If you’re planning a holiday to Greece anytime soon, save your money get Argo over to perform “Utopian Land” instead. Despite a lack of sound here in the press centre, we had access to footage of their first rehearsal at Eurovision 2016 and we liked what we saw!
The performance begins focusing on a man with the lavouto with one of the ladies of the band dropping it a cappella on the stage. Then female vocalists enter the stage stomping for the gods. They join the male members of the group who slay traditional instruments and drums. And just when you think it couldn’t be any more Greek, the members come together harmoniously to perform the Zorba!
The entire stage was draped in gold and it looked expensive and fierce. And unlike it’s predecessor Finland, the camera work was a lot tighter on Argo therefore giving the illusion of the stage being filled even more.
Do we think Greece will make the final? Judging from staging alone, perhaps they will. This was nice.
Greece: First rehearsal at Eurovision 2016
Argo’s “Utopian Land”: Reviews and Reactions
Read all of our Eurovision rehearsal reviews
Photo: Thomas Hanses (EBU)
It really confuses me how Europe “falls” under the Greek ethno style while despises every other ethno style, namely the Slavic and the Turkish. Go figure.
@Leaf
you were saying the same for Maria Elena Kyriakou last year and for Rise up the year before…
We get it, you are from Fyrom 😛
I agree that the greek song isn’t that good this year but the staging looks stunning. I wouldn’t call Greece doomed yet.
Nothing can save the song, even if Mans and Sergey go on stage to DANCE WITH THEM and HAVE SOME FUN underneath the rising sun …..
You did a great job guys covering the first rehearsal of Greece. I hope to qualify and finish in a good place. There is a misunderstanting in greek traditional instrument that has been mentioned above. It is actually called pontic kemenche or pontic lyra and its origins are from the lyra of Apollo, the greek God of light and music.
The staging was good at all.
50%-50% to be or not a finalist
Greece and Argo can qualify,because the rehearsel and staging was amazing and good.
@William Lee Adams
Correction for you guys. The dance done is not the Hasapiko (Zorba) but rather is the Pontian dance known as Serra (or Pyrrichios)
🙂
Greece would be in final. This song is good moreover Greece always qualifies in Grand Final.
I like it, the live version (combined with the staging) really elevates this.
Might make the final, depending on how well other countries do at staging.
dark horse much?
i’ve always loved greece’s entry this year, semi 1 is so brutal though
Argo straight to the Final!
The unknown is the change in voting this year – one or two of the usual suspects might miss this year: this is a quite even semi final if you take out three or four standout songs there are only about three or four songs that will not qualify which means trying to squeeze six from about ten.
Mamma mia.Grecia.You are so great on stage.Modern and traditional.You have my votes.
Greece you did your miracle again!!!
Greece wili be in final . They wili surprise us like in 2011 and 2013.
I hope this crappy song fails to qualify. Its a strong semi so it is possible 🙂
Yeees!!!
Greece is in final!
Go Greece!!!
Every year Maria Lyraraki does amazing job!
@nicky
Really now??more than ira?
@marine
yeah exactly I loved it 🙂
Go Greece.Your rehearsal was so solid!Darkhorse
another qualifier for me, Go Greece Go Argo 🙂
I just really like them, maybe even more than i like Ira