Here we are finally: the fifth and last night of the 70th Sanremo festival that has been a huge success with viewing figures and ratings all week making best results in 20 years or more, despite everyone lamenting how long the nights are and how many guests there have been and how the songs have been a bit shadowed by all the rest. And I agree, the nights have been long and sometimes I have lost patience for yet another guest instead of hearing the competing songs but I must say it has been still very enjoyable and entertaining. Amadeus and Fiorello have worked well, Tiziano Ferro has been around, we've had some old glories like Ricchi e Poveri reuniting for the first time since 1981, we've had Albano e Romina Power... and the songs in competition are all good. I must confess I don't have one or more that I would really really love and hope for a win but many, most actually. So it will be very curious to see how this ends and if the winner will indeed go to Eurovision. It is rumored 16 out of 24 or now 23 has signed the deal should they win - who they are we don't know yet.
Francesco Gabbani was in the lead after three nights combined, Tosca won the covers night, Diodato last night voted by the press. Piero Pelù, Le Vibrazioni and Pinguini Tattici Nucleari are all there in the top, too. Eurovision fan favorite Elodie may have lost her chances to win but we will see. Tonight there's a threeway voting and televoters get to say their for the first time during the festival even if their weight is less than 10% of the final outcome. All may change though once we get out top-3 and second round of voting. But who will reach the top-3 is completely open now.In the beginning of tonight's show we will get the current ranking before tonight's voting including all four previous nights.
Amadeus is hosting with Fiorello again and Tiziano Ferro will be there. The co-hostesses will be tv presenter Mara Venier and the previous night's ladies Sabrina Salerno, Diletta Leotta and Francesca Sofia Novello.
Musical guest star Cuban legends Gente De Zona (love love love!) and Biagio Antonacci. The cast of film La mia banda suona il pop will there, as well as the winner of Nuove proposte/Newcomers Leo Gassmann.
I will follow the final closely and comment here as usual.
And here we have the ranking combined of the four first night. Diodato has passed Francesco Gabbani and is the new leader before tonight's added votes. And we start with the songs right away:
21.10 Michele Zarrillo – Nell’estasi o nel fango ****
I like this one. He sings always well and I do like his voice. Nice pop song instead of the usual ballad. In my playlist.
I like this one. He sings always well and I do like his voice. Nice pop song instead of the usual ballad. In my playlist.
21.15 Elodie – Andromeda *****
This gets better with every hearing, not the easiest and most instant ones, but one of the most modern and very Mahmood indeed. Would be perfect for Eurovision but at this point it looks unlikely as she's a bit too low in the ranking. She looks stunning and the performance is one of the rare with camera tricks and thought after screening. On my playlist.
This gets better with every hearing, not the easiest and most instant ones, but one of the most modern and very Mahmood indeed. Would be perfect for Eurovision but at this point it looks unlikely as she's a bit too low in the ranking. She looks stunning and the performance is one of the rare with camera tricks and thought after screening. On my playlist.
21.25 Enrico Nigiotti – Baciami adesso *
This I feel is just same old same old. I don't think I will have any wish to listen to this after tonight. Give me Mietta's Baciami adesso instead, still a goodie after all these years!
21.46 Irene Grandi – Finalmente io **
Se a seasoned professional on stage and sings her song with gusto but I can't help switching it to Laura Pausini's cover of Io canto at one point and the game is lost. And I don't even like particularly that cover or song. On my playlist? No.
22.00 Alberto Urso – Il sole ad est **
Somehow I'd like to like this but no. The melody is very pretty and I have a soft spot for this kind of ballads, but he is the problem. The singing seems forced and screamy at times and not at all natural nor convincing. Goes to the playlist? Nope.
22.04 Diodato – Fai rumore *****
The new one in pole position after the first four nights. A grower song. Classic Sanremo ballad with good lyrics, good vocals, nothing extraordinary but it all comes together nicely and Diodato has the momentum after having a huge hit last year. On my playlist.
22.15 Marco Masini – Il confronto **
Just like Irene Grandi, nothing wrong here but well performed, but heard a million times before. Nothing special. Not on my playlist for sure. He's done better.
