LIVE: Russia 2009 final

The Russian final has started. I hope the production has nothing to do with the main thing in May as the stage is nothing special really and the presenters are rather woody. Add bad camerawork and you get the picture. The act by kids singing old Eurovision winners was the opening number here as expected and not something for Eurovision 2009 in May like reported by most every website (and thank heavens for that!). Serebro, Alsou and Dima Bilan performed their succesful entries before we got to the main course.

01. Anna Semenovich: a good opening number for the show with some latin elements. Fake funny backing group is a bit put off though.
02. Thomas n'evergreen: Danish Thomas on stage next with his band. He looked initially very nervous performing his rather ordinary and unmemorable popsong, with a nice piano thrown in.
03. Alexa: Did she go to solarium just minutes before her performance? The song starts nicely but soon loses interest and turns into a boring pop song dropping names like Moscow, Tokyo and rendez-vous... Four Dimabilans on stage with her (= guys in white with open shirts)

Ah, ok. Here we have Putin chatting away with Lloyd Webber.... And with some weird logic here comes UK's Jade in between to sing her My time... Why now? That girl is sure doing some PR this year...

04. Plazma: sythnpop by maleduo that makes you realize how fantastic Pet Shop Boys really are. (And what's wrong with the cameraman? Can't he focuse anything right?). Bad vocals and this song just isn't ment to be performed live.
05. Anastasiya Prikhodko: This is the lady who has caused most of the trouble in Ukraine and was added here at last minute "as the song is so great". I fail to register this greatness. Yes, the song is quite catchy and sounds definately Russian but... that's all. If she sings about mama that way I don't want to know what kind of relationship they have! If they pick this....
06. Valerya: And now one of the favourites, with a song mostly composed by Ciaikovsky... If this wins I want to see what EBU does? Even more so I find this very boring and not particarly beautiful despite the melody.
07. Nano (or Anna Nova): Rock chick who looks more like a fashion victim. Very weak vocals.
08. Tim Rocks: A midtempo pop tune that might be worth something but for Eurovision? No. And the over dramatic way of performing ruins the good stuff....
09. Prinsessa Avenue: More rock chicks. Very messy vocals and horrible cameraworks ruined the performance of a rather catchy rockpop song. (Was that M.Kolehmainen amongst the writers?)

Azeri Aysel & Arash on stage now performing Always. The song is nice in an Ace of Base way.

10. Nikolay Fokeyev : A stardard Eurovision ballad with strong vocals from Nikolay who looks like a mix of an American Indian and gipsy.... This might stand out amongst these average performances...
11. Venger Collective : Acid jazz or something with a dancebeat. This stuff never works in Eurovision. I guess.
12. Polina Griffits: A lament to a windmachine. Boring boring...

Sakis Rouvas from Greece on stage now with his This is our night. Why I cannot stop thinking this is like any Aikakone track from the 1990's? I can easily think Sani & Veera doing their stuff with this....

13. Alexey Vorobyov : So he is here after all. Why am I not surprised? This sounds like the best thing so far. Why am I not surprised for that either? A pop song with heavy beat and easy hook.
14. Unisex : Ok, here comes the best stuff in the end I see. We go on with the same beat that goes on like a train. Ay ay ay, kinda fun song bordering being a novelty act.
15. Arishata : Ok, we are back to useless stuff. Annoying female rappy stuff.
16. Quatro : Another favourite, Russian Il Divo, without the looks and voices it seems. Not for me.

Anastasya Pridhedko (25%), Valerya (14%) and Kvadro (12%) have qualified for the superfinal wherefrom a jury will pick up the winner. One thing is for sure: for the first time propably ever Russia is NOT amongst my favourites...

Patricia Kaas on stage now with her entry for France.

Anastasya just picked up some award I have no idea of. Dima Bilan on stage now ruining Never let you go. Why can't he anymore perform normally? It's not easy being a superstar I guess....

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