EUROVISION 2025: REHEARSALS START IN BASEL

It's time: we have followed the building of the stage a little and the stand in rehearsals went by without leaks and now the real rehearsals start in Basel this morning. But as its been already awhile the first technical rehearsals of 30 minutes are with closed doors and apparently Ebu will not even publish footage from them but only three official photos, the day after. And I don't mind at all even if the fandom seems to be in outrage. If I was an artist I wouldn't want today's social media to massacre my performance and the rest beforehand. After all the only thing that really matters is those three minutes on stage live on broadcast, all the rest is meaningless in the end. A fact the fandom tends to forget. I also kinda miss those days you knew nothing about beforehand - then again they all had the same stage and just stood by the microphone, lol - and I remember even in Helsinki 2007 you saw the stage concept only when the rehearsals started and we were allowed to enter the arena!

The second rehearsal of 20 minutes follows later and what will be published from it and who can attend I quite frankly haven't paid attention to. Apparently then we get more photos and the usual short video by Ebu. Also, there won't be the usual post-semifinal press conferences for the qualifiers but a recorded interviews and apparently live draw position for the final.

After individual country rehearsals the three dress rehearsals will take place before the live shows as usual. Apparently the accredited press can enter only the first dress rehearsals on but cannot take any photos or videos and they are not shown in media center nor Press center screens either. The second and third dress rehearsals are streamed on Online Media center and the Press center that opens only on May 11.Below are the timetables for all:

Saturday May 3 - First rehearsals

10.30 Iceland, 11.10 Poland, 11.50 Slovenia, 12.30 Estonia,

14.10 Ukraine, 14.50 Sweden, 15.30 Portugal

Sunday May 4 - First rehearsal

10.30 Norway, 11.10 Belgium, 11.50 Azerbaijan, 12.30 San Marino

14.10 Albania, 14.50 Netherlands, 15.30 Croatia, 16.10 Cyprus

Monday May 5 - First rehearsal

10.30 Australia, 11.10 Montenegro, 11.50 Ireland, 12.10 Latvia

14.10 Armenia, 14.50 Austria, 15.30 Greece, 16.10 Lithuania

Tuesday May 6 - First rehearsal

10.30 Malta, 11.10 Georgia, 11.50 Denmark, 12.10 Czechia

14.10 Luxembourg, 14.50 Israel, 15.30 Serbia, 16.10 Finland

Wednesday May 7 - Second rehearsal

10.30 Iceland, 11.55 Poland, 11.20 Slovenia, 11.45 Estonia, 12.10 Ukraine, 12.35 Sweden,

14.00 Portugal, 14.25 Norway, 14.50 Belgium, 15.15 Azerbaijan, 15.40 San Marino,

16.30 Albania, 16.55 Netherlands, 17.20 Croatia, 17.45 Cyprus

Thursday May 8 - Second rehearsal

10.30 Australia, 11.55 Montenegro, 11.20 Ireland, 11.45 Latvia, 12.10 Armenia

13.35 Austria, 14.00 Greece, 14.25 Lithuania, 14.50 Malta

First rehearsal

15.40 Spain, 16.20 Italy, 17.00 Switzerland, 17.40 United Kingdom,

19.20 France, 20.00 Germany

Friday May 9 - Second rehearsal

10.55 Georgia, 11.20 Denmark, 11.45 Czechia, 12.10 Luxembourg,

13.35 Israel, 14.00 Serbia, 14.25 Finland

Saturday May 10 - Second rehearsal

13.10 Spain, 13.35 Italy, 14.00 Switzerland, 14.25 United Kingdom

14.50 France, 15.15 Germany

Sunday May 11

14.00 The turquoise carpet and the welcome party

Monday May 12

13.30 Media briefing

15.30 Semifinal 1 dress rehearsal 1

21.00 Semifinal 1 dress rehearsal 2 (jury)

Tuesday May 13

13.30 Media briefing

15.00 Semifinal 1 dress rehearsal 3

21.00 Semifinal 1 live

Wednesday May 14

13.30 Media briefing

15.30 Semifinal 2 dress rehearsal 1

21.00 Semifinal 2 dress rehearsal 2 (jury)

Thursday May 15

13.30 Media briefing

15.00 Semifinal 2 dress rehearsal 3

21.00 Semifinal 2 live

Friday May 16

12.30 Media briefing

13.30 Final dress rehearsal 1

21.00 Final dress rehearsal 2 (jury)

Saturday May 17

12.30 Media briefing

13.00 Final dress rehearsal 3

21.00 Final live

01.30 - 02.30 Winner's press conference

Comments

SONGS OF THE YEAR 2015: #5 KRISTA SIEGFRIDS - ON & OFF

Krista Siegfrids is delivering nice pop tunes one after another and this one is particularly catchy and soon you will be singing along..... Hopefully her Melodifestivalen entry will be equally good!

