We have the poll for the 2009 winner ready on the right panel. You can vote for one country only but it is possible to change your mind and switch your vote later. The countries are listed on the order in which they will perform. This means that Finland and Spain are the last ones. I still don't have a clear favourite so I'll wait to see the performances. See you all this night commenting live the final!!
La encuesta pal ganador de 2009 yá ta llista na columna la drecha. Podeis votar namás por un candidatu pero ye posible cambiar el votu si vos presta más otru país dempués. Los países tan ordenaos pol orden de participación. Esto quier dicir que Finlandia y España son los dos últimos. Tovía nun tengo favoritu así qu'esperaré a ver les actuaciones. Vémonos esta nueche comentando'n directu la final!!

From a time where it was still fashionable singing the chorus in French. José Velez sang "Quieres que vailemos un vals?" in 1978 but Kati's (and mine) favourite won. What a time, singing Israeli songs, finishing my Star Wars trading card's collection...
D'un tiempu nel que tovía taba de moda cantar l'estribillu'n Francés. José Velez presentóse con esta canción en 1978 pero nun tuvo nada que facer escontra'l favoritu de Kati (y míu). Qué tiempos tan estraños cantando canciones israelíes y acabando la coleción de cromos de Star Wars...

This is a bit heterodox but it can be fun suggesting good candidates for Eurovision. I always thought that Mónica Naranjo would have had very good chances to win. Mabye she's too Eurovision for Eurovision?
Esto ye un poquitín heterodoxu pero puede ser divertú facer una serie proponiendo peña que debió dir a Eurovisón. Siempre pensé que Mónica Naranjo llevaríalo de calle. Será que ye "demasíau Eurovisión" incluso pa Eurovisón?

Talking about real men, how about this one: "be bold and relax, throw away your tension and laugh!" No wonder they want to laugh - what else can you do with that hair.

Moi!, after yesterday's 2nd semifinal ten more countries qualified: Azerbaijan, Croatia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Albania, Moldova, Denmark, Estonia, Norway and Greece. No surprises here either, the erotic Ukraine, cute Norway and handsome Greece went through. However, I'm going to miss terribly the Netherlands. The Toppers had the kitsch vibe that this year's edition is missing terribly. At this point I don't have a clear favourite myself...
Moi! dempués la 2a semi d'ayer clasificáronse diez países más: Acerbayán, Croacia, Ucrania, Litania, Albania, Moldavia, Dinamarca, Estonia, Norway y Grecia. Nun hai muches sorpreses, pasaron les macizorres d'Ucrania, el chavalín Noruegu y el macizu Griegu. Voi echar mucho de menos a los holandeses. The Toppers llevaben esi rollu kitsch que tantu falta esti año. Agora mesmo nun tengu ningún favoritu claru...

A national pride from Finland:

At the end, the ten qualified countries were: FINLAND!, Turkey, Sweden, Israel, Portugal, Malta, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania, Armenia and Iceland. So we didn't do bad in our particular forecast (though we didn't like Malta and the Icelandic Blondie). One more year a thing was clear: the preview videos are much better (by miles) than the live performances. Clear examples were, for instance, Montenegro and Bulgaria (in the latter the male singer was pretty pathetic).
For those of you that still wonder what this live-blogging thing is all about, you can check the one we did for this semifinal. This time it was mostly Finnish (Kiitos Kati, Tintsu, Anne ja Mari), but if you scroll down to the middle you will find some bits in English while Cim joined from Florida (Loistava Cim!). In principle next saturday will be some Asturian, Catalan and Scotish participation, so the mixing of languages is bound to be larger.
The best were the performances during the breaks: Russian (formerly red) Army Choir, dancers, cheerleaders... you name it. Quite cliché but always fun. See you on Saturday for the Final!!!
Al final los diez clasificaos fueron: FINLANDIA!, Turquía, Suecia, Israel, Portugal, Malta, Bosnia & Hercegovina, Rumanía y Islandia. Así que les nuestres predicciones nun fallaron muncho (si quitamos Malta y la roxa d'Islandia que nun nos molaron nada). Un añu más quedó bien claro que los videos de presentación son muncho (pero que muncho) meyores que les actuaciones en vivo. Claros exemplos fueron Montenegro y Bulgaria (especialmente n'esti últimu el cantante fue penosu).
Pa los que tovía vos preguntais qué ye esto del live blog, podeis mirar el que ficimos pala semi. Esta vez la composición fue mayoritariamente Finesa (gracies Kati, Tintsu, Anne y Mari), pero si mirais pola mitá'l "live-blog" vereis un cachín n'Inglés cuando Cim entró dende Florida (thanks Cim!). Pala final espérase participación d'Asturies, Escocia y Catalana, asi que la mecigaya de llingues promete :)
Lo meyor les actuaciones nes pauses, el coru l'exércitu (enantes "rojo") Rusu, bailles tradicionales, cheerleaders, tolos topiconos pero mui prestosos. Vémonos el sábadu na final!!

I'm sorry to bother you with the old video clips, but the nostalgia's hitting me hard on the head. Great orchestration with violins an percussions. And the hairstyle and cutting on the pants, no wonder they won. My childhood has been very happy.

