! Another 12 from them and another 12 from Latvia to Norway though, so it definitely looks like it's off to Oslo next year... But where is this 12 points for the UK?!

23.29 Nor there, 12 points to Norway from Iceland. Oh and the French have given us four points - how generous.

23.27 Norway get 12 points from neighbours Sweden, pas de surprise there...

23.23 Another 10 points, this time from Malta. 23 from four countries, and we've already passed our total from the last few years! French commentators are again bemused with only three points from their even more special 'friends' Germany, who give the UK another eight points. Really looking good for the UK, even better for Norway. Will the UK get a douze points?

23.22 The French commentators are not happy at all that Belgium, their 'friends' gave them only one point... Norway gets another 12 from Belarus. Heading to Oslo already?

23.20 Spain gives 10 to the UK - wow this could be our night! Norway gets 12...

23.10 Voting closed. Now let's see if neighbours will vote for each other again and leave the UK all alone at the foot of the table... Oh we have another spectacle to sit through, might use this opportunity to grab some food then.

22.55 Voting open: 15 minute break now for everyone to submit their vote - can that really be enough? Oh yeah the public don't 'actually' have a vote.

Anyway my top three (as I can't vote for UK): Iceland, Norway, Malta.

22.51 Well Spain have completed the proceedings. Their entry was far more 'normal' than it was last year and wasn't as bad as Finland's - really why dance music?!

22.47 URGH! Dance music. Thank you Finland, was going so well...

22.45 Hairs on the back of the neck standing on end, what a song. Despite my hatred for Andrew Lloyd Webber, he's done well this year. Well done Jade Ewen, it was your time (pun intended), excellent job. Even the French commentary team admitted (perhaps begrudgingly) that our entry is strong this year. At least we can't finished last with that, surely?

22.42 It's time for the UK. Come on!

22.41 According to the Romanian entry Balkan girls like to party like nobody, like nobody, like nobody. That I did not know. What I also did not know is that Romania has a very good entry this year. Could the contest be heading to Budapest next year? I think not but not bad nonetheless. Like that one.

22.37 Ukraine's entry wants us to be her Valentine - "anti-crisis girl". I think they're playing for the male vote somewhat with the costumes but what's going on with the giant cogs and the male dancers dressed as gladiators? This might just be the odd entry of the year, à la Lordi, and we all know what happened to them...

22.32 Oh now this I like, Norway. Power-ballad violin solos, press-ups, backflips and amusing lyrics. The singer looks familiar too, can't think where from. The Nordic countries (not Sweden) are impressing me this year!

22.25 It's not world-class but what on earth is that dancer wearing. Looks like an all-in-one green sequin suit - bet that's comfortable.

22.24 They boasted in the song that it was the 'best in the world' but sorry Turkey I'm not convinced. Do we have a Shakira wannabe here too? Has to be one of the favourites this one. Albania next, and let's be honest even if the song was world-class, they won't win...

22.20 Well I would be lying if I said I expected that from Germany, what a shock. Seems very inappropriate for them but heck that could very well win. We have a Ricky Martin wannabe here and I don't like it. Saying that I would disqualify him solely because of those tight silver trousers. Enough said.

22.17 That's more like it - good ole Denmark with the pop-ballad, the waistcoats and what looks like Simon Pegg on keyboards. This could win, it's real Eurovision material. Just needs a few more fist-clenching power strides... Oh and now he's on the knees and we have fireworks. Yes, real contender.

22.09 Malta and 'Chiara' are certainly contenders after that performance. Politically speaking, it's an interesting choice, with the lyrics 'What if we could be free'.

22.05 One word for Moldolva: interesting.

22:00 Bosnia & Herzegovina are being represented by a band whose promotional photo makes them look like Coldplay. They only found their singer through adverts in local newspapers and magazines but amazingly they have been a supporting act for the Rolling Stones. Not a bad entry at all - still Iceland for me so far.

21:55 Is Azerbaijan really part of Europe? Have to admit their song is real Eurovision material so certainly not out of place there...

21:52 After Armenia's strange contribution here we are, Russia, and interestingly a Ukrainian is singing for them... In terms of geopolitics the Ukraine still belongs to Russian when it comes to singing it would seem. Her name is Anastasia Prihodko and apparently she sings quite unordinary minor songs and folk songs in both the Russian and Ukranian languages. Her entry sounded rather ordinary though...

21:43 I don't like Greece's entry already -please oh please don't let this win!

21:42 Why oh why is Iceland's entry singing in English? If I was in charge I would rule that all countries sing in their native language - sure there would be language barriers but surely this beautiful range of languages is what makes Europe so unique and diverse? Nonetheless that was an excellent entry, my favourite so far. Next is the favourite Greece, great...

21:35 Is it me or is Portugal's guitar entrance rather similar to that of Green Day's 'Time of your Life'?

21:28 France’s wasn’t bad at all, best I’ve heard from them in years. Cannot say the same about Sweden and Croatia’s entries though, just sound like a load of shouting to me…

21:16 Wasn’t overly impressed again with the Israeli entry, they may have won the contest for their country before but I’m not sure that will be good enough – long way to go though. France is next and they actually boast a proper singer this year and are very enthusiastic about her success.

21:04 Well I finally have managed to find an online stream and was just in time to catch the end of the Lithuanian entry, didn’t sound too bad but from number one it will always be hard for them to leave such a lasting impression. Next Israel.

Labels: Comment, Current Affairs, Eurovision

Posted by Andrew on Saturday, May 16, 2009 at 8:28 PM | Permalink