Πρόβες!

Ξεκινάει και φέτοοοοοος    

on stage

http://instagram.com/p/nU45VmjW72#

Aram begins on the stage surrounded by bright blue lights that turn to flashes of red representative of a stormy atmosphere. His voice is strong and he remains in the same place for the entirety of the song with a spotlight focused on him most of the time.

Γιουροβίζιον.τβ

on stage

The band are stood in a line with their instruments and then the lead singer runs down the catwalk towards the bridge of the song - it's very bright and cheery, but stays a bit stagnant throughout.

Και φέτος θα έχει δέντρο η Αρμενία απ'ότι φαινεται   

on stage

Tanja for Estonia is up now - her dancer from Eesti Laul and her music video is back with her.  They're dressed in white, and doing a more intricate dance routine.  Blue and white lights are filling the background of the stage and Tanja's vocals are sounding great.  This is quite impressive on the first runthrough.

Tanja and her dancer make some great use of the stage, and the graphics are highlighting their routine really well. This is constant and very strong already.

Από την σκηνή της Εσθονίας

http://instagram.com/p/nVCIRiDWxw#

Official photo-galleries

Εσθονία http://www.eurovision.tv/page/multimedia/photos?gal=103163

Αρμενία http://www.eurovision.tv/page/multimedia/photos?gal=102963

on stage

Sanna is up for Sweden, flanked by the same prism spotlight she used in Melodifestivalen. This is pretty much what we saw in MF, but great usage of the stage and background and really highlights the key change nicely. She sounded very good during the first runthrough, as well!

Sanna's still up - this is very consistent, and it seems like her interaction with the camera is getting even stronger as she's getting more comfortable with the staging and new elements that have been added. Basically, this is her Melodifestivalen performance on a larger scale, and it works.

on stage

Pollapönk and their multicoloured sailor outfits are up on stage - the lights are bright and neon tinged and constant - the guys are strong with their vocals, but I think they need to crank up the energy on this power pop/punk song.

http://instagram.com/p/nVPu9psQHe#

on stage

Albania up now - Hersi is stood on a platform with a drummer, guitarist and two backing singers. There are a few weird camera angles we're getting here, and Hersi's taken her high heels off and is standing barefoot on the stage. For the most part she sounds good, but isn't making much contact with the camera just yet.

on stage

Some acapella vocal warm-ups introduce the first rehearsal for the Tolmachevy Twins, along with a couple of quick practice-runs of some dance moves.

The girls stand on a platform, baclk-to-back, both holding transparent acrylic poles. This appears to all be about symetry. The platform is actually a see-saw, with the twins rising and falling at each end periodically.

Having descended from the see-saw, a stage-hand closes a 'fan' of sorts that has been lying flat on top of the platform. The 'fan' is plain white, and presumably will have something projected onto it in the live show.

Vocally, they sound very strong, but there is a lack of connection with the cameras that is understandable for the first run-through.

The Twins actually begin their rehearsal with their two long ponytails intertwined, and pull them apart as they move to the opposite sides of the see-saw!

σ.σ. Μεντράνο ο Φωκάς φέτος?   

H τραμπάλα http://instagram.com/p/nVbkuCHWwS#

on stage

Dilaria is joined on-stage by an acrobatic dancer   for her first rehearsal. The dancer appears to move around the stage quite enthusiastically, including suspending herself from a trapeze, during the song. While this is visually quite appealing, it runs the risk of detracting from the song itself and might shift focus away from Dilaria. Everything looks quite dark and moody at this point, with a backdrop of church windows being the only real 'light' on-stage. No doubt something will change, or be added - could a song with 'fire' in the title actually not include any on-stage?! Dilaria's vocals are really quite captivating.

on stage

Mariya begins her rehearsal in complete darkness, until a light seems to remember she is there! She is joined on-stage by a dancer contained within a giant 'hamster wheel', who proceeds to spin himself around throughout and performs somersaults while Mariya sings. At one point, he jumps out from the wheel and Mariya climbs onto the wheel. It's an interesting prop but doesn't seem particularly necessary or appropriate, in that it adds nothing to the song. Vocally, things were solid but not outstanding. Obviously some elements of the performance were missing during that initial rehearsal, as Mariya is clearly heard asking, 'Where was the wind?' afterwards!

All time classic Ουκρανία   

http://instagram.com/p/nVmeIyMQBm#