Topic: Eurovision 2024 (May 11th, semis on the 7th/9th)

[Riquende]

I've been a bit distracted recently by some real world events so barely even noticed we're creeping towards Spring now and less than 2 weeks away from the deadline for this year's Eurovision entrants. Once again there are rumblings in the air, nothing to do with the still-banned Russia this time but some special attention being paid to the lyrics of the Israeli entry "October Rain", which seem to refer to the Hamas attacks on October 7th and has such are a bit too political for what is after all an innocent singing competition which always checks its politics at the door. Right?

But away from that, there seems to be a bit of a buzz over the UK's prospects this year, after a recent upswing in the national engagement with the contest - firstly seeing Sam 'Ryder of Rohan' launch himself into space and score a very creditable 2nd place (behind serial Putin-botherers Ukraine gaining another sympathy win) and of course Liverpool putting on a damn fine show in Ukraine's honour last year. 2024 sees the BBC bringing in a bit of a ringer in Olly Alexander, but will the name recognition and his overall fit for Eurovision be enough? I've heard about half the entries now and and to me there isn't yet a stand out winner, so with our entry being officially unveiled some time this Friday it could instantly become the odds-on favourite - not that that guarantees anything historically.

With 10+ countries still to pick who knows what else could get thrown into the mix, but there are a few oddities to watch out for this year, the main one probably being Ireland's Bambie Thug with "Doomsday Blue"...

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/n73nIfFI3k4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/n73nIfFI3k4</a>

My personal favourite so far is Spain, although it sadly doesn't quite live up to the awesome electropop intro. Certainly quite 'cheeky' around the 01:30 mark if you know what I mean!

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/zSZqlQZ0_us" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/zSZqlQZ0_us</a>

[Terry de Niro]

[Riquende]

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/mvs92WfR8lM" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/mvs92WfR8lM</a>

I'm at work so cannot even give it a listen for good while but there you go. He'll be performing it live on Graham Norton's show tonight which might give a hint at the staging (I believe you can't get a true sense of potential winners from the music videos alone as the performance on the night can sway the televote).

[tubby]

It's a bit of a grower, and it's the right profile of artist for Eurovision.  Feels like it's not punchy enough though, could get lost in the mix.

[Riquende]

A lot of the reaction seems to place it at 'Pet Shop Boys album track' level. I did hear a small bit at lunch time but it was on tinny laptop speakers so not the best sort of way to judge.

[swoopy]

Sounds incredibly boring to me. No where near PSB level.

[damomad]

It's alright and a good fit for Eurovision. I'm sure the performance on the night will be extravagant as well. I reckon it will break the top 5.

[thejbs]

Politics aside, those are some shockingly bad lyrics in the Israeli entry. Like, even for Eurovision. Reads like ChatGPT wrote it.

Stand with me
Look into my eyes and see
People go away but never say goodbye

Someone stole the moon tonight
Took my light
Everything is black and white
Who’s the fool who told you
Boys don’t cry

Hours and hours and flowers
Life is no game for the cowards
Why does time go wild
Every day I’m loosing my mind
Holding on in this mysterious ride

Dancing in the storm
We got nothing to hide
Take me home
And leave the world behind
And I promise you that never again
I’m still wet from this october rain
October Rain

Living in a fantasy
Ecstasy
Everything’s meant to be
We shall pass but love will never die

Hours and hours and flowers
Life is no game for the cowards
Why does time go wild
Every day I’m loosing my mind
Holding on in this mysterious ride

Dancing in the storm
We got nothing to hide
Take me home
And leave the world behind
And I promise you that never again
I’m still wet from this october rain
October Rain
October Rain

[Terry de Niro]

Massive Vomit.  ^^^

[WhereAngelsPlay]

Good to see that the blackmail failed.


Eurovision 2024: Israel agrees to October Rain lyrics change

[thejbs]

So far, Eurovision organisers have resisted those calls (to bar Israel), arguing that the situations in Ukraine and Gaza are different.

