Eurovision Song Contest 2015

murpho999

wil wrote: »

We'll it's been a while since Ireland was any world stage in music. Other than Hozier, real singer songwriters are fairly rare these days, Ireland is going through a fairly bland stage in music history, all we can muster is one fifth of a girl/boy band.
We're now such small fry in Europe and we've no weight in the Eurasian bits that only a brilliant song well sung is going to have any effect. Jedwards Lipstick was actually quite catchy and might even have done better with real singers.

Comparing Euroviion to the status of real music is ridiculous imho,

Mr.Nice Guy

fryup wrote: »

maybe its best she got knocked out tonight, other than get humiliated in the final

agree??

If she'd qualified, and the result came in on Saturday as a No to the gay marriage referendum, I reckon there was a chance she could have been booed by the crowd.

fryup

murpho999 wrote: »

No because it means that she's under the humiliation level.

well at least the score is hidden in the semi's

better than getting noi pont after noi pont don't you think

thelad95

Not only was the song weak, the whole staging was so boring and amateurish. The San Marino song was dreadful but at least they put on a half-decent show.

Kermit.de.frog

Every winner since they changed to televoting in 1997 has had a bloc behind them. They have neighbours.

The televoting is the problem. But they won't get rid of it because they make too much money from it.

I will tell you something else. They are referring to Australia as a "guest" country for 1 year (this is the level this has sunk to).

I bet my house that Australia will be permanently involved. They shouldn't be involved at all but they will be for commercial reasons.

They pretend this competition is the same as it always was. It isn't. It fundamentally changed in 1997 when they introduced televoting. Countries like Ireland have been shut out of it.

murpho999

fryup wrote: »

well at least the score is hidden in the semi's

better than getting noi pont after noi pont don't you think

But at least she'd have got there. Tonight was total failure. Didn't reach top 10 out of 16.

hmmm

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Every winner since they changed to televoting in 1997 has had a bloc behind them. They have neighbours.

The televoting is the problem. But they won't get rid of it because they make too much money from it.

Rubbish. Israel have zero friends. Germany have feck all friends too. They won it because they sent good songs and good performers.

murpho999

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Every winner since they changed to televoting in 1997 has had a bloc behind them. They have neighbours.

The televoting is the problem. But they won't get rid of it because they make too much money from.

I will tell you something else. They are referring to Australia as a "guest" country for 1 year (this is the level this has sunk to).

I bet my house that Australia will be permanently involved.

They pretend this competition is the same as it always was. It isn't. It fundamentally changed in 1997 when they introduced televoting.

Block voting is an excuse and if it was true then the same country would win every year and that hasn't happened.

Look at the last 10 years winners

2014 Austria
2013 Denmark
2012 Sweden
2011 Azerbaijan
2010 Germany
2009 Norway
2008 Russia
2007 Serbia
2006 Finland
2005 Greece


Mostly western countries and mostly with good songs.

The quality of song is the most important thing of all.

Storm 10

I thought the background was very boring, and the piano was like something out of a skip also did anyone notice every time she took a breath it came through very loud kind of spoiled the song

Lord TSC

Was watching on a delay so not had a chance to read over things yet.

Will say I had zero faith of getting though anyway. Zero effort put in whatsoever, once again. We can't send a no-name teenager to compete with international acts. We can't send a band sitting peacefully with their instruments to compete with mad dancers and over the top acts. We can't choose to ignore pyro or some sort of actual presentation.

The problem ultimately is that we continually send acts that would have done well 20 years ago but will never get out of the qualifiers in modern times. For all people hate on Jedward, their X Factor background, combined with the presentation, meant they at least got into the finals.

Its an utter waste of time to keep sending no-name acts and not even back them up with a decent staging of the generic song We put no effort into the act, so no surprise if it goes nowhere once it gets over there.

Kermit.de.frog

murpho999 wrote: »

Block voting is an excuse as if it was true then the same country would win every year and that hasn't happened.

Look at the last 10 years winners

2014 Austria
2013 Denmark
2012 Sweden
2011 Azerbaijan
2010 Germany
2009 Norway
2008 Russia
2007 Serbia
2006 Finland
2005 Greece


Mostly western countries and mostly with good songs.

The quality of song is the most important thing of all.

Nothing to do with quality. All landlocked all surrounded by neighbours and that is the way it is.

But even worse than that is the 5 prequalified countries.

The whole thing is a joke.

Say Your Number

We should send these lads next year, would be a laugh anyway.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwJaE_CUsyE

Ally Dick

I can't help thinking people have long memories. We sent the turkey and brought shame on the nation. The country that won the most had to resort to that!

