Running commentary: Eurovision Malta final night

Live coverage: Eurovision Malta Song Contest final at the MFCC

1. We're live. But like everyone else we're waiting for this endless stream of adverts to come to an end. In the meantime, start microwaving your popcorn or have your say on our homepage poll. Do you think any song has what it takes to win the real Eurovision?

   20:44 pmChristian

2. Backstage. Actually make it front stage: the audience warm-up guy is Peter Carbonaro. His outfit is Count Dracula meets Eminem's boots. Yes. Very Stylewatchy.

   20:46 pmKristina

3. We're on folks! Will tonight bring us another Cruella de Ville fashion moment? More black leggings to shame the glitzy gowns? Silk ringlets naughtily masquerading as Tal-Lira plastic? The night is young...

   20:47 pmRamona

4. What is this? I'd love to pass a witty comment but I don't know what I'm looking at.

   20:49 pmChristian

5. Backstage. Crowd has been nicely warmed up. For the record, it's full of women cosied up in red or white coats. Most men have scarves round their necks, Godfather style.

   20:51 pmKristina

6. Kicking off in style... Not. Have yet to see a more mis-matched bunch on stage. Teens in shabby jeans followed by a lady in a lopsided, strapless black gown? Continuity, people!

   20:51 pmRamona

7. There's nothing green about the Green Room. Black would be more of an apt description. It's empty save for a few dancers prancing in shimmery leotards.

   20:52 pmKristina

8. Why do I feel I'm watching a cross between High School Musical and Gensna?

   20:53 pmRamona

9. Oh. Seems like carnival's happening early on stage...And am I the only one feeling nauseous with all this panning from a side angle?

   20:56 pmRamona

10. I'm already missing the glove.

    20:57 pmChristian

11. Why does Azerbaijan want to watch Malta's Eurovision?

    20:57 pmChristian

12. Whoa is this the same Elaine from yesterday? Overnight transformation from Cinderella by the sink to a rather sophisticated get-up. A tad over-demure and too old for her perhaps? But hey... as long as there's no Vileda I'm happy.

    20:58 pmRamona

13. I guess Eileen Montesin is going to be saying great things about Azerbaijan during the actual festival. "Dawn vera ihobbu lil Malta."

    21:00 pmChristian

14. Oh I'm sure the lady from Azerbaijan is lighting a lot of fires. Loving her look. This is how it's done.

    21:00 pmRamona

15. Ronnie is definitely Malta's Lee Evans. He also has the voice of an angel.

    21:01 pmChristian

16. Backstage. Most singers locked up in their cubicles, adding final touches to make-up and hair. Kaya (her of the big tent dress) told us that the dress is really really comfortable.

    21:02 pmKristina

17. Lawrence Gray told us his lucky charm is his wife. All together now... Awww

    21:02 pmKristina

18. If I see any other song titles with 'eyes' in the title my eyes will start bleeding.

    21:03 pmChristian

19. Is that Lawrence Gray or an overgrown schoolboy in uniform?

    21:04 pmRamona

20. The sign on Gianni's cubicle reads: 'Ladies Only'. There's a mass meeting of guys inside.

    21:04 pmKristina

21. Why is Lawrence Gray excited? This is his hundredth performance.

    21:04 pmChristian

22. Austin Powers or Mini Me?

    21:05 pmChristian

23. A small group of singers crowd around one of the scores of flat screens in green room. General feeling is one of, err, gloom.

    21:05 pmKristina

24. The backdrop looks like space in a 1980s film.

    21:06 pmChristian

25. Lawrence Gray sure does the creepy intense stare well... Been overdoing it on the Twilight series?

    21:06 pmRamona

26. Anticipating the first key-change of the night with trepidation!

    21:06 pmChristian

27. If that was a miracle we should really rethink our idea of God.

    21:08 pmChristian

28. Great performance under the circumstances, though.

    21:09 pmChristian

29. All the lads around me drool every time Elaine comes on stage. Vileda or not.

    21:09 pmKristina

30. Deborah C takes the stage.

    21:10 pmChristian

31. Flash news Deborah C. It's the Eurovision, not the plane aisle. Ditch that blessed airhostess' hat.

    21:10 pmRamona

32. Considering filing an official complaint. Are these two dancers supposed to pass as eye-candy for the ladies? We are not amused.

    21:12 pmRamona

33. Peter Carbonaro comes in to check the scene. Was he sent to warm up the green room? His Dracula coat will scare everyone off back to the cubicles.

