Final Dress Rehearsal

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Ok, I just got some insight information for what was going on the stage during Dress Rehearsal 3 for the 2007 ESC in Helsinki. ;)
The email comes from a friend of mine, a journalist, who is in Helsinki. I’m posting it unedited, so bare with it if there are some mistakes.

Opening:
Magnificent animation. Bare lands, wolves and an ork wandering around. Lordi appear amongst fire and ice. Elemental energy all over the place. Lordi rock the picture and charge us with fear and awe.
Jaana and Mikko go on stage in magnificent black clothes. The stage is a universe o stars. “Ladies and Gentlemen, the 2007 ESC starts now”.

01. Bosnia and Herzegovina:
Maria “Rijeka bez imena”: Maria gives us a wonderful ballad, quite like last-year”s “Lejla” of Hari Mata Hari, but still extremely powerful and emotional. The stage is green, reminding one of elves. Maria herself looks like an elf. The audience is silent. Maria’s voice penetrates all corners of the hall. A powerful bridge in the song turns the stage into red. A handsome lad plays a traditional Balkan instrument. The song ends on powerful note with Maria’s voice high.

02. Spain:
D’NASH: “I Love You Mi Vida”
The stage is in light and the four cute boys from Tenerife bring a cool note to the Contest. The stage pulses with the rhythm of the song in red and blue. A couple plays weird drums in the background. A vocally well-balanced song. The synchback reverberates in the hall. Spain is one of the Big Four, they have nothing to lose.

03. Belarus:
Koldun, “Work your Magic”
A very imaginative choreography. Koldun made it through to the Final. He goes out on stage in Black, supported by two dancers. He is confident and his voice is very stable. A lot of close-ups of his beautiful face. Koldun rocks the hall with his powerful voice. The choreography is very tricky: it was specially bought for the show by David copperfield himself. He stands all chances to win the Contest this year.

04. Ireland:
Dervish, “They Can’t Stop the Spring”
A typical Celtic song with a well-balanced synchback. Graphics of flowers. The typical Irish ensemble on stage give us a break after Koldun. A nice song with a slight political twist. Ireland definitely have the know-how of winning Eurovision.

05. Finland:
Hanna, “Leave Me Alone”
Hanna rocks the stage in blue and misty darkness. Hanna wears a beautiful black dress with chains. The camera pays her a lot of attention: lots of close-ups. Leave Me Alone claims it won’t let the ESC go away from Finland that easily. Her rock song is very powerful both instrumentally and vocally. The graphics change to orange, fire and trees. Right after her performance we have speech of the hosts.

06. F.Y.R. Macedonia
KAROLINA – “Mojot svet”
A song in Macedonia: My world is 8 notes, a Balkan music. Sweet girl in blue. A powerful endng. Karolina is cheerful and happy with the performance

07. Slovenia
Alenka Gotar, “Cvet s juga”
Whosaid that opera has no place on Eurovision? Alenka goes on the stage in a black dress and her voice and smile take a very serious direction to opera singing. Opera in Slovenian? How come? Alenka’s hand suddenly starts giving light. A weird mixture of opera, techno in the background, powerful bridges and turns in the tune, and an even more powerful ending. The stage erupts in applause.

O8. Hungary
Magdi Ruzsa, “Unsubstantial Blues”
Magdi goes on stage with a suitcase in hand. Has she already packed to go home? Her unsubstantial blues, however, can well surprise us in the Final. There is something in this song that makes you dream. A typical radio song, beautiful vocals, very deep and strong. The stage suggests casual atmosphere of a pub; no tension, just blues.

09. Lithuania
THE 4FUN, “Love or Leave”
Another ballad on stage. Julia Ritcik, who is composer and author of the lyrics, plays the guitar with ease and sings with the same comport. The band has taken a very unexpected decision as to the design: the rest of the band are behind a canvas and we can see only their silhouettes playing like shadows. This enhances the song very much

10. Greece
Sarbel, “Yassou Maria”
Sarbel goes on stage supported by four cute Elinic girls. He has a nice silver suit on. The stage is all in red, lots of power and nice atmosphere. A mixture of ethnic grooves, Greek rhythms, and a perfect vocal performance. Srbel is very comfortable on stage and he gives us a lovely belly dance and a cute smile. Yassou Maria stands every chance to beat the competition with its catchy tune. The hall erupts again. The Greek are happy.

