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shadowkatFigured out how to watch Eurovision - which is the European Song Contest, that has been in effect since May 24, 1956. I didn't know it existed until my UK and European friends started talking about it on social media about six or seven years ago?
But it's been around far longer.
The history of the Eurovision Song Contest began as the brainchild of Marcel Bezençon of the EBU. The Contest was based on Italy's Sanremo Music Festival and was designed to test the limits of live television broadcast technology.
The first Contest was held on 24 May 1956, when seven nations participated. With a live orchestra, the norm in the early years, and simple sing-along songs on every radio station, the Contest grew into a true pan-European tradition. Marcel Bezençon, the founder of the Eurovision Song Contest.
In the beginning, it was obvious for the participants that they should sing in their country's national language. However, as the Swedish entry in 1965, Absent Friend, was sung in English, the EBU set very strict rules on the language in which the songs could be performed. National languages had to be used in all lyrics. Song writers across Europe soon tagged onto the notion that success would only come if the judges could understand the content, resulting in such entries as Boom- Bang-A-Bang and La La La. In 1973, the rules on language use were relaxed, and in the following year ABBA would win with Waterloo. Those freedom of language rules would be soon reversed in 1977, to return with apparent permanent status in the 1999 contest.
Right now it is streaming as background noise on my big screen television. It takes place in Rotterdam this year. And with each entry - they provide information on the contestants and weird videos introducing them, while showing the scenery of Rotterdam, Germany in the background. One of the introductions - depicted these really cool circular apartments on sticks as if they were taken out of a 1960s television series, such as the Prisoner or a modern television show such as Legion, which referenced 1960s architecture and style. What's lovely about it - is it makes me realize how much our cultures have in common and are connected to each other. I like the Slovenia entry. I like to immerse myself in other cultures - so I can challenge my own prejudices and pre-conceptions and rise above them. Listening to Russian Woman now from Russia. Which is kind of Russian rap/balladic number in Russian and English. The singer looks a lot like the woman who lives next to me - who speaks only Russian. (Its really good actually.) There's some really good musical numbers and songs in this contest. I adore "A Million Voices" entry, not sure what country- it was amazing. I ended up rewinding but it took me all the way back. Dang it. So far not seeing any commercials. Oh - it's Sweden. Odd. I assumed somewhere else. The singers are black not white. See? This forces you to rethink how you see or perceive the world. The world is never what we think.
[This is the first time I could watch - usually it's impossible to see in the US. But Logo lost the redistribution rights and NBC grabbed them and is streaming them on Peacock now.]
Mother interrupted me at one point - so had to stop it. We talk for about twenty minutes, then she has to rush off to the bathroom.
**
Today's a rainy and cold day. So silly apartment complex for reasons that I do not understand, turned on the heat. As a result, I flicked on the A/C and opened a window. For a while was doing the fan. No, haven't ventured outside - so legs bugging me a bit for sitting too long. Also arms itched a little - menopause.
Niece sent me a text last week about getting together for lunch on June 1, but alas - I'm working remotely and can't get away for that length of time. Would require at least an hour or two - with a forty-fifty minute train ride, an hour for lunch and a forty-fifty train ride back. She's in the city for a dental appointment. But will be about this summer. So perhaps later this summer we can get together. I asked if she was doing me proud by making her parents crazy - and she texted back that she was. LOL!
My game plan is to go to Europe in 2022. I have four weeks vacation time now, and when I turn 56, five weeks.
***
Television roundup..
1. This is Us - well, I should have seen that plot-twist or flash-forward coming. And it tracks. But it surprised me all the same. Apparently the relationship that has lasted throughout the series is Randall and Beth.
Apparently Kate and Toby divorce and she marries the music teacher she's working with - the Brit who played Jamie on Million Little Things. Which is really odd. Although I saw it coming. Toby has been an ass for the past year and a half. Also Madison called off the wedding to Kevin because he couldn't tell her he was in love with her. Madison has a lot of baggage, but so does Kevin. I want happiness for Kevin. Madison kind of annoys me. I think they broke them up - because they'd not earned the audience's respect for the relationship. (It was a bit contrived.)