    21:13 pmKristina

34. Finally. A pretty girl in a pretty dress sporting a pretty smile. Go Dorothy.

    21:14 pmRamona

35. I still can't understand the autobiography metaphor.

    21:15 pmChristian

36. Why did five writers feel the need to specify the type of flower the petals are from?

    21:22 pmChristian

37. Thankfully, the Eurovision kitsch does not seem to have rubbed off on Gianni.

    21:22 pmRamona

38. Gianni is the personification of man's eternal struggle against the forces of ageing.

    21:23 pmChristian

39. We seem to have lost some comments while uploading the video. Oh well.

    21:23 pmChristian

40. Audience sounds very hyper from back here. It's break time but they're told to please not go to the loo.
    

    21:25 pmKristina

41. Why didn't Elaine thank Vileda when mentioning the sponsors?

    21:26 pmRamona

42. So... four songs down, 12 to go. Is everyone still awake?

    21:30 pmChristian

43. Kaya has emerged from her dressing room. She is posing and generally standing about in the manner of Queen Victoria.

    21:31 pmKristina

44. Token Franco Debono joke. A bit predictable though. Ours will be better.

    21:32 pmChristian

45. Claudia Faniello on stage. Raising the temperature a hundred degrees.

    21:32 pmRamona

46. Is there room for more than one Faniello in this circus?

    21:33 pmChristian

47. This is one of the songs that's tipped to win. Mostly because of the unspoken Maltese pact that singers who come close to winning each year eventually should have their turn.

    21:36 pmChristian

48. Say what you will about the glittery column she's wearing, Claudia is stunning. Oh yeah, apparently she sings too.

    21:36 pmRamona

49. Kurt Calleja and his team are having a little group hug moment just outside the green room.

    21:37 pmKristina

50. Malta's Selena Gomez takes the stage. Justin Bieber must be getting excited.

    21:38 pmChristian

51. Kurt nearly has a heart attack when we tell him that he's being touted as a favourite. Not here please. Not now.

    21:39 pmKristina

52. Danica's silk ringlets still look like cheap, red plastic from where I'm sitting.

    21:40 pmRamona

53. Who's the guy who took this teenager to heaven and back?

    21:40 pmChristian

54. Another Faniello. This is his ninth Eurovision song I believe. Determination. Motivation.

    21:42 pmChristian

55. Elaine looks like she's being distracted by Angry Birds on her iPad.

    21:43 pmChristian

56. Sweat patch!

    21:44 pmChristian

57. Is this what Franco Debono meant when he said PBS has become worse than the 80s?

    21:45 pmChristian

58. Now we know we why he was topless.. He sweats profusely this man.

    21:46 pmKristina

59. Better fight your way out of that grey affair you're wearing Fab...

    21:46 pmRamona

60. Elaine and Ron, if you're giggling because you're reading this blog, give us a shout-out!

    21:47 pmChristian

61. Disney. Safer than cruises.

    21:48 pmChristian

62. Who's that suited up matron on stage? Oh wait...

    21:49 pmRamona

63. Are her eyes mystifying anyone? Cute smile.

    21:50 pmChristian

64. I like this. Solid performance. Well done Corazzzzon.

    21:51 pmChristian

65. PBS is really making an effort to get us to leave the country.

    21:54 pmChristian

66. Currently filling time by taking bets on which surname Elaine will mess up next...

    21:57 pmRamona

67. If you're having trouble viewing this on the mobile site follow it normally on timesofmalta.com

    21:58 pmChristian

68. Richard Edwards is solely responsible for the global shortage of hair gel.

    22:01 pmChristian

69. Richard MIcallef wrote the song. Richard Edwards is singing. But they are the same person.

    22:03 pmChristian

70. Someone sounds like he has a bad cold.

    22:03 pmRamona

71. Singers' stylist Carina Camilleri is in the green room. She is wearing a ruby mermaid skirt and grey sweater. Nice chunky gold necklace.

    22:05 pmKristina

72. Not memorable but I guess this is the gutsy alternative act.

    22:05 pmChristian

73. Half the female audience is in love with Richard.

    22:06 pmKristina

74. Look it's Queen Amidala!

    22:07 pmChristian

75. Bram Stoker's Dracula meets Cruella de Ville. Where did she leave the dalmations?

    22:07 pmRamona

76. Kaya said she chose this dress with Carina. Originally it was a bigger dress.

    22:07 pmKristina

77. The hair! It's aliiiiiiiive.

    22:07 pmRamona

78. Did she just try to imitate Chiara's trademark neck shake?

    22:08 pmChristian

79. Kaya told us she's happy everyone's talking about her dress.

    22:09 pmKristina

80. Everyone has an ailment. Thank God for the many miracles he is performing tonight.

    22:11 pmChristian

81. Did a parrot die on Amber's shoulders?

    22:12 pmRamona

82. Ember is gonna enser with her eyes.

    22:12 pmRamona

83. Ironic that she has an ailment in her eye. I wonder what the question was.

    22:13 pmChristian

84. On a positive note there are still three more horsemen of the apocalypse to go...

    22:14 pmChristian

85. "It-tfajla qed tistrijmjah." Umm. How do you stream a person exactly?

