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The first ever Eurovision first semi - reactions
The first thing to say is that the vast majority of fans at both the Euroclub and Eurocafe in Belgrade believe that the result is not in any way controvercial. Overall, there is a consensus that the ten best performances on the night qualified for the final.
The biggest complaint was the large number of empty seats in the arena. This was due in part to the ticket packages, where it is believed that the majority of packages for all shows were purchased by fans of countries in the second semi final. As a result, many did not use the tickets purchased for tonight's show. It is also believed that there were approximately 4,000 tickets not sold for the show.
This left the arena less than full. The results will be a concern to the EBU, after a largely empty arena for the live television show as well as the three dress rehearsals. There is a clear consensus amongst fans that ticket packages must be looked at and a better way to sell tickets should be found to avoid an empty arena being shown to television viewers in future.
The problem of a far from full arena for the semi final is not a new one, however it was more noticeable tonight than in Helsinki last year or in Athens the year before. It is definitely an issue that will need reviewing to prevent the Eurovision Song Contest from being seen as a 'one night event' and ensure the safety of the new format into the future.
The quality of the ten qualifying songs has been disputed very little. A good mix of ballads, pop, rock and alternative music means that the outlook for Saturday's final seems bright.
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Go directly to the reactions
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Sirusho go girl! We love you 
I'm very happy that Norway, Israel and Poland have qualified and I'm sad that Netherlands and Belgium didn't make it. They really deserved to be in the final.
I'm a big fan of Sirusho. I think she has little bit exagerated with her promo tour. She performed a lot and without a break. She needed to take some rest before Belgrade. In the semi you could feek that she was out of tune and tired.
Sirusho, we love you, honey! Have some rest and rock on Final night! We believe in you!!!!!! Go Armenia
the semifinal wasn't the best and it was not bad! it was okay but I wished, I would have seen more "ACTION" at the opening sequence... :-(
the theme of "city", I have seen it just for a few seconds at the beginning - not more!
the show started very fast after the opening sequence. but sorry, I didn't like the hosts!!! I have seen much better hosts at the ESC!
I am very dissapointed from the first semi final!!!
(the best ever was in greece 2006!!!! - it was a feeling like in the final!!!)
the postcards were good, but not really spectaculair!
the stage: oh my goodness!!! where in the world are the strongest, great (I mean G R E A T) stages?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
sorry but it's very simple!
and, the stage is very small! it's a copy 50% from the stage in helsinki and 50% from riga! would have seen more trend!!!!
sorry for russia and dima fans but I really hate dima bilan wannabe star!!! he thinks, he is the best! hero or he-man!
don't want to see his cock hair!!!
Check out this video here if u`re fan of Sirusho`s famous tit trick:
http://www.youtube.c(...)/watch?v=8toHY-IuihM
and don`t forget 2 vote 4 her, she rocks 
Very glad for Bosnia, Israel, Greece & Romania to have gone through. Azerbaijan was totally vomit inducing, as was Dima Bilan. Armenia was a huge disappointment too, came across as veritable trash. Gutted for Belgium, one of the best songs on the night (and this season!). Moldova too, though both songs were badly sang. Slovenia. Ireland, Estonia all deservedly out. For what this semi is worth (and it isn't much) - a mixed bag of qualifiers which is not necessarily bad, depending on how low you set your overall criteria...
Nils S - you say that "smaller countries from western europe should quit participating" - because they wont succeed no matter what? Norway is definitely one of the smallest countries in western europe. And qualified without the closest neighbours.
To me this semi proves people generally are voting for the songs - not for geographical or political reasons.
Of course I didn't completely agree on all of those 10 songs - but I am not blaming that on the "east"/on diaspora voting or nothing else - as lots of people in here seems to do! I just admit to myself that all the millions of people all over Europe dont share my exact taste of music... simple as that!
GO morena u are going to do it!!!!!!
Ur the DIVA of this year's contest!
You diserve to WIN the Contest!
GOOD LUCK MORENA AND EVEYONE!
AND CONGRATUALATION TO ALL SONGS IN ESC EVEN THOSE YOU STUCK IN THE SEMIS - URS STILL WINNER THAT YOU REPRESENT YOUR COUNTRY !
GO MALTA ! PLEASE TOMORROW VOTE MALTA!
X X X
finally,for the first time since the semi's came about-the ten best acts passed to the final.well done the EBU or whomever brought about these great changes to the voting......it has restored my faith in the contest.for the last few years ireland has awarded lithuania 12 points- proof positive that we needed to stop the dispora voting.yeah......can't wait for the final.
@ Ruud On top of the world:
I also agree with all your opinions beside San-Marino, it's like you read my thoughts about the Tedy-ber & the couch of Moldova & the Ice-skater of Russia, & also opening his shirt was was weird.
http://delirium.fm/
http://delirium.fm/
http://delirium.fm/
http://delirium.fm/
http://delirium.fm/
http://delirium.fm/
http://delirium.fm/
http://delirium.fm/
http://delirium.fm/
mor ve otesi (TURKEY)
CRAZY
CRAZY
CRAZY
CRAZY
SUPER SUPER SUPER
I think overall, the results of the first semi was good.
