Photo: Nick Robinson

Eurovision 2023 rehearsals are underway in Liverpool. Today, artists from ten more nations competing at this year’s song contest take to the M&S Bank Arena for their first rehearsals ahead of May’s live shows. 

After arriving at the arena, each delegation has around 40 minutes to get settled. They then have an in-ear monitoring rehearsal (30 minutes) and a stage safety briefing (10 minutes).

Then it’s time to take the stage. Each act has 30 minutes to test out the stage. This allows artists to do a series of run-throughs to see how they sound in the space and to get used to moving in the space. Delegations monitor the performances closely, seeing if the show’s producers have managed to execute their agreed-upon vision (including graphics and camera angles). They then have 30 minutes to discuss what they want changed when they meet with producers in the viewing room. 

Live in Liverpool: Eurovision 2023 rehearsals Day 2 (Monday 1 May)

Here’s the full schedule for today’s rehearsals. All times are listed in BST (CEST – 1).

 
 
 
 
 
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  • 10:30 — 11:00 — Israel
  • 11:10 — 11:40 — Azerbaijan
  • 11:50 — 12:20 — Czechia
  • 12:30 — 13:00 — Netherlands
  • 14:10 — 14:40 — Finland
  • 14:50 — 15:20 — Denmark
  • 15:30 — 16:00 — Armenia
  • 16:10 — 16:40 — Romania
  • 16:50 — 17:20 — Belgium
  • 17:30 — 18:00 — Cyprus

We’ll be working inside our LUSH Liverpool Lounge all day and plan to react to TikTok snippets released by the EBU after each rehearsal. We’ll also be live-streaming for much of the day. See y’all soon!

Eurovision 2023 rehearsals live stream

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Ultima Thule
Ultima Thule
10 months ago

Until we get a topic for today’s rehearsals, Alika’s pictures are in, and everything looks stunning!

She is a safe qualifier.

Film4o
Film4o
10 months ago

Romania what a absolute disappointment. I loved the over the top staging in their ns actually and the original version of the song. We get now the bad revamp and boring staging with just one person besides him. I loved the friendly vibe of his friends, but they are gone now. I was so passionate about this and defending it and i think its my first winner ever before the show that after seeing it live is no longer my number 1. I just dont connect to the staging at all.

Eve
Eve
10 months ago
Reply to  Film4o

Agree!

aruela
aruela
10 months ago

Someone here said it before and I have to agree. Wave bye-bye to Romania because, sadly, we will not be returning next year.

As for the rehearsal today, Israel was MVP.

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
10 months ago
Reply to  aruela

you think Romania is going to withdraw from eurovision next year if they don’t qualify this year?

aruela
aruela
10 months ago
Reply to  BadWoolfGirl

I think they are going to withdraw because of several reasons: not qualifying might be among them – also important would be the score board, but my main reason is the lack of interest they have shown this year, promoting the song and the way they packaged it – like amators-, also the quality of the national final.

Last year WRS had some help for the show from his record label, but Andrei has no record label and you can see TVR’s involvement is almost 0 – a shame really.

Anonymous91
Anonymous91
10 months ago
Reply to  aruela

not every country can be as perfect as Sweden, Norway and perfect plastic Cyprus

shame Cyprus cannot withdraw instead or a withdrawal from stupid Sweden

Eve
Eve
10 months ago
Reply to  aruela

That would be very very sad. I don’t want to miss Romania!

Karl
Karl
10 months ago
Reply to  aruela

You should have sent Perinita mea. You would have made the final.

Jesiah
Jesiah
10 months ago

Some of need to calm down.
Like we know Israel and Armenia are doing better than ur favs and you lot mad but we don’t wanna hear you posers complain its actually so boring omfg

Rambo Amadeus
Rambo Amadeus
10 months ago
Reply to  Jesiah

Israel will probably do well because the ESC is little more than an entertainment show, if the results were mostly based on the music itself she probably wouldn’t place too well at all actually.

laos esc
laos esc
10 months ago

I can see finland reaching top 1 in the odds. I don’t know but the brown frame in the high screen of loreen it makes look cheaper and old. im sure it won’t have the same impact like in the melodifestivalen. and looks like Finland its elevating umk performance. I gonna wait til the second rehersals if im correct.