    22:16 pmRamona

86. This song's already lovely.

    22:17 pmChristian

87. Really good performance Wayne.

    22:20 pmChristian

88. If PBS had to run so many adverts they could have provided slightly more variety.

    22:23 pmChristian

89. Wayne's was just another love song. Snore.

    22:25 pmRamona

90. Meanwhile, Glen Vella is doing an impromptu rehearsal here.

    22:26 pmKristina

91. He's wearing a bird feather jacket.

    22:26 pmKristina

92. Another dead parrot?

    22:26 pmChristian

93. Can they at least vary the order of the adverts before I completely lose it and drown myself in the popcorn?

    22:27 pmRamona

94. Amber is in the green room surrounded by her girlfriends. She seems worried.

    22:27 pmKristina

95. Glen is wearing the highest heels in the entire universe. Check them out when he comes out on stage!

    22:28 pmKristina

96. Tell Amber she has nothing to worry about. She did fine.

    22:29 pmChristian

97. Is that David Schwimmer?

    22:31 pmChristian

98. Wow Kurt seems to have been hard at work with the shoe polish.

    22:33 pmRamona

99. The audience loves Kurt!

    22:33 pmKristina

100. These lyrics are amazing. So relevant. Subtle social commentary about our times.

     22:33 pmChristian

101. Crowd is mad. This is the favourite with the audience for sure.

     22:34 pmKristina

102. Nice voice, Kurt but please don't jump about like a little girl on stage.

     22:34 pmRamona

103. Key change!!! No seriously change the key!

     22:35 pmChristian

104. Everyone's sure he'll make it through with the top three.

     22:35 pmKristina

105. Janvil. That's one word now.

     22:36 pmChristian

106. Scary thought: They are watching us live in Baku, Azerbaijan. I wonder what they are making of Janvil's banter.

     22:37 pmKristina

107. Did they trying to give Janvil a subtle hint, airing hair repair commercials right before his song?
     

     22:38 pmRamona

108. Why is Janvil shouting at us?

     22:40 pmChristian

109. Brace yourselves for the Cockney.

     22:42 pmChristian

110. Have a hunch this will get the girl teenyboppers starstruck...

     22:43 pmRamona

111. The chorus reminds me a bit of one of those Bieber songs. Shudder.

     22:43 pmRamona

112. Klinsmann is looking less like his namesake footballer and more like, ahem, Prince Edward.

     22:44 pmKristina

113. It's the last song!

     22:45 pmChristian

114. Is there some unwritten Eurovision rule that they can only sing about thwarted love? Boring.

     22:45 pmRamona

115. Francesca's legs show up to brighten up the stage.

     22:46 pmRamona

116. Where did Francesca's bird nest go?

     22:47 pmChristian

117. Shame she seems to have forgotten her voice backstage.

     22:47 pmRamona

118. I think her voice is ok. I just don't know what she's saying.

     22:49 pmChristian

119. Glen and his Anime gospel choir are getting all geared up. His deftness on those heels is award winning.

     22:50 pmKristina

120. Get ready for televoting. Or if you think no one deserves to win, vote on our online poll.

     22:51 pmChristian

121. Cut it out already with the "waqfa qasira". We want to see Glen's heels. NOW.

     22:52 pmRamona

122. Time to start hearing all the songs over and over and over again. Or to make more popcorn.

     22:55 pmChristian

123. Claudia Faniello told us she's keeping her fingers crossed

     22:55 pmKristina

124. She'd love to be on The Times front page, she says with a smile.

     22:56 pmKristina

125. My vote goes...very predictably... to Gianni.

     22:56 pmRamona

126. What can I say, I'm a sucker for the ageing rocker look...

     22:57 pmRamona

127. I think Kurt Calleja will win. But my favourite song has got to be Wayne's even though it probably won't do well in the actual show.

     22:59 pmChristian

128. I like Claudia and Amber. But I have a feeling that it's going to be Kurt.

     22:59 pmKristina

129. Can we re-christen this 'The festival of bland'? Where's the passion gone? Oh and green room? Are they colour blind?