Phil Mitchell

I'm gutted. We have put many a crap song in and we could blame the selection system but we had a great song this year. I'm bewildered. I'm lost. What can we do???

murpho999

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Nothing to do with quality. All landlocked all surrounded by neighbours and that is the way it is.

But even worse than that is the 5 prequalified countries.

The whole thing is a joke.

You need to look at maps if you think that Sweden, Denmark etc are landlocked.
Also not all neighbours get on and vote for each other (Turkey and Greece!)


Also, Germany is the only big country to win it so what's your problem?

Block voting is an issue that countries competing or placed but usually the winner has the best song.

Want to compete in Eurovision then send a good contemporary song with an entertaining act.

Phil Mitchell

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Nothing to do with quality. All landlocked all surrounded by neighbours and that is the way it is.

But even worse than that is the 5 prequalified countries.

The whole thing is a joke.

What country in Europe isn't surrounded by others or near landlocked?? Pretty much the whole continent bar a few stragglers

Jpmarn

Phil Mitchell wrote: »

I'm gutted. We have put many a crap song in and we could blame the selection system but we had a great song this year. I'm bewildered. I'm lost. What can we do???

We should have this song instead.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1cavF8qbkc

Lord TSC

Phil Mitchell wrote: »

I'm gutted. We have put many a crap song in and we could blame the selection system but we had a great song this year. I'm bewildered. I'm lost. What can we do???

We didn't have a great so though; we had a generic song preformed in a generic manner by someone who isn't even known in Ireland, let alone Europe. There was literally nothing special or memorable about it.

"Block voting" can often be explained by the fact other counties send stars known in multiple countries or people who spend time raising their profile in the build to the show in the surrounding countries.

thelad95

Should we just give this thing to Sweden already?

EB_2013

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Nothing to do with quality. All landlocked all surrounded by neighbours and that is the way it is.

But even worse than that is the 5 prequalified countries.

The whole thing is a joke.

Australia getting an automatic spot is a bit of a joke too. Should've had to of gone through the semi's.

EB_2013

Sweden will be performing in the first half of the final. Anyone think it will make a difference to the result.

AndyBoBandy

Why don't we just send Bono every year?

Europeans love Bono,

fryup

EB_2013 wrote: »

Australia getting an automatic spot is a bit of a joke too. Should've had to of gone through the semi's.

their song is the best, hope they win

wnolan1992

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Nothing to do with quality. All landlocked all surrounded by neighbours and that is the way it is.

But even worse than that is the 5 prequalified countries.

The whole thing is a joke.

There are very few countries in Europe that aren't landlocked...

The previous winners were all extremely deserving. Serbia would be the exception, as that was awful. Every year, the most popular song wins. Very, VERY rarely does the bloc voting choose the winner. Bloc voting chooses where everyone else places in a meaningless table, but ultimately the best song will invariably win.

Irish people use the bloc voting argument to make themselves feel like victims when really we're just not sending good enough entries. We dine out on our "Well we've won it 7 times!" nonsense, and think we have a God given right to win it just because we feel we're entitled.

The Big 5 argument is also nonsensical. In the last 10 years, only Germany has won. And Lena's song was terrific. One of the best winners in recent years. Like it or not, without them, Eurovision would probably not happen, so if giving them guaranteed places in the final keeps them pumping money in, it's a small price to pay.

murpho999

thelad95 wrote: »

Should we just give this thing to Sweden already?

EB_2013 wrote: »

Sweden will be performing in the first half of the final. Anyone think it will make a difference to the result.

Sweden seem to be favourites every year?


Why? All thanks to Abba?


A lot can happen on Saturday.

wil

murpho999 wrote: »

Comparing Euroviion to the status of real music is ridiculous imho,

true. But even in euro land we had our experts, now we mostly have has beens and no bes.. We send out mostly blah songs listened to with rose tinted muffs and moan how we were cheated. 90% of euro land is a likely to vote for our blah as we are for theirs!
We're on the edge and they're right in their there.
Might as well expect them to vote for Birmingham.
A decent catchy pop song, a strong power ballad, or a very strong crossover, but no gimmicks, rap, twee or in jokes, they're never going to work outside the "Atlantic Islands" to quote a certain royle.

Mysteriouschic

Australia are just there as a once off next year they won't be there just watching.
Their song is pretty good one of the better songs.
I wouldn't mind if Australia won one of the best songs this year.

Gooners

murpho999 wrote: »

Sweden seem to be favourites every year?


Why? All thanks to Abba?


A lot can happen on Saturday.

More to do with their songs and their selection process.

wil

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

Why don't we just send Bono every year?

