Eurovision finals

Congratulations to Baku for a fantastic Eurovision ceremony. The entrants from Spain, UK, Italy, France and Azerbaijan were all great and really set the tone for the ceremony.

I will keep this brief, but I had three top countries to win this from my opinion. Sweden, FYR Macedonia or Denmark.

For once I was correct, well done to Sweden for their milestone win on Saturday 26th May! Below in the link to the winning Eurovision entry.

Eurovision winners 2012: Sweden

Victoria V.L Walker

Eurovision 2012: Semifinal 2

Following on from the previous semifinals on Tuesday, we were welcomed back into Baku, Azerbaijan for the second Eurovision semifinal. So far there are 15 acts in the 57th Eurovision final and there are another ten to be added tonight.

Just like my previous entry, I am posting this before the final contest held on Saturday 26th May on BBC1 and showing my personal opinion for each act.

1. Serbia: The track title...'Love is not a thing...' is an interesting title but we will overlook that. There are unique instruments including a bassoon, two violins, a tambourine, a flute and a pianist. Accompanied by some wellington boots, there is a melancholy intro performed on the strings and soothing vocals from the male lead. I like this track.

2. Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia: We begin with a woman singing, with her backing band plunged into darkness...will they remain that way? Her vocals are flawless and very well executed. Towards the middle, the track picks up to a rock song which includes an electric violin and cello. This song really picks up and is defiantly one of my favourite entries. It certainly is a strobe inducing performance. The female lead has similar vocal tones to that of Tarja Turunen of Nightwish. This performance is amazing!

FYR Macedonia

3. The Netherlands: She is on stage in one hell of an Indian head dress...She has too weak a voice to hit some of the high notes and her cockney accent at times is hilarious. Not to mention the cast of  'Of mice and men' to accompany her and take her to a country and western! The song is not hideous, but the performance element and the props are baffling and leave me looking for the meaning to the song. The vocals are fairly up and down and to me, this is not a winning performance. The commentator's comments reflecting mine said that 'If she took off the head dress she looks as though she could be from Liverpool...'


4. Malta: The opening lyrics are...'Hey look at me cant you see that i'm into you...' Well, no I cannot...The song itself leads me to bop my head but I am not drawn into the performance of it all, the foot dance they all do is thrilling though as it the fake DJ jumping about like a rat on acid. This is nothing more than a generic performance from a group of competent artists. I did enjoy the DJ doing a forward roll over another member of the band and dancing at the front though...

Belarus: Litesound 

5. Belarus: The beginning of the track resembles a Queen video and the vocals start off strong, but when the backing singers kick in at the verse it sounds off to me however in the chorus they are singing in harmony. The microphone stands look as though they have been made up from left over car parts...The song is not bad, their appearance is interesting, and with the help of magnetic shoes three of the band bend over backwards and balance spectacularly as part of the performance. At times there are some pretty tacky boy band moves but other than that this is a likable entry.


6. Portugal: The overall song is sung very well but there is not a lot going on with the stage presence. It is a very static performance with the backing singers sauntering in the background and providing a lovely accompaniment to the vocals. The overall song is very nice but not outstanding in its entirety. A finalist hopefully but only just.

Ukraine 

7. Ukraine: The singers dress is made from what looks like old curtain tassels tied together to make a shaggy dress...The Hawaiaan head dress is a mystery and there are some digital jelly babies dancing behind her. Her vocals are similar to that of Heather Small. I enjoy the trumpeters as they pop out from behind the jelly babies to perform and then dance joyously behind her. If you get a chance look closely at her hands as it looks like she has barbed wire wrapped around them...an interesting wardrobe choice. This is an upbeat number but not a favourite of mine. I enjoy the dancing though...At the end there is a giant screen showing what looks like a bad aerobics video  or what would happen if you  poured itching powder on a London commuter queue.


8. Bulgaria: This is a song encorporating ten languages...this isn't playing up to the voters at all. The woman is dressed in badly cut white super hero outfit complete with knee high white boots...and the whole thing appears to be made from Gaffa tape...The vocals are nothing special but the language collaboration is interesting.There are live Catherine wheel fireworks on stage...massive ones! This must be breaching health and safety?