ESC 2016 WISH LIST: MARGARET FOR POLAND

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SWEDEN TRIES TO STEAL THE FINNISH KISS

We all know about Krista Siegfrids "lesbian kiss" and reactions to it in worldwide media, and especially in some more conservative countries like Turkey, Georgia and Greece (this blogger is still waiting for reactions from Azerbaijan and Russia). But that's not all, SVT is also featuring a gay kiss in their interval act. Martin Österdahl, the executive producer says they are expecting hard critic for it but think it's important finally to show some attention to the gay community in the show. It hsn't been easy for the gay fans and journalists in some present Eurovision contests in Belgrade and Moscow, not to even mention Baku! But... one question pops into my mind: when did they come up with this idea? Hmm... As we know, the interval and script's jokes and lines are worked until the last minute and for example Björn Gustafsson's part/lines have been cut after dress rehearsasl them being too provocative and causing protests from the commentators. ...

Rumors, rumors, rumors....

While the national selections for Junior Eurovision are going on around Europe and Ani Lorak's been confirmed as host all sort of rumors about the real thing are beginning to be the order of the day. Austria returns - or then not. Andorra stays home - or then not. San Marino returns - well, most likely but not surely. Luxembourg should make a come back - or then maybe not. Liechtenstein is still in the running - or has it ever been for real? Has the local TV ever confirmed anything? Is it just wishful thinking by the fans? Poland on the other hand has confirmed they will be in Oslo. And Italy will be still out. And apparently there will be no ban or such for Azerbaijan nor Spain for the irregularities in and after the 2009 edition. EBU had to change the text in the rules to make it sure nothing like that what happened in Azerbaijan could happen again. Or if it will they have means and rules to back up a ban or sanction.... Katerina Avgoustakis has been rumored to be in Oslo...

ESC 2016 BELARUS: NAKED WITH WOLVES?

Today's funniest Eurovision related story comes from Belarus. Some sources claim Ivan wants to perform on stage naked and with live wolf or wolves. It surely would be a first on Eurovision stage! We have seen some forgotten underwear over the years, and some cardbox animals though..... Is it time to take things a bit further? No, according the rules live animals are not allowed, and Eurovision being a family show nudity won't do either. (It seems to be ok to be half naked if you are a dancer though..... )

FRANCE: LINH - J'AVOUE

As I'm off to France for some well deserved holidays and will get back to this blog afterwards I will feature a song a day. From France as my travelling tradition goes. By my favorite French singers bien sur. Enjoy!

JEDWARD GETS NAKED FOR THE FANS

Well, almost. The boys celebrated their 650.000th follower on Twitter by being photographed fresh from shower as promised. It's not the first time they drop their clothes as you see here . Meanwhile their second album is nearly here and the title track Young love is hitting the charts....

EUROVISION 2026 - SAN MARINO: SENHIT WINS SAN MARINO SONG CONTEST

San Marino. The tiny little thing that makes things big and never ever stops surprising us. This year after the usual very long selecting process that included several previous Eurovision entrants and wannabes from various countries, even with songs they competed in another country's selection, as the last twist of turns announced the qualified semi-finalists before they aired the shows..... Ok. Because why Not? Read more about all the zillion entrants here After all the submissions, castings through Dreaming San Marino song contest 20 semi-finalists were selected, among them previous Eurovision entrants Magdalena from Poland, Marayya from Slovenia and Star Guy (Norway), and from this years national final selections Elysa (Estonia), Sheila (Albania) and Xannova Xan (Greece) and even Edward Maya also running in Romania at the same time, with other singers from Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Czechia, Netherlands and United States. Ten out of those 20 semi-finalist qualified ...

Regina Lund - naked and censored

Regina Lund's new video Jag är osynlig was censored by Youtube only minutes after it had been uploaded. In the video she was playing a female Jesus who gets crusified in the end. "I was shocked!" she says. "There's nothing more naked in it as in every church! It's ok to have naked man hanging on the wall but my nakedness is too much on internet? ". Oh well, no comment. She's prepairing a new album Dare Regina Lund and we of course remember her from her Melodifestivalen 2007 adventure with Rainbow star .

Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

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