Jghtl
10 months ago

Staging wise today was much much better

Gil
Gil
10 months ago

Israel is amazing what are you talking about? Its at least top 3 material

Who am I?
Who am I?
10 months ago

Cyprus proves once again that they know what they are doing

Jo.
Jo.
10 months ago

Looks like Azerbaijan gave up ^^

Anonymous91
Anonymous91
10 months ago
Reply to  Jo.

of course, no point in continuing with this dumb eurovision, dominated by plastics Sweden, Norway, Cyprus

always the same top 3 of those 3 every single year, boring

NickC
NickC
10 months ago

I feel like everyone did their homework. Almost all improved compared to NFs and pre parties. Having said that, I do not see much hope for Ireland or Azerbaijan. I sincerely hope NL qualifies, they do not deserve all the hate. Belgium will do so well.

Thallo
Thallo
10 months ago

After Eurosong I said Gustaph will do well in the final and the amount of downvotes I got was incredible.

Gustaph has always been incredible, this staging is exactly what I was expecting. I saw we’ll also have a voguing dancing in the performance which is the cherry on top.

Ćœilvinas
Ćœilvinas
10 months ago

Cyprus and Finland are my today’s winners

Poul Rissen
Poul Rissen
10 months ago

Air, fire, water, for Cyprus! That looks indeed polished. And it sounds like Andrew can sing. Odds will go up. Good luck, Cyprus!

Anonymous91
Anonymous91
10 months ago
Reply to  Poul Rissen

Andrew can’t sing, and that staging is so generic fastfood, wish cyprus would withdraw for good

lazy country

Matt C
Matt C
10 months ago

Just seen Cyprus on Tiktok
 looks very polished

Anonymous91
Anonymous91
10 months ago
Reply to  Matt C

looks very amateurish but will still get millions of votes obviously because gays drool over him

Rubén
Rubén
10 months ago

Where is Cyprus?? ?

WannaEatMySpaghetti
WannaEatMySpaghetti
10 months ago

He definitely has all my respect. And he sings so well! I hope Europeans will notice it and reward him for that. He deserves to be in final.

Rambo Amadeus
Rambo Amadeus
10 months ago

Theodor Andrei is an absolute madman that just doesn’t know the meaning of subtlety, and that leads to a very entertaining outcome, but maybe not necessarily for the right reasons…

Colin
Colin
10 months ago
Reply to  Rambo Amadeus

Gotta love Theodor! He’s a totally bonkers very young guy with a lot of expressive ideas inside of him, and he really *goes for it*. Yes, he knows no subtlety, but there’s just something refreshing in his uncalculated ”all of nothing” approach. Of course, more seasoned artists like Kaarija and Pasha Parfeny can throw everything at the kitchen sink and still make it feel polished and compact, but it’s so cool in watching Theodor now.

Rambo Amadeus
Rambo Amadeus
10 months ago
Reply to  Colin

Well, I think there’s a strong chance he’ll be used as a sacrificial lamb by our clueless broadcaster to finally withdraw next year, which is quite rough since I won’t be able to vote anymore actually…

Colin
Colin
10 months ago
Reply to  Rambo Amadeus

That’s a bummer, and I hope it doesn’t come to that. I mean, you DID qualify last year! What about my broadcaster HRT. We haven’t been to the GF since 2017, and this year it again feels like a slippery slope to achieve even that. And what about Latvia and Georgia? If everyone would throw a tantrum every time they don’t qualify, ESC wouldn’t exist. I really hope that the Romanian broadcaster isn’t *that* immature. Good luck in voicing your opinion loud and on time! Romania must stay!

