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ABU TV Song Festival…. it’s a long way from Eurovision

Ballads, turtle-necks and lip-syncing -Asia's tentative steps towards Eurovision have a long way to go.

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South Korea may have created Gangnam Style, but it’s got a long way to go to match Eurovision.

Last night’s screening of the Asia Broadcasting TV Song Festival (also known as the Asia Pacific Song Festival) on SBS was a gallant step towards a regional equivalent for Eurovision, but it wasn’t nearly as much fun.

I suppose we should be grateful the event took place at all, given Our Sound had failed to get off the ground three years in a row.

It was great to see SBS PopAsia host Jamaica dela Cruz co-hosting the event on stage, adding a little local flavour to the proceedings.

But there was a dirge of ballads, songs that seemed to go on forever and (shudder) too much lip-syncing going on for my liking. There were 11 acts overall, from Australia to Afghanistan, but it was run as a showcase before a very reserved audience, rather than as a contest with voting.

Australia was represented by DJ Havana Brown with her single We Run the Night. She danced and sang in what was described as a “sexy” performance. Not sure all those in attendance were approving of her Shakira-like ass-shakin’.

Japan’s girl trio Perfume giggled their way through their appearance, in a very stylised electro-pop performance. Afghanistan kept it very cultural, playing folk instruments. South Korea squealed for their boyband duo in turtle-necks.

Most bizarre inclusion of the night was playing Hand Jive from Grease as introductory music. Not quite sure how 1950s jive music from America fits with KPop, but there you go…

Curiously, when all the acts returned for a closing number, Michael Jackson’s Heal the World, Havana Brown was the only act nowhere to be seen. Did she have another gig?

The song also seemed to challenge some, struggling with the autocue.

But it’s early days and maybe ABU TV Song Festival can develop with time, hopefully with some serious competition and rules.

If you want to catch it again it is repeated 8:30pm Thursday on SBS TWO.

7 Responses

  1. Out of curiosity, I left the tele on hoping to see “talents” from the Asia-Pacific region.
    Whatever happened to geography? I know the Philippines is supposed to be a part of that region… but then again, they’re not missing out for not taking part in this show.

  2. I watched the first 10 minutes and decided it wasn’t worth watching. The songs were indeed boring and all I could think of was how much better I will now find Eurovision in all its spectacular glory.

  3. I thought it be better time slot, 7:30. Also where was the end titles. Yes Most of the ballads were boring, there was nothing the screen to you name of the song or what the song about. I love Japan, and Korea. I should think the song could be shorten and little more information, its ok in the asian area they knows these singers. I hopefuly next year will improve.

  4. My brother and I must of been the only ones in Adelaide watch it.. it was pretty bad. I started ‘live tweeting’ during it thinking it would be great but I stopped after Malaysia because the songs were terrible. Although I did like Japan.

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