Eurovision 2018 semi final #1 recap [Updated]......

The first semi-finals of the Eurovision Song Contest start in less than an hour in Lisbon, Portugal. It's the first time the annual week-long event has been held in the country, which came here because their entry last year, "Amar Pelos Dois" from Salvador Sobral, won. Here's a run-down of the 19 songs competing for just 10 spots in Saturday's final, and out of the two semi-finals, this one is definitely the harder one, crammed with so many quality songs than it's going to be a Game Of Thrones bloodbath where there's going to a a couple favorites that won't make it...

I've bolded the entries that made it through to the finals... biggest shutouts were Belgium, Belarus, Croatia, and Armenia, but as I said, this was inevitable...

1. "X My Heart" - Aisel [Azerbaijan]

Pop singer Aisel, from the capital city of Baku, kicks off the night with the dance number miles away from their entry from last year, the brooding alt-rock of "Skeletons". Whether it will be remembered by the end is another thing in this competitive race. For me, it's nice, but pretty bland...

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2. "Our Choice" - Ari Ólafsson [Iceland]

From Reykjavik, Ari has an amazing vocal range, but again, this by-the-numbers ballad has all the key-changes but in the end is really, really nondescipt...

3. "Mall" ("Yearning") - Eugent Bushpepa [Albania]

Rocker Bushpepa from the northern town of Rrëshen has the best voice of that genre in the contest. The song is entertaining but does require you to know Albanian.

4. "A Matter Of Time" - Sennek [Belgium]

One of my favorites from the studio versions, with its Bond-esque chorus, it's something I would listen to on my own. The staging here is really simple, but she moves better than last year's wallflower...

5. "Lie To Me" - Mikolas Josef [Czech Republic]

This is one of the fan favorites, and one of the first to be announced. Mikolas hurt his back doing a flip on rehearsal, so he had to tone done the performance..

6. "When We're Old" - Ieva Zasimauskaitė [Lithuania]

A very delicate song among such powerful competitors, this one may pull out a Portuguese-style upset.

7. "Toy" - Netta [Israel]

Originally the bookie's fave, and for good reason - this is everything Eurovision is about: crazy, campy fun, a song with a current message, and a chorus you can't stop singing along with. Still my fave, though there's one in semi two that's a close second...

8. "Forever" - alexseev [Belarus]

Actually from the Ukraine, this young singer has a WTF staging on this ballad, introducing flower-gore to the masses.

9. "La Forza" - Elina Netšajeva [Estonia]

After being criminally dropped in the semi's last year, the Balkan country returns in force with some opera and a dress that will not quit.

10. "Bones" - Equinox [Bulgaria]

The "ringer" of the competition, with Americans Trey Campbell and Johnny Manuel joining Bulgarians Zhana Bergendorff, Georgi Simeonov, and Vlado Mihailov, the quintet nonetheless have one of the better studio versions of the lot with the eerie "Bones". Surprisingly they didn't rely on tricks on stage, going with the power of their voices...

11. "Lost & Found" - Eye Cue [FYR Macedonia]

With a band name like something from the early 80s, so is this song, well, actually it seems two songs stuck together, not like a mashup, but like pasted together. If it was the proto new wave alone it'd been a lot better.

12. "Crazy" - Franka [Croatia]

After last year's trainwreck, Croatia came back with a classy bluesy number from one of their biggest stars, an alum from that country's version of American Idol. I really like this one. 

13.  "Nobody But You" - Cesar Sampson [Austria]

Another one where the studio track is amazing but I didn't quite feel the live performance. Cesar IS quite the looker, though. Song is like what Taio Cruz probably wants to do now.

14.  "Oniro Mou" ("My Dream") - Yianna Terzi [Greece]

The video, with the studio version, is quite spectacular and epic like Greek mythology, but on stage it translated into a recycled Enya track. But watch the video. It's incredible, and takes the song to another space.

15. "Monsters" - Saara Aalto [Finland]

Another one for the gays, from Voice Of Finland and X Factor UK finalist Aalto. Her personality sells this both on record and live.

16. "Qami" ("Wind") - Sevak Khanagyan [Armenia]

This was on the cusp of my own top 10 here, knocked out by Albania. Great voice, just a little bit less entrancing on stage.

17. "Stones" - ZiBBZ [Switzerland]

I don't know about Switzerland, they keep sending these weird mainstream pop numbers that are so damn forgettable.

18. "Together" - Ryan O'Shaughnessy [Ireland]

I've been championing this ballad to go to the final, saying don't count this out. Video is sweet, and the kept it for the stage. Only quibble is for a sweet wedding-ready love song the lyrics and SOOOOOO not that.

19. "Fuego" - Cyprus

I had written this off completely at first, but can't deny the public appeal of this Jennifer Lopez retread - I can really see this on American radio. A big contender for the win.

That's the first half. Thursday will bring another 18, with eight more on the chopping block. See you then!