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!​

 

[Sammy]

Also, I hope they drop the United by Music coz lol Only took 1 reusing to become a parody of itself

if you look at the slogan as a description of the status quo - you‘re right. If you see it as a goal all participants and people involved should thrive towards, you‘re wrong. Because abolishing that goal would mean give in to the destructive forces. And we don‘t want that to happen do we?

 

[aef]

Also, I hope they drop the United by Music coz lol Only took 1 reusing to become a parody of itself

I get your point but inner Monk couldn’t stand the fact that one slogan was used twice and then we’re going back to one year slogans again haha.

 

[aef]

As long as we have countries like Israel and delegations like Israel taking part, juries should have at least 50 % say

True but I felt the actual fear that juries might push more than they actually did in the end. The jury score for was surprisingly low, thank god.

 

[blajblaj]

why are there more British in the arena audiences than Swedish?

I can only speak for myself, but I lost all enthusiasm for this show last year because of the treatment Sweden and Loreen got. I wish Sweden had decided not to host, and not even participate this year. So buying tickets this time was out of the question.

 

[lacrymea]

Now see that's not a fact is it? That's an opinion being expressed fact. Very different things.

Former winners have come back time and time again and the juries haven't 'made sure' they did well. It's ridiculous statements like that which really put me off the Kaarija fans in the wake of last year.

Kaarija did amazingly well - and probably better with the juries than he should imo - but he is still seen as a Eurovision icon and I doubt the last thing he wanted was all the bile directed at Loreen on his behalf which there was tons of last year.

I'm trying to explain people's perception last year and why they reacted like that (btw, I'd never harass a contestant and don't accept people who do it). Sure, it was an opinion shared by many. Not a set in stone fact. That's how people work. They react based on their opinion.

The backlash last year was because Finland's fans (the majority) believed Loreen's landslide victory in the jury vote was to prevent the crowd favorite victory. Like it or not, that was what people thought. And Loreen isn't just a former winner. She was the favorite winner of recent Eurovision and had already received all her acollades. She was the odds favorite even before winning Melodi.

This endless discussion of the juries preventing the people's favorite win has been going on forever in recent years. My only remark regarding last year was to try to explain why Nemo was well accepted while Loreen wasn't.

Sure, it's an opinion based on what I read from hundreds of posts here. Not a fact. If we only discuss facts, the discussion is pointless. Loreen won cause she had more points. Nemo won because they had more points. End of discussion.

 

[Realest]

Average Televote Semifinal 2:

#1	Israel	2,22222222​
#2	Netherlands	2,27777778​
#3	Switzerland	4,11111111​
#4	Armenia	4,16666667​
#5	Greece	6,77777778​
#6	Estonia	7,33333333​
#7	Latvia	7,44444444​
#8	Georgia	8,61111111​
#9	Austria	8,61111111​
#10	Czechia	9,16666667​
#11	Norway	9,5​
#12	Denmark	9,94444444​
#13	Belgium	10,9444444​
#14	Malta	12,1666667​
#15	Albania	13​
#16	San Marino	13,0555556​

RIP

 

[Loindici]

Don't forget to vote for your favorite Eurovision outfit(s) at You're A Vision Award, hosted by songfestival.be!

‘You’re A Vision Award 2024' voting

Stem hier voor wie volgens jou de ‘You’re A Vision Award’ moet winnen.

songfestival.be

 

[aglm1988]

It is insane that you would think that it's about Eden at all from either side. The abnormal votes for Israel are the result of right and far-right Europe seizing the opportunity to make a statement. Why would anyone deny this?

So it just supports what I said in my pervious reply - third law of Newton at its play. When you try to force something/someone out, there’s gonna be opposite force at the same magnitude. (But between us, I believe that hence the war Eden would’ve accomplished the same result, just split more equally by jury/televote, similar to Noa Kirel last year).

 

[Fierro]

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

You are probably not educated enough to understand basic concepts of art and freedom of self-expression. Stop watching Eurovision then indeed, we don't need you.

Also, dress is not a female-exclusive thing.

 

[SpiritofKeiino]

You're correct I didn't see those, and I feel truly sorry for her that she had to face this, she seems like a genuinely nice person and things never should've gotten this far

Agree, Loreen seems like a lady and I loved the moment when she handed over the trophy to Nemo.

 

[SpiritofKeiino]

True but I felt the actual fear that juries might push more than they actually did in the end. The jury score for was surprisingly low, thank god.

I don't always love the juries but this year I'm glad they tanked Israel.

 

[Lumina]

It wasn’t war that led to Israel‘s televoting result.

