Today was The Day. The rehearsals started on stage in Liverpool arena for the Eurovision song contest 2023. As Ebu once again is using TikTok for the short tiny rehearsal clips I'm not going to care much of them. But here is a collection of photos and impressions and observations by your truly of the closed doors happenings. Mind you, I'm all in favor for this closed door policy: the delegations must have a little bit privacy and peace and quiet to polish their acts before they are given to the sharks aka fandom eager to criticize every tiny detail. And also I kinda like the idea we are given as little as possible to watch before the shows so there will be surprises and wow effect - if you have seen it all beforehand where's the fun? The first rehearsal is 30 minutes for each meaning 3-4 run through. After that the delegation gathers to a viewing room and changes are discussed and made for the next rehearsal with the local team. Ok, let's go!
All photos are from eurovision,tv by Nick Robinson, Sarah Louise Bennett, Chloe Hashemi, Corinne Cumming
NORWAY
Alessandra is apparently pretty much doing her national final staging with the same outfit and four dancers. No special effects like pyros or steams apparently in sight. The stage looks quite dark with a lot of spotlights and light effects and yes, she belts out That Note without trouble. Mostly.
MALTA
If Norway didn't bring any props Malta has plenty of them: all the stuff from national final with party room and cupboards, yellow bench and lamp post, red car and a sofa. Add costume change aka homely jumbers switched to glittery ones, too. Add a lot of dancing and that sax! It's party but not maybe crazy (yet!) If Norway's backdrop seemed a bit dark Malta's is an explosion of colors!
SERBIA
Another national final performance apparently brought to a bigger stage and extended. The prop and graphics are there, as are his four dancers, this time with smoke coming out of dancers backpacks! They are dressed in grey while Luke has the familiar white shirt.
LATVIA
Yet another national final staging brought to Liverpool. A lot of darkness with a lot of spotlights and such. A bit like Norway (if you can judge from the tiny little video). Their luggage was lost after the flight so they are rehearsing in their casuals today.
PORTUGAL
Time for some cabaret and a lot of red! Red feathers! Lights! Everything! She's left her sofa at home but brought her four dancers (one having been replaced recently due to a motorbike accident I believe). And those dancers, can't wait to see some Portuguese-Finnish cometition dancing happening during these weeks! cha cha cha!
IRELAND
No masks from the video for the Irish but Conor's wardrobe is even more questionable than in the Irish final, if humanly possible: Golden jumpsuit that can't hide his family jewels. As a prob they have brought a horse shoe shaped stairs. And pyros. A rain of them.
CROATIA
Where to start? There are the crazy costumes, graphics and all that from the national final performance and the music video madness. Add their underwear and huge missiles for the last bit of the song. Add pyros, high heals and said middle aged men in underpants. We haven't seen anything like this before and this being Eurovision that's really something as in Eurovision we have seen pretty much everything already.....
SWITZERLAND
Eurovision famous Sacha Jean-Baptiste has created this staging and to most everyone's surprise Remo joins in dancing with his four dancers here and there. They seem to be having Sertab Erener-esque robes, too. He's dressed in black jacket with see through sleeves and bits on his side. To add drama there are red fireworks and smoke to elevate this, in my opinion very much underrated song. And not only mine, this ended 2nd in my Home Jury ranking! Fingers crossed this does Cesar Sampson and shocks the fandom :-). However, whether it is good to be sandwiched between two very weird and memorable ones like Croatia and Moldova..... We'll see.
MOLDOVA
Moldova and Pasha bring back all the gimmicks of ethnic bangers of yesteryear. Drums, flute, horms, you name it! And a touch of Little Big, if you know what I mean.
SWEDEN
Loreen's sandwich grill is back, but smaller. Otherwise it's the same outfit, those nails, all that smoke.
That's it for today. Tomorrow it's time to cha cha cha and it's going to be crazy, it's party!
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