The three piece band are joined on stage by two dancers. The whole setup of the show is very similar to the music video. which in itself is a very clever idea. The singer is dressed in a tight white top and baggy black trousers whilst the dancers are dressed identical to how they appear in the music video. Behind them, the backdrop starts off dark blue-black with beams of light flickering intermittently. During the song, outlines of red appear behind them and during the dance breakdown near the end the whole background turns red to show all the participants in shadow.
The song starts off quietly but bit by bit a different part of the instrumentation comes in. This, along with the muted setting, really makes you take in Vaidotas' vocal style and physical presence which is very compelling but also very marmite. The verse and chorus works as one and flow into each other seamlessly. There is then a small instrumental followed by another verse/chorus but this one is followed by the earwormy synth instrumental where the singer and his dancers do the memorable dance routine. After the 3rd verse there is some la-la-la-ing before going back to the synth. There is then a final repeat of the chorus but with a slightly different backing and finishes with one more flourish of the dance. However complicated the structure might seem, it actually flows together really very well.
Although The Roop is a three piece band, the main singer, Vaidotas, gets most of the airtime but the other two (one playing a guitar, the other an electronic drum set) join in some of the backing singing and the choreography. The two dancers also use magnifying glasses at different parts of the song with sometimes quite comical results! The camera work changes from close head shots of the singer to swooping shots of the stage to long wide shots. It feels like the performance works as an arena performance and as a piece of TV craft.
This is a very individual and striking entry - and whether you love it or hate it you will KNOW if you love or hate it and you ain't going to forget it! The song itself is very simplistic with the much overused higher, fire, desire, rhyme scheme in the chorus but unless you study it carefully you miss it because there is so much else to concentrate on. Some may find it bewildering, some may find it slightly off kilter and some may feel it's a bit out of the box, but to me it has just the amount of humour and musicality to cut through across the continent. If there is any justice this will qualify and been a meme for many a future Eurovision song. If I had any critique if would be to end the song on the second line of the chorus not the first (they have time in hand to do this) and to make sure they get shots of the stadium doing the dance routine (which everybody *will* be doing).
The Lithuanian national final was an utter joy to follow because of the wide variety of acts and song but also because the songs involved were hits, songs written for albums, ready to be released NOT prescribed ' made for Eurovision' 3 minute wonders. The final was an amazing show and any of the finalists would have made a worthy winner. The fact that this won the jury and the national vote (with almost 60% of the total televote) cannot be ignored. It's got everything a Eurovision song and act should have. Whatever the result I hope of more of this same from Lithuania. One day you WILL win!
Artist - The Roop
Song - On fire
Composers - Mantas Banišauskas, Robertas Baranauskas, Vaidotas Valiukevičius
Lyricist - Vaidotas Valiukevičius
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