9. Slovenia: I feel like I have walked onto the set of an Elizabethan wedding, the lead woman is wearing an interesting wedding dress that seems to have flowers thrown on it. The vocals are lovely though and the song is great. The second vocalist, acting as a siren encapsulates not only the people on stage but the audience too. I enjoyed this entry. It was defiantly made up of jilted brides though...

Croatia

10. Croatia: The setting for Croatia's entry is a gloomy sky and the vocalist is once again very good and the dress is stunning. The male dancers, dressed in netted tops and skirts are an interesting addition, they look like they should star in God of War goth edition...There are three women in the background that look like extras from Grease and do little but stand in a corner as if put there for being naughty. The lightening effects really helped this performance and it's stunning composition. Near the end the two men were playing with a white curtain...everyone loves a good shroud.


11. Sweden: Do not watch this if you are epileptic...there are enough strobes to give the planets a seizure. The vocals are alright but there is too much reverberation to her vocals and there are some questionable dance moves. You would however think she would have taken off her dressing gown before coming on stage...It looks as though the performance is sponsored by Head and Shoulders anti-dandruff shampoo and is defiantly a dance track. I liked this performance though...


12. Georgia: As the first male to represent the country, he has a lot to prove. He has chosen to dress as Altair from Assassins Creed...backed up by the cast of Chicago. Never has a song changed so much in 20 seconds. From a ballad sung in a brothel, to a pimp in a brothel...There is a dancer that has the hair of the woman from Heavenly Sword and is wearing what can only be described as a pair of tights that covers one leg and one arm and joins in the middle. The song is repetitive in an irritating way and is just a show of madness.

Turkey

13. Turkey: A catchy ditty accompanied by cape dancers and a sailor vocalist. The song was going so well until he opened his mouth. Is this what life is like at sea in Turkey? The whole production is amateur and laughable. At one point a fantastic break dance was taking place before he slipped on his own cape. The sailor is then transported into a boat, complete with sail made from the capes of his fellow men. This brings a whole new meaning to four man boat. The boat was a good idea and helped the appeal of the performance.


14. Estonia: Considering I am listening to the Estonian 'Troy Bolton' from High School Musical, the energy is lacking however the vocals are so much better than that of Zac Efron. The female vocals are very quiet and don't seem to add much as he drowns her out most of the time. I do like the performance as a whole due to the amazing vocal ability.

Slovakia's front man

15. Slovakia: A very unusual entry for the Eurovision. Beginning with a screaming man, the lead singer needs to realise that shirts are not his enemy, but his vocals are good and the band is full of energy which the audience seems to respond to. The screamo elements seem well placed and fit in with the overall performance. The band's lead singer is defiantly a feminine man and as the commentator said 'you'd never get a comb through that hair'.


16. Norway: The intro to the song has definite correlations to the intro from 'Satisfaction'...not a bad composition. The song is catchy and definitively a dance track. 'I don't know what I am doing tonight' - lyrics from the entry: We hope you are singing on the Eurovision! I do enjoy this entry though...


17. Bosnia and Herzegovina: The shoulder pads on this entry could rival that of Hilary Devey from Dragons' Den. A nice slow piano number, sung beautifully from this years entrant. It is a nice song but that is where it stays.


18. Lituania: Singing 'Love is Blind' the singer looks like a bejazzled Jordy La Forge from Star Trek with his eye mask...The vocals are nice though. There are some spectacular dance moves including a one handed cartwheel as the tempo picks up and the energy increases. A good overall performance.

Following these performances, the countries voted to send their favourite ten acts through to the Eurovision final. Here are the final ten countries.

Norway

1. Lithuania
2. Bosnia and Herzegovina 
3. Serbia
4. Ukraine
5. Sweden
6. Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia
7. Norway
8. Estonia 
9. Malta
10. Turkey


Such a shame that Slovakia did not get in, I liked how different it was but that's voting for you.

Tune in to BBC1 for the final of the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday 26th May at 8pm and show your support for your favourite entry!

Victoria V.L Walker

Eurovision 2012: Semifinal 1

In preparation for the second Eurovision semi final, I thought I would summarize my thoughts from the first 18 countries that battled their way to the finals.

With the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Azerbaijan already promised a place in the finals due to four of them funding the contest and Azerbaijan being last years winners, the contest has only twenty places left in the final. Therefore ten countries can progress to the finals from each semi final.