Colin
Colin
10 months ago
Reply to  Colin

I *really* hope that Let 3 qualifies! 🙂 I really do! I hope that Kaarija don’t take *all* of the ”out there” votes. Nina would have qualified, I think! Then again, I thought so for Albina too, and frankly, she should have. We had a stronger entry than Israel and Sweden, who made it.

Rambo Amadeus
Rambo Amadeus
10 months ago
Reply to  Colin

Yeah, but everyone found out how shameless they truly are last year with the whole voting scandal and you saw what kind of “effort” they put into the NF this year, interest here is at an all-time low so it looks like we’re rapidly approaching that outcome sadly.

Colin
Colin
10 months ago
Reply to  Rambo Amadeus

Even if I actually liked a few songs in your NF this year, I think it’s sadly obvious that quite a little effort went into staging and promotion from the broadcaster. Not to mention the firstly released ”videos”, some of which seemed recorded in someone’s basement. Also, while I liked a few, some of the songs are just not good. Like, at all. Good luck in this semi, though, as DGT is among those I did like.

Colin
Colin
10 months ago
Reply to  Rambo Amadeus

Austria 2007 is a directionless mess. Sorry, but it’s in my bottom 5 in a stiff competition. Songs like Iceland, Andorra, and Malta stayed in a semi, yet *this* was ever supposed to qualify? Hmm…

Rambo Amadeus
Rambo Amadeus
10 months ago
Reply to  Rambo Amadeus

This country does not have the talent, the know-how and the ambition to match those example at all tho, so I’m not going to delude myself.

Rambo Amadeus
Rambo Amadeus
10 months ago
Reply to  Rambo Amadeus

examples*

We really need that editing option back…

aruela
aruela
10 months ago
Reply to  Rambo Amadeus

Romania had a vision in 2020 by involving a record label and successful songwriters (who knew what they were doing) and releasing a handful of AMAZING songs. It also created quite the hype. Too bad they do not want to try that route anymore.

As for talent – Look at Andrei – he oozes talent – so what are you rambling about?

Unfortunately the national broadcaster no longer put in the effort. So yeah. I agree.

Let’s wave goodbye to Romania because I bet we won’t be returning next year.

Anonymous91
Anonymous91
10 months ago
Reply to  aruela

hopefully eurovision in general won’t be returning next year, cancel it

Anonymous91
Anonymous91
10 months ago
Reply to  Rambo Amadeus

hopefully Netherlands also withdrawing soon, and hopefully to corrupt regime that is AVROTROS to end soon as well, i know things way better than those idiots

Colin
Colin
10 months ago
Reply to  Colin

Exactly how I got it. He’s young, he’s experimenting, and he’s carefree. I like that. Sure, in a long run, he’ll probably learn to take things a bit more analytically, but it’s lovely seeing someone this young and this creative doing it his own way. Even if it’s temporary. 🙂

Jean-Paul
10 months ago
Reply to  Colin

Very well said. I totally agree.

Colin
Colin
10 months ago

Second semi impressions – Denmark, Armenia, and Romania all look interesting on stage, and tonally different from each other. I hope that Armenia doesn’t keep it too much in the dark all the time, and that some camera angles are more up close as well. I want her to qualify! Romania – good news and a bad news. Good news, the yellow outfit and red LEDs look striking enough to notice. Bad news, seems like the new intro is here to stay. Good luck…

Doggy Bark
Doggy Bark
10 months ago

who is it? also are prerecorded vocals allowed this year?

Colin
Colin
10 months ago

Which artist is that?

Doggy Bark
Doggy Bark
10 months ago

OMG, I have just noticed that the stage is a mini version of ESC-2019 stage 😀

WannaEatMySpaghetti
WannaEatMySpaghetti
10 months ago
Reply to  Doggy Bark

Wtf. Are you high?

