ESC United - Rehearsal and Live Show discussion megathread

[Sean]

It's time for the rehearsals to finally get underway for Eurovision 2024 at Malmö Arena! 37 countries will begin their preparations for this year's contest today, with over two weeks of coverage to come from the ESC United team on the ground!

The schedule for rehearsals is below (thank you Eurovisionworld! All times in CEST);

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You can check out Matt's pre-rehearsal live stream below in case you missed it;

DAY ONE

Eurovision 2024 Rehearsals - Day 1 Round-Up Live Stream

Join Matt and his team as they discuss the rehearsals of the day and answer your questions. The first dress rehearsal is closed to the press so we'll be here...

www.youtube.com

The team will be on hand to cover everything going on in Malmö over the coming weeks, so make sure to follow ESC United on Facebook, Twitter (X), Instagram, and YouTube and Twitch to not miss a minute!

Please also use this thread for any rehearsal coverage and discussion, including for jury shows, dress rehearsals and the live shows!​

 

[Irish Cameltoe]

Greece - " the social media filter gimmick will age poorly in 20 years though "

More like 2 years max.

 

[NemesisNick]

Here is a video, containing my reactions when the ten qualifying countries were announced at the end of the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 First Semi-Final, on Tuesday 7 May 2024. My comments reflect how I felt about countries I wanted (or didn't want) qualifying to the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 Grand Final on 11 May 2024. I meant to post this link just after I uploaded the video yesterday morning (8 May 2024), but forgot.

Nemesis Nick Talks Eurovision: ESC 2024 Semi-Final 1 Qualifiers Reaction

Here are my preferences, based solely on all of the live performances Tuesday evening:
Definitely want to qualify: Cyprus, Serbia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Australia, Portugal, Luxembourg.
Wouldn't mind qualifying: Croatia, Iceland, Finland, Moldova
Prefer not to qualify: Poland, Slovenia
Definitely don't want to qualify: Ireland

So, these are the ones I wanted to see Saturday night: Cyprus, Serbia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Australia, Portugal, Luxembourg, plus two (and no more) of Croatia, Iceland, Finland, Moldova.

The UK voted Tuesday evening; I voted for: Lithuania, Ukraine, Cyprus, Portugal, Azerbaijan, Luxembourg, Australia.

Here are my predictions of which countries would and wouldn't qualify, based solely on all of Tuesday evening's performances:
Almost certain qualifiers: Lithuania, Ukraine, Croatia.
Likely qualifiers: Cyprus, Ireland, Finland.
May qualify: Serbia, Poland, Slovenia, Moldova, Australia, Portugal, Luxembourg.
Highly unlikely to qualify: Iceland, Azerbaijan.

 

[jatojo]

Cyprus and Greece are booed regularly when they exchange 12s. Bosnia was booed in 2011 when it received 12s from the Balkan countries. Iceland was booed in 2006. Lithuania was booed in 2006.

There is a big difference between booing because something you don’t like happens and booing because you don’t want somebody’s presence.

The problem with the harrassing of Israel in the arena is that it totally undermines the claim that the protests are not directed at Eden personally. It simply doesn’t make sense to say that when you are booing directly into her face while she’s performing. It’s personal, so stop saying it’s not.

“I killed my husband, but it wasn’t personal, I just wanted to get rid of him.” It’s from that category.

Russian athletes have been allowed in individual sports since 2022. I hate it, but if I went to a tennis match that involved a Russian, I wouldn’t boo when he entered the stadium. I would just cheer more for his opponent and maybe boo when the Russian did something I don’t like.

 

[bazinga]

So they boo because they don't feel safe. Are they idiots?

Bingo

 

[Augustas]

Good day, Eurovision fellas.

It's interesting to see that Palestine supporters bubble overlaps so much with Eurovision fans bubble. Can't wait to see some fireworks in the evening show, although I feel pity for Eden (even though she must have been prepared for such reactions). Booing to her face is just madness and it will ruin a moment not even for the singer but to neutral spectators who just want to listen to music and vibe to it. Hovewer, it looks like it is inevitable with so many idiots around us.

 

[jatojo]

Good day, Eurovision fellas.

It's interesting to see that Palestine supporters bubble overlaps so much with Eurovision fans bubble. Can't wait to see some fireworks in the evening show, although I feel pity for Eden (even though she must have been prepared for such reactions). Booing to her face is just madness and it will ruin a moment not even for the singer but to neutral spectators who just want to listen to music and vibe to it. Hovewer, it looks like it is inevitable with so many idiots around us.

I've heard that the Swedish producers are going to cut Israel's act really tight so that we will get to hear very little of the noise coming from the audience before and after. My guess is that they won't show the audience much either.

