Shiva
11th March 2009, 07:41 PM
RTÉ has now confirmed that 750,000 people tuned into the "The Late Late Show - Eurosong 2009", which is higher than the ratings for the 2008 show, despite the lack of publicity caused by the participation of Dustin The Turkey in last year's selection. While "The Late Late Show" guarantees high viewing figures, this year's selection was the most watch TV show of the week and if unconfirmed reports are to be believed, the televote was the highest for an Irish Eurovision selection, since the days of "You're A Star " back in 2005. It is also being reported that the winning entry "Et Cetera" performed by Sinead Mulvey & Black Daisy, was a very strong favourite in the public vote, gaining a a level of support not much less than Dustin's greater than 60% share in last year's selection. However, unlike last year, when many felt that a novelty entry would do well at Eurovision, making Ireland the early favourite, the early betting this year has the Irish entry a little further back in the pack, with more realistic odds. You can see Paddy Power's latest odds on the event here. (http://www.paddypower.com/bet?action=go_type&category=SPECIALS&disp_cat_id=&ev_class_id=44&ev_type_id=437)
RTÉ and the songwriters and performers are currently working on ideas for staging the song in Moscow and it is believed that it will look considerably different on the larger Eurovision stage with staging and styling influenced by some of the greatest all girl bands of the past like The Bangles and The Go-Gos. In the meantime, viewers to RTÉ's "The Café" got to see the Irish entry being performed in a different setting and a slightly different arrangement last Friday (February 27th) and if you missed the performance, it can still be seen on the show's website.
While the publicity being generated by this year's Irish entry may not be as high as the international coverage achieved by "Ireland Douze Points", the local press have had several articles on this year's Irish entrants. The Herald focussed on Sinead's work as an member of the Aer Lingus cabin crew and how Eurosong success was not changing her career path in the short-term. Sinead (left) is far from being the first Irish Eurovision entrant not to give up the "day job" while searching for success in the contest. Famously Niamh Kavanagh worked in a bank right up to the time she won the 1993 Eurovision Song Contest in Millstreet, while Ireland's most recent winner, Eimear Quinn returned to her studies after winning the contest in Oslo in 1996.
Other newspapers have been canvassing those involved in previous Irish Eurovision entries. 1966 Irish Eurovision entrant Dickie Rock, who's still a very popular entertainer in Ireland and advise for Sinead, "If I had any advice for her, I would say to keep smiling, be pleasant all the time and go to all your rehearsals -- have your performances down-pat and really put the effort in." Dickie also has some valuable advice for aspiring stars, such as Sinead, when it comes to avoiding the 'one-hit wonder' curse. "It's all down to performances and your songs. I've been very lucky to have had such great hits through the years that people identify with, and that's part of it."
Unlike her reaction to last year's Irish entrant, Ireland's first Eurovision winner, Dana also gives Sinead and Black Daisy seal of approval. "I think it's putting our best foot forward. The judges picked what they felt was best and Sinead put on a good show. It was bright, fun, it was an all female band and they looked good. I think she's as good a chance today as any song going through". Of Sinead's relative inexperience, Dana says 'she's more experienced than I was to be truthful, I was only 18. She's a good-looking girl and I think she'll do fine'.
However one of the judges that helped select this year's Irish entry, is more critical. Shay Healy, the songwriter o 1980 Eurovision winner "What's Another Year". "It's a big stage they're going on and she's a nice young girl but there is a danger it might backfire in front of 100 million people. The general criticism I would have is that we don't send out seasoned performers. Instead we expect some amateurs to pull off a big miracle. We're fighting the odds in that sense." Shay continued "'The problem is the band looked like they were dead in the water. Their instruments looked like they jumped into their hands. They need to improve a little bit so they look like they're feeling the music and responding to each other. There's no better feeling than a band who are really getting off on each other's music but at Eurovison they will be forced to mime to a backing track. They need to work on their stage presence, get a choreographer and go to see real bands and see how they look holding a bass or whatever". However, Shay, who chaired the Dublin jury, the only one not to give maximum points to "Et Cetera", sees the song as a big improvement on recent Irish entries; "It's a good pop record and if RTE can get it out to clubs and radio stations in Europe, that would give us the chance to do quite well. I'm more hopeful this year than I have been in recent years and I certainly think she'll get a higher position than more recent entrants. Last year sending Dustin was a joke that backfired. John Waters wrote a song about a spring coming out of a mattress or whatever, which was another misfire".
However it appears that budget restrictions within RTÉ are likely to limit the amount of international promotion that this year's Irish entrants are going to get prior to leaving for Moscow in early May. There are unlikely to be the foreign trips that helped Brian Kennedy promote Ireland's entry "Every Song Is A Cry For Love" in 2006, although a visit to London for a specially organised Eurovision Preview party in April may well be on the agenda.
Instead the effort is being being channelled into a professionally made promotional video, which will be used in the Eurovision previews show around Europe and on music shows at home. The video which is being filmed next Friday (March 6th). Sinead and Black Daisy (left) will be working with Maurice Linnane who has directed videos for several of the biggest names in Irish rock music, including Horslips, The Cranberries and U2. "All Kinds Of Everything" will have a report on the video shoot and some photos, next week.
While Irish Eurovision fans wait for the highlight of their year in May, two concerts coming up in Dublin's National Concert hall may provide a interesting taster and closer for this Eurovision season.
