Emma Saunders
Entertainment reporter

Croatia haven’t qualified for the final since 2017 but we reckon Let 3's impressive moustaches are enough to warrant sending these lads straight through to the final.

The intro sounds a bit like The Strokes but don’t be fooled, it then turns into a kind of novelty marching song. The costumes are a sight to behold. Sparkly suits, sailor hats, sweeping tie-dye military coats, you name it. They start spinning around the floor at one point. There's even a section reminiscent of Bohemian Rhapsody.

Keep a keen eye on vest and undies revealed in the last section. And if that’s not enough for you, there's two huge sparkling rockets as the finale reaches its crescendo. We’re exhausted, don’t know about you.

Mark Savage
Watching at the venue

Image source, Sarah Louise Bennett/ESC Digital EBU

Don’t let the trench coats and comedy moustaches fool you, Croatia’s Let 3 mean business.

Their song, Mama SC! deliberately mocks “childish” and “psychopathic” dictators, with a particular emphasis on Russian president Vladimir Putin.

It also contains the phrase“Armageddon granny”, which is worth the price of admission alone.

Eurovision rules specifically forbid political lyrics, but Let 3, who are well-known satirists and provocateurs in their home country, keep it broad enough to slip past the censors.

“It’s not a political song, it’s an anti-war song,” they say. Expect some antics.

Our group of Eurovision superfans have been watching along across Europe. What do they think of it so far?

Oksana, from Ukraine, thinks Latvia's Sudden Lights is "touching and heart-warming". Kjetlil, from Germany, agrees - for him, they're the likely winner this year, and they nailed that performance.

There's also a lot of love for Malta's The Busker. Nicolaas, from Belgium, can see them making it through to the grand final on Saturday.

"Exactly, those saxophone vibes," agrees Maria, from Ukraine.

Helen Bushby
Entertainment reporter

Image source, Reuters

This reminds us of the Teen Angel song from Grease, where an angelic Frankie Avalon croons Beauty School Dropout.

Tonight we see Wild Youth’s Conor O'Donohoe descend a sparkling staircase, in an open-necked, gold, flared trousersuit and Cuban heels.

He sings about the importance of unity - a recurring theme at Eurovision.

Despite having the most wins at Eurovision with seven, Ireland hasn’t had much luck recently. They’ve only got through to the final once since 2014. Will this be their year?

Mark Savage
Watching at the venue

Image source, Sarah Louise Bennett/ESC Digital EBU

Ireland are the most successful Eurovision nation of all time, with a record seven wins, but they haven’t qualified for the final since 2018.

Hoping to break that losing streak are indie band Wild Youth, led by singer Conor O’Donohoe in an eye-catching gold sequinned catsuit.

Their song We Are One is a soaring, hopeful anthem that encapsulates the contest’s motto: “United by music”.

“It’s the first good song we’ve had in a long time,” enthused former One Direction star Niall Horan.“I’m hoping they’ll smash it.”

Emma Saunders
Watching at the venue

Mimicat spent several years as an estate agent alongside making music to help her pay the bills. In fact, she wrote her Eurovision entry Ai Coração a few years ago while she was sitting in a house for sale waiting for a client.

There’s not a mortgage deed in sight this evening though. Mimicat bursts on to the stage in a VERY feathery red dress (she’s already made a joke pre-show about Sesame Street’s Big Bird).

There are plenty of full skirt swishing opportunities if you feel so inclined to copy at home. Plus her backing dancers have skirts reminiscent of Bucks Fizz’s iconic outfits from 1981. Sadly, there’s no sign of them being ripped off though.

You can’t stop yourself from toe tapping along to this one. It's impossible.

Mark Savage
Watching at the venue

Image source, Chloe Hashemi/ESC Digital EBU

Next up is a most tip-top cabaret number from Portugal’s Mimicat - aka Marisa Isabel Lopes Mena.

Ai Coração is an old-school cabaret number about being driven crazy by love, and in rehearsals she’s been eating up the stage with a flamboyantly hungry performance.

This moment means a lot to her… She first tried out for Eurovision as a 15-year-old in 2001.

Mark Savage
Watching at the venue

Yes, Alesha Dixon just summarised the history of Eurovision in the form of a rap.

Neither as iconic as “Angela Basset did the thing”, nor as cringeworthy as Daz Sampson’s Teenage Life, it was just… OK, I guess?

In case you missed it, she gave a shoutout to Valentina Monetta, a four-time entrant for San Marino; Kalush Orchestra’s pink bucket-hatted singer Olyg Psyusk; and Malena Erman, aka Greta Thunberg’s mum, who came 21st for Norway in 2006.

Devastatingly, she missed the opportunity to rhyme Johnny Logan with Terry Wogan. Or Netta with Could-do-betta.

Daniel Rosney
Eurovision reporter, in the arena

In between songs around 20 stage managers run on set to wheel out props and whizz on what's needed for the next act.

This is one of the most complex TV productions in the world and Eurovision has taken over this arena on the waterfront in Liverpool for more than a month to make sure it all looks fabulous on TV.

To help them set the scene for each act, the stage lights up with instructions where certain things go - like a drum kit - and marks where dancers should stand ready to perform.

Helen Bushby
Watching at the venue

We've just seen Sudden Lights taking an icy, outdoor swim in their filmed postcard. They’re evidently a tough lot, with no gimmicks.