Yup, it’s very different. Russia wasn’t committing genocide with the political, financial and military backing of western superpowers, for a start. There have also been about three times the deaths in 5 months in Gaza as there have been in 2 years in the Ukraine.

[gazzalfc]

Kicks off tonight with the Semi finals

[Ray K]

Well on the way to winning #8 and reclaiming our rightful place at the top of the fucking perch after that performance.

[Libertine]

Well on the way to winning #8 and reclaiming our rightful place at the top of the fucking perch after that performance.

They're absolutely brilliant!

UK also very good to be fair.

[Crosby Nick]

They're absolutely brilliant!

UK also very good to be fair.

Do we not have our usual bye to the final? And if not, why not!

[Ray K]

Do we not have our usual bye to the final? And if not, why not!

You have, but they're putting on the finalists too tonight. I think some of the jury voting might be done on the semi final performances.

[JerseyKloppite]

Voting Croatia. Bring the fun back.

[damomad]

Well on the way to winning #8 and reclaiming our rightful place at the top of the fucking perch after that performance.

We’ll win it if the performance on the night is as good as it was there. Wasn’t the biggest fan of the song when I first heard it but it’s all about the spectacle, and on that front it’s the best we’ve ever put forward.

[DonkeyWan]

We’ll win it if the performance on the night is as good as it was there. Wasn’t the biggest fan of the song when I first heard it but it’s all about the spectacle, and on that front it’s the best we’ve ever put forward.

If it's Ireland you are talking about the song is so so, but holy shit that performance was incredible. Can't believe they weren't ahead of the Finnish manchild waving his knob at the crowd.

[Ray K]

If it's Ireland you are talking about the song is so so, but holy shit that performance was incredible. Can't believe they weren't ahead of the Finnish manchild waving his knob at the crowd.

It's not in order. They just list the 10 finalists randomly.

[Bread]

Voting Croatia. Bring the fun back.

I'm fully backing Croatia this year. The only song/performance I can wholeheartedly say I love.

[DonkeyWan]

It's not in order. They just list the 10 finalists randomly.

Ahh, didn't know that!

[Riquende]

I was surprised that Australia didn't make it, the song is pretty slick and they generally do reasonably well with the voters. I guess the addition of a didgeridoo was just a bridgeridoo too far.

I didn't watch the semi though so maybe the performance wasn't up to snuff.

[JerseyKloppite]

I was surprised that Australia didn't make it, the song is pretty slick and they generally do reasonably well with the voters. I guess the addition of a didgeridoo was just a bridgeridoo too far.

I didn't watch the semi though so maybe the performance wasn't up to snuff.

I thought they'd get through, it was better than some of the countries that did, but then that's eurovision for you.

Croatia was great, perfect mix of silly and catchy, the Irish performance was amazing and it stood out for being different, the Finnish one was a stupid (albeit memorable gimmick) underpinned by a shite song. Slovenian one has more faux-nudity and another dull song. I like the Luxembourg one, but the morning after I'm absolutely struggling to remember any of the songs from Portugal, Cyprus, Serbia, Ukraine or Lithuania. Aussies were better than all of them.

[oojason]

Good to see that the blackmail failed.

Eurovision 2024: Israel agrees to October Rain lyrics change

They always would mate - too good a free European/worldwide PR opportunity to turn down.

I'm only surprised they haven't been expelled from it - like Russia were (and still are - www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/dec/30/eurovision-chief-russia-ban-stands-for-ultimate-values-democracy)


'Eurovision have banned Palestinian flags and symbols':-

The contest's communications head has said that ticket buyers will only be allowed to display the flags of competing countries - including Israel - and the Pride flag

www.nme.com/news/music/eurovision-have-banned-palestinian-flags-and-symbols-3753455


^ should be interesting to see  how that works out for them.

[Trada]

I like the Ireland entry just having the bollocks to put on something like that and they had to remove writing on her face and leg they must have been grassed up because the writing was in Ogham  an ancient Irish alphabet and said things like ceasefire

Just brilliant staging  some of it gave me goosebumps

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/BNc5zTYkTaQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/BNc5zTYkTaQ</a>

[Rahul21]

Hi all. After some advice.

