We all have our expectations of what big shows like this should be about (although ours don't have the extended witty banter segment for voting - yet) and being part of a huge spectacle goes a long way. But only if you really feel part of it.
Love Moscow as I always will, I just don't think this was a full Eurovision in the way Istanbul was, or even Kiev.
Why?
The usual healthy mix of loud, flirtatious and vocally ungifted home and away fans just wasn't there.
The mostly Russian (whatever the telly pictures looked like) audience sat in their seats throughout. No singing, ill-advised outfits, jigging about... I exclude myself from this, obviously, and my routine to the Moldovan song got me a round of applause from the 20 rows behind me who had no real choice but to enjoy it.
There was no pre-show atmosphere in town at all and no Eurovision spill over into the clubs afterwards (not at the ever fantastic Propaganda, at any rate).
Much of the spectacular aerial show by Fuerza Bruta was staged for TV, meaning we in the hall had to crane our necks to watch screens showing action happening above our heads but inaccessible to us.
This is not what I want for our ceremonies.
