With the first Semi Final of Eurovision 2023 only a few hours away, I reflect on my experience of watching the Jury Show of the first Semi Final, last night, live at Liverpool Arena!
Last night, I had the privilege of being in the audience for the Jury Show of the first semi final of Eurovision 2023. Luckily, I managed to get myself to the front row, standing directly in front of the stage, toward the right side. I even managed to (very briefly) meet Alesha Dixon, as she was walking up to the stage, to sign off the show, as she told me that I have the “best seat in the house”. Despite the fact it wasn’t actually a seat, because I was standing, she may very well have been right.
I must also take time to commend the arena organisation. The queues, while long, moved incredibly quickly and secretly was thorough but swift. Once through the barriers, it didn’t feel crowded at all in the arena and felt incredibly relaxed and spacious. I was quickly able to make my way into the hall and get a good spot, without any hassle. Like other major events, everyone was wrist-banded according to their tickets, allowing for swift access to the floor.
Before the show, there was about 90 minutes of warm up from scouse two drag queens playing non-stop Eurovision songs. Everyone was enjoying themselves, chatting with each other and singing along to the songs. It was mostly winners and UK entries but some other interesting choices did crop in here and there. A floor manager came on just before the show began (interrupting Save Your Kisses for Me!) to give us the safety warnings and explain that we needed to be silent for the very opening of the show, until Julia Sanina appeared. He also instructed us to turn our torches on for Italy.
The opening act of the semi-final was a beautiful tribute to the 1980s classic “Electric Dreams” by the Human League. It featured a Ukrainian and British child performing a mirror dance before launching into a performance by the Ukrainian band, the Hardkiss.
The presenters, Hannah Waddingham, Alesha Dixon and Julia Sanina, did an incredible job of keeping the show moving and entertaining. Alesha Dixon, in particular, shone as the most prominent presenter of the night, proving her worth to those who may have doubted her. Her charming personality and witty banter with the other hosts and contestants made for a lively and engaging atmosphere. Hannah had less to do than expected, but she still had some laugh-out-loud moments, especially in the opening of the show.
The postcards looked incredibly good, showing different-but-linked locations across Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the participating countries. They could rival 2014 as the fandom’s overall favourite ever!
In one of the sketches, the Fizz (Cheryl, Mike, and Jay) teamed up with Hannah, who was live in the arena, to educate viewers on when and how to vote. The sketch was amusing, featuring a red telephone box and some classic witty banter.
One of the most powerful moments of the night was the Interval Act, which featured Alyosha and Rebecca Ferguson. The act told the story of Ukrainian refugees who had resettled across Europe, set to the backdrop of Duran Duran’s “Ordinary World.” It was incredibly moving and left a lasting impression on the audience. It’s one that will be remembered for many years to come.
Rita Ora’s performance was fun but was overshadowed by the other acts of the night. The audience seemed to agree, with only Ireland receiving less enthusiastic reactions.
The video inserts featuring Graham Norton narrating were a hit with the audience, especially the one in which he compared the performance of the UK and Ukraine since Ukraine’s debut in 2003. The audience was in stitches with laughter.
The Coming Up segments, first introduced in Europe Shine a Light and then used in Rotterdam and Turin, made a return and looked better than ever.
The Big 5 section was also a highlight of the night, featuring all three artists on a greenroom sofa, being interviewed by Alesha before she played their 30-second clip on a screen next to them. The format was similar to what was done in Tel Aviv, expect sitting down, and with less sexual innuendo (borderline harassment).
The graphics used throughout the show were also impressive, especially those that displayed the countries that had qualified for the final. They were visually stunning and added to the excitement of the night.
As for who’s qualifying, well it’s a difficult one to call. I think Norway, Serbia, Israel, Moldova, Sweden and Finland are locked in, but I can’t really call any others. Ireland performed especially poorly, so I really can’t see them getting through, and as Conor left the stage, the look on his face was noticeably a happy one. I really think Latvia will struggle to stand out with their staging and running order position and I’m struggling to see how Croatia will qualify considering the countries that are voting tonight.
Semi Final 1 of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 begins at 8pm on BBC One.
