Eurovision 2015 - 60th Anniversary Edition

So you want European harmonisation to the potential detriment of the UK? Not very UKIP of you.

Really?

I've just watched the ESC 2015 First Semi-Final preview videos again on http://www.eurovision.tv/. Due to lack of time I had to limit myself to the first two minutes or so of each one (unlike Sunday morning when I saw them all in full). Based on this latest viewing I can now make the following conclusions about my preferences:

Definitely want to qualify: The Netherlands, Estonia, Belarus, Russia, Denmark.
Wouldn't mind qualifying: Moldova, Greece, F.Y.R. Macedonia, Serbia, Romania.
Prefer not to qualify: Armenia, Belgium, Hungary, Albania, Georgia.
Definitely don't want to qualify: Finland.

Now those are based on my latest viewings of the preview videos. I haven't ordered the ESC 2015 CD yet so haven't been able to listen to that prior to the first semi-final (unlike recent years). Of course my preferences may change after I've seen all 16 live performances on TV tonight. Sadly the UK doesn't vote in tonight's semi-final, so I won't be able to vote for the song(s) I most want to advance to the final.

Brilliant News.

Just powered up AppleTV and accessed the YouTube App.
The Links for the native version are all ready to roll on the Eurovision Song Contest official Channel. Search 'Eurovision' to find them.

Link

here ……..

EUROVISION on YOUTUBE
19-May-2015 @ 19:30

BBC3 as annoying as ever. Mel is great but they've not shut up yet.

As for the show itself the venue seems tiny compared to previous years. Like the dancing balls though and glad the music from last year has been retained.

Quick thoughts....

Venue looks tiny on screen. The presenters are of the usual variety you get at Eurovision, they think everything they say is hilarious! Not liking the graphics too much. And of course Mills and Mel are talking far too much! I think we'll be fed up seeing Conchita by the end of all this!

Do you think the BBC have put out enough flashing images warnings? #sarcasm

The music is actually new, it just sounds pretty similar to last year's theme.

I agree that the venue looks tiny though. I think the problem is that a majority of the audience are on the side sections which can barely be seen, and the green room takes up a bulk of the central area.

Definitely feels a bit Fountain Studios this year.

Like the Aston package though. Very clean.

The smaller stage also means that it isn't very tall and the audiences flags are obscuring a lot of the camera angles. A lot of very tight camera angles too, especially on the Estonian song.

Audience isn't really being seen during performances - they could easily be using rehearsal footage, especially as there is little atmosphere.

EDIT: And as I type that they keep showing the audience.

Really not a fan of the direction this year. And when they do go from a decent shot to another, its not cutting in time to the music.

And why is every song lit in white?