Nicky Byrne has been knocked out of the Eurovision song contest. It’s the third year in a row the Irish act has failed to reach the final. Around Stockholm disappointed Irish fans are consoling themselves with international solidarity, good weather and the prospect of another Eurovision spectacle tonight.
So with Ireland out of the competition, here are some things to look out for in tonight’s show.
The bookies’ favourites:
Australia - It's their second time in the contest proper (they were a "guest" three years ago) Dami Im sings a great euphoric song called Sound of Silence atop a glittery version of the monolith from 2001, A Space Odyssey. It's has convinced me that not only should Australia be in the Eurovision, they should probably be in the EU. We can kick out Britain to make space.
Ukraine - 1944 is Jamala's excellent, melodically-offbeat history lesson on the expulsion of the Tartars from Crimea by Stalinist forces. Jamala says it's the story of her own family, though there may also be some references here to the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Russia - Sergei Lazarev sings You're the Only One a bland by-numbers Eurodance song. Luckily he brought his own stage upon which he clambers and capers to distract us and disrupt our sense of space and geography, much like Russian foreign policy (Boom boom!).
Also watch out for:
The other Irish entry - We still have a stake in this competition. The Czech Republic's song I Stand sung by Gabriela Gun?íková was co-written by Limerick man Aidan O'Connor. Go Aidan!
Justin Timberlake - the American superstar graces the interval act with his presence, suggesting that it's only a matter of time before we have an American act competing and/or Donald Trump hosting.
The hosts goofing about. Comedian Petra Mede and last year's winner Måns Zelmerlöw opened Thursday's show with a Neil Patrick Harris style song-and dance number referencing Eurovision clichés about bankrupting countries, its "theatrical" audience and bloc-voting.
Bad indie music - Georgia, in an obvious attempt to be kicked out early, sent a terrible indie band called Nika Kocharov and Young Georgian Lolitaz. The people of Europe called Georgia's bluff and now they're in the final. It's like watching Channel 4's The Word circa 1992.
The political posturing of warring divas - Azerbaijan's Samra (accompanied by a sexy gold plated American football player) and Armenia's Iveta Mukucheyan (wearing a cloak and bathing suit like Superman). These countries have an ongoing territorial dispute which Mukucheyan enflamed by holding a flag from contested territory Nagorno-Karabakh (Armenia subsequently have been threatened with unspecified sanctions by the EBU).
Anime-obsessed Germans - Germany is, like the other members of the big five (France, the UK, Italy and Spain, the Eurovision's permanent security council), allowed skip straight to the final. This year they're represented by K-Pop obsessive Jamie-Lee Kriewitz who dresses like an anime star with a fruit basket on her head.
Country music! The Netherlands have begun making a thing of sending vaguely countrified artists to Eurovision. A couple of years they came second with the legitimately great Calm Before the Storm by The Common Linnets. This year, they've got the pleasantly twangy Slow Down sung by Douwe Bob. We should send Big Tom next year.