2. A Million Little Things - was written oddly, we're supposed to be supportive of Kathryn in it, but I was more sympathetic to Eddie. Eddie's confined to a wheelchair, had been sober, but the pain overwhelmed him and he fell back into old habits. While Kathryn was working longer hours in her own private practice now (her dream job) and bonding with another attorney, to the point of kissing him. I felt for their kid - who she had kind of put second behind herself, with Eddie handling most of the care-giving up to now. So because he falls back into the pain pill addiction, then goes through rehab and comes back - she can't trust him with the kid? I wanted to smack her. That said, I'm loving Gina/Rome, Maggie/Sophie, and anything with Gary. It's just Kathryn - I want to kick.
3. The Kominsky Method is back on Netflix with a third season. Damn they killed off Alan Arkin's character - although that happened at the end of S2. It makes me feel old. Kirk Douglas who is 75, looks older than my mother. And well, as I told mother, when you discover the kid from the Sixth Sense is now in his thirties with a full beard...you know you are old.
But it is amusing in some respects. God, Paul Reiser and Kathleen Turner did not age well. But Jane Seymour with a full head of white hair, has.
Weirdly reassuring that. I think they are overplaying some of the jokes, when in previous seasons it was a more subtle touch.
4. So too is Lucifer - with the second half of S5. Eh...it's silly. Too silly. They are playing up the comedy. I watched the musical episode, and it reminded me of Once More with Feeling meets Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist but not as good as either. I cringed during some of the numbers.
I'm looking forward to Neil Gaiman's Sandman - which has some of the same characters, but better cast and a wryer sense of humor.
5. Almost finished with Mare of East Town. The accent is lost on me, I don't notice it at all. Most people I know have the same accent - it's normal to me. I guess it would seem odd to someone who is British? Kind of like North London or Welsh stands out to me? Or Scottish does?
I've rather liked the Mare series - which focuses more on the characters than the mystery. The mystery lurks in the background. Although I think I figured it out. Not sure. Have one episode left. Best of the shows I watched today.
6. Nancy Drew - continues to be interesting and surprising me. Some nice twists in there. Turns out Nancy picked up a supernatural passenger or parasite - the wraith - at the beginning of the season, who has been controlling her reactions to things. And this lead to a darker turn for the character, and her relationship with Gil Bobbsy and turning down Columbia. Also Celia wasn't killed by Everett Hudson, but rather by RoadBack - who she pissed off by saving ACE and taking the list. Everett did get arrested and convicted for killing his brother however. Also, nice bit with Nik getting the upper hand over the local racist cafe owner, who was played by the same actor who played a never-do-well in Virgin River.
I'm rather enjoying Eurovision, more than expected. It's a lot better than the US's music competition shows. Also, some interesting talent in there.
Right now, Sweden is still my favorite - also Croatia, Russia, and Slovenia are interesting.
Here have a flower. Hopefully the weather will clear up long enough for me to venture out to the Botanical Gardens and hang with Wales. I'm going back to watching Eurovision. Which is interesting - because they have a full audience, and folks on stage, and no masks. Was everyone vaccinated?
Ah, figured it out - they did the performers remotely for the most part. And only allowed 3,500 audience - and everyone had to test negative or be fully vaccinated.
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
See also: COVID-19 pandemic in Europe, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the music industry, and Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on television
On 7 May 2020, Dutch authorities prohibited all mass gatherings in the country until a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available.[19] The host broadcasters stated that they were assessing the decision and how it would impact the event.[20]
On 18 September 2020, the EBU released a summary of contingency scenarios for the contest, including:[21][22]
The event being held as in previous years (Scenario A);
The event being held with social distancing measures in place (Scenario B);
Providing the option for acts to perform from their home country if they are unable to travel to Rotterdam (Scenario C);
A fully-remote contest hosted from Rotterdam (Scenario D), with all acts performing from their home country, and no in-person festivities or audience in Rotterdam. This scenario was trialled during the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2020 in November 2020.
