ESC 2018 General Discussion Thread

[simonPL]

Btw After having seen todays rehearsal clips I really started missing the LED background... The stage is quite a mess, I can't see any clear concept

I don't think is that bad, but I agree. They removed LED screens and it's not allowed to do any TV- effects for what? For being non-fast-food-music because previous winner said something about that? With million of those bright lights it looks even less proffesional and I think the only thing on the audience is missing just to be 100% fussy:

And I can see an inconsistency when some delegations can bring their own toys on the stage. I think everyone should perform with cardboard in the background, that would be fair and slow-food.

 

[aef]

With million of those bright lights it looks even less proffesional

Exactly! It feels so 2010... Those random lights with the bones/ ribs as background don't match at all... And it doesn't make any sense, just like in 2010 when they had those lights hanging down from the ceiling (I really hated that)

It would look way more professional with LED, not so cheap like now (I could also live without LED but with a better concept than now)

 

[Swedenvision]

Yeah, you're right. But just by watching two seconds of Ingrosso's performance video you know the staging and the complete act, so the chances that non fans could have already seen the performance are higher (you just have to come across with the video in Youtube or whatever). I agree that it doesn't mean that people will not be interested, of course it's interesting, but I was just talking about that surprise factor. By the way, I am using Ingrosso as an example, but I could use any other act that has a linear (I'm not sure if this is the correct word) performance.

Anyway, the point was that this new rules about the rehearsals can benefit certain countries (the ones with surprising, theatrical performances) and be detrimental to others. Of course, it could not mean anything, but I'm positive that countries like Cyprus are going to take advantage of that wow factor :twisted:

But still 90% of the viewers and voters that will watch this on thursday and saturday have never seen Ingrossos stageshow before so it will be the first time.

Also keep in mind that the promotion video that SVT and the record company has used has been his official musicvideo and not the actual performance video.

And yeah a few might have seen the rehearsal video, but it is still not the whole lightshow.
Benjamins stageshow is on its own level and this will clearly have a wow-effect for the general viewers!

 

[Swedenvision]

Btw After having seen todays rehearsal clips I really started missing the LED background... The stage is quite a mess, I can't see any clear concept

That is why you should bring your own lights/LED:S.

 

[ChrisOL]

A lot of people think LED is bad just because we had huge LED walls in a few years. But not every stage designer is as uncreative as Florian Wieder (I'm sorry dude, your stages get boring - just a round stage with a wall behind it) Just look at how Sweden 2016 used the LED wall (the segments looked really interesting and it was not just a huge wall), or Denmark 2014 (they had a huge wall but had the big cube in focus)
This year looks pretty cheap tbh...

This is a picture with the LED wall turned off. Looks way more structured than this year's stage.

 

[Chorizo]

Exactly! It feels so 2010... Those random lights with the bones/ ribs as background don't match at all... And it doesn't make any sense, just like in 2010 when they had those lights hanging down from the ceiling (I really hated that)

It would look way more professional with LED, not so cheap like now (I could also live without LED but with a better concept than now)

I think the LED background will be back next year. They wanted to try it without LED screens this year but the outcome is indeed rather underwhelming, so the next host will be eager to give us a better stage again. The best stage is still the Copenhagen stage.

 

[aef]

A lot of people think LED is bad just because we had huge LED walls in a few years. But not every stage designer is as uncreative as Florian Wieder (I'm sorry dude, your stages get boring - just a round stage with a wall behind it) Just look at how Sweden 2016 used the LED wall (the segments looked really interesting and it was not just a huge wall), or Denmark 2014 (they had a huge wall but had the big cube in focus)
This year looks pretty cheap tbh...

This is a picture with the LED wall turned off. Looks way more structured than this year's stage.

Indeed, I really don't know why they keep taking Florian Wieder... Also think that this years outcome looks quite different to the initial draft? And as I said it reminds me only of very weak stages of the past, basically 2010 and 2001 combined.... I also hate the outer ring?! It produces to much distance between stage and audience...

2014 was the best one by far... And yes of course I'm also hoping for better, more structured stuff next year... But let's wait and see how the contest will be concerning the overall atmosphere (hosting, intervals acts, etc.) - Maybe it will still be a solid one

I just though about having a completely surprise winner like in 2002 for example... That would be the best outcome for this year I guess

 

[midnightsun]

I hated the 2014 stage, the worst this decade... *runs away*

 

[Vektor]

 

[Citelis]

LOL, is our entry really that terrible? Good to see that Estonia is the best!

 

[aef]

LOL, is our entry really that terrible? Good to see that Estonia is the best!

To be honest I can see it as a NQ... The staging really isn't anything special... Quite much on 2015 level!

The song is mainly hyped by Greeks, especially on Youtube in the comments

 

[Citelis]

To be honest I can see it as a NQ... The staging really isn't anything special... Quite much on 2015 level!

The song is mainly hyped by Greeks, especially on Youtube in the comments

I know we are not going for top 5 with this entry but i thought that we are a safe qualifier! Looks like we are not!

 

[Gera11]

LOL, is our entry really that terrible? Good to see that Estonia is the best!

Well, look it on the bright side, the press polls are rarely too accurate. :"D

 

[burrito]

Well, look it on the bright side, the press polls are rarely too accurate. :"D

Exactly. I don't expect Albania to pass the semis even given Eugent's performance. But good to know they value it. On the other hand I wonder how much of a carwreck Macedonia has to be overall that even Iceland surpasses them.

 

[ZoboCamel]

Was just looking through the guidebook that ESCInsight's done up for this year, and... apparently my top three songs are all in the key of E flat minor. No idea if that's a coincidence or a weird quirk of my musical tastes that I've never found out

 

[popavapeur]

. Both of them would be such embarrassing winners reinforcing the image of Eurovision as an annual circus and showcase of bad taste instead of a genuine music competition.

You've been watching the wrong contest for years I fear. If you want "real", genuine music competition you already have all the conver-contest such as The Voice, Idol, X Factor. Still pop music but it sure won't look like a "circus". This is what Eurovision is all about, it's the only time in the year when the quirky and weird stuff are celebrated and you still want it to be another X factor lookalike with more budget ? Not trying to defend Israel or Norway on this one, but if i'm watching eurovision it's for some Yodelling rap, an ukrainian drag queen and moving performances like Conchita or Jamala.

This is a circus and it should stay a circus, that's what makes ESC different and not a copy paste of other music competiton (unfortunately, it seems ESC become more and more "in line" with everyday life, 2017 was pretty boring IMHO)

 

[megzpegz]

I feel like eurovision is for all genres, I find it's more interesting when there is different type of songs in the contest like rock, pop, ballad, jazz etc. If everything was the same it would be very boring.

 

[Leydan]

I'd rather just have songs I like than forced diversity for the sake of diversity. Songs of the same genre can all easily sound quite different.

 

[EscGeek]

people who see eurovision as an "annual circus and showcase of bad taste" won't change their opinion regardless of who wins

 

[midnightsun]

...unfortunately, it seems ESC become more and more "in line" with everyday life, 2017 was pretty boring IMHO

This! 2017 was one of the worst ESCs this decade. The amount of good songs was almost zero. Luckily most of the few went top 5. 2016 was slightly better overall but was the worst - along with 2013 - concerning the top 5 songs (except for Bulgaria).

2018 is waaaay better! I'd even say one of the best ESCs this decade. So many good songs and they're all so different.