Europeans love Bono,

Do they though?. Outside of English speaking territories and old euroland I doubt they are selling much these days. Logan was big in Turkey, Westlife in SEAsia, wonder who bothers non English speaking world now?
When not listening to imports, (99.99% of the time) Middle Europe has its own local tripe to tap its pattens to.

Wilberto

Am I the only one who thought the Sweden entry was awful? I thought there were songs that didn't make it through that were better than that one.


Furthermore, I reckon the Italian song is streets ahead of it, not to mention the Spanish song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TEpHTVWXnM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-g92hNNbPQ

On Ireland though, meh. I felt that there were better songs that also didn't make it. Switzerland, for example. How that didn't get through ahead of some of the others I'll never know, and I'm sure that wan't the only one either.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_n_pXW3p74Q

Arnold Layne

I will tell you something else. They are referring to Australia as a "guest" country for 1 year (this is the level this has sunk to).

I bet my house that Australia will be permanently involved. They shouldn't be involved at all but they will be for commercial reasons.

They pretend this competition is the same as it always was. It isn't. It fundamentally changed in 1997 when they introduced televoting. Countries like Ireland have been shut out of it.[/quote]

BuilderPlumber

Once more, Ireland fails to qualify for the final. The usual things are blamed: too many countries in it that vote for each other, the singer being unknown, the song being a ballad, not being forgiven for Dustin !! etc. But:

-Block voting may exist (watch Romania and Moldova give each other votes; Watch the former Yugoslavia do the same) but good songs climb past this and win. All recent winners cannot be consigned to one area.
-While it helps to have the singer wellknown (Jedward and Brian Kennedy proved that), Ireland and many others won via unknown artists. Even ABBA were pretty much obscure and doing country/skiffle/folk before the Eurovision.
-Many ballads have won along with faster songs. Both now and in the past.
-Dustin was booed yes and was not suitable fare tbh. But he is long forgotten.

Perhaps, the REAL reason is that Ireland's 'powers that be' do not get behind the song enough each year. The 3 post-Jedward entries received no hype whatsoever. Ireland is at the moment the poorest national promoter of any type of music: it has a closed shop approach where gods are made of some and innovation is stifled. Add to this that many who make decisions about music know nothing about it. This general scenario also reflects onto Eurovision. No wonder other countries can combine a good song and singer with a good act and win.

I feel sorry for Molly and other recent representatives having to enter such an unsupportive environment where the preferred option could be a Mike Denver song produced by Louis Walsh! No wonder that most of our better singers and bands make it in the UK and other places first! This is a shame and wrong but the Irish 'music industry' is the most unsupportive to musicians in the world other than maybe Saudi Arabia, Talibanland and ISISland.

hotmail.com

I'm disappointed but not surprised. The song was only ok! Molly herself is lovely, I feel bad for her.

Wilberto

Nathan Carter for Eurovision 2016. :pac:




TBH, I'm only half joking!

fryup

hotmail.com wrote: »

Molly herself is lovely, I feel bad for her.

tough on a 17 year old, hope it doesn't dent her confidence

BuilderPlumber

Arnold Layne wrote: »

I will tell you something else. They are referring to Australia as a "guest" country for 1 year (this is the level this has sunk to).

I bet my house that Australia will be permanently involved. They shouldn't be involved at all but they will be for commercial reasons.

They pretend this competition is the same as it always was. It isn't. It fundamentally changed in 1997 when they introduced televoting. Countries like Ireland have been shut out of it.

[/QUOTE]

Eurovision thus far has actually spanned 4 continents! Most countries are in Europe but there are many that are not. Israel is closely aligned to Europe but is officially considered Asia. Morocco is not exactly the country one thinks of when the word 'Africa' is said but it is officially on that continent. They were in it in the late 1970s I think. Russia and Turkey are 2 countries with parts officially in Europe and Asia. Then, what are Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia? Harder to tell. Now, we have Australia in it.

Future countries to feature will almost definitely (either very soon or ) include Kazakhstan, Iran, New Zealand, United States, Canada, Lebanon. Iran would have been in it years ago if that revolution did not happen. Other possibilities in the future could be Iraq, Syria, all the North African countries, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, all the former USSR central Asian states, India, China, the Gulf states, Pakistan, Japan and South and Central America. A lot depends on regimes and of the success of Australia.

Australia in it may prompt a 'guest appearance' from other continents every year like USA, NZ, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, etc. taking turns. But a moderate Middle East and Central Asia could end up in it permanently as it borders it. Future improved relations with the West for places like Iran along with softening of the regimes could well expand the contest East and South. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and My Lovely Camel anyone!?!?!?!?!