In February 2021, the EBU and the host broadcasters stated that it had ruled out hosting the contest as normal (Scenario A). Scenario C was also modified – all acts would perform remotely like in scenario D.[23] A health and safety protocol for the contest was published on 2 March 2021, with the EBU affirming that the contest will be held under scenario B, while reiterating that downscaling options remain on the table should circumstances change. On 30 April 2021, the EBU confirmed scenario B for the contest.
On 1 April 2021, it was announced that an audience of 3,500 people would be allowed at each of the nine shows, including the three live shows and six rehearsals; the Dutch cabinet later gave its approval on 29 April. All audience members must have tested negative for COVID-19.[26][27][28]
Due to pandemic precautions, the "Turquoise Carpet" event was the only in-person side event to take place in 2021. Impacted side events include: the Opening Ceremony event, which was not held; the Eurovision Village, which took place from 15 to 23 May in an online-only form; and the EuroClub, which was cancelled for this year.
But it's been around far longer.
The history of the Eurovision Song Contest began as the brainchild of Marcel Bezençon of the EBU. The Contest was based on Italy's Sanremo Music Festival and was designed to test the limits of live television broadcast technology.
The first Contest was held on 24 May 1956, when seven nations participated. With a live orchestra, the norm in the early years, and simple sing-along songs on every radio station, the Contest grew into a true pan-European tradition. Marcel Bezençon, the founder of the Eurovision Song Contest.
In the beginning, it was obvious for the participants that they should sing in their country's national language. However, as the Swedish entry in 1965, Absent Friend, was sung in English, the EBU set very strict rules on the language in which the songs could be performed. National languages had to be used in all lyrics. Song writers across Europe soon tagged onto the notion that success would only come if the judges could understand the content, resulting in such entries as Boom- Bang-A-Bang and La La La. In 1973, the rules on language use were relaxed, and in the following year ABBA would win with Waterloo. Those freedom of language rules would be soon reversed in 1977, to return with apparent permanent status in the 1999 contest.
Right now it is streaming as background noise on my big screen television. It takes place in Rotterdam this year. And with each entry - they provide information on the contestants and weird videos introducing them, while showing the scenery of Rotterdam, Germany in the background. One of the introductions - depicted these really cool circular apartments on sticks as if they were taken out of a 1960s television series, such as the Prisoner or a modern television show such as Legion, which referenced 1960s architecture and style. What's lovely about it - is it makes me realize how much our cultures have in common and are connected to each other. I like the Slovenia entry. I like to immerse myself in other cultures - so I can challenge my own prejudices and pre-conceptions and rise above them. Listening to Russian Woman now from Russia. Which is kind of Russian rap/balladic number in Russian and English. The singer looks a lot like the woman who lives next to me - who speaks only Russian. (Its really good actually.) There's some really good musical numbers and songs in this contest. I adore "A Million Voices" entry, not sure what country- it was amazing. I ended up rewinding but it took me all the way back. Dang it. So far not seeing any commercials. Oh - it's Sweden. Odd. I assumed somewhere else. The singers are black not white. See? This forces you to rethink how you see or perceive the world. The world is never what we think.
[This is the first time I could watch - usually it's impossible to see in the US. But Logo lost the redistribution rights and NBC grabbed them and is streaming them on Peacock now.]
Mother interrupted me at one point - so had to stop it. We talk for about twenty minutes, then she has to rush off to the bathroom.
**
Today's a rainy and cold day. So silly apartment complex for reasons that I do not understand, turned on the heat. As a result, I flicked on the A/C and opened a window. For a while was doing the fan. No, haven't ventured outside - so legs bugging me a bit for sitting too long. Also arms itched a little - menopause.
