UK : Live Blog of Eurovision National Final – #JoinUs at 20:30CET

By eurovisionireland on February 26, 2016 • ( Leave a comment )

It’s been 6 year sin the making so let it be a good one!

It’s time for the LIVE BLOG of the UK’s National Selection for Eurovision 2016. 6 Acts and 2,000 fans are at the ready and so are we.

You know the drill guys – Just refresh the page for our live comments. You’re in the company of John tonight

Darline won our International Poll and is the Betting Favourite but didn’t hit the top spot in our Reviews.

HOW TO WATCH

The show starts at 20:30 CET and you can see it on BBC4 TV or watch on-line HERE

LIVE BLOG – 20:00 CET – REFRESH THE PAGE FOR UPDATES

And it’s Mel Giedroyc leading us through tonight’s events. A self-confessed fan, so I’m expecting good things from her. It’s all televoting tonight.

Who’s this? Some jobbing Scandinavian singer called Måna Zelmerlöw. The BBC must be hoping that luck will rub off.

Dulcima – When You Go

Quite a good little set up with duo Dulcima and their four-piece band. Lots on nice instruments here giving it a jaunty angle. There seemed to be a problem with microphones momentarily. It’s a great opener, with the crowd getting behind it and, well, you never know.

Matthew James – A Better Man

Boyband-ist Matthew is on next with his song that could possibly be classed as lovers’ rock. It’s downbeat and I’m not too sure. He’s ably backed by four singers in the shadows. They help him out no end. I may have detected a few more sounds issues here. It was an OK performance, but just seemed a little bit laboured to me.

Darline – Until Tomorrow

That’s line as in ‘line’, not as in ‘lean’. The little duo are bedecked with guitars and one has a big bass drum that she operates with her foot. Nice. I like the way this bounces along. They’re enjoying themselves and the mike issues seem to have gone away. This is the best thing on so far, and whilst it dopesn’t go big on histrionics and wind machines, there’s something here that could spring a surprise.

Karl William Lund – Miracle

Karl is in a very dapper blue suit and a hairstyle that’s so severely trendy it must come off in a single piece. There’s a very Scandinavian vibe about this and it does show off his range. The song, not his suit. It’s got a formula of a Eurovision song about it (Scandinavian?) and is quite polished. Maybe that comes from sing a song you’ve composed yourself. It’s good, and will challenge, but is it too like last year’s winner?

Bianca – Shine a little light

Pretty Bianca is in a red outfit. On a red stage. Overdose on red perhaps? She has a darn powerful voice and has a small group of musicians modestly in the shadows so as not to intrude. This a darn good song, although to be fair it owes more to her than maybe the lyric of the song.

Joe & Jake – You’re Not Alone

Finally it’s Jack & Jill. Erm, Joe & Jake. A very competent duo that harmonise well. I didn’t give this a chance when I first heard it, but it has gone up in my estimation a little. They apparently had to have a thumb war for some of the lines, but they seem to have got the right ones. The one without the guitar looks like he needs a guitar to calm his moves down a little. They’ve also gone for the backing of two drummers. Unusual yet noteworthy. I’m not sure how this will do. I think there were better songs and performances, but the slightly repetitive nature might actually go in its favour.

#MagicMic Award of the Night

The Magic Mic moment was, ironically, Katrina;s microphone making her sound like Davros.

INTERVAL ACTS

Whilst the phone lines are open, we see a medley of some recent previous winners. Rybak, Loreen and someone called Conchita. It’s all good.

And now the live turn. It’s 1997 and the Teletubbies are around. As was a certain Katrina. So to hope some more of that winner’s luck rubs off on tonight’s victor, she’s there singing Love shine a light. With the enthusiastic crowd.