See you in Vienna! [Eurovision 2014]

Platy

Welcome to the Eurovision Song Contest 2014! This year's contest will be held on the 6th, 8th and 10th of May in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark.


What is this all about?

The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual song competition organized by the European Broadcasting Union, an union of European public service broadcasters. Each member country is eligible to enter one song which will be performed on television and radio. Afterwards, votes are cast to choose the most popular song. The contest exists since 1956 and has been through various highs and lows. Some performers achieved great success in Europe or even internationally after appearing on the contest, like ABBA. However, the quality of entries is considered to have entered a decline starting in the 1990s - in response to this, the last decade saw a surge of entries parodying the contest or aimed at subverting the audience's expectations. Last year's contest seemed to signal a return to more standard, serious fare though, perhaps under the influence of new rules which split voting between the telephone vote and national juries made up of music professionals.

So, which countries will be participating this year?

People on Wikipedia were kind enough to create the following map:



red = countries in the first semi-final (6 May)
pink = finalists voting during the first semi-final
dark blue = countries in the second semi-final (8 May)
light blue = finalists voting during the second semi-final

This year's final will take place on Saturday, 10 May.

Where can I watch the contest?

A stream will be provided on http://www.eurovision.tv/. National TV stations will also broadcast the contest, usually with commentary. Airings will start at 19:00 GMT/20:00 BST/21:00 CEST.


Some past forum favourites!

Babushki!

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

The famous Manboat!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1viLmPCeAM

Sax guy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8h_hN0xQYv4

Ambiguous lyrics!

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

And last year's forum-favourite, Romanian vampires from space!

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

This year's contestants and songs!

First semi-final, 6 May

Albania - Hersi - One Night's Anger
Armenia - Aram MP3 - Not alone
Azerbaijan - Dilara Kazimova - Start A Fire
Belgium - Axel Hirsoux - Mother
Estonia -Tanja - Amazing
Hungary - Kállay-Saunders - Running
Iceland - Pollapönk - No Prejudice
Latvia - Aarzemnieki - Cake To Bake
Moldova - Cristina Scarlat - Wild Soul
Montenegro - Sergej Ćetković - Moj Svijet
The Netherlands - The Common Linnets - Calm After The Storm
Portugal - Suzy - Quero Ser Tua
Russia - Tolmachevy Sisters - Shine
San Marino - Valentina Monetta - Maybe (Forse)
Sweden - Sanna Nielsen - Undo (Sweden)
Ukraine - Maria Yaremchuk - Tick-Tock

Second semi-final, 8 May (the one with the more interesting songs, if you want my opinion)

Austria - Conchita Wurst - Rise Like A Phoenix
Belarus - Teo - Cheesecake
Finland - Softengine - Something Better
Georgia - The Shin & Mariko - Three Minutes To Earth
Greece - Freaky Fortune feat. Risky Kidd - Rise up
Ireland - Can-Linn (feat. Kasey Smith) - Heartbeat
Israel - Mei Finegold - Same Heart
Lithuania - Vilija Matačiūnaitė - Attention
Macedonia - Tijana Dapčević - To The Sky
Malta - Firelight - Coming Home
Norway - Carl Espen - Silent Storm
Poland - Donatan & Cleo - My Słowianie - We Are Slavic
Romania - Paula Seling & Ovi - Miracle
Slovenia - Tinkara Kovač - Round And Round
Switzerland - Sebalter - Hunter of Stars

Grand final, 10 May

Denmark - Basim - Cliché Love Song
France - Twin Twin - Moustache
Germany - Elaiza - Is It Right
Italy - Emma Marrone - La Mia Città
Spain - Ruth Lorenzo - Dancing In The Rain
United Kingdom - Molly - Children Of The Universe

See you in Copenhagen!

Tube

I actually know the uk entry. Yep. Big deal right here.

tynic

I must remember to watch the grand final this year.

Liiya

Our entry is pretty alright but I'm not sure she's wearing enough chrome to win Europe over.

Calciumtrice

Man, space emperor Cezar was robbed last year. Robbed.

Platy

If the space marines from Montenegro had made it into the final, it would have been the perfect combination.

Liiya

@DirtyDirtyVagrant see this is what you're missing out on!!!