22.45 Piero Pelù – Gigante ****
He will be 58 on Monday but rocks like a newcomer. For me one of the nice surprises of this festival. I expected nothing and got one of the best songs: pop rock with really catchy chorus and he comes across rather likable and not taking himself too seriously, yet true to his rock image. Nothing but respect! He has Tu 6 molto di + (You are much more) painted on his naked chest and he even runs among the audience and steals a handbag from some random woman.....
23.02 Levante – Tikibombom ****
Another of those songs I'd like to like a lot more, or feel like I should like it. Yet it leaves me a bit cold. This is on my playlist because I want to like it. Maybe further listenings will do the trick.
Random thought: What do the ladies do with all those flowers they get night after night? And why guys don't get them? If I was there, I would like to have flowers, too. Because Sanremo is Sanremo and Sanremo is flowers. And I would keep them all until they go bad.
Enrico Ruggieri in audience and to talk about a music programme coming up shortly...
Random thought: What do the ladies do with all those flowers they get night after night? And why guys don't get them? If I was there, I would like to have flowers, too. Because Sanremo is Sanremo and Sanremo is flowers. And I would keep them all until they go bad.
23.10 Pinguini Tattici Nucleari – Ringo Starr ***
Ok, this is kinda fun but I don't think I want to listen to this too often. Besides it works better live. Chaotic performance. Recently Sanremo seems to have one song like this every year and it ends up very high in the ranking, like last year and apparently this year, too. On my playlist? Nah.
23.15 Achille Lauro – Me ne frego ***
Ok, this is totally crazy visually and I almost wish Sanremo would go on a few more nights so we could see more of his looks. The look takes attention from his song that in the end isn't so bad actually, I finally notice.... Hmmm...
23.30 Junior Cally – No grazie **
I didn't like this at all at first but now I'm learning to enjoy it a bit. Quite a lot actually. Live on stage. I doubt this will make my playlist at any point though.
23.37 Raphael Gualazzi – Carioca ****
A lot is happening on stage. This is one of those songs that works wonders on stage but when listening to it on my playlist it feels a bit longer and less interesting for some reason. Yet, great stuff!
A lot is happening on stage. This is one of those songs that works wonders on stage but when listening to it on my playlist it feels a bit longer and less interesting for some reason. Yet, great stuff!
23.42 Tosca – Ho amato tutto ****
Another big surprise of this festival. First her addition to the line up was a surprise, and then she's the highest placing woman at the moment, let's see how high she ends tonight. Beautiful song, sung perfectly with emotion. What's there not to like if you have the patience to stop and listen and get into it?
23.49 Francesco Gabbani – Viceversa *****
One of those songs you like more and more. Great lyrics, catchy melody, whistles and Gabbani's voice and gestures. Very different what was expected from him but still in top-2 all week, Will he win again tonight? On my playlist already from the start.
Rita is another big surprise for me. I expected nothing and got this wonderful uptempo pop song that is catchy as hell and she's got more energy than artists 50 years younger. Adsolutely fa! Already on my playloist firmly.
Finally Amadeus talks about Eurovision! 5th night, after midnight.
00.05 Le Vibrazioni – Dov’è **
The signspeaker Mauro takes the spotlight tonight and he's about the best part of the performance and the song that is such a yawn. Can't understand why it's there in top-5. Sigh.
00.17 As good time as any to forget about the competition and have a guest star on stage: Biagio Antonacci.Now I like him, too. And so did my late friend, fan of Tiziano Ferro, maybe even more Biagio Antonacci. I'm getting a bit too emotional here with sadness I can't quite handle yet.....
And this new song of his is absolutely beautiful.......
And then a medley of songs I listened always with her.....
I'm a bit confused.
I'm a bit confused.
00.32 Anastasio – Rosso di rabbia **
This is a tricky one. I kinda enjoy it live on stage and the chorus is catchy as hell. Panico, panico, what should I think? Do I want this on my playlist? Maybe not....