     23:00 pmRamona

130. Gianni gives us a lesson in laundry and housekeeping...

     23:01 pmRamona

131. Gianni's is a favourite with the singers, incidentally. But it could also be that they don't see him as a threat, tut, tut.

     23:02 pmKristina

132. Janvil takes a leaf out of Franco Debono's book and tells us he receives many SMSs.

     23:03 pmChristian

133. Stop the press!! Malta's Peter Pan just admitted he's going senile.

     23:03 pmRamona

134. Franco Debono has evidently brought mobile phones into popular discourse.

     23:04 pmChristian

135. Over here we are all looking forward to the after party. We're hoping it's livelier than yesterday's, where the average age was roughly 73.

     23:04 pmKristina

136. I really have a soft spot for Dorothy. She's so natural and down-to-earth.

     23:04 pmRamona

137. Does anyone actually know what a lucky charm is?

     23:06 pmChristian

138. Someone quick, design a lucky charm meme!

     23:07 pmChristian

139. Francesca announces that her room looks like a monti stand...

     23:08 pmRamona

140. Kaya goes retro! Who remembers what a Mon Cicci is?

     23:11 pmRamona

141. Did someone just confess to keeping holy relics in her undies?! This gets weirder and weirder.

     23:12 pmRamona

142. Our bets here are on Claudia, Amber and Kurt.

     23:12 pmKristina

143. Another daddy reference from Fabrizio. Boy certainly knows how to work the audience.

     23:12 pmRamona

144. But we just did this re-listening to the songs five minutes ago!

     23:14 pmRamona

145. Bring back Disney! On second thoughts better not, we might get a Clinton Paul eruption on stage.

     23:17 pmRamona

146. Spoke too soon there! They just got the Disney ad again. Expect a rebellion right about now.

     23:19 pmRamona

147. I love the Disney.

     23:20 pmChristian

148. This Du Jardin song is quite good. Let's send this!

     23:21 pmChristian

149. Running out of wine and popcorn here. Any volunteers?

     23:21 pmRamona

150. Ramona has just shamelessly asked for a date.

     23:21 pmChristian

151. Judging by her silence, I'm guessing Kristina found one before her.

     23:22 pmChristian

152. I don't want a date. I want a delivery.

     23:23 pmRamona

153. Remember when Klinsmann said his lucky charm is his son? Well, I've just confirmed, he is called Klose. Someone here says that if he places second he can say 'So Klose but yet so far'.

     23:25 pmKristina

154. Did Glen just have a stage malfunction? And did the audience burst out laughing?

     23:26 pmChristian

155. Lie? Who is lying?

     23:27 pmRamona

156. Check out the heels!!

     23:27 pmKristina

157. Birds are dying on people's shoulders. It must be the ever-growing urbanisation.

     23:28 pmChristian

158. Kristina wasn't exaggerating. Those heels! Glen, I need lessons!

     23:28 pmRamona

159. But they're the only thing we have that flies! Better get Ms Malta on to this one fast.

     23:29 pmRamona

160. First the diabolical then the angelical. Here comes the gospel choir.

     23:30 pmKristina

161. He removed the heels too.

     23:30 pmChristian

162. A spot of karaoke.

     23:32 pmChristian

163. For those who are not watching, TV Glen Vella is giving a karaoke version of Michael Jackson's Heal the World. The creativity is astounding.

     23:34 pmChristian

164. He deserves credit. That was the quickest change of outfit in the history of the world.

     23:34 pmKristina

165. When in doubt, throw in an MJ number and keep the audience quiet...

     23:34 pmRamona

166. It's been three hours. I'm exhausted.

     23:36 pmChristian

167. Nik and El of Azerbaijan are making their way to the main stage. The girl is a show stopper. Just in case anyone is interested, El is not her boyfriend.

     23:36 pmKristina

168. I love the way Glen says 'Eurivision'

     23:37 pmKristina

169. And Elaine's 'Snow on the SEhera'...

     23:39 pmKristina

170. Revealing a lady's age on TV Elaine? Good job the whole spiel was in Maltese or we might be cheering a catfight instead of listening to that delightful French accent right now.

