h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Good evening h2g2!

The Liverpool Arena is looking good - I’ve been there a couple of times and hardly recognise it!

(on the TV, that is - I didn’t fancy going there myself with all the crowds, but it is great to see )

Great that Graham Norton gets to be a host after so many years of being in the commentary box

Fascinating entry from Austria featuring Edgar Allan Poe - rather catchy Poe Poe Poe

Portugal has a good fast beat to it - a bit Flamenco, with red costumes and set

Switzerland have a ballad featuring piano, orchestra and a strong male singer wearing baggy silver trousers

Poland’s is ‘solo’ - a bit ‘girl group breaking up’ performance vibes. Impressive dancing

Serbia’s singer looks like someone in a costume drama - swashbuckling. Very flat song, though…. Nihilistic zombies (persons of nonliving status)

France’s stage has ‘Who Wants to Live Forever’ vibes. Impressive manicure! The platform gives everyone a good view of the singer when it went up and then back down!

Cyprus have a waterfall. A bit waily, but good power ballad elements

Spain is another downbeat vibe, with a bit of an Early Music chant flavour to it…

Toast to Sir Terry Wogan for Song 9

A returning winning performer for Sweden - a power ballad with dancing inside a cube - the song is not particularly to my taste, but it is the favourite

Another impressive manicure!

Albania - a family performance. Folk singing with an impressive bassline. I like the flowing costumes.

Italy sparkly top with leather trousers with trampolines in the background Another downbeat ballad…

Estonia has a self-playing piano. I like the singer’s purple power suit. Need to watch out she doesn’t trip on the dangly bits, though A lovely matching manicure, not claw-like like the others. A jaunty ballad

Finland Cha Cha Cha - starting in a farmyard pen with strobe lights - heavy metal style rather than a Latin dance . Fascinating costume of green PVC muscles on a skimpy jacket. Interesting counterpoint to the fluorescent pink costumes of the dancers. Fascinating indeed - quite like it - much more upbeat

Czechia- nobody puts the sister in the corner. Upbeat with good rhythm - hypnotic dance in powder pink trouser suits - power ballad ‘choose love over power’

Australia established band have impressive hair Electropop- fascinating singing in a car on stage. Now a bit of rock - good to see electric guitars, wind machine and head banging to show off their long locks. I think that’s my favourite - mix of Pet Shop Boys and Queen style is just to my taste

Belgium - nice hat and pink suit, and impressive backing singers and dancers - 90s disco ballad style with good message of self-positivity ‘because of you’

Mel Giedroyc churning butter like a previous Eurovision performance