BuilderPlumber

hotmail.com wrote: »

I'm disappointed but not surprised. The song was only ok! Molly herself is lovely, I feel bad for her.

Same here. She got zero support I feel and deserved better.

dublinman1990

I am gutted for Molly not getting through tonight. I thought she did a great performance of her song.

I am glad though that Sweden is through as I voted for that country by a text vote. I thought the graphics and the performance of the song was fantastic. It should win the contest on Saturday although I feel Spain have a very good entry to give for this year. I would predict a tight result for both Spain and Sweden for Saturday Nights final. Italy could do well with getting third place with their song to finish my top three for Saturday.

I thought most of the songs tonight were dire and I couldn't post as I was having my dinner.

shamrock55

I missed it all how did we get on where did we come and how many points did we get?

SarahBM

the block voting isnt a problem in the Finals, as the last few winners proves. its the semis that at the problem.

Lord TSC

shamrock55 wrote: »

I missed it all how did we get on where did we come and how many points did we get?

Didn't make the top 10 so we are out of the competition. Points won't be revealed till Saturday night.

Only saw the first three performances, had to leave to go to a gig (Sleep Thieves played at The Grand Social; check them out if you don't know them, they're great!). I had predicted 7 of 10 correctly before the show; had Ireland, Malta and Iceland to qualify instead of Montenegro, Israel and Cyprus. I did have a sneaking suspicion about Montenegro but the other two caught me completely by surprise!

Anyway I'm very disappointed for Molly; I honestly thought "Playing With Numbers" was Ireland's best entry since "The Voice" but sadly it's a grower rather than an earworm (contrast it with Slovenia, for example) and though I was hoping she'd pull off a "Common Linnets", it just didn't resonate on the night.

Glad to see Sweden, Slovenia and Latvia all got through though; I'll be happy if any of those, or Estonia or Belgium, triumphs on Saturday night.

BuilderPlumber

EB_2013 wrote: »

Australia getting an automatic spot is a bit of a joke too. Should've had to of gone through the semi's.

Perhaps, there are just way too many countries in it. Likely to expand to include many more! Mentioned many possibilities and forgot to mention Kosovo which afaik was not in it yet! The semi finals kind of deflate it. But what other solutions? Can't cut the interval because the voting is on there! Can't let it run on the one night as it would take 9 hours! Maybe have it to 20 or whatever countries with each set taking turns each year apart from the winner?

There's obviously 50 countries in it already. Kosovo, Kazakhstan, Iran, Lebanon, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and UAE are 10 more than could be in it sooner than we think! Would like to see all in it don't get me wrong but a way to manage it is needed.

shamrock55

Phil Mitchell wrote: »

I'm gutted. We have put many a crap song in and we could blame the selection system but we had a great song this year. I'm bewildered. I'm lost. What can we do???

It wasnt a very good song as has been proved, we should have put through our swedish entry it was a far better song

Mysteriouschic

I'm not sure if many other countries know about eurovision loads of american people don't know what eurovision is.
They might just eventually let Australia take part or allow other countries.
I wouldn't mind it maybe that would stop neighbourhood voting having more countries from else where.

SarahBM

But then it's not Eurovision anymore

Come back, Dustin. All is forgiven.

BuilderPlumber

SarahBM wrote: »

But then it's not Eurovision anymore

Once, it was a very Western Europe thing. Eastern Europe had its own version called Intervision I think. That was mostly then communist countries but Finland managed to be in both that and the Eurovision. But the Intervision did not take off and the Eastern countries joined in the Eurovision in the later communist era. We know that some of these broke up meaning many more countries.

But are they all in Europe? Russia and Turkey are in Europe but also in Asia. Israel is not in Europe. Azerbaijan and Armenia are the border between Russia and Iran. I feel the term Asia now is used to refer to China, Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, etc. and NOT places like Iran (which are being considered more Europe or Europe's backyard bit by bit). Iran, etc. can be reimagined as 'Greater Europe' and the Europe/Asia divide is the fakest of all continental divides so it is more political than geographic. Iran is the last country WEST of the Urals actually if you bring your finger down the map! But as more and more come into it, it eventually could span an area that runs from Canada to Japan and from South Africa to Australia! And that is not Europe by any stretch of the imagination!! But colonialism and European descendants and culture make many part of Europe in spirit.

T0001

Sweden drawn in first half of the final :O Probably perform 10-13 but may dent its chances of running away. Looking for Russia may be closer than expected!

Ally Dick

Cyprus was the best I heard. Sweden had the best graphics and concept but the song was very generic