     23:40 pmRamona

171. Can we adopt this song?

     23:40 pmChristian

172. Now where was this lady hiding? We never saw her anywhere close to the green room.

     23:40 pmKristina

173. Chris tells us he's exhausted. The drama queen.

     23:41 pmRamona

174. Did Ronnie just say thank you to Angunn's 'nice dress' comment?

     23:42 pmChristian

175. Nice dress!! Wonder what Anggun would've made of the Vileda gloves...

     23:43 pmRamona

176. Ron gets a round of applause from the people in the green room.

     23:43 pmKristina

177. Ronnie just showed us how it's done. Well done player.

     23:44 pmChristian

178. That is a lovely dress. Maltese stylists please note.

     23:44 pmKristina

179. Ronnie looks like a truck hit him. Do you blame him?

     23:44 pmRamona

180. Anggun's lack of Maltese knowledge: No problem, say the lads here, there's such a thing as 'universal language'.

     23:47 pmKristina

181. Ron should be given a contract to present the Malta Eurovision every year.

     23:47 pmKristina

182. Distinct lack of dead parrots in Anggun's ensemble... maybe our stylists should discreetly point out the failing. After all we wouldn't want to show up the poor woman would we.

     23:48 pmRamona

183. Azerbaijan breathes a collective sigh of relief. They've been waiting for this moment for approximately three and a half hours.

     23:50 pmChristian

184. Nikki and our Wayne seem to share the same hairstylist.

     23:52 pmRamona

185. Poor kids have been singing this song for an entire year. Their career seems to have really boomed since winning the Eurovision.

     23:54 pmChristian

186. Elaine's next question: And also, what are your lucky charms?

     23:55 pmChristian

187. He's clearly an Azerbaijani pepe.

     23:56 pmChristian

188. How did the Eurovision change your lives? Well, countries like Malta fork out thousands to give us free holidays every so often.
     

     23:56 pmRamona

189. The singers have left the green room and moved to the sides of the stage near the audience.

     23:59 pmKristina

190. Am I being too hopeful in thinking this is over soon? I mean how long can they stretch it?

     00:00 amRamona

191. The arena is full. It's estimated that there are 2,500 people here.

     00:02 amKristina

192. Ell takes the stage on her own and I can feel the surge in testosterone all the way from Ta' Qali.

     00:03 amRamona

193. Confirmed. The lads can't focus any more.

     00:04 amKristina

194. Frank Zammit is wiping a trophy with a Vileda glove.

     00:05 amChristian

195. The last loo break before the countdown.

     00:07 amKristina

196. Do we have to wait to see who the winner is? Surely there are no winners....

     00:10 amChristian

197. Wow. It's really happening... Finally.

     00:12 amChristian

198. The tension is palable.

     00:13 amKristina

199. Kurt Calleja got the maximum televoting points. We predicted that!

     00:14 amChristian

200. Now it's the judges' turn.

     00:14 amChristian

201. Some singers have actually gone pale under their foundation.

     00:15 amKristina

202. Kurt, please don't start crying!

     00:15 amRamona

203. Kurt Calleja, Claudia Faniello and Gianni are currently in the top three.

     00:17 amChristian

204. Whenever they say gurat I think grasshoppers.

     00:17 amRamona

205. Seems like Claudia and Kurt are going head to head...

     00:18 amRamona

206. Hanswer with your heyes!

     00:18 amChristian

207. Kurt Calleja, Claudia Faniello and Amber are the top three for now.

     00:19 amChristian

208. Told you so!

     00:19 amKristina

209. As Kurt gets closer, he's sobbing with excitement.

     00:20 amChristian

210. Yep. Kurt's definitely crying now.

     00:20 amRamona

211. Amber is sitting at the edge of her seat.

     00:21 amKristina

212. Keith Demicoli confirms that Kurt Calleja has won.

     00:22 amChristian

213. I don't wish to be predictable, but this was his night after all.

     00:22 amChristian

214. Rivers on stage. But he's cute and charming so we're happy for him. Right?

     00:23 amRamona

215. The crowd is up on its feet, dancing to the beat!

     00:23 amKristina

216. Has Claudia come second yet again?

     00:24 amChristian

217. Kurt about to give his final performance.

     00:25 amChristian

218. I can totally picture this song making a hit in Azerbaijan in all honesty. Get them on their feet. Well done Kurt!

     00:25 amRamona

219. Claudia is being hugged by singers and composers.

     00:26 amKristina

220. And what a long night it was...

     00:26 amChristian

221. We're also calling it a night. Thanks for following us.

     00:27 amChristian

222. I feel a bit sorry for Claudia. Ah well it's always down to luck I guess. Over and out from my end.

     00:28 amRamona

223. Goodnight! After party here I come!

     00:28 amKristina

224. See you again in May for an even more brutal commentary of the real thing! Good luck Kurt.

     00:29 amChristian