Eduardo Guerra uploaded this to the blog and I deleted it by mistake (sorry). I upload it again. In Guerra's words: the competition in the 60's was much better when "men were men" and Mari commented that her legs were shivering.

Cover your eyes!!!! This year's Dutch entry can leave you blind, great!
Cuidáu colos desprendimentos retina!!!! Esti añu los holandeses sálense!

They simply knew what to sing in the 1970's.(Asturiano en Finlandia, please help me put the mash up in place:)


AstSuom:Fechu!

Following Kati's thread... Maybe there is no much point of getting serious in Eurovision. In 1983 Spain went with a serious flamenco song (quite nice actually) and broke all records: 0 points. It took several years for the singer (Remedios Amaya) to recover. Below, this amazing piece of history...


This year perhaps the most serious ones (leaving aside cheesy ballads) are Israel and France. Maye be they manage to get some points. Israel with its indirect message of hope to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and France due to the reputation and popularity of Patricia Kaas, let's see...

Jasmin and her hair in 1996.... What was the hair stylist thinking? Luonas....ups! She missed the lyrics!

Hi you euroviisu enthusiasts on the opposite edges of our continent! I'm really thrilled to see tonight's show, although I'm quite badly prepared this spring. Well, at least I'll have something to look forward to, since I haven't heard all the songs yet. Anyway, I briefly have to comment on the Scandinavian participation in this year's contest.

Firstly and not that I'm taking any sides, Finland's song is sounding better the more I listen to it. In the national contest earlier this spring I thought that Waldo's sounded bland and old fashioned (I'm not too keen on the nineties' style) but now I have started to think that the song really works and even the video in all its simplicity is good. The hectic dance beat works for me for the first time since Darude's Sandstorm.

Sweden trusts on glamour this year, although I think that the show is above all a humoristic one. The singer looks like she really is not serious about the whole thing. This song would suite perfectly in a drag show (to be honest, I first though it really was one:)- in all its glitter and pompousness. Anyway, I like this kind of kitsch.



Norway's Alexander is a hottie, the show is energetic and happy. Perhaps I'm too old, because in all the trendyness and bursting energy for me it feels a bit unfocused, somehow too much. Denmark's song is a refreshing back-to-basics love song, which they often offer in these arenas, but there's nothing particular in the song. Not a winner, I think. Iceland is on the same track, but the girl is a good singer and a joy for the (male) eyes. Where does this small nation find these interesting, strong artists year after year? But the classic ballad will not be in the top three, I anticipate.

Anyway, the Scandinavians will do well in the competition 'cause all the shows are produced carefully. Perhaps the final umph is missing, but you never know until the points start to gather on the chart. Have fun tonight!

Montenegro - Myös Suomen kanssa 1. semifinaalissa Con Finlandia na 1a semifinal del martes
Village people tunnelma ja alku on kopio Donna Summerin Hot Stuff kappalesta
Rollu Village People y la entrada ta sacada directamente del Hot Stuff the Donna Summer

Bulgaria
Jos et muista kuka Jimmy Somerville on
Si nun t'alcuerdes de quién ye Jimmy Somerville

Norja Noruega "Cuteness overdose"

Saksa Alemania
... ja huhut kertoo että Dita Von Teese voi strippaa euroviisuissa Saksan riveissä
...y dizse que Dita Von Teese puede facer un striptis na actuación d'Alemania

Suomella on vaikea homma semifinaalissa värikäs Armeniaa vastaan
La gayaspera Armenia ye un rival difícil pa Finlandia nes semis

Ukraina Ucrania

Belgiassa En Bélxica

Espanja. This year Spain's song is yet a disappointment. Following the hottie+eastern rhythms is hopeless against the steaming Turkish singer or the Ukranian sex bomb.
Esti añu nun me da más pola canción española. Apuntáronse a la fórmula maciza+ritmos de l'Este y por esi camín poco tenemos que facer contra la maciza de Turquía o la bomba sesuarrrl d'Ucrania

Finlandia. Quite catchy but I'm unsure whether this band has enough kitsch spirit to get far in the competition (I'd rather like them to sing in Finnish). Still we'll support them in the 1st semifinal next Tuesday (12.5)
Anque pegadiza, pamidea fálta-yos el componente hortera necesariu (amás de cantar n'Inglés). Aún así animarémoslos na 1a semifinal del martes que vien (12.5)

Quick in English. As lovers of kitsch, pop, queer and ethno-erotic-percussive music we can now discuss the Eurovision contest from home. Next May 16th (21:00 Asturies; 22:00 Suomi) take place the Eurovision finals, due to various reasons we cannot meet live to celebrate the happening. The day of the contest will be here a post where everyone can comment in real time everything going on (hot singers, curious dancing, interesting costumes...). If you have Internet at home and a computer next to your tv you don't need more. Just enter this site and start writing at the live-blog window.
In the meantime I'll try warming up the waiting by uploading some videos relating to the event. Let me know if you want to upload stuff here in the meantime and I'll send you and invitation!
Asturian, Finnish, English and any other language (or mixture of them) can be used (aren't we clever?)
Let's start with a photo at the first rehearsal of Finland...