Eurovision Song Contest 2024 (Mod warning, see OP updated 10/05 and post #3477 11/05)

Apparently there is a bit of a panic in Eurovision headquarters around last night's vote, serves them right.

Reporting has it that entire political blocs voted for wholly political reasons without ever even watching, and looking likely to repeat across the continent.

How they didn't forsee this, as a possibility, is stunning. There's an obvious pro Israel candidate which certain groups are going to rally around and, outside a concentration of votes to a particular act, there is no balancing alternative (but even that would make a mockery of the competition).

By insisting on being "Non political" they've opened it up to political voting, concentrated on one side.

Ah well; will be fun to see the fallout, at least, if it happens

were places like Russia and the US able to vote last night? If so, I can’t imagine how they didn’t foresee issues.

It's the concentration which would be the issue though.

Other votes will be diluted by preference across several acts.

Outside of the Scooter-esque Netherlands entry there should be, on merit, no qualifiers to challenge the 1st semifinal favourites.

While there was a very weak 2nd half to semifinal 1, it was overall better than SF2

I'm very worried about tomorrow to be honest, that Italian vote and Israel shooting up the odds has really put a downer on this after all the excitement earlier this week.

Not sure why UK were given the best first half slot instead of us, but 10th isn't terrible I suppose.

It's not realistic to think we can win, but I'd be happy with top ten and over the moon with top five.

All my votes will go to Croatia tomorrow, it needs to win the televote ahead of Israel.

Well done EBU, these are the consequences of your appalling decisions.

If Israel does win it's gonna be funny to watch the "it's not political" people use the victory to float about the state of Israel and its policies.

Very naïve of the EBU to think that sticking a few banners up 'United in Music' was going to have much effect. One thing the Israelis are good at (apart from seizing land & war) is using the diaspora around the globe to rally about them. Poisonous situation will arise again on Saturday.

We need to get the anti Israel vote behind Bambi 😀

Well, already booked the AirBnB for Tel Aviv next year.

Nice to all the whingers getting their wings clipped, it's a song contest, last night Israel had the best song, it's that simple

All controversy aside, the Swedes put on a great spectacle last night. The interval act and guest singers were brilliant, and Petra stole the show.
Switzerland, Armenia and Estonia all good last night but I've a new favourite. Euro-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa...

Delighted for Armenia. They really are doing their own thing but it’s very different and I like it.

I hear you. Definitely a niche taste. For me it reminded me of some of the stuff Andy Irvine & Dónal Lunny would have played back in the day. I guess they had kind of tuned my ear into that stuff.

For those who still dream, who would host next year if we won.

Had the discussion with the missus last night, I offered up Graham Norton but got shot down.

The consensus we came to was Nicky Byrne

Probably to appreciate the Armenian song in full I'd need to have poured myself a dram of their Armenian 5 star "cognac" made "with grapes from the plains of Ararat". I picked up a bottle a while back in a Polonez store that opened up in the area.