 

[Irish Cameltoe]

They have nothing against her as an artist - they just try to ruin it for her ...?

She represents Israel, a state committing a massive genocide as we speak. She deserves nothing less, and is what Julia Samoylova was in 2018 or Polina Gagarina in 2015 - a puppet on a string.

 

[jatojo]

She represents Israel, a state committing a massive genocide as we speak. She deserves nothing less, and is what Julia Samoylova was in 2018 or Polina Gagarina in 2015 - a puppet on a string.

Maybe so, but when you buy the ticket, you accept the premise. You don't go to other concerts to boo the artist, do you?

 

[Uto]

The problem with the harrassing of Israel in the arena is that it totally undermines the claim that the protests are not directed at Eden personally. It simply doesn’t make sense to say that when you are booing directly into her face while she’s performing. It’s personal, so stop saying it’s not.

It literally isn't though. It is aimed at her not as a person but as a representative of a regime. She could have been anyone else basically, but unless she very vehemently denies that role as a representative of this regime she will be taken as such and therefore receives the boos that are aimed at the government she via-via represents. I understand from her position that she can not deny that role effectively, as she will be a persona non grata at home if she does. As such she is in a complete bind. That sucks, but it can't be helped.

Maybe so, but when you buy the ticket, you accept the premise. You don't go to other concerts to boo the artist, do you?

They don't go there to boo the artist. They go to watch a variety of artists, that is the premise. It so happens that one of them is Israel where people have severe misgivings about the behavior of that state and more or less accidentally have an opportunity to voice their dissent.

 

[EscGeek]

Booing at eurovision because of politics is unacceptable. Whether it's Eden or Polina or anyone else.

But we all knew from experience that it's going to happen and it's just something we have to deal with. I just hope some day these people will realize they haven't done shit to help anyone in crisis on any side of the conflict.

I can excuse the booing of acts like Silvia Night because the crowd just wasn't getting the joke, but even then i wish the crowd who got it would cheer louder to compensate

 

[HectorDM]

Booing at eurovision because of politics is unacceptable. Whether it's Eden or Polina or anyone else.

But we all knew from experience that it's going to happen and it's just something we have to deal with. I just hope some day these people will realize they haven't done shit to help anyone in crisis on any side of the conflict.

I can excuse the booing of acts like Silvia Night because the crowd just wasn't getting the joke, but even then i wish the crowd who got it would cheer louder to compensate

And, THIS is why you are my favourite member on this forum.

 

[Preuss]

Regarding all the rumors of booing (and fighting), I’m just wondering why these people attend Eurovision this year in the first place if they’re so against Israel participating? like I know about plenty who didn’t go to Malmö this year cause they were so against Israel taking part

and don’t turn this into a heated debate please, I’m genuinely just wondering

 

[Grinch]

Claiming the protests and booings being aimed at the regime, not her as a person is a stretch. Eden has been called all the horrible, racist, misogynist slurs on social media, her Jewish features keep being insulted. Don't you all understand how serious this is? Many people seem to think anti-Israel = anti-Semitic. You can protest the Israeli government's war crimes without hating Jews. I've seen too many awful comments on Twitter that actually scared me. I feel like there is a group of people who use Palestine just an excuse to show their hatred towards Jews. There are many in Eurovision fans community.

And Israel is a Middle Eastern country whose government literally bombs hospitals. You can't just reject when they "offer" you to represent the country.

 

[Andrin]

In South Korea there is a phenomenon of a black ocean - when fans don't light up their flashlights or leds after a performance and the artist finishes their entry in silence.

I am wondering why people are booeing here, at ESC ? Wouldn't it be more classy to just not react to a song at all ?

 

[GermanBango]

I would be very surprised if we heard boos during the live broadcast tonight tbh. The EBU probably has the finger on the fake applause button.
Anyway I just hope that everything will go well and that nothing bad is gonna happen. May everyone (obvs including the Israeli delegation) be safe.

 

[ag89]

I couldn't watch the full show the other day, but I have seen many people complaining that the hosts were meh, particularly Malin. I think they were great and actually I liked the lack of over the top vibe that we normally have with hosts. They looked and sounded professional from start to finish.

 

[Gitte]

How dare anyone ever call Petra Mede "meh"

 

[94ayd]

How dare anyone ever call Petra Mede "meh"

Petra Meh-de

 

[njdevils94]

Don't be scared to talk to Jews ever.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1788216660005945344

 

[Gitte]

One of my best friends is jewish, but she's also anti-zionist. Love talking to her because of that. I give her ESC infodumping lol.

(she's american, it's israeli's whom people don't like atm)