Catriona
Catriona
10 months ago

What an awful thing to do, calling someone a “hag”. Grow up.

Poul Rissen
Poul Rissen
10 months ago

Any clues about the staging and connection with the song? I can’t get it (OK, from those seconds of the mini clips).

gea
gea
10 months ago

It seems we will have an unpredictable and rough competition this year.

Poul Rissen
Poul Rissen
10 months ago
Reply to  gea

Unpredictable yes, rough I would not say. There are 10 or 12 good songs (maybe less) and a basket full of decent but not super exciting songs. It will definitely be unpredictable who is qualifying for the grand final, especially from semifinal 2. Let’s wait and see!

Dolly
Dolly
10 months ago

Geordies , scousers and Londoners all have the same sense of humour

Paul
Paul
10 months ago
Reply to  Dolly

I assume you mean true Londoners rather than everyone who moves to the capital from middle England??

Emily
Emily
10 months ago

So Theodor IS using the acoustic start for the actual performance… blegh. Also, I have MANY questions about Gustaph’s outfit.

Stephanie
Stephanie
10 months ago
Reply to  Emily

I think, this is who he is, so…I’ve no problem with it…

Emily
Emily
10 months ago
Reply to  Stephanie

I look at the outfit and all I see is marshmallow… or original flavour Drumstick Squashies (yum yum)

Benito Camelo
Benito Camelo
10 months ago
Reply to  Emily

Gustaph didn’t get the memo that the Barbara Dex awards are gone

Poul Rissen
Poul Rissen
10 months ago

Well, rehearsals go well, to be honest. I’ve seen some major improvements like DENMARK: the concept with the doors might work well. I like the song but I was worried about staging CZECHIA: it’s no longer the mess we saw at the pre-esc parties. Now it looks more coherent. Well done! But let’s see how everything comes live on screen! FINLAND: solid staging. Let’s see what he can achieve! Televote winner? Most probably! Other than that, ISRAEL: sounds and looks solid. I worry about connection and emotion, though. AZERBAIJAN: what a lovely song. Based on the videos, I can’t tell… Read more »

Poul Rissen
Poul Rissen
10 months ago
Reply to  Poul Rissen

BELGIUM: Gustaph continues to impress. I feel he is qualifying for the final despite the odds.Well deserved that shall be!

ROMANIA: sorry, no much for me to say here. I can’t see how that can qualify.

Morten
Morten
10 months ago
Reply to  Poul Rissen

You have a solid grab on things, a rare skill indeed

Stephanie
Stephanie
10 months ago

Big respect for Belgium! Not only Gustaph sings live, also his background singers , as it should be….By the way, Finland was GREAT!

Poul Rissen
Poul Rissen
10 months ago
Reply to  Stephanie

Gustaph is so authentic, lovable, cheerful, he enjoys every minute of this eurovision journey. He deserves a place in the final! And he will be awarded one, I feel pretty confident about that!

Karl
Karl
10 months ago

We can all be thankful that be it Cha Cha Cha or Tattoo winning, at least it won’t be Queen of Kings. We can breathe a sigh of relief.

Karl
Karl
10 months ago
Reply to  Karl

Good for Norway, I guess. At least they’ll be able to claim that.

Pavel
Pavel
10 months ago
Reply to  Karl

Spain also have a very good chance to win.

Bandido
Bandido
10 months ago
Reply to  Karl

Queen of Kings is dated for the beginning seen already 2000, like poor girl Ruslana. Nothing new or surprising.

Jesiah
Jesiah
10 months ago

The romania staging is a literal joke.
Finland Armenia and Israel absolutely ate the show.

Eve
Eve
10 months ago

Theodor NQ, unfortunately.
Like the song and the way he sings but the performance, I’m afraid , is going to be cringy ((

Karl
Karl
10 months ago

Winners and losers of SF1 after 1st rehearsals.

