Liverpool live: Sweaty sweaters, video games and red feathers

The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 gets under way tonight with the first semi-final. And the opening act will have you tearing up straight away, for several different reasons. We follow a couple watching the Eurovision Song Contest through the ages. There is a shock element in it, but you will just have to see that for yourself. Then “L’amour est bleu”, Luxembourg’s 1967 entry, starts playing. And yes, Vicky Leandros herself appears on stage! The songs are introduced through postcards in which the participating artist walks through their country like a giant. 🇲🇩 MoldovaThe Moldovan entry is pure joy. There is no other way to put it. Satoshi manages to bring the house down. He clearly knows exactly how to do it. And although most of what we see is already familiar, there is still a surprise in store. Just like in 2013, we will see Aliona Moon in a huge dress. A nice nod for true Eurovision fans. 🇸🇪 SwedenThere is a lot of red in the Swedish performance. She is, of course, wearing her face mask. With four dancers and vocal support from Melanie Wehbe, she delivers an act that is almost identical to the one at Melodifestivalen. There have been some question marks over whether Felicia would reach the final, but it certainly will not be because of her vocals: they are solid. 🇭🇷 CroatiaWatch out: one of the women is floating! Of course, she is not really floating, but thanks to an optical illusion it looks as if she is hovering half a metre above the ground, while she is only loosely holding on to a pole with one hand. Like a true Andromeda, she is the focal point of the performance, with the other singers around her. The vocals are beautiful and leave a very deep impression on everyone. 🇬🇷 GreeceAkylas brings the house down. In his orange outfit with furry boots, jacket and distinctive cat-ear hat, the man in sunglasses delivers a powerful act. Computer games are playing in the background, but this time in a much more stylised way than during the national final. And it also has to be said: Akylas proves himself not only to be a born entertainer, but also a pretty good singer. 🇵🇹 PortugalCante Alentejano, regional singing at the Eurovision Song Contest: it is not new, but it certainly stands out. The men of Bandidos do Cante stand neatly in a row. Portugal does not bring a flashy act, but it does bring truly outstanding vocal quality. And because this song is so different from all the other entries, it comes across even more strongly. 🇬🇪 GeorgiaWith yellow-and-black suits as a reference to 2008 and large portraits of themselves as robots, the three of them do not manage to pull it off. Because although the song does have potential, the vocals really were not good in places. That’s a pity, because we can see the effort the Georgians put in it. Reaching the final will likely be hard. 🇮🇹 ItalyYou see a groom getting ready for the wedding ceremony. Along the way, he makes some rather striking dance moves. Eventually, he waits among his friends until the bride arrives. In the middle of it all stands Sal Da Vinci, singing his cheerful song. Sal leaves a strong impression. Every aspect of an entry, vocals, song and staging, needs to be right. Italy has clearly understood that. 🇫🇮 FinlandLinda and Pete are still standing completely apart from each other at the start of the act. By the end, they are together. Naturally, there is a lot of fire, which also fits the lyrics of the song. And the fact that Linda plays the violin live is, of course, unique. Since the orchestra was abolished in 1999, no one has had such a large live instrumental role in a song. A winner? 🇲🇪 MontenegroThe Montenegrins have pulled out all the stops to bring a spectacular act to the stage. And they have clearly succeeded. Just look, for example, at the singer’s hairstyle: it is striking. But the singing and dancing act, featuring four dancers with white collars, is also convincing. Who knows, Montenegro may even do well enough to finally secure another place in the final. 🇪🇪 EstoniaAfter 21 years, Vanilla Ninja are back on stage. There had previously been doubts about the vocals, but now they are fine. However, Vanilla Ninja do not manage to convince. The song is already somewhat old-fashioned, but it is possible to elevate a song with a great act. We know that from both Eurovision’s present and its past. Unfortunately, the ladies have not done that. 🇮🇱 IsraelThe Israeli singer has been given a song with which a place in the final would be possible under almost any circumstances. Noam Bettan is not the best singer of the evening, nor the best entertainer, and he does not have the strongest act either. But it is all good enough to finish in the top ten tonight, at least. 🇩🇪 GermanyWith many Germans in the audience, Sarah Engels is loudly cheered. We see Sarah Engels lying on a raised platform; later, she gets up. She is surrounded by female dancers. Naturally, there is plenty of fire, but then again, the song is called “Fire”. The vocals are fine. Still, this entry is no more than average. The frequent comparison with “Fuego” therefore does not really hold up. 🇧🇪 BelgiumEssyla had a false start. That has continued to haunt her, and tonight that will prove to be unfair. Because Essyla really does deliver a strong act. A dress with a long train, which she sheds halfway through, a fairly nice dance routine and even snow on stage complete the overall picture. And most importantly: the vocals are fine too. 🇱🇹 LithuaniaThere is nothing wrong with the song. There is nothing wrong with the singer either. But whether the audience will understand the act, in which Lion Ceccah steps out of a huge cape and is completely