Broadcasted on Tuesday 22nd May at 8pm, the contest had begun. Below is the order of the entries and my brief opinion of them.

1. Montenegro: This was a bad start to the Eurovision, besides my first thought being, at least wash your hair before embarking on one of the biggest performances of anyone's career but the song was not memorable and the performance was dreadfully boring.

Iceland

2. Iceland: The duet that this country provided was wonderful. With similarities to Evanescence, the voices collaborated well together and the performance element was well thought out. This was a performance worthy of the Eurovision.

3. Greece: The woman in this did not stand out from any other generic female, and the dress appeared as though they could not afford the rest of the dress. The song was alright but nothing special.

4. Latvia: I agree with the commentator on this one, the collection of women appeared as though they were the Latvian Loose Women. The blonde lead was extremely tall and the other backing singers seemed to be hiding in her shadow.

5. Albania: The voice on this woman was incredible and her hair was something to behold. There seemed to be more structured noises than actual lyrics but her voice is very well trained and she defiantly had something about her.

6. Romania: The range of instruments led me to believe that this performance was going to be fantastic. However they did not use the instruments to the best use they faded away into the background. The singer was wearing a swimsuit underneath her dress and the performance was sub par.

7. Switzerland: I loved this performance. It was a rock song and it was performed really well and there was a good stage presence. The vocals were good and it was a very promising entry.

Finland

8. Belgium: The vocals were alright, they were a bit wispy and the performance did not stand out from any other from the past.


9. Finland: The Finnish entry was good vocally and the dress was defiantly something to remember due to the wind machine wafting it about as she sang. Took a little bit of the focus off her but it's still good.


10. Israel: For some, this entry was very entertaining. I did like the large clock at the beginning and it was a memorable performance. The main guy was defiantly a little bit gay judging from the home made earring but the song was alright.


11. San Marino: The social network song...based on Facebook...it was an odd entry and I was left feeling a bit disheartened by it.


12. Cyprus: The song was catchy during the chorus but the women were dressed in very pale clothing and the performance wasn't that good choreographically.


13. Denmark: This is my favourite entry so far. The lead singer is talented as are the musicians. There is a good range of instruments, even a xylophone solo! The drummer showed a great amount of enthusiasm and the song was really well written and performed.

Russia

14. Russia: There has been a lot of talk about this act and from the beginning I thought it was a bit overrated. The faster paced bit is catchy and the women are adorable but I don't see the appeal personally...and why is the oven rotating throughout the performance?? This will be a shoe in for the finals thanks to the hype it is already getting in the media.


15. Hungary: This was another good entry. There was a good chorus, a few tuning issues at the start but they were stamped out as the band got into the performance some more. A good entry.


16. Austria: This entry made me laugh so much! I know in their language it probably came across more normal but it just seemed so rude...as did the choreography. It all linked to being done up the bottom and the light up pants did not help their case! So funny to watch though!

Austria

17. Moldova: This act was also one of my favourite acts of the night. The lead singer looked like Colin Farrel and the trumpets were a great addition to the act. An image that revolves in my mind is 'lampshade fish' due to the attire of the females. Great performance!


18. Ireland: Represented by Jedward once again with their song 'waterline'. They are wearing a shiny silver suit of armour with flat hair. The song was alright and stuck in my mind, I liked the use of water fountains and the ending where Jedward are just stood in a water fountain drenched...a good ending to the show.

The finalists of Eurovision 2012 from this heat are as follows:

Jedward: Ireland

1. Ireland
2. Greece
3. Russia
4. Moldova
5. Hungary
6. Denmark
7. Cyprus
8. Romania
9. Albania
10. Iceland

Congratulations to all the finalists, however I am disappointed that Switzerland did not get in, they were so good! And Austria...was entertaining how can that not have progressed!

I look forward to the next semifinal which will be broadcast Thursday 24th May at 8pm on BBC3.eurovi

Victoria V.L Walker

50 Shades of Grey: Book 2

So following the ending of book one being left on such a cliff hanger I had to read the second one the moment I had finished. Which surely is the point of a good trilogy. 50 Shades Darker is the second in the 50 Shades series and follows on perfectly from the first.