I’m up in Liverpool this Saturday with my wife and one year old daughter and wondered if anyone know of anywhere showing the final? My wife and I went to Camp and Furnace for the final in 2022 but don’t reckon that’s really suitable when we have a one year old with us!

[thejbs]

I like the Ireland entry just having the bollocks to put on something like that and they had to remove writing on her face and leg they must have been grassed up because the writing was in Ogham  an ancient Irish alphabet and said things like ceasefire

Just brilliant staging  some of it gave me goosebumps

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/BNc5zTYkTaQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/BNc5zTYkTaQ</a>

I'm biased, but I think the Irish entry is the best I've heard.

UK entry is a waste of Olly Alexander's talent. Sounds like what an AI would produce if you asked it to come up with a generic eurovision song.  So utterly bland.  It'll probably win.

[Willo99]

They’re going to have a major problem going forward if Israel end up winning this.

[gazzalfc]

They’re going to have a major problem going forward if Israel end up winning this.

There is going to be a lot of issues on the night

Talk of the Dutch act being disqualified from the final due to an incident involving his staging and props. He was due to perform just before the act from Israel.

An earlier taped performance was used for the jury vote rather than the dress rehearsals.

[Stockholm Syndrome]

There is going to be a lot of issues on the night

Talk of the Dutch act being disqualified from the final due to an incident involving his staging and props. He was due to perform just before the act from Israel.

An earlier taped performance was used for the jury vote rather than the dress rehearsals.

Dutch act have been refusing to look at them all press conference, covering his face with a flag, and then when the Israeli act was speaking covered his entire head with the flag

Apparently Israel have been filming themselves with other acts and posting without their permission and in fact explicitly without their consent

[Trada]

I have a feeling that israel will win because you vote for your winner and Im sure there will be a big campaign from the right to get them to win and everyone, ones else's vote will be split.

Should be an interesting night I don't know if this is true but was reading the TV played canned cheers after israel performed in the semi to cover up the booing but that could be just a social media rumour.

[Johnny Foreigner]

Almost surreal how ESC have turned into an arena for world politics. Looks like Israel will gather a pretty substantial public vote from a pretty diversified group so to speak. Talks about Croatia becoming the go-to country for the no-israel group. Will be interesting to see the votes from the jurys though. Israel’s song is pretty good and should normalt be pretty high. And could the jurys be influenced politically either way based on where they come from ? Should Israel win, it will be a long night in Malmø - Zlatans hometown - a very mixed city on its own and being pretty central in scandinavia/northern europe - there could be a big turn out on both sides

[JerseyKloppite]

We've decided we don't want Gaza as a topic on this forum, at the moment or for the foreseeable future that is not debatable and we've asked on several occasions that this is respected.
If it is absolutely imperative for you to get your voice heard or your opinions known there are many other places for you to express them.

Just a polite reminder.

That obviously doesn’t mean that you can’t discuss the impact of the Israel involvement on the competition, or the situation with the Dutch entrant. But within three posts there was someone unhelpfully speculating about why the topic isn’t being discussed on RAWK. This has been made clear in the feedback thread and if anyone has an issue with it then they’re welcome to PM me or ask again there, but they’ll likely be sent a similar response. I’m sorry if this is deeply frustrating for posters, but to have people make very offensive implications as to the site’s motivations (or in one case outright accuse RAWK of being complicit in genocide by not having a thread on the topic) is extremely unhelpful and a deleted post here was edging in that direction again.

Please respect the site’s position on this, and as noted elsewhere there are other places you can go if you want to discuss the humanitarian crisis and the war in Gaza.

[rawcusk8]

Just a polite reminder.

That obviously doesn’t mean that you can’t discuss the impact of the Israel involvement on the competition, or the situation with the Dutch entrant. But within three posts there was someone unhelpfully speculating about why the topic isn’t being discussed on RAWK. This has been made clear in the feedback thread and if anyone has an issue with it then they’re welcome to PM me or ask again there, but they’ll likely be sent a similar response. I’m sorry if this is deeply frustrating for posters, but to have people make very offensive implications as to the site’s motivations (or in one case outright accuse RAWK of being complicit in genocide by not having a thread on the topic) is extremely unhelpful and a deleted post here was edging in that direction again.