Niece sent me a text last week about getting together for lunch on June 1, but alas - I'm working remotely and can't get away for that length of time. Would require at least an hour or two - with a forty-fifty minute train ride, an hour for lunch and a forty-fifty train ride back. She's in the city for a dental appointment. But will be about this summer. So perhaps later this summer we can get together. I asked if she was doing me proud by making her parents crazy - and she texted back that she was. LOL!
My game plan is to go to Europe in 2022. I have four weeks vacation time now, and when I turn 56, five weeks.
***
Television roundup..
1. This is Us - well, I should have seen that plot-twist or flash-forward coming. And it tracks. But it surprised me all the same. Apparently the relationship that has lasted throughout the series is Randall and Beth.
Apparently Kate and Toby divorce and she marries the music teacher she's working with - the Brit who played Jamie on Million Little Things. Which is really odd. Although I saw it coming. Toby has been an ass for the past year and a half. Also Madison called off the wedding to Kevin because he couldn't tell her he was in love with her. Madison has a lot of baggage, but so does Kevin. I want happiness for Kevin. Madison kind of annoys me. I think they broke them up - because they'd not earned the audience's respect for the relationship. (It was a bit contrived.)
2. A Million Little Things - was written oddly, we're supposed to be supportive of Kathryn in it, but I was more sympathetic to Eddie. Eddie's confined to a wheelchair, had been sober, but the pain overwhelmed him and he fell back into old habits. While Kathryn was working longer hours in her own private practice now (her dream job) and bonding with another attorney, to the point of kissing him. I felt for their kid - who she had kind of put second behind herself, with Eddie handling most of the care-giving up to now. So because he falls back into the pain pill addiction, then goes through rehab and comes back - she can't trust him with the kid? I wanted to smack her. That said, I'm loving Gina/Rome, Maggie/Sophie, and anything with Gary. It's just Kathryn - I want to kick.
3. The Kominsky Method is back on Netflix with a third season. Damn they killed off Alan Arkin's character - although that happened at the end of S2. It makes me feel old. Kirk Douglas who is 75, looks older than my mother. And well, as I told mother, when you discover the kid from the Sixth Sense is now in his thirties with a full beard...you know you are old.
But it is amusing in some respects. God, Paul Reiser and Kathleen Turner did not age well. But Jane Seymour with a full head of white hair, has.
Weirdly reassuring that. I think they are overplaying some of the jokes, when in previous seasons it was a more subtle touch.
4. So too is Lucifer - with the second half of S5. Eh...it's silly. Too silly. They are playing up the comedy. I watched the musical episode, and it reminded me of Once More with Feeling meets Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist but not as good as either. I cringed during some of the numbers.
I'm looking forward to Neil Gaiman's Sandman - which has some of the same characters, but better cast and a wryer sense of humor.
5. Almost finished with Mare of East Town. The accent is lost on me, I don't notice it at all. Most people I know have the same accent - it's normal to me. I guess it would seem odd to someone who is British? Kind of like North London or Welsh stands out to me? Or Scottish does?
I've rather liked the Mare series - which focuses more on the characters than the mystery. The mystery lurks in the background. Although I think I figured it out. Not sure. Have one episode left. Best of the shows I watched today.
6. Nancy Drew - continues to be interesting and surprising me. Some nice twists in there. Turns out Nancy picked up a supernatural passenger or parasite - the wraith - at the beginning of the season, who has been controlling her reactions to things. And this lead to a darker turn for the character, and her relationship with Gil Bobbsy and turning down Columbia. Also Celia wasn't killed by Everett Hudson, but rather by RoadBack - who she pissed off by saving ACE and taking the list. Everett did get arrested and convicted for killing his brother however. Also, nice bit with Nik getting the upper hand over the local racist cafe owner, who was played by the same actor who played a never-do-well in Virgin River.
I'm rather enjoying Eurovision, more than expected. It's a lot better than the US's music competition shows. Also, some interesting talent in there.
Right now, Sweden is still my favorite - also Croatia, Russia, and Slovenia are interesting.
