JEDWARD – AND THE RESULTS FROM THE DUTCH JURY!

“Eurovision in Concert” takes place every year in Amsterdam and is a concert with many of the performing artists in the year’s actual Eurovision Contest. This year proved to be a bumper year with many countries in attendance. However what was most intriguing was that the Top Countries in the betting polls were absent. This included Sweden, Denmark, Serbia, Italy and The Russian Grannies. Ask yourself the question – WHY?

Now the reason could simply be that their rehearsal schedules might be limiting their availability. However one could believe that they might be weighed down with the heavy burden of being the pre contest favourites. Furthermore I believe that they might be worried about being seen on the same stage as some of their competition. Yes having not performed live or to a packed audience might just be too daunting for some of the performers at this stage in the run up to Europe‘s Favourite TV Show.

Now “Eurovision In Concert 2012” took place in Amsterdam last Saturday to a packed audience of almost two thousand fans.

Unlike the actual Eurovision itself:

• The running order for the concert on Saturday was not done by a lottery draw but selected specifically by the organisers themselves.
•  It is highly regarded that the anticipated crowd pleasers and therefore potential Eurovision high scorers are kept towards the end of the show.
• Keeping to tradition the final act was the host country – and the lovely Joan from the Netherlands closed out the show with her charming folk/pop song.
• More interesting was that Jedward were kept until the second last country to perform.

This is certainly no coincidence as the organisers knew that the Twins would have a great stage persona and were the act that most people were there to see for a variety of reasons. In the run up to this year’s Eurovision, critics of the twins have yet again taken their jabs at the Dublin Duo – despite being the biggest selling record from the 2011 Eurovision contest – Jedward still have those people who are determined to say that last year “was a fluke”, “they have lost their novelty factor” and “Waterline is no Lipstick“.

Jedward at Eurovision in Concert:

Well Saturday saw Jedward take to the stage and sing live while at the same time engaging in a dance routine that no other act at the show dare to try and match. Dressed in their black & gold costumes from the Irish National final, the brothers whipped the audience into a frenzy and performed “Waterline” note perfect and with such energy that I am sure you could have powered every light socket in Amsterdam for the weekend. Not content with giving just one performance, like all the participants do, John and Edward broke into an accapella version of “Lipstick”. As you will see the crowd went crazy.

I have heard of bringing the music to the audience but in John’s world that means jumping into the crowd for pictures and dancing with the fans. Just when you think that they cannot go that step further – off came their designer and unique High Top Trainers and were thrown into the frenzied audience. It really was a “SHOW” and for me displayed just how strong they are as entertainers. This comes from relentlessly touring and performing across the globe and their time that they have spent being mentored with Eurovision Winner Linda Martin. You really cannot buy or manufacture such energy and dedication.

So what has been said after the Amsterdam concert?

I can tell you – even the hardest of critics could not complain about Jedward’s vocals and performance. All I could see on Twitter was “Oh maybe I have underestimated Waterline”. Well that is how the boys like it. They were always the underdogs when on X-Factor and even at Eurovision last year, but that only seems to spur the duo on further to succeed. As you read this post there are many on line voting polls being amended and people betting money on Jedward to do better at Eurovision yet again this year than first predicted. Despite me having complete confidence in the proven ability of the Twins, it is always refreshing to see people following my original train of thought.

Eurovision Prediction

When looking at the boys performance I get the distinct feeling that come the actual Eurovision that we are going to have water on stage in some shape or form. When the songs slows down and the guys come together and look to the sky – you cannot feel that a water effect is just bursting to make its way to the stage like a fireman’s hose. This is certain to wash a lot of the competition away. After all you only have 3 minutes to impress the juries and voting public at Eurovision and John and Edward had the Amsterdam crowd in their hands from the first few seconds that they were on stage. So my question is to all the doubters out there – What more must the Twins do before they are given the same opportunity as all other singers?

If the video views from the Amsterdam Concert are to go by – then John and Edward are certainly in the running for a Top 3 finish in Baku.

What do you think?

• Is it a foregone conclusion that Sweden is going to win?
• Are Jedward in the running for a Top 3 finish?
•  Were the pre Eurovision Favourites absent from Amsterdam for a reason?

Let us know.