Please respect the site’s position on this, and as noted elsewhere there are other places you can go if you want to discuss the humanitarian crisis and the war in Gaza.

Just seen this post and the post you were quoting, did not know there was a feedback topic. It was my post that one of the mods deleted, was nothing controversial in there, nothing rude or disrespectful to anybody.. just questioning why this once brilliant forum that rightfully spoke out against injustices is now eerily silent when this massive injustice is taking place in Gaza. I love this forum, I’ve been around for years and I’ve made donations to help keep it running. But right now I don’t think I’ve ever felt closer to leaving, which personally is a huge shame for me as I spend so long on these boards. The Qatar World Cup had hundreds of pages, The Russia Ukraine conflict, BLM got plenty of attention here.. The Newcastle thread has the witty fancy titles about the Saudi regime and so many of those threads have thinly veiled racist posts in them and they’re good to go but we must not speak about the genocide in here because the people doing it are our so called friends.

Mods, delete my posts or ban me, whichever you feel is right but this is one topic I will not remain silent on. In my many years on this forum I’ve not messed around, I’ve not had any real feuds, I’m no trouble maker but I can’t just sit back and not call out this hypocrisy.

[Libertine]

Sounds like the Dutch guy is being investigated for threatening a female member of the Eurovision staff.

He does come across as quite an arse.

[Trada]

Holland have been throw out of Eurovision

[Ray K]

Holland have been throw out of Eurovision

I read that in the Jonathan Pearce commentary after Cantona's Kung Fu kick. I care not one jot for his supreme talent etc.

It was an absolutely abysmal song. Sounded like a Scooter b-side from the mid 90s.

[So… Howard Philips]

If it's Ireland you are talking about the song is so so, but holy shit that performance was incredible. Can't believe they weren't ahead of the Finnish manchild waving his knob at the crowd.

My lovely horse?

[Lisan Al Gaib]

Sounds like the Dutch guy is being investigated for threatening a female member of the Eurovision staff.

He does come across as quite an arse.

As Trada has said he's now been thrown out of the competition but what we've seen over the last 24 hours is a classic case of the rampant anti-semitism that exists within society and in particular the pro-Palestinian movement. Everyone initially blamed Israel when he was suspended because whenever something bad goes on in the world it must be the fault of the Jews/Israel because what else could it be hey?! There's even a post in this thread that have linked his suspension to Israel.

Just seen this post and the post you were quoting, did not know there was a feedback topic. It was my post that one of the mods deleted, was nothing controversial in there, nothing rude or disrespectful to anybody.. just questioning why this once brilliant forum that rightfully spoke out against injustices is now eerily silent when this massive injustice is taking place in Gaza. I love this forum, I’ve been around for years and I’ve made donations to help keep it running. But right now I don’t think I’ve ever felt closer to leaving, which personally is a huge shame for me as I spend so long on these boards. The Qatar World Cup had hundreds of pages, The Russia Ukraine conflict, BLM got plenty of attention here.. The Newcastle thread has the witty fancy titles about the Saudi regime and so many of those threads have thinly veiled racist posts in them and they’re good to go but we must not speak about the genocide in here because the people doing it are our so called friends.

Mods, delete my posts or ban me, whichever you feel is right but this is one topic I will not remain silent on. In my many years on this forum I’ve not messed around, I’ve not had any real feuds, I’m no trouble maker but I can’t just sit back and not call out this hypocrisy.

Which just makes this nonsense even more bizarre. The mods have made it clear why they won't discuss it and ultimately any thread about it will get locked because some people just can't help themselves, its a football forum and people don't have to go round throwing accusations of a website being complicit in anything they think is happening just because you can't type words into the internet.

This will probably end up with another thread being locked just because people make their whole personalities about hating one set of people based on their religion.