Platy

For some reason I thought that the contest would be happening on the 17th, not this week. Luckily, I was reminded just in time.

Rankenphile

remember back in the day when people just liked music without having to bring a panel of experts or an international voting committee into the transaction to determine whether or not the music they enjoyed was good or not?

tynic

... No?

tynic

Also 'good' isn't a word that can really be applied to Eurovision entries.

Neither is 'like', usually.

YaYa

please for the love of god tell me there are minimal ballads this year

Platy

There's definitely less ballads than last year, if that helps.

YaYa

Platypus Beirut wrote: »

There's definitely less ballads than last year, if that helps.

I'll take it

I miss Jedward though

Platy

So do we all

So do we all

facetious

I totally missed Eurovision for a bunch of reasons last year, hoping to do reviews of this year's entries if I have time.

facetious

tynic wrote: »

Also 'good' isn't a word that can really be applied to Eurovision entries.

Neither is 'like', usually.

I mean there's usually like two entries I consider to be Actually Good songs that invariably make the final and then finish dead last.

tynic

Apart from the patriotic vote, do you think every Eurovision voter is actually voting ironically? ... Wait, then the hilarious acts would consistently win, instead of mediocre dreck.

Maybe the ironic votes are canceling each other out.

Skeith

What time is this supposed to air? I'll do the math, just gimme the GMT.

Grobian

Skeith wrote: »

What time is this supposed to air? I'll do the math, just gimme the GMT.

21:00 CET is the starting time for both semi finals and the final.

Edit: CEST is more correct, it's GMT+2

Brainleech

Lets watch Alizee at a past Euro vision over and over
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e698M9lYe0

Legba

I actually kind of like the Norwegian entry this year, but it sure is a ballad.

TrueHereticX

How is Lordi not in the past favourites?!

Looking forward to the annual Eurovision bitchfest that is my family.

Indie Winter

guys, always remember

Alcohol is Free

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocFhFNxu5Jg

Skeith

Grobian wrote: »

Skeith wrote: »

What time is this supposed to air? I'll do the math, just gimme the GMT.

21:00 CET is the starting time for both semi finals and the final.

Edit: CEST is more correct, it's GMT+2

Damn, I think I'm going to have to skip the first semi.

Brainleech

TrueHereticX wrote: »

How is Lordi not in the past favourites?!

because
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPHaahKa1Nk

Platy

Added times to the OP.

nuka

I am probably way more excited for this than I should be.

Rhesus Positive

The one Eurovision party I know about is being hosted by a girl who actually takes it seriously, to the point of getting angry. Not a conducive atmosphere for drinking and cracking wise about costume choices, but we don't have a TV so looks like it's her or nothing.

Sir Fabulous

Ugh, those times.

You think they'd make it a little more friendly to North American viewers!

nuka

We're not their audience though...

Sir Fabulous

That was meant to be sarcastic, but I can see that it doesn't quite come across that way.

Platy

The first semi-final starts now in case anyone wants to already subject themselves

facetious

oh god

I tend to focus so much on how terrible the songs are that I forgot how unbearable the announcers are.

facetious

1. Armenia - Not Alone

Well, it at least sounds like a real song. Not a good one, but it doesn't sound like it was manufactured by a team of robots to check off a list of Eurovision criteria.

The strings were already becoming overbearing even before the quasi-dubstep beat dropped over top of them. And his voice is not great. And it got super repetitive, although that's most pop music..

Platy

Aw, it would have been funny if he had worn the chef's hat during the performance.

facetious

2. Latvia - Cake to Bake

This is so dumb and I kind of love it. I mean I will always go for the stripped down songs compared to all the ridiculous bombast we usually get, and as silly as the lyrics are it's at least upbeat and catchy.

facetious

3. Estonia - Amazing

This is the sort of Eurovision performance that just leaves me stone cold. They could at least kind of pretend she isn't lipsyncing with all the ridiculous dance moves..

Platy

I kinda like the Tron aesthetic they have going on.

Sweden - That sounds incredibly derivative.

facetious

4. Sweden - Undo

I actually kind of dig this, the melody is actually unique and cool. Although as usual, after a cool opening it gets way too overwrought (and overproduced).

David_T

So... this is taking place inside a hypercube?