The only one I real miss in the final is Rebeka Dremelj, I feel sorry for her 
But I also think, tomorrows semi final will be a revenge of the western countries, the best ones are in there and I can see, all 5 scandinavian countries qualify (although Denmark will be difficult)
SERBIA,PORTUGAL,NORWAY!!!!!!
just not Russia !!!
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Disappointed overall....
If Portugal won't be choosen tomorrow and f.i. Croatia will be,
I'll never watch again...
Smaller countries from Western Europe should quit participating : It's totally useless as they will never get into the final anymore, nomatter their entry....
I had branded semi 1 the weaker of the two but it turned out just great. It was really appaling to see so many empty seats. Even last year in Helsinki you could see spaces and when the voting bit started all these corporate package people got up and left. Go back to selling indivual tickets, not packages, and make them cheaper so that the locals can afford to go. Or choose a smaller venue.
The most boring and dull show for years, sometimes even tacky: empty venue; little stage (it only looked great when surrounded by shadows or darkness); some awful songs and/or performances; horrible postcards; soulless intervals and hosts... a whole feeling of failure about it.
Great for Israel, Norway, Poland, Bosnia, Armenia and Romania (the best song in the night).
Expected but not deserved: Russia (even more insipid and twee than 2 years ago); Greece (just vulgar) and Azerbaijan (too much baroque).
Unexpected but deserved: Finland (very professional).
Deserved but not succeeded: Slovenia, Andorra and, mostly, the Netherlands.
I think this format doesn't work...
Overall the results are satisfying. Though I would have preferred the Netherlands (my country) and San Marino instead of Poland and Azerbaijan. But nice for Poland to have qualified for the first time, so I am glad for them. I enjoyed a lot Israel, very impressive. Moldava was disappointing. Belgium was vocally not good. Andorra was a disaster, worst performance and song of the night. I am glad Bosnia qualified, very good performance, better then at the songpresentation. Greece and Russia are both overrated in my opinion, but I understand why they qualified. Armenia was better then I expected, so was Montenegro, but the song was too forgetable. Slovenia was a mess in my opinion, and her vocals were weak too.
The opening act wasn't that thrilling. Waterloo, Volare and Congratulations, very obvious choices, and the sound was not very good too. The hosts were a bit dull I think. I think it is time for a solo presenter again. The duoroutine is getting boring. The stage looked fab, very beautiful. I also liked the postcards. Good job overall.
The results were very satisfying. All favourites passed and the only surprise was Finland. I miss the turkey but we still have Rodolfo to laugh!!! Netherlands were good too, probably the tenth place. Poland had a great dress but I found the song a little bit boring... Azerbaijan and Bosnia had very theatrical songs and I'm glad they gualified. Russia was good but i don't like Dima so I won't say many good things. Greece was really spectacular althought they had problems. We are gonna have very nice show on Saturday!!!!
hehe, one semi down, one to go. i cannot but agree with most of the comments below - this semi was crap as in c.r.a.p. for us, russians, watching it was even more tormentous than for most of you, europeans, as we have + 3 gmt and did our best to fight the sleep. man, it was boring as hell. the only halfway decent performance was boaz, the israeli guy, but i can't say i'm gonna root for him in the finals. san marino were not that bad, though too generic and forgettable. it seems that finland tries to play the lordi card again, but terasbetoni don't wear masks and are way too much stuck in the late 70s, while all the others are stuck in the early 80s, which is quite a progress. belgium were okay in their stupid/funny way but not singalongable ireland & estonia - good riddance, kitsch must be witty and self-ironic at least. greece & armenia - generic bellydance tunes and very bleak performances. andorra - gosh, my local gay club would be ashamed to play this. and the last but not the least - dima bilan. such a shame. he's the only one russian pop singer who can actually sing and now he delivers something disastrous... though the song is not altogether bad. it is actually too good for the esc of this year plushenko was out of place as expected. he'd better land quads at world champs than act as a cheap dance support. that's what you get for sleeping with bilan's manager. and what made edvin marton (the violinist) join this? does he sleep with rutkovskaya too?
hope that the 2nd semi will be more interesting or i risk getting addicted to benzedrine.
@ david lopez
yes san marino were excellent last night , a really good song
From the west only Belgium deserved smth better!
@Ruud On top of the world:
I totally agree with your comment, let me just disagree about San Marino cause for me was the best from last night
The rest couldn't be more acurate, true, true, true... 100% TRUE!!!
(and now i don't need to writte about the 1st semi, in one word, HORRIBLE)
I believe the winner will be from the second semifinal, yesterday I haven't heard anything that could be called a decent winner.
How many noticed that some contestants had some problem with the singing part last night???I really want to believe that there were cases of sour throats...what a calamity.
ruud on top of the world: finally I find someone that thinks that the greek song is nothing special ( at first it seems nice but after it gets boring and boring...). And I agree completely that kalomoira has no voice at all!
I generally agree with the 10 songs that made it to the final. And please stop making useless coments like "she's ugly, he's fat, etc"
All the songs which have qualified for the Final are good, but I would recommend Armenia and Russia to improve their live performances.
i'm happy.
the best songs made it through and the bad ones stayed in the semifinals.
the only surprise was the polish song. but it was okay when i closed my eyes, the woman was just soooo ugly. haven't seen a woman uglier since i don't know when. she has just destroyed herself.
GO PORTUGAL
GO FINLAND
GO NORWAY
GO DENMARK
GO FRANCE
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