Eurovision Rehearsals Day 4: analysis, stand-outs and general impressions

Courtesy EBU / Thomas Hanses

Day 4 saw the second half of semi-final run through their first rehearsal for the show.

We at Aussievision watched the rehearsals via the Online Press Centre, set up since most can't travel to the Contest this year to cover it.

Of the eight songs that took the stage tonight we categorised them into songs that rose in our estimation, those who dropped and those who delivered what we expected. Let's take a look:

Who rose

• Switzerland - Gjon's Tears - 'Tout l'univers'

This is a hard song to stage and they've done an incredible job with it. Darkly lit, Gjon stands on a prop structure while delivering an incredible vocal and suprisingly good quirky hand led choreography. There are some magic moments and overall it has power, impact and will take some beating. It has the wow factor.

• Bulgaria - VICTORIA - 'Growing up is getting old'

A song that our team had not warmed to really delivered an impactful staging concept tonight. Victoria sits on a large prop rock in a dreamscape with sand falling from above. It's delicate, fragile but also powerful and uplifting and will certainly capture the audience's attention. Already expected to do well with juries, this staging could help sway some televote love her way.

• Portugal - The Black Mamba - 'Love is on My Side'

A really classy performance by the group. Similar to their national final performance it starts in black and white before going to colour early in the piece. They take full use of the stage and have quite a bit of movement from the lead singer and the LEDs which is needed in this slower paced song. The staging got those outside the hardcore lovers of this entry to sit-up and take notice. Definitely a chance to qualify now.

Delivered about what we expected

• Albania - Anxhela Peristeri - 'Karma'

Anxhela is really commanding of the stage and the entry uses the LED screens really well. Unlike her FiK performance, she doesn't have dancers which can leave her a little drowned out on stage. But the tight camera shots are fantastic, she looks great, sounds great and is still very much in with a shot to progress to the Grand Final.

• Denmark - Fyr & Flamme - 'Øve os på hinanden'

They have brought what that did at Dansk Melodi Grand Prix and adapted it to a big stage. Fantastic use of the LEDs with an 80s inspired aethetic. Other than that the costumes, dance moves and set up is all very similar. It worked the first time, why change it?

• Finland - Blind Channel - 'Dark Side'

Very similar to their national final performance but just bigger! The guys rock it out really well, owning the full stage with some great use of LEDs with a lot of red. Excellent first rehearsal and delivered us exactly what we were expecting of them.

Who dropped

• Latvia - Samanta Tina - 'The Moon is Rising'

We had some high hopes and for this rehearsal it didn't really come together. Very busy and constant LED use is distracting the attention from the star herself. Samanta is giving it her all but right now the staging seems to be working against her, not with her. Tight shots work well with her trio of backing vocalists, but any long shots sees her swallowed up by the stage and the busy action around her. Can definitely improve though.

• Georgia - Tornike Kipiani - 'You'

Look we weren't big on this song going in but were hoping could bring this to life. For us, it didn't. It's dark and simple and matches the lack of impact the song has unfortunately. There is a really nice moment of lyrics both in Georgian and English projected on to Tornike. But this has an uphill battle to qualify.

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