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...

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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!​

 

[GermanBango]

So... what now? I am already bored.

 

[Looren]

So... what now? I am already bored.

Now we get to relax and be happy that our contest is still living dear

 

[MopManMoss]

So... what now? I am already bored.

Just be thankful that boredom is all that you are feeling right now

 

[VedatiNet]

I'm not happy with the winning song. I preferred more Croatia or France than Switzerland. The results show was not interesting. Those 12 points for Switzerland in continues was so boring.
Also don't understand why should man wear dress and look like girl in order to win the Eurovision.
This was the worst year in eurovision for me and I'm seriously thinking to not watch it anymore.

 

[HayashiM]

So, after those pages and pages of pure hate towards Loreen last year, where are everyone's apologies?

I see many people who were b*tching like hell one year ago about Loreen allegedly because "she wasn't the people's favourite" but who are absolutely thrilled celebrating Nemo, despite Nemo ending even worse with the people than Loreen.

Where is the consistency?

 

[GermanBango]

I'm not happy with the winning song. I preferred more Croatia or France than Switzerland. The results show was not interesting. Those 12 points for Switzerland in continues was so boring.
Also don't understand why should man wear dress and look like girl in order to win the Eurovision.
This was the worst year in eurovision for me and I'm seriously thinking to not watch it anymore.

Ok bye.

 

[Ted Talks]

So, after those pages and pages of pure hate towards Loreen last year, where are everyone's apologies?

I see many people who were b*tching like hell one year ago about Loreen allegedly because "she wasn't the people's favourite" but who are absolutely thrilled celebrating Nemo, despite Nemo ending even worse with the people than Loreen.

Where is the consistency?

The lack of consistency is startling I agree.

All I'd say is that if the other events surrounding this year's contest hadn't been there, then maybe there'd be some more anger/frustration/bullying in Nemo's direction - not that that is acceptable of course.

The sheer hate and bile aimed at Loreen last year was unacceptable. So the only hope I have is that fans will learn not to do that in future. I'm doubtful though...

 

[Edweis]

So, after those pages and pages of pure hate towards Loreen last year, where are everyone's apologies?

I see many people who were b*tching like hell one year ago about Loreen allegedly because "she wasn't the people's favourite" but who are absolutely thrilled celebrating Nemo, despite Nemo ending even worse with the people than Loreen.

Where is the consistency?

Because last year there wasn't the political context we have today.
Pro-Israel people rallied in masse. A part of Croatia's votes were made to counter Israel (and the same can be said about the Swiss ones!). These results have been influenced from left and right.

Don't get me wrong, I would defend the public vote anytime, but the situation is vastly different. We will never know who would have been the TV winner without all these pro and counter strategies. Last year felt like a travesty to make Loreen win. This year is a giant chess game influenced by the color of the chessboard.

(Not commenting on the harassment and criticism Loreen received, but the general feeling of the audience)

 

[Ted Talks]

Because last year there wasn't the political context we have today.
Pro-Israel people rallied in masse. A part of Croatia's votes were made to counter Israel (and the same can be said about the Swiss ones!). These results have been influenced from left and right.

Don't get me wrong, I would defend the public vote anytime, but the situation is vastly different. We will never know who would have been the TV winner without all these pro and counter strategies. Last year felt like a travesty to make Loreen win. This year is a giant chess game influenced by the color of the chessboard.

It's when Loreen's win is phrased like this that gets me. It really wasn't the end of the world she won last year and it was pretty fair and square if you ask me.

She came first with the juries and second the televote, so that's pretty good going. Nemo came first with the juries, fifth with the public. Of course different circumstances are at play in both years, both won fair and square to me.

The juries quite rightly still have a role to play but I do fear the louder and angrier some fans are getting online, they may get ditched again for one year to appease the angry mob and see what happens. That would be a backwards step to me.

 

[Sammy]

Also don't understand why should man wear dress and look like girl in order to win the Eurovision.

You‘re gonna get a lot of hate for that comment. You didn‘t do a minor crime like threatening a camerawoman or calling a singer slurs like Genocide-barbie or worse. No! you committed a REALLY REALLY atrocious, unforgiveable crime: you misgendered someone!