It was Bambie Thug stirring the pot with their open letter against Israel.

Neither Ireland nor Israel were in the betting odds top 5 before (despite the war! Ukraine went straight to no. 1 when the war started). Both countries went there after Bambie became political and thus actived supporters of them and protest-voters for Israel. You can’t avoid that. When there‘s a pro, there‘s a con!

 

[Sammy]

It is insane that you would think that it's about Eden at all from either side. The abnormal votes for Israel are the result of right and far-right Europe seizing the opportunity to make a statement. Why would anyone deny this?

Not so sure, if it‘s such a clear left-> against Israel, right -> in favour of Israel-thing. Yes, the extreme positions of the political spectrum may reflect this, but in the moderate spectrum and the center the positions vary a lot. So a large part of the voting could also have come from the centre or moderate left.

 

[4815162342]

I do not wish for anyone the experience of what the Israeli delegation has gone through. I don't speak about the boozes from the audience, but the treatment from some of the other delegations as the Israelis are sick with a very contagious disease. The bullying was terrible, and not only by the members of the delegations, but directly from the other artists themselves. Some ganged up in threesomes/foursomes/fivesomes and searched Eden and other members of the delegation for every small thing and sent their fans to attack them, sometimes even shouting and bullying them themselves.

As an Israeli, I think that Israel should have not participated this year. I believe that we should've ended the war first and then returned to compete, but once it was decided that we are participating, we should not get boycotted by other delegations as we were in high school, especially for our history in the competition and our love for it.

This year some Queers artists, who are supposed to stand for inclusivity and acceptance, decided to bully a young Jewish girl just because of who she is. They refused to interact with her or even sit on a table next to her. And some of them joined to boozes. Grown up men and women booing and humiliating a 20 years old girl.

In addition, the comment section in Wiwibloggs, ESCUNITED and other youtube channels felt like Europe in 1941, and I didn't see those blogs owners condemning those comments or treating the Israeli entry with respect and objectivity. On the contrary, they highlighted the most little things against the Israeli delegation as a main article or post.

I don't want to speak about the juries that are scared to be cancelled by a loud minority. But – I want to thank the silent majority of Europe supporting Eden and not joining the bullying of the other delegations. Thank you so much for your votes – Israel has received 15 times the 12 points, so thank you, thank you, thank you.

As for Sweden - thank you for producing a great show, and thank you for the maximum you have done to manage the kindergarten this year. You did the best you could, I just think it could have been better for everyone if you had chosen another city to host the competition.

As for Malmo - the Israelis already left your city, but the violent and sharia-law supporteres has stayed in your city. I hope you will be able to integrate them, otherwise I;m scared for the future of the beautiful city with such history.

Would you like to share some details what happened? Or is there aynwhere I can read about this (in english)?
If you dont want to share here, maybe per PM?

 

[aglm1988]

Not so sure, if it‘s such a clear left-> against Israel, right -> in favour of Israel-thing. Yes, the extreme positions of the political spectrum may reflect this, but in the moderate spectrum and the center the positions vary a lot. So a large part of the voting could also have come from the centre or moderate left.

I think some European voters felt for the singer of all of the bullying she has been through.
I think no other artist in the 68 year history has gone through what she did. Not only mob of sharia law supporters outside the arena with true life threats and stomps with scary faces and movements, not only booing from 40 years old grown up men in the arena trying to interrupt her to sing but also the gaslighting from other contestants. I don’t know how she did it actually.

 

[aglm1988]

Would you like to share some details what happened? Or is there aynwhere I can read about this (in english)?
If you dont want to share here, maybe per PM?

I think I’ve said enough about the experience Eden had in the arena and in the city. I prefer not to say any names because the tension are high anyway, and prefer all of the participating countries stay as united as possible.

And I’m actually pretty happy with Nemo winning, they have a great song and they performed it perfectly. I’m also glad that non-binary got a respectable representation as part of the winners in the competition.

 

[pras]

"They hurt you then play victim."

Fantana

 

[Lumina]

"They hurt you then play victim."

Fantana

Israel didn’t play the victim, they wanted to participate without knowing what would be happening. Not to that extent.

It were the other countries and participants who made Israel a victim in the eyes of the public (rightfully so obviously) through their actions they took against Eden. Eden didn’t start anything, it were the others.

 

[GermanBango]

 

[soulm8]

My whole TikTok is full with last night Grand Final commentary from the Serbian TV,Duska is her name I think. Well, she should be careful, before someone complains, but damn she is iconic hahahaha