akoe (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} akoe) wrote,@ 2005-05-21 17:26:00 |
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Countdown has begun...
Last night's downpour caught a lot of people by surprise, including me. I took a bit of a soaking and I'm sniffling today. Does anyone know the Ukrainian for "Lemsip"?
After 7 nights in a row in the Euroclub, I just had a couple of beers there last night and I did my usual putting people on the spot and asking them which one song (and one only) they thought would win. If the delegates are right it would appear to be coming down to four songs; Moldova, Malta, Norway and amazingly for me Latvia. There is little or no support for some of the other favourites; Greece, Switzerland Bosnia. It looks like the tide has gone out for these. I then went to a club on the outskirts of the city which was pretty scarey travelling at 120kph in the ouring rain and flooded roads. We left at 5.30 and sun was out and the rain had gone. It's been a beautiful sunny day and walking down the main pedestrianised street to Independence Square, there is the most amazing atmosphere. There are loads of little stalls selling every kind of imaginable tat and well as hundreds of different type of unofficial Eurovision souvenirs. Who could possibly resist a big drum with Ruslana and the Klytschko Brothers and a big Eurovision logo on the face? The combination Eurovision pen, bottle opener and corkscrew did me. I'm madly trying to get my hand on the new track by Ruslans and the children's chorus, but it's so new it's not available in the shops.
On my way to the venue, I tried one of the Kyivstar hospitality stalls. These are scattered all around the arena and city centre and populated by the most helpful and good looking teenagers in Ukraine. When I explained what I was looking for, Slava from the booth took me to two record shops and explained what I was looking for. Unfortunatly, the song is still not generally available, and it isn't part of tonight's interval.
I made it back to the press centre to see the end of this afternoon's rehearsal, Greece is working much better on camera than in the hall, but Switzerland is the reverse. Waltars from Latvia sang this afternoon. This is a great little each way bet, though I don't like the song, it's got a great draw and is well performed. If you are looking for value for money bets, Moldova and Latvia each way look the best.
They are now emptying the hall and doing the security check. The screen in the press centre are showing the FA Cup final. The atmosphere is electric. Apparently people from all over Ukraine have come into Kyiv to sample the Eurovision atmosphere and they expect a quarter of a million people in Independence Square tonight to watch the show on big screens. There's a live link to there in the show. I hope it works better than last year.
I'm just about to go home and iron my bestest party frock for tonight. Think Sakis 2004, and you'll know what to expect. I'me in the front section, and I've decided to support one of the nicest and smallest delegations here. So "Come On Albania!". Ledina has also changed the lyrics of here song and there's a lot less of the "diki-da" nonsense now. It hasn't a hope, but you have to support someone!
After Thursday I now realise that to predict a winner, you don't need any knowledge of music, you simply need a degree in Eastern European politics. Watch Russia effortlessly sail into the Top 10 tonight, for confirmation. Other predictions;
Last night's downpour caught a lot of people by surprise, including me. I took a bit of a soaking and I'm sniffling today. Does anyone know the Ukrainian for "Lemsip"?
After 7 nights in a row in the Euroclub, I just had a couple of beers there last night and I did my usual putting people on the spot and asking them which one song (and one only) they thought would win. If the delegates are right it would appear to be coming down to four songs; Moldova, Malta, Norway and amazingly for me Latvia. There is little or no support for some of the other favourites; Greece, Switzerland Bosnia. It looks like the tide has gone out for these. I then went to a club on the outskirts of the city which was pretty scarey travelling at 120kph in the ouring rain and flooded roads. We left at 5.30 and sun was out and the rain had gone. It's been a beautiful sunny day and walking down the main pedestrianised street to Independence Square, there is the most amazing atmosphere. There are loads of little stalls selling every kind of imaginable tat and well as hundreds of different type of unofficial Eurovision souvenirs. Who could possibly resist a big drum with Ruslana and the Klytschko Brothers and a big Eurovision logo on the face? The combination Eurovision pen, bottle opener and corkscrew did me. I'm madly trying to get my hand on the new track by Ruslans and the children's chorus, but it's so new it's not available in the shops.
On my way to the venue, I tried one of the Kyivstar hospitality stalls. These are scattered all around the arena and city centre and populated by the most helpful and good looking teenagers in Ukraine. When I explained what I was looking for, Slava from the booth took me to two record shops and explained what I was looking for. Unfortunatly, the song is still not generally available, and it isn't part of tonight's interval.
I made it back to the press centre to see the end of this afternoon's rehearsal, Greece is working much better on camera than in the hall, but Switzerland is the reverse. Waltars from Latvia sang this afternoon. This is a great little each way bet, though I don't like the song, it's got a great draw and is well performed. If you are looking for value for money bets, Moldova and Latvia each way look the best.
They are now emptying the hall and doing the security check. The screen in the press centre are showing the FA Cup final. The atmosphere is electric. Apparently people from all over Ukraine have come into Kyiv to sample the Eurovision atmosphere and they expect a quarter of a million people in Independence Square tonight to watch the show on big screens. There's a live link to there in the show. I hope it works better than last year.
I'm just about to go home and iron my bestest party frock for tonight. Think Sakis 2004, and you'll know what to expect. I'me in the front section, and I've decided to support one of the nicest and smallest delegations here. So "Come On Albania!". Ledina has also changed the lyrics of here song and there's a lot less of the "diki-da" nonsense now. It hasn't a hope, but you have to support someone!
After Thursday I now realise that to predict a winner, you don't need any knowledge of music, you simply need a degree in Eastern European politics. Watch Russia effortlessly sail into the Top 10 tonight, for confirmation. Other predictions;
- None of the Big 4 to make the Top 10
- Sweden to be in the semi-final in 2006 (first time ever)
- The winner to have been chosen in a national final (first time since 2002)
- Two of the Top 3 songs to have guitars and drums on stage (first time for ages)
