So the First Rehearsals took place today and here are snipets of them:

Sweden
Georgia
Albania
Australia
Belgium
Montenegro
Finland
Azerbaijan
Portugal

Thoughts:

Sweden: what was expected not much change from the nf.
Georgia: Sounds horrible live
Albania: Quite nothingy
Australia: Sounds bad live and seriously horrid background
Belgium: Again not very good live and 0 stage presence and a very underwhelming stage
Montenegro: WHAT THE ACTUAL F. Horrible mess there is not a single good thing about this, voice is bad, staging is horrible the song is awful. Scary thought, this song got the most cheers so far.
Finland: Vocally on point and pretty much the stage of the nf.
Azerbaijan: Vocally not bad but not outstanding either, the stage is weird, not sure what a man with a horse head on a ladder has to do with the song itself. The fact she made a stage inside a stage is clever as it doesn't make it look empty or too big. This will divide opinions due to the dark staging, not sure if for good or bad but should qualify easily.
Portugal: I was afraid they would kill this with the staging but thankfully they didn't. Of course its not the same as its the sister doing it but vocals shouldn't be a problem. I like how they put the stage in the middle of the crowd and made it so it doesn't seem lost in the big stage. The staging reminds me a lot of Anouk on the round platform. (Ps. I love the backdrop)

That is all for today.

I don't think they are allowed to do this so go there while its on, full rehearsal of azerbaijan here

and georgia got leaked in full as well in here

Day 2 of rehearsals:

Greece
Poland
Moldova
Iceland
Czech Republic
Cyprus
Armenia
Slovenia
Latvia

Thoughts:

Greece: She seems lost just standing, or rather going up, on a dance song. I see they took out the Lyrics ''Rain falls from above'' yet kept it literally for the staging. And the ballet dancers are just out of place.
Poland: I'm starting to think this will get lost. Nothing much going on the stage or the background and her voice isn't the strongest.
Moldova: This will qualify I think. The background reminds me of Jedward and the beat of the song will stand out in the middle of so many ballads of the semi, the jury will be busy killing Montenegro and this will sneak in with the teenage and kid televote (I still dislike it).
Iceland: Another one alone in the big stage, vocally fine but I hope she ditches the hair bums for the actual performance, Jamie-Lee was enough.
Czech Republic: There really isn't anything to say regarding this one. The song itself already was dull the staging now matches the song by being one of the most dull so far including the backdrop.
Cyprus: A very Sergey Lazarev staging, vocally ok not great though. I could see this becoming a surprise qualifier.
Armenia: Vocally on point, I was expecting something big for the staging, sadly it didn't come through it's a bit of a disappointment. It still is a contender to the top of the semi and maybe even the final if the juries get behind it. The betting agencies seem to have liked it as they are going up.
Slovenia: Again nothing much to say about the song. Good vocally the backdrop and staging are very boring and the new version of the song just doesn't match it. (Interesting fact: he is wearing the same clothes he used in 2005).
Latvia: Vocally poor with a expected weird staging but I however like the backdrop. How this will do I really don't know, it could go both ways.

That's it for today and that is it for the first semi final, tomorrow we start with the second semi final rehearsals.

and the leaks start coming:


Full version of Greece here
Full version of Czech here
2:00 version of Slovenia here
2:30 version of Armenia here

Day 3 of rehearsals:

Serbia
Austria
FYR Macedonia
Malta
Romania
Holland
Hungary
Denmark
Ireland

Thoughts:

Serbia: Bad vocals horrible staging and horrible backing singers. I won't be surprised if this stays in the semi.
Austria: I never liked the song, that said he was great live and the staging is good, specially the backdrop. I believe this will be a surprise qualifier.
FYR Macedonia: Well I don't know where to start, she isn't the best singer live but the backing singers seem to help. Putting her alone in the stage dancing without getting out of the same spot is not a good call. And I'm getting fed up now with the amount of singers using their own faces on the backdrop, they could have done something better for it.
Malta: My god. Besides being dull that backdrop is awful. Again using the singer face but this one takes it to another level, a close up of the face. It looks likes the singer is about to being swollen by her gigantic self.
Romania: I liked the backdrop until it became weird. I've no idea what are cannons doing in stage and what they have to do with the song. She does not sound as strong vocally as she did in the national final.
Holland: Vocally on point and nothing big or crazy going on the stage which is perfect for the song. The backdrop suits it as well. This could very well be (and I'm more and more sure about it) a qualifier.
Hungary: Pretty much what was expected the backdrop is nice but, as Janet would say, the woman shaking her head while playing violin was unnecessary. Still don't like the song or the singer who according to him his song is the only song celebrating diversity, not sure if he heard the other songs such Italy, Belarus, Portugal and several others. Wouldn't do him any bad to get out of his own arse.
Denmark: Despite the song being forgettable she sells it with her voice. Backdrop isn't anything special but not bad either, I could do without her kneeling down during the performance.
Ireland: Vocally good but the hot balloon I just don't know. The backdrop is nice but the staging again..

Another day:

San Marino
Norway
Switzerland
Belarus
Croatia
Bulgaria
Lithuania
Estonia
Israel

Thoughts:

San Marino: Bring back Serhat, that is all. Messy vocals horrible performance in stage by both and nothing really is done well.
Norway: Pretty much the same staging as the national final. After San Marino this sounds better than what it actually is. Many think this will fail I think it will just borderline qualify.
Switzerland: Her vocals on the high note are way off. They tried to go to the sweet stage like Austria but failed. I also have no idea why there is a random staircase in the stage. I hope she doesn't wear the ESDM dress either. Between this and Austria I think Austria will go to the final and this will stay out.
Belarus: They managed to do an Ireland on the staging but I think they actually made it work, the movement of the backdrop with the wind machines thing that are supposed a flying thing should make a good impact on the actual tv. Could qualify but still not sure.
Croatia: Vocally what you would expect, the backdrop again going for the sweet good call on the use of backing singers. The violin players are not really necessary, and the staging itself isn't great. That said I've been saying this will qualify and I still think it will given how different the song is (still crap) and given that he managed to sing it in tune.
Bulgaria: He is wearing his Eurovision suit which is simple (bit too much simple perhaps). There isn't much going on, the staging is nice and perhaps also too simple he is good vocally but i hope they lower the volume of the backing singer cause every time he sings his voice goes above Kristian.
Lithuania: The song is still crap the staging is still weird she will be still wearing the same red dress the vocals are still a mess. Nothing else to add.
Estonia: Vocally expected and staging a bit disappointing many claim this as a certain qualifier I don't really know if it will make it.
Israel: Many fans favourite mostly because it isn't a ballad, here is some shocking news: just because it isn't a ballad it doesn't mean it's necessarily good. And this isn't good. The live vocals are horrible specially on the chorus. Once again we are forced with the singer huge face on the backdrop and that is annoying. The dance moves are weird and the fact the backing singers come out of the nowhere into the stage only to do them really don't do it any good. I seriously hope this stays in the semi.