Ireland

Again the draw is a problem for the lovely Jedwards. Once you see this you get it. Until that point it just seems like two silly boys jumping around the stage being imbeciles. Go Ireland!!! We feel in love with these two lads this week and I feel a top 5 moment coming on. The whole press centre loves this now....Looks amazing on the screens....could these two beat Blue now?????

Sweden

So now we know that almost all the lead vocal comes from the two backing singers at both sides of the stage this has sunk even more in my estimations. That said this is a more effective stage show than at first appears. But the camera work is a mess....maybe this is on purpose to hide the backing singers doing all the vocal....

Estonia

Much better vocally than in their semi this has just gone back up in the Eurovision charts, but this still has a very long way to go to take the crown. Though seeing for the first time on the screen rather than in the hall makes this so much better now. She dropped her hankie too!!!!! It all gets a bit shouty in the chorus but should be safe enough for a top 10.

Greece

Helped fantastically by it’s place in the draw this is a real breath of fresh air amongst all the poppy stuff that goes before it. Heading straight for the top 10 and none of us ever saw that coming did we? Loukas, Stereo Mike and their dancing boys do a fab job, this ethno song really stands out now!

Russia

Looks really cool on the screen, and this is so catchy and instant that it’s almost surely in the top 10. Alexey sings his little socks off and even though we were nice to Sweden, this is soooooo much better…..potential winner....doubt it, but this could very easily make the top 5!!!!!! Whoooohoooo I'm cumming to get you;-))))) Love the shoes!!!!!! But one of the jackets didn't light....oppss

Opening act

So Stefan Raab is the big surprise? Wow? I am not overly impressed to be honest. Things did pick up when Lena appeared but we also have to think is this fair in the grand scheme of things? I know she’s a returning artist but she gets two goes on the stage….hummmm…..sorry but this is dreadful. I know its an opening act but really?? It's not the Stefan Raab show. We preferred Whadda hadda do du da!!!!! The Germans seem to be loving it though;-))

And the hosts....well yes ok they're nice and quite funny but I prefer the transformation of the arena thing they have going on...while they remove the big band stage;-)))

Finland

This is a nicely crafted song, even if the lyrics can seem a bit twee and naff. That said as an opener to the show this really could get lost in the mêlée of songs that follow. It does have very effective staging and I think that this guy is better than Tom Dice, and we all know what happened there…his vocal is a bit off tonight though....nerves anyone?? And lifeless.....oh dear;-)

Bosnia

Blows Finland of the stage. Still not too sure around the jigging around the stage, and I personally think that Dino would have been better just standing at the mic strumming the guitar, not gonna win now but at least he should do a good turn.....just one problem I have is the ear to ear beaming smile on his face....kinda scary!!! BUt that said one of the top 10 placings is his for the taking...

Denmark

The draw really screws the chances for this now. Last night at the semi I thought that this could be a candidate for the crown that we had all missed so far. Then it got drawn 3rd after Bosnia…..I still love the “rock-god we’re in a stadium let’s go mad football kick into the crowd moment” And the cutest band on the Eurovision stage for a long time. The lighting on this is fantastic too;-))) It's all very believable though...could still be a big surprise

Lithuania

I get this now. I didn’t before, but now I do. Her voice is amazing, such power that it makes you forget that the song is tripe served with cold porridge. She also has the biggest boobs going;-))) Watch this one though cos it could hit us all in the face like hot water on a cold day.....dangerous. Oh Dear!!!!!! She also seems to be loving the stage moment that she has.

Hungary

Adequate. And that’s all really. This huge fan fav is really not a contender anymore. Oh I just noticed the big crown ring on her hand. Sadly this will be the only crown she gets in Dusseldorf.....top 15 for sure but no more than that!!!

you to our wonderful colleagues at www.escnation.com who give a great review here....

http://escnation.com/blog/node/162

Thanks very much to MartinF of www.escnation.com for this;-))))

Except of course for the winner's one tomorrow night.....

From Last press conference pictures

From Last press conference pictures

From Last press conference pictures

We missed Spain and Germany cos it's dinner time;-)))

From Final rehearsal pictures

France is probably gonna win

Greece is going top 10

Russia is a bit doomed now

UK will still manage the top 5 but not looking like a winner now

Denmark suffers with the draw, sadly

Azerbaijan cannot be ruled out

The Georgians could be a big surprise

WFT at Iceland

And I now get Lithuania....seriously she has a great voice and this distracts form the fact that it is a shit song....

Austria is gonna clean up the ballad vote and

Finally someone will win and for the first time in years we could be in for some exciting voting;-)))

Keith Mills FRANCE
Alistair Birch IRELAND
Elaine Dove UK
Stephen Newby ICELAND
Ewan Spence ICELAND
Tom Borg GEORGIA
John Stainton UK
Emma Backfish ICELAND
Samantha Ross SERBIA
Sascha UK
Alexander FRANCE
Daniel UK
Mike FRANCE

From Semi two after party

Mike.....looks like France now, with UK, Ireland and possibly Denmark bringing up the rear....

Daniel.....Looks like UK with France, Ireland and Austria bringing up the rear....

But it's tough.....will have a better idea later today when we see the whole thing.....

With huge thanks to the Moldovan delegation we managed to get two invites to the semi two afterparty.....

Was a great evening with lots of the non-qualifying delegations being there....Belgium, Latvia, Bulgaria, Belarus, Cyprus and from the qualifyers were Austria and Moldova.....

From Semi two after party

A former winner failed to pass the semi finals?

There is one notable exception (Dima Bilan) but mostly former winners/participants seem to bomb at Eurovision.....Is it the songs or are we simply expecting too much from the returners???