11. Georgia
Sopho, “Visionary Dreams”
Sopho is more beautiful than ever: her red dress and the red-and-blue graphics behind her give the stage a club atmosphere. One can’t but notice that she enjoys what she is doing. Like a goddess of club music. A traditional dance of Georgian soldiers. They dance with swards in both hands each of them and turn so quickly around her that one wonders how she manages to stay in one piece till the en of the performance. A perfect danceable song.

12. Sweden
THE ARK, “The Worrying Kind”
Neighbouring Sweden goes on stage in feathers and spiral light. Sounds so much like “A Lemon Tree” by Fool’s Garden. No? Well, definitely sounds familiar. No surprises, butperhaps we can call it a Eurovision song.

13. France
Les Fatals Picards, “L’amour a la francaise”
A song in French and surprisingly for chauvinist France- in English. You have never seen so much pink on stage. English with a very strong French accent. A weird motley crew of five guys in cute suits. Nothing to lose and every year you’ll be there.

15. Russia
SEREBRO, “Song #1″
A serious claim for the trophy. Hard dance music. Girls clad in schoolgirl attire flirt with the audience. Awfully sexy. Minimalistic graphics till the middle and then the scene suddenly turns in light. Light show enhanced by provocative dances. “Come and check it!” A good vocal performance in Michael Jackson style. However, you can’t miss the Russian accent in the performance of the English lyrics.

16. Germany
Roger Cicero, “Frauen regie’n die Welt”
A swing in German. The 20s are back in this song. Roger’s name is written on the LEDs so that you don’t miss his name. Still stage, a very jazzy atmosphere Not sure if such a song is catchy enough to get the viewers, especially with the German lyrics. BBC said he will win the 2007 ESC, I don’t think so, but who am I to say ;)

17. Serbia
MARIJA SERIFOVIC, “Molitva”
Marija’s pray sounds the same every time she is on stage. Maria gives us an immaculate, flawless performance again. Everything is in red, acting on me as if I were a bull during a corrida. Marija’s voice needs little support by the background vocals. The female sextet gives an amazingly powerful and professional performance.

18. Ukraine
Verka Serduchka, “Dancing lasha Tumbai”
A crazy freaky mess on stage and Verka turns the audience on. An awfully catchy tune despite to complete nonsense of lyrics. One wonders if these guys are going back to the madhouse after the how, but can’t but enjoy Verka having the time of his/her life on stage. A ridicule that stands every chance to steal the trophy from all the “serious” pretenders for the first places.

19. United Kingdom
Last year we were at school today we are flying the on a place with the Brits Scooch. A trivial, shallow English song that involves little thought to be understand.

20. Romania
Why not Romania? An international song, sang in many languages, suggesting united Europe.

21. Bulgaria
Elitsa Todorova & Stoyan Yankoulov, “Water
The Bulgarian percussion duet give their best performance ever. Elitsa rocks the hall with her amazingly strong voice for this tiny body. The high pitch in the beginning clings throughout Hartwall Arena. Elitsa looks comfortable and happy on stage. The stage design is simply perfect. Elitsa allows herself to improvise a little: she cuts the air with her leg. Elitsa and Stoyan communicate on the stage with looks and drums. You can feel the elemental energy in every stroke of the tupan and jumbo. Good luck, Bulgaria!

22. Turkey
Kenan Dogulu – Shake it up hekerim
This song puts a smile on my face, especially when I see

23. Armenia
Hayko – “Any Time You Need”
One of the most powerful songs in the Contest, yet another ballad, but so effective with its strong vocals, amazing stage design – we have a tree on stage and red all over the place. Only in its second year on Eurovision, Armenia is more powerful than ever. It can’t but touch your soul.

24. Moldova
Natalia Barbu – Fight

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