What do you do when you realize your planned big comeback is just a huge flop? You ask your fans not to televote tonight but just "close your eyes and enjoy my music with cellphones turned off" and that after wondering in interviews "Who the fuck are the Demoscopic juries? Who controls them?" after they place you in bottom-3. Well, the song is crap and he isn't a live vocalist either and what I have understood not even a nice person really. Or the success he had made him a bit diva.
00.41 Giordana Angi – Come mia madre **
Another song that doesn't really take off. I can't get over the Mia Martini light feeling. Nah. Not for me.
00.46 Paolo Jannacci – Voglio parlarti adesso **
Like Angi, nothing wrong with the song but it's just not something memorable or new. Heard a million times before and I just don't connect with it in any level.
00.55 Advertising for Eurovision song contest!
00.55 Advertising for Eurovision song contest!
00.56 Elettra Lamborghini – Musica (e il resto scompare) ****
She's been a disaster the previous nights but tonight she delivered, twerked and came across as a likable one. Anout the time, too! Sure summer hit.
01.01 Rancore – Eden *****
I like this more with each performance. Love the piano, the camera effects, the mahmood like effects. Great stuff and should be so much higher in the ranking. The most thought after choreography and camera wok in this festival, Eurovision ready. This time he didn't end up dead on stage after being shot, instead he gave us that smile above!
Sabrina has a moment with Boys boys boys... starting as an acoustic ballad version a la Sansa (UMK2020)
Here is the top-3 that continues the race. All previous votes will be zeroed and the three voting groups will revote with same %......
The rest of the ranking:
4. LE VIBRAZIONI
5. PIERO PELÙ
6. TOSCA
7. ELODIE
8. ACHILLE LAURO
9. IRENE GRANDI
10. RANCORE
11. RAPHAEL GUALAZZI
12. LEVANTE
13. ANASTASIO
14. ALBERTO URSO
15. MARCO MASINI
16. PAOLO JANNACCI
17. RITA PAVONE
18. MICHELE ZARRILLO
19. ENRICO NIGIOTTI
20. GIORDANA ANGI
21. ELETTRA LAMBORGHINI
22. JUNIOR CALLY
23. RIKI
Fiorello show continues while we wait for the final results ...
... but .... at 01.49:
WHERE'S GENTE DE ZONA???
SKY News has leaked the winner?
02.07: Third: Pinguini Tattici Nucleari
... and then another guest star...
Vittorio Gregolo who had apparently already fallen asleep waiting for his turn......
a bit of opera at 2.12 at night never hurt anyone, right?
02.20 finally Gente De Zona.
ok, awards...
Premio della Critica Mia Martini: Diodato
Premio Lucio Dalla: Diodato
Premio Sergio Bardotti for the best lyrics: Rancore
Premio Giancarlo Bigazzi for best music: Tosca
Premio TIM Music for most streamed: Francesco Gabbani
and the winner is.....
DIODATO - FAI RUMORE!
Gabbani second
2.37 (3.37) Buona notte!
The rest of the ranking:
4. LE VIBRAZIONI
5. PIERO PELÙ
6. TOSCA
7. ELODIE
8. ACHILLE LAURO
9. IRENE GRANDI
10. RANCORE
11. RAPHAEL GUALAZZI
12. LEVANTE
13. ANASTASIO
14. ALBERTO URSO
15. MARCO MASINI
16. PAOLO JANNACCI
17. RITA PAVONE
18. MICHELE ZARRILLO
19. ENRICO NIGIOTTI
20. GIORDANA ANGI
21. ELETTRA LAMBORGHINI
22. JUNIOR CALLY
23. RIKI
WHERE'S GENTE DE ZONA???
Vittorio Gregolo who had apparently already fallen asleep waiting for his turn......
a bit of opera at 2.12 at night never hurt anyone, right?
ok, awards...
Premio della Critica Mia Martini: Diodato
Premio Lucio Dalla: Diodato
Premio Sergio Bardotti for the best lyrics: Rancore
Premio Giancarlo Bigazzi for best music: Tosca
Premio TIM Music for most streamed: Francesco Gabbani
and the winner is.....
Gabbani second
2.37 (3.37) Buona notte!
Comments