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EUROVISION 2018 DAY 1: FIRST REHEARSAL FOR CZECH REPUBLIC, LITHUANIA, ISRAEL

The rehearsals continue after lucnh break with threee more countries, among them two top favorites Czech Republic and Israel, still #1 in the betting odds, and this blogger's favortire Lithuania...

Czech Republic - Mikolas Josef - Lie to me
It seems one of the favorites didn't quite deliver yet as Czech Republic's entry is described a mess pretty much in unison. The colors (pink/blue/purple) are there, the stairs are there, so are the breakdancers miming also as trumpet players and having their own props: light walls, and the choreography but it doesn't fill the stage the way it's ment to do, nor the camera angles are right there. If they only get the idea and concept work on screen.... Colorful and fun, vocally no problem. This blogger believes they'll sort it all out. Mikolas himself tried different acrobatics to add to the performance, such as front flip... Let's see what he'll do in the end... 
Update: He has been taken to hospital for back injury during his rehearsal....

"Memorable", "Messy", "Colorful", "Sympathetic", "Backpack", "Marginal qualifier at best"

Lithuania - Ieva Zasimauskaitè - When we're old
Divided comments on the use of 3D augmented reality hologram black and white photos as most seem to think them unnecessary and distracting from her vocals. Her boyfriend joins her on staircase in the finale of the song sung in Lithuanian just like in the Lithuanian final and that's an emotional moment. General consensus seems to be this did great and being neglected by most is now seen a possible qualifier. Well, I have thought this as one since it won. Apparently the biggest applause yet in "press room in tears".  Now it's also clear the ad break will be after Lithuania.....

"Intimate", "Lithuania is qualifying, I was wrong", The most effective so far", "Emotional"
Israel - Netta - Toy
Israel takes the lead from the video going all Oriental. She's got her looper, wears a simil-kimono and those dancers are back and she's even got a toy boy to walk her down the catwalk in the end apparently to make those crowds go all gaga. But the real gimmick are the 56 (yes, someone counted) maneki nekos on stage screens, aka the paw waving Japanese good fortune cats. Let's see if that 56 is sufficient to bring her enough luck to win this as she may have gotten some divided reviews despite being the clear #1 in the betting odds. Is this Occidentali's Karma all over again? (Oh the irony with this Asian theme...!!!) At least she dropped in the odds immediately....

"Quirky", "Somewhat disappointing", "Sassy", "Marvellous package", "Underwheelming", "Losing impact"

To be updated....

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