Winners: Finland, Moldova, Croatia, Azerbaijan

Losers: Sweden, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Portugal

As for their rest, I don’t think their fate changed much.

Mililoyi
Mililoyi
10 months ago
Reply to  Karl

Jesus, it’s just a rehearsal, the only loser i see here is Karl

Anna Karenina
Anna Karenina
10 months ago

Loreen slipping in the odds and KÀÀrijÀ climbing! YAASS!!!

Jean-Paul
10 months ago
Reply to  Anna Karenina

Get a life, won’t you.

Oy oy
Oy oy
10 months ago
Reply to  Anna Karenina

This movement after the first rehearsal is actually worth taking notice of!

Sara-Stina
Sara-Stina
10 months ago
Reply to  Oy oy

Loreen dropped 2% (more like 1 % since it’s been around 45% for ages and just went up to 46 a few days before rehearsals). It’s not a big deal.

Panna
Panna
10 months ago

Armenia has a single prop that can be brought to stage quite quickly.
I think the lamps of Sudden Lights take more time to set up than Brunette’s platform.

Efthymios
Efthymios
10 months ago

WHAT THE HECK is going on with Romania’s brand new staging?…

Jimmy
Jimmy
10 months ago

They probably would, but Liverpool is known for its distinct Scouse humour, which isn’t for the faint-hearted. Danny Beard would have made a great interview host like Nikkie from 2021.

Dolly
Dolly
10 months ago
Reply to  Jimmy

Londoners , scousers and geordies only have the same best sense of humour in the uk

Jimmy
Jimmy
10 months ago
Reply to  Dolly

There’s a lot to suggest that regional differences, particularly in language and accent, but also social, cultural and economic contexts, have a large impact on types of humour. The areas you mention all have strong comedy identities, but the regional differences play into notions of humour 🙂

Devito
10 months ago

Is it just me being shocked, or this year we’re about to get a record-high number of stagings where various platforms are being used? Finland, Armenia, Sweden, Azerbaijan, Israel, Denmark, and the Netherlands, to name a few. And those are all from SF1 alone!

Anonymous91
Anonymous91
10 months ago
Reply to  Devito

Armenia, Denmark are in Semi 2

Devito
10 months ago
Reply to  Anonymous91

My bad. I thought today is about SF1 only as well. In that case, you can add Serbia and Malta to the list for Semi-Final 1. 🙂

Dane
Dane
10 months ago
Reply to  Devito

I totally agree. I think I love almost all the stagings so far

Emily
Emily
10 months ago

Armenia, one word: WOW

Ultima Thule
Ultima Thule
10 months ago

Finland staging is clear winner alert. If jury doesn’t intentionally ruin it, it won’t be even close.

Jimmy
Jimmy
10 months ago

And he’ll give us more! At least two times, could it be three?

Jimmy
Jimmy
10 months ago
Reply to  Jimmy

Cheers! Kippis!

Karl
Karl
10 months ago

Poor Netherlands. Trying to salvage a sinking ship as best they can. Mia and Dion look so awkward when they take turns singing and the one who isn’t singing is just standing there like a deer in headlights.

Henry
Henry
10 months ago
Reply to  Karl

Not at all… The staging is wonderful and a breath of fresh air between all the craziness.. The camera work will be epic.. they will stand out!

Efthymios
Efthymios
10 months ago

Finland’s winning % climbing in the odds, Sweden’s falling…. 🙂

Devito
10 months ago
Reply to  Efthymios

Great news! It means there’s hope that Eurovision will keep its faith that a winning song will be something out of the box. There are plenty of radio-friendly mainstream songs besides Eurovision. This contest brings something fresh, which is one of the main reasons it got so popular across borders. 🙂

Sara-Stina
Sara-Stina
10 months ago
Reply to  Devito

I mean, it’s been popular for decades. But arguably one could easily say it was the mainstream pop in the early 2010s that made the competition move beyond the cheap gimmicks of the 00s. I think both is needed in the competition to make it enjoyable. Without some more mainstream music it will lose its relevance for everyday listeners.

