The size of the Friends Arena and the amount of people struck me first. This event is five times bigger than the semi-final in Malmö on every level. The arena itself is Texas sized, and I don't say that lightly. I was not prepared for the sweeping expanse of space. Ulrik Munther's team even made the decision to get a bigger background screen to fit the stage. The scene itself now includes an extra bar on top of the three from previous arenas. I presume these changes were made to help fit the stage to the scale of the arena. Before the show was underway, the stage manager told us to look around and find emergency exits in case anything happened. My closest one was probably a three minute walk.
Advertisers were all over the perimeter of the building again. This time, they practically threw themselves at you to give you free stuff. I'm OK with that. I ended up with free hot chocolate, chips, candy, bags, and a harmonica, of which I can use to annoy people on the subway. If you go to the live event, be prepared to be bombarded with stuff. Don't bring a bag. You'll have plenty to choose from when you get there.
When you're there in person, the sound and live effects go through you, so you feel more of the performance. Feeling the sound, fire, and pyrotechnics can change your perception of a song. During Friday practice rounds, the audience is polled on their favorite performers of the night. Audience members are asked by members of Melodifestivalklubben who they would vote for if they could, since you cannot vote during a practice. These polls sometimes show popular opinion, but many times they show the best live act. The difference between the Friday night poll and the Saturday night result is due to this live effect.
People around you add to the show as well. The girls next to me had gigantic signs supporting Anton Ewald and Ulrik Munther. They cheered and clapped every time either artists was mentioned and held up their signs during the performances. The family of four behind me were decked out in glittery gold top hats. It's a party atmosphere and it adds to the enjoyment. Kids were everywhere in the arena and every time an artist sauntered up the catwalk, the kids were right there to greet them.
The artist catwalk on TV looks clean and well organized, which it is from the camera's perspective. From an audience view, you can see a lone person (or a few people) surrounded by a sea of onlookers snapping photos, cheering, and standing near their seats. It looks messier in person, but more alive. This also goes for the camera angles. The cameras are omnipresent on the arena floor. They're on cranes, on top of the catwalk, strapped to people, on the roof, and on stage to sweep up every possible angle. Watching the crew work their magic is part of the fun.
The artists look smaller on stage and their humanity is more evident. On TV, you see a polished product. In the arena, you're more likely to see the person waiting to be the artist. They are preparing in those few seconds when the camera isn't on them. They're jumping up and down or standing quietly to calm their nerves before their big entrance. They are themselves before the red light clicks. When it does, they become their artist persona.
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