Here have a flower. Hopefully the weather will clear up long enough for me to venture out to the Botanical Gardens and hang with Wales. I'm going back to watching Eurovision. Which is interesting - because they have a full audience, and folks on stage, and no masks. Was everyone vaccinated?
Ah, figured it out - they did the performers remotely for the most part. And only allowed 3,500 audience - and everyone had to test negative or be fully vaccinated.
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
See also: COVID-19 pandemic in Europe, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the music industry, and Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on television
On 7 May 2020, Dutch authorities prohibited all mass gatherings in the country until a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available.[19] The host broadcasters stated that they were assessing the decision and how it would impact the event.[20]
On 18 September 2020, the EBU released a summary of contingency scenarios for the contest, including:[21][22]
The event being held as in previous years (Scenario A);
The event being held with social distancing measures in place (Scenario B);
Providing the option for acts to perform from their home country if they are unable to travel to Rotterdam (Scenario C);
A fully-remote contest hosted from Rotterdam (Scenario D), with all acts performing from their home country, and no in-person festivities or audience in Rotterdam. This scenario was trialled during the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2020 in November 2020.
In February 2021, the EBU and the host broadcasters stated that it had ruled out hosting the contest as normal (Scenario A). Scenario C was also modified – all acts would perform remotely like in scenario D.[23] A health and safety protocol for the contest was published on 2 March 2021, with the EBU affirming that the contest will be held under scenario B, while reiterating that downscaling options remain on the table should circumstances change. On 30 April 2021, the EBU confirmed scenario B for the contest.
On 1 April 2021, it was announced that an audience of 3,500 people would be allowed at each of the nine shows, including the three live shows and six rehearsals; the Dutch cabinet later gave its approval on 29 April. All audience members must have tested negative for COVID-19.[26][27][28]
Due to pandemic precautions, the "Turquoise Carpet" event was the only in-person side event to take place in 2021. Impacted side events include: the Opening Ceremony event, which was not held; the Eurovision Village, which took place from 15 to 23 May in an online-only form; and the EuroClub, which was cancelled for this year.
no subject
Date: 2021-05-30 05:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-05-31 02:52 am (UTC)Lots of old Russian block and Yugoslavian block countries involved. Or so, I noticed.
Not seeing as much on my DW about it as I once did though.
no subject
Date: 2021-05-31 03:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-05-31 05:15 pm (UTC)Also, they don't have any commentators - just the hosts. That's it. No Graham Norton, no one.
All I have is a telecast of the semin-finals, and the final of the contest. I tried the semi-final.
And that was a bit much. And tried the final - and got scared off by the four hour run time and 26 countries. Frigging hell, they have a final with 26 countries??? I though it would be 10 countries. Or at the most 16. How many entries are there?
no subject
Date: 2021-06-24 09:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-05-30 05:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-05-31 02:46 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-05-31 01:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-05-31 05:09 pm (UTC)You like the Ukraine entry? You must like heavy metal? It reminded me of heavy metal. [I apparently should be clearer? Peacock is just streaming the semi-final part 1 and 2, and the final. There is no commentary. Just the performances, and the four hosts. And the audience. I don't understand how they can do a final with 26 countries...I thought the semi's were supposed to break it down to 16, but apparently that's why there's a two part semi-final - to get it down to 26? How many entries are there?]
My favorite is Sweden. Sweden apparently lost, and Italy won. Sigh, music is such a subjective thing. (I like lyrics, if I can't understand or hear them, the song is often lost on me.)
no subject
Date: 2021-06-01 10:43 am (UTC)Whenever the Eurovision is on UK TV, we have our own host - previously Terry Wogan, and now Graham Norton. They both spend most of the time mocking the unusual entries and complaining that countries which are next to each other vote for each other's entries for "political" reasons. As if neighbours always love each other! They don't consider that countries close to each other have similar musical traditions, and may simply like the same kind of sounds. It's just sour grapes because the UK keeps getting "Nul points" (which I think is hilarious!)
Sweden's is quite lovely.
I seem to like things where I can't understand the lyrics, for some reason - currently on a K-Pop kick!