 

[ag89]

I think we have to look beyond placement. Yes, he came 5th but he also received pts from almost all countries. So there is a level of legitimacy

 

[HayashiM]

Because last year there wasn't the political context we have today.
Pro-Israel people rallied in masse. A part of Croatia's votes were made to counter Israel (and the same can be said about the Swiss ones!). These results have been influenced from left and right.

Don't get me wrong, I would defend the public vote anytime, but the situation is vastly different. We will never know who would have been the TV winner without all these pro and counter strategies. Last year felt like a travesty to make Loreen win. This year is a giant chess game influenced by the color of the chessboard.

(Not commenting on the harassment and criticism Loreen received, but the general feeling of the audience)

I understand your point, but I disagree. Nemo was a part of these strategies as well and should have benefited a lot more than or for those people simply willing to beat . And yet, ended up behind those.

A vote is a vote, and Nemo simply performed worse than Loreen. If one abstains from any politics, attacking Loreen for her public score while celebrating Nemo just means that one is being full of shit.

 

[HayashiM]

I think we have to look beyond placement. Yes, he came 5th but he also received pts from almost all countries. So there is a level of legitimacy

So did Loreen, except better.

 

[ag89]

So did Loreen, except better.

For me Loreens victory is clear and justified.

 

[HayashiM]

For me Loreens victory is clear and justified.

Then my complaint is not aimed at you

 

[Edweis]

It's when Loreen's win is phrased like this that gets me. It really wasn't the end of the world she won last year and it was pretty fair and square if you ask me.

She came first with the juries and second the televote, so that's pretty good going. Nemo came first with the juries, fifth with the public. Of course different circumstances are at play in both years, both won fair and square to me.

They both did in their system. But recently the juries seem to reward the songs that have the most radio potential and that please bookies more than make a judgement as true music professionals.
For that reason, I feel like her jury landslide (and I insist on the landslide, not the fact she came 1st) was undeserved, as so do many people

For most of my Eurovision journey I have been for keeping the 50/50 status quo, but this tendency is one of the reason I'd like to reduce their influence.

 

[Gitte]

I think we have to look beyond placement. Yes, he came 5th but he also received pts from almost all countries. So there is a level of legitimacy

yes, and they still got 200+ televote points, which is a big amount. The only reason why they were 4 (or 3,5, as slimane only got ONE point more) countries with more televote points did so because they either had a massive hype, big diaspora and of course organised voting with ads and alt-right people who normaly dgaf about the contest advertising to vote for you know who. And that the televote top 5 got 66% of the available points. the other 20 countries in the final got the leftover 33% of televote points available.

 

[CatTully]

I think public vote should be a bigger share of the final result.

 

[Ted Talks]

They both did in their system. But recently the juries seem to reward the songs that have the most radio potential and that please bookies more than make a judgement as true music professionals.
For that reason, I feel like her jury landslide (and I insist on the landslide, not the fact she came 1st) was undeserved, as so do many people

For most of my Eurovision journey I have been for keeping the 50/50 status quo, but this tendency is one of the reason I'd like to reduce their influence.

I don't see the issue with looking for songs with good radio potential - that's a criteria I'd want to look at as a jury member alongside vocal ability, performance etc.

Eurovision has changed over the last few years (and I know many don't like the fact it has) by going more mainstream, more commercial, radio friendly etc in how its gearing towards winners. Without that, the contest would be stagnating and becoming more and more insular.

It's needed the breakout songs like Snap and the chart success of Maneskin and Loreen to try and ditch its older, cheesier image. If jurors are taking that into account, I don't mind.

Personally I don't want them factoring in their knowledge of who is a favourite as however good Croatia was last night, I do struggle to see how it did as well as it did with the juries. It was good, but not that good.

I think we need the jury/public split maintained at 50/50.

 

[Navn Navnes]

I think juries should be kept to avoid stuff like Israel winning just because of politics, but probably they should include members that are not only music professionals.