The outline of the story revolves around Christian and his attempts to win Ana back after their unexpected split at the end of the first book. The couple embark on a mission of discovery and face many dangers in their path to knowledge.

The story continues to be as gripping as the first so that we can forgive the number of words that may have appeared through severe use of a thesaurus. There is one thing that really gets to me in the style of writing that I have to overlook due to pure addiction and that is her use of calling Christian 'My 50'. Referencing the name of the book can sometimes work but in this case does not.

I love how the characters are portrayed throughout the books and the colour of each character. We see the introduction of more characters and a few sinister twists through this book that led me to gasp when reading them. I am completely drawn in by the story and for someone who has never written before she has done extremely well to produce something so page turning.

This book combines normal day life with some of the secrets that people hold in this day and age and some of the desires that we all possess. Anastasia Steele has numerous tricky decisions to make within this book and you feel as the readers, that you are right there with her.

I am still in complete understanding of every feeling Anastasia has emotionally for Christian and the number of times I was nearly in tears because of this story is baffling!

I am looking forward to the final part in this amazing emotional trilogy and know that EL James has created something phenomenal. Now that I have started the third and final installment I am left with a sense of dread as the end of the second was so light that I have to wonder what can go wrong next...this trilogy cannot have a happy ending...can it? One can hope...

Victoria V.L Walker

How fast can you read?

I have always been one for reading a good book and the fact that I have such a passion for reading has always led me to believe that I am quite a fast reader.

I have read a 250 page book in the space of a 2 hour train journey before and I have always known that I can read faster than most of the people I know. Obviously there are things to consider when taking up the art of reading, whether it be forced for an assignment or for fun can really change how fast you read.

If you are forced to read it for an assignment then you're going to have to read a certain number of pages in a certain time frame and this can cause stress and the reader will usually be easily distracted. I remember when I had to read 'Hard Times' by Charles Dickens as part of my university degree, I not only had to read it but I had to look up every third word in the dictionary which can be a lengthy process and break the book up in terms of flow and plot. This brings into question the language used in some books because if all the words are understandable then the book will be a doddle to read.

I am a fan of dark romance books and as you can tell from my previous post I am currently reading the 50 Shades of Gray trilogy. The love story is what keeps the pages turning. If you are reading a book that does not interest you then you will obviously take longer because you will read a page, get bored and go and do something else. If the first few pages do not interest you then the chances are you will never finish the book!

http://www.staples.com/sbd/cre/marketing/technology-research-centers/ereaders/speed-reader/index.html

I got sent this link over Facebook last night, and it is a test where you get a passage to read and you have a set of three questions to answer to prove you have read it, you need at least 2/3 to pass the test. It will work out how fast you read the passage and an average word per minute timer, this will then tell you in percentage form where you stand against the national average.

My result said that I read 853 words a minute, and am therefore 241% above the national average...which only helped to affirm that I can indeed read pretty speedily.

Click the link above and try the test for yourself, it's fun and you can retake it at a later date to see if you've improved!

Please never stop reading books for books are the door into another place.

Find below a list of my top ten book series to read, they mainly fall under the romance category but some stand out above the rest! This list is in no particular order!!

1. The Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling
2. The Phillip Pullman Dark Materials Trilogy
3. The Hunger Games Trilogy: Suzanne Collins
4. Alyson Noel's series beginning with 'Evermore'
5. The Twilight Saga: Stephenie Meyer
6. Becca Fitzpatrick's collection beginning with 'Hush Hush'
7. Lauren Kate's collection beginning with 'Fallen'
8. Maggie Steifvater's collection beginning with 'Shiver'
9. E L James 50 Shades of Gray Trilogy
10. J.RR Tolkein: The Lord of The Rings collection

And one more... 'Wicked' and the sequel 'Son of a Witch' by Gregory Maguire!

Victoria V.L Walker

Review: Grease, The Regent Theatre, Hanley, May 7th 2012

Classic musical Grease has arrived in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent much to the audiences approval.

As my mature nature seems to be taking over, I have yet again been to the theatre to enjoy another knockout performance. This time it was to see classic musical Grease. The hit production started performances in Hanley on May 7th and will be showing at The Regent Theatre until May 12th 2012.

Opening night showed a packed audience and a fantastic reception. The band were a fantastic addition to this production because from the moment the production started they were giving off so much energy that the atmosphere was electric.