Anonymous91
Anonymous91
10 months ago
Reply to  Efthymios

Kaarija won’t win, juries will rank him very low (as they rightfully should)

Cviti97
Cviti97
10 months ago
Reply to  Anonymous91

Did you forget that he won jury voting in UMK so I wouldn’t be so sure about that.

Man
Man
10 months ago
Reply to  Cviti97

Loreen dit to

Mililoyi
Mililoyi
10 months ago
Reply to  Efthymios

Calm down, it’s like 1% or 2% lmao

Karl
Karl
10 months ago

Israel throwing a lot of money at this, it shows. The multiple frame thing looks nice. Too bad the song is still atrocious.

Jimmy
Jimmy
10 months ago
Reply to  Karl

The stage within a stage concept worked very well for Sam Ryder last year. I do like a good framing device.

Bernard
Bernard
10 months ago
Reply to  Karl

ART-rocious, if anything.

Karl
Karl
10 months ago

Azerbaijan looks great! Good luck to them. They probably won’t qualify coming after Loreen, but it would be a nice surprise of they did.

Karl
Karl
10 months ago

Way to ruin your chances, Czech Republic. Bad staging and ugly outfits.

Karl
Karl
10 months ago
Reply to  Karl

By the way, I still think they’ll likely qualify but not as high as I had expected them to now.

Karl
Karl
10 months ago

Omg Finland is looking amazing!! I can’t wait to see the full thing!

Anonymous91
Anonymous91
10 months ago
Reply to  Karl

literally the same as in the NF lols, how uninspiring for a so called ”contender”

if he wins, i am deffo taking part next year for NL myself and that’s that

Bandido
Bandido
10 months ago
Reply to  Anonymous91

Bye bye then! 🙂

Jesiah
Jesiah
10 months ago
Reply to  Karl

Stay mad he’s doing better than ur favs

Marcin
Marcin
10 months ago

They somehow made Finland into a bigger clown shown than it was before.

WannaEatMySpaghetti
WannaEatMySpaghetti
10 months ago
Reply to  Marcin

The bigger the better! It’s gonna be so freaking awesome and no one can make me think otherwise.

Bandido
Bandido
10 months ago
Reply to  Marcin

Mock how much You like, but he has presense and charisma many can only dream of!

Jonas
Jonas
10 months ago

I’m not too sure why Mia and Dion sing to each other. It made sense in 2014, but there doesn’t seem to be a two-character story here. Oh well, I still like it.

Jimmy
Jimmy
10 months ago
Reply to  Jonas

I agree. I wonder if they’ve figured out a story that at least makes sense to them, or if they feel the same.

Jimmy
Jimmy
10 months ago
Reply to  Jimmy

I like it but it feels like there’s more of a gem that could have been found with this song and these two singers had more time and care even put into it.

Jimmy
Jimmy
10 months ago
Reply to  Jimmy

*been put into it.

Jonas
Jonas
10 months ago
Reply to  Jimmy

Idea. Two strangers waiting at a bus stop get chatting, recognize themselves in each other, bond… and then go their separate ways, their lives changed forever.

Jimmy
Jimmy
10 months ago
Reply to  Jonas

I like it. Did they not get on the bus?

Jonas
Jonas
10 months ago
Reply to  Jimmy

Mia was waiting for a 64B, Dion for a 38G.

Jimmy
Jimmy
10 months ago
Reply to  Jonas

😉

Dane
Dane
10 months ago

Denmarks rehearsals pictures looks really good and promising. I cant wait to see the whole performance

Eve
Eve
10 months ago

Omg Finland’s staging is amazing!!! It even has it’s «The Shining» moment!!!
Fake teeth , rogue tongue and a human centipede are on point!!!!

Maria
Maria
10 months ago
Reply to  Eve

But I turn off the sound when they start singing ?