Last year we had the Latvian entry Citi Zeni telling us to Eat Your Salad.

But this year’s four-piece group couldn’t be more different. Their staging is simple and just features a few artfully positioned lights.

The focus is firmly on their performance, with not a wacky dance move or prop in sight.

Mark Savage
Watching at the venue

Latvia’s Sudden Lights are the first band on stage, and the first act to reference the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Their song is titled Aijā - the Latvian word for "lullaby" - and it’s a call to bring light into the world at a time of conflict.

It’s a clever piece of writing, too, with an awkward 5/4 time signature bringing tension to the verses, before it resolves into a soaring, soothing rock ballad chorus.

Image source, Chloe Hashemi/ESC Digital EBU

Emma Saunders
Watching at the venue

Luke was seen fencing in the postcard video but sadly there’s no sword action on stage. He starts off stretched out on his back inside a flower we think - or is it an oyster?)

Singing lying down is no mean feat, to be fair. He’s wearing a gothic white shirt (eat your heart out, Lord Byron) surrounded by robotic dancers each attached to some plastic tubing (which isn’t dissimilar to your vacuum cleaner hose). Luke releases them from their attachments later on in the performance. Frankly, we’re relieved.

Mark Savage
Watching at the venue

Image source, Chloe Hashemi/ESC Digital EBU

Three years after the first Covid lockdown, the pandemic still casts a shadow over Eurovision.

Luke Black’s song Samo Mi Se Spava translates as “I want to sleep”, and explores the altered states of reality he experienced in isolation back in 2020.

If you watch closely, you’ll notice his backing dancers are all tethered to the Matrix - but by the end of the performance, Luke has unhooked them all and emerged, blinking, into the real world again.

Helen Bushby
Watching in the venue

Image source, Reuters

If you like a comforting jumper and a saxophone, your luck is in.

The Busker are a lively crew, making full use of their props allowance. You’ll see cardboard cut-outs of previous Malta contestants in party hats, fake living rooms and cats with laser eyes.

There is also a very rapid costume change, as they sing: “I feel better in my sweater”. Who doesn’t right now – you never know when it’s going to rain.

Malta have never won Eurovision, but they’ve come close, finishing second in 2002 and third in both 1992 and 1998.

Mark Savage
Music correspondent, BBC News

Image source, Sarah Louise Bennett/ESC Digital EBU

If Norway’s act left you out of breath, Malta won’t provide any respite.

Their song is a gleefully silly exhortation to dance around the living room in your sweater, powered by an infectious saxophone riff.

It’s performed by The Busker, a three-piece indie-dance band, who are hoping to break Malta’s 34-year losing streak. Watch out for a mid-song costume change.

Daniel Rosney
Eurovision reporter, in the arena

I don't think there's a bad seat in this arena. Ordinarily organisers like a venue to have 10,000 seats for fans, which Liverpool has the capability to do, but because of how big the stage is, there are around 6,000 here tonight.

They're making the noise of 10,000 though. I'm at the highest point of the arena looking down, behind the production desks pressing buttons for camera angles, lighting, pyrotechnics - it all looks very complicated and stressful.

There are no snacks in sight though. These talented technicians are here to work and see us through the greatest show on earth without a hitch - they've been rehearsing for weeks.

The snacks can come later.

First, the bangers.

Emma Saunders
Watching in the venue

What an opening to the show! Alessandra’s costume might be inspired by a queen but we’re getting powerful warrior She-Ra vibes as she belts out popular banger, Queen of the Kings.

There’s also a touch of Princess Leia about the bodice, which is teamed with a flowing cape and fishnet tights. And boy does she hit that high whistle note. The audience are lapping it up.

Poor Norway have come last at Eurovision 11 times but we have a feeling that’s not going to happen this year.

Mark Savage
Music correspondent, BBC News

Image source, Chloe Hashemi/ESC Digital EBU

And here we go! Norwegian singer Alessandra Mele is the first competitor to take the stage, with a song that’s already among the favourites with fans.

Queen Of Kings is a superb mix of Renaissance melodies and thumping club beats, that tells the story of a warrior Queen escaping a bad situation.

Fun fact: Alessandra’s costume was inspired by Queen Elizabeth I of England.

We had a chat with her about the outfit, and the meaning of her song earlier. Read it here.

Emma Saunders
Entertainment reporter

Image source, EBU

Hannah Waddingham gives a Liverpudlian nod to the fact we have three women hosting tonight’s semi-final, with the Ted Lasso actress presenting alongside Ukrainian singer Julia Sanina and Alesha Dixon.

“Some of us Brits do bother to learn another language,” she quips after explaining the voting rules in French (with a rather impressive accent we might add).

There's also a reminder that the semi-finals are decided purely on the public vote.

Mark Savage
Watching at the venue

The man in charge of Eurovision’s pyrotechnic effects is called Biscuit; and he’s certainly got a few Twix up his sleeve (sorry).

The pyro gets an early outing tonight, as Ukrainian star Julia Sanina takes to the stage with her band The Hardkiss.

They’re performing a fast and furious version of their recent single Маяк - which translates as “lighthouse”. It’s a song of solidarity and unity, that seemingly references Europe’s support for Ukraine after the Russian invasion: “We're not alone in the dark sea / With us the sky lights / Lighthouses”.

It fits neatly into this year’s theme of mutual strength and respect. Julia is also one of tonight’s co-hosts, so we’ll be seeing a lot more of her.