The musical encapsulates everything you would expect from a performance of Grease, the amazing cast, fantastic choreography and flawless vocals. All of the favourite songs were performed including You're the one that I want, Grease Lightening, Hopelessly devoted to you and many more.

The dedication from everyone involved was obvious and the cast could not have worked harder to make the musical a success.

The cast were joined by Rhydian Roberts from X-Factor as the angel. His performances on X-Factor always screamed theatre so it is no surprise that he has ended up in theatre, it is where he belongs. This role shows off the best of Rhydian's vocal talents and left the audience in awe.

He has previously said; “It is an iconic show and I think it was voted the most popular musical of the last 50 years.

“I love performing to big audiences. You get that with theatre as, despite the recession, people still flock to the theatre."

With only a few nights left in Stoke-on-Trent, tickets are still available from the box office. You will find yourself tapping your feet with the best of them at this fantastic production!

Read the interview with Rhydian at: http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/entertainment-in-newcastle/theatre/2011/10/25/interview-rhydian-roberts-who-stars-in-grease-72703-29656388/#ixzz1uO39bsRU

For all you theatre fanatics, stay tuned for more reviews and goings on in the wonderful world of the theatre. A passion that I have had all my life...from starring in musicals myself to reviewing them...how things can change!

Victoria V.L. Walker

50 Shades of Grey: Book 1

50 Shades of Grey by E.L James is a book for the 21st century. Contrary to popular opinion it is a good read and allows the reader to explore a whole new world beyond their own mind.

E.L James, Author of 50 Shades of Grey

Following the popular trends is sometimes what a journalist has to do to really understand the societies interests. In some cases this can be watching a genre you don't particularly enjoy or an experience you want to know more about. In this instance it is a book that is dragging us into modern day life one housewife at a time. It is not just aimed at housewives and mothers but all of society, however an amusing joke advert for the book (shown at the end of this) says otherwise...

In this case, I chose to embark on a whole new journey and read #1 New York Times Bestseller 50 Shades of Grey. Not having read much of this genre, if any, I had a long way to go to understand how E.L James came up with the inspiration for the trilogy.

In a previous interview she mentioned that she got inspiration from Stephenie Meyer and her Twilight Saga and originally posted it online as Twilight fanfiction.

Th book tells the story of Anastasia Steele and how from a chance encounter she meets successful entrepreneur Christian Gray and the connection in instantaneous. The couple both have demons to overcome, hers being the introduction to a life of BDSM and his being his fear of commitment.

The story is as it appears online, a graphic book of sexual encounters but there is so much more to it than what people say. Having read 50 Shades of Grey myself, the story is a typical romance. There is an attraction between two adults, both have their issues to overcome if the relationship is to survive. Granted if I was in her position I would probably run for the hills but I understand why she chooses to do what she does.

Yes it is true at times I was reading through almost closed eyes because some of the content is so out there but you have to admire E.L James for getting it out there and rumour has it she has tried most of the acts within the book with her husband, how is that for research?

My Personal Choice
for Christian Gray

For a woman to get so inspirted and to write a trilogy of this nature and for it to take off as it has is a fantastic achievement, James has never written a book before these three and I think you will agree that no matter what your overall opinion of the book, that it is a real eye opener for anyone who dares to read it. I was hooked due to the nature of the story line and the darker side of the book is just a part of life. However, as a friend said to me, no author writes the whole truth about every day life or there would be a few pages dedicated to taking trips to the loo!

Having finished the story today I find myself completely involved with the characters and what is going on, it is left at a cliff hanger and leaves the author wanting to know what happens next. I literally reached straight for 50 Shades Darker to begin the next part of an epic journey.

The story is well written and thorough and a real insightful masterpiece in my eyes. I look forward to reading the sequels 50 Shades Darker and 50 Shades Freed.

I am aware that some people may not agree with my opinion and that is fine, I am just explaining that as a journalist, I can see what all the fuss is about it and I am completely on board with this trilogy!

If you are a fan of the books then you're in for a real treat as the film rights have been sold and the movies are on the way. Who are they going to cast as Christian Gray? I think it should be Matt Bomer...just look at him. He's perfect for it!

Victoria V.L Walker