On Wednesday April 15th, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra conducted by Andy O'Callaghan will accompany Eurovision winners Paul Harrington, Charlie McGettigan, Niamh Kavanagh and former national song contest finalist Jacinta Whyte in a "Eurovision Extravaganza" The show will be presented by two time Eurovision entrant Maxi with a guest appearance by Dustin the Turkey. Tickets which range from 11 to 38 Euros can be bought from the National Concert Hall website.
33-1, no bad odd, considering he rest :)
RTÉ and the songwriters and performers are currently working on ideas for staging the song in Moscow and it is believed that it will look considerably different on the larger Eurovision stage with staging and styling influenced by some of the greatest all girl bands of the past like The Bangles and The Go-Gos. In the meantime, viewers to RTÉ's "The Café" got to see the Irish entry being performed in a different setting and a slightly different arrangement last Friday (February 27th) and if you missed the performance, it can still be seen on the show's website.
While the publicity being generated by this year's Irish entry may not be as high as the international coverage achieved by "Ireland Douze Points", the local press have had several articles on this year's Irish entrants. The Herald focussed on Sinead's work as an member of the Aer Lingus cabin crew and how Eurosong success was not changing her career path in the short-term. Sinead (left) is far from being the first Irish Eurovision entrant not to give up the "day job" while searching for success in the contest. Famously Niamh Kavanagh worked in a bank right up to the time she won the 1993 Eurovision Song Contest in Millstreet, while Ireland's most recent winner, Eimear Quinn returned to her studies after winning the contest in Oslo in 1996.
Other newspapers have been canvassing those involved in previous Irish Eurovision entries. 1966 Irish Eurovision entrant Dickie Rock, who's still a very popular entertainer in Ireland and advise for Sinead, "If I had any advice for her, I would say to keep smiling, be pleasant all the time and go to all your rehearsals -- have your performances down-pat and really put the effort in." Dickie also has some valuable advice for aspiring stars, such as Sinead, when it comes to avoiding the 'one-hit wonder' curse. "It's all down to performances and your songs. I've been very lucky to have had such great hits through the years that people identify with, and that's part of it."
Unlike her reaction to last year's Irish entrant, Ireland's first Eurovision winner, Dana also gives Sinead and Black Daisy seal of approval. "I think it's putting our best foot forward. The judges picked what they felt was best and Sinead put on a good show. It was bright, fun, it was an all female band and they looked good. I think she's as good a chance today as any song going through". Of Sinead's relative inexperience, Dana says 'she's more experienced than I was to be truthful, I was only 18. She's a good-looking girl and I think she'll do fine'.
However one of the judges that helped select this year's Irish entry, is more critical. Shay Healy, the songwriter o 1980 Eurovision winner "What's Another Year". "It's a big stage they're going on and she's a nice young girl but there is a danger it might backfire in front of 100 million people. The general criticism I would have is that we don't send out seasoned performers. Instead we expect some amateurs to pull off a big miracle. We're fighting the odds in that sense." Shay continued "'The problem is the band looked like they were dead in the water. Their instruments looked like they jumped into their hands. They need to improve a little bit so they look like they're feeling the music and responding to each other. There's no better feeling than a band who are really getting off on each other's music but at Eurovison they will be forced to mime to a backing track. They need to work on their stage presence, get a choreographer and go to see real bands and see how they look holding a bass or whatever". However, Shay, who chaired the Dublin jury, the only one not to give maximum points to "Et Cetera", sees the song as a big improvement on recent Irish entries; "It's a good pop record and if RTE can get it out to clubs and radio stations in Europe, that would give us the chance to do quite well. I'm more hopeful this year than I have been in recent years and I certainly think she'll get a higher position than more recent entrants. Last year sending Dustin was a joke that backfired. John Waters wrote a song about a spring coming out of a mattress or whatever, which was another misfire".
However it appears that budget restrictions within RTÉ are likely to limit the amount of international promotion that this year's Irish entrants are going to get prior to leaving for Moscow in early May. There are unlikely to be the foreign trips that helped Brian Kennedy promote Ireland's entry "Every Song Is A Cry For Love" in 2006, although a visit to London for a specially organised Eurovision Preview party in April may well be on the agenda.
Instead the effort is being being channelled into a professionally made promotional video, which will be used in the Eurovision previews show around Europe and on music shows at home. The video which is being filmed next Friday (March 6th). Sinead and Black Daisy (left) will be working with Maurice Linnane who has directed videos for several of the biggest names in Irish rock music, including Horslips, The Cranberries and U2. "All Kinds Of Everything" will have a report on the video shoot and some photos, next week.
While Irish Eurovision fans wait for the highlight of their year in May, two concerts coming up in Dublin's National Concert hall may provide a interesting taster and closer for this Eurovision season.
On Wednesday April 15th, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra conducted by Andy O'Callaghan will accompany Eurovision winners Paul Harrington, Charlie McGettigan, Niamh Kavanagh and former national song contest finalist Jacinta Whyte in a "Eurovision Extravaganza" The show will be presented by two time Eurovision entrant Maxi with a guest appearance by Dustin the Turkey. Tickets which range from 11 to 38 Euros can be bought from the National Concert Hall website.
33-1, no bad odd, considering he rest :)