As part of our live coverage from ESC 2015 by Felix and Martin, our website featured a rolling live blog throughout our time in Vienna, the content of which is reproduced below and in the other “Vienna Blog” posts!

Wednesday 20 May, 14:55
We are live in the hall to blog about the first dress-rehearsal of Semi-final 2!

Two problems though:

1 – there are no seats for the press, so I am trying to do this sitting on the hall floor.

2 – Internet doesn’t seem too stable.

I’ll still try to do my best to update you about the rehearsal – link will follow!

Wednesday 20 May, 15:17
Read our dress rehearsal liveblog for semi 2: Felix was standing up in the hall, close to the stage, blogging the first dress rehearsal of the second semi-final from his phone. Now that’s dedication. You can follow the live blog right here!

Thursday 21 May, 11:35
Who will be the 10 qualifiers from tonight’s second semi-final? The escgo! team gives its verdict here!

Thursday 21 May, 17:31
A quick quick hello from Nina Sublatti!

Thursday 21 May, 19:21
Semi 2: Five bets to consider. Read our gambler’s guide to tonight’s show here!

Thursday 21 May, 20:45
15 minutes until we kick off with the second semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2015! Watch it with us in the chat on the front page.

During the show, Felix will post live commentary, directly from the press centre, on this liveblog.

May the 10 best songs qualify!

Thursday 21 May, 21:01
Here we go again! The second semi-final is kicking off as I type this.

Enjoy the show!

Thursday 21 May, 21:14
1 – LITHUANIA

A catchy, cheerful, heartwarming song. Desperately needed later tonight, but definitely a nice start.

The Lithuanian charm attack hopefully makes Europe feel in love as well.

8 seconds of applause in the press centre.

Thursday 21 May, 21:18
2 – IRELAND

Personally, I wouldn’t voluntarily listen to such kind of music, but I’m sure it has some fans somewhere – including the chat and the escgo editorial.

Makes people talk – during the song. Add the start number and you can do the maths yourself.. there’s hardly a chance for Ireland to qualify, I think.

10 seconds of applause in the press centre.

Thursday 21 May, 21:22
3 – SAN MARINO

…no.

Not in the final, that means. I slaughtered this in my line-up check article here on escgo, but in the end this turned into a big cult, here in Vienna.

Michele’s voice actually reminds me of his remote name twin Jackson. It’s just so not his type of song.

7 seconds of applause in the press centre.

Thursday 21 May, 21:26
4 – MONTENEGRO

There’s really not much to add that hasn’t been said before. There’s also not much in this song that hasn’t been done in Eurovision before. All solid, though.. even if just a little bit hopeless.

11 seconds of applause in the press centre.

Thursday 21 May, 21:31
5 – MALTA

The other Warrior, the worse Warrior.

Amber’s vocals are without any orientation. How the f@#k does she want to go to war with such a buggy weapon?

10 seconds of applause in the press centre.

Thursday 21 May, 21:37
6 – NORWAY

What a moving song, once you got into it, which took me quite a while.

That doesn’t help anything though, when some of her first tones are miles away from where they should be. At least this is not the jury final.

15 seconds of HUGE applause in the press centre.

Thursday 21 May, 21:41
7 – PORTUGAL

Leonor got the people in the press centre clapping along. But just as the audience did yesterday, the attending fans and press people drop it again before the first chorus sets in.

There is an amoeba-sized chance for it to qualify, as it kinda breaks up that early accumulation of ballads.

9 seconds of applause in the press centre.

Thursday 21 May, 21:45
8 – CZECH REPUBLIC

I said it before: I want all of Europe to see this shoe-throwing thing in the final.

Hey, I think this is by far the strongest that I’ve ever seen them! I’m pressing my thumbs for it (as we do in the German speaking part of Europe, instead of crossing fingers).

12 seconds of huge applause in the press centre.

Thursday 21 May, 21:49
9 – ISRAEL

Those who don’t like ballads will think “oh god, yet another one”! Well, I hope they return from the fridge to see how this develops.

The press centre is in party mode, and I am just losing my last doubts that this might struggle.

11 seconds of applause in the press centre.

Thursday 21 May, 21:53
11 – LATVIA

My personal favourite tonight.

Aminata’s vehement performance hopefully storms right into the people all over Europe to inject some major goosebumps. Well, I am sure it will. Juries and televoters will reward this artistic masterpiece. And if not, then Latvia should just send the Beaver from now on.

11 seconds of applause in the press centre.

Thursday 21 May, 21:57
12 – AZERBAIJAN

The WTF moment of the night. And suddenly, his singing even shows quite some instability. To be honest, I am suddenly not the only one who has a few doubts about its qualification chances.

12 seconds of applause in the press centre.

Thursday 21 May, 22:01
13 – ICELAND

I try hard to find evil words for it, and I am very successful, even. I just don’t want to waste the energy of forwarding them to you. Also, the beautiful stage can’t outshine her horrible vocals. There, I found some objectivity. Hopefully coming last.

6 seconds of POOOOR applause in the press centre.

Thursday 21 May, 22:08
14 – SWEDEN

The hot favourite has become a cold product. It completely lacks personality and originality, apart of the light figure. But hey, we are not gonna judge a song on a light figure, are we?!

A professional piece from the production line, lacking warmth and soul.

9 seconds of (not the biggest) applause in the press centre.

Thursday 21 May, 22:11
15 – SWITZERLAND

Now, how does Switzerland go again? Oh yes, it’s this…

If you think you’re having a Déja Vu: You don’t, I have written that line before. It just applies again and again. There is something good in there, though: A halfway catchy chorus, a nice staging and a powerful voice.

This is probably qualifying.

7 seconds of applause in the press centre.

Thursday 21 May, 22:16
16 – CYPRUS

This has the natural innocence that Iceland desparately tried (hard) to recreate on stage. He’s a little bit off the beat towards the end, but probably that just adds to his natural charme. Beautifully staged. Thankfully not as perfectly polished as Sweden.

9 seconds of applause in the press centre.

Thursday 21 May, 22:20
17 – SLOVENIA

Another big fan favourite. I didn’t get the hype at first, but now I quite appreciate this.

I just wonder what the unbiased audience will be more irritated by: Her headphones, her facial expressions at the start, or the air violin?

Anyway: This couldn’t have been better done here in Vienna.

12 seconds of applause in the press centre.

Thursday 21 May, 22:24
18 – POLAND

Really, what a beautiful way to end a semi-final.

While it was rather unremarkable in the preview video weeks, it works really well here, I think. Not much to say, just all kinds of positive things actually.

15 seconds of applause in the press centre.

Thursday 21 May, 23:40
Lithuania draws first half

Thursday 21 May, 23:45
Poland draws second half

Thursday 21 May, 23:48
Slovenia draws first half

Thursday 21 May, 23:51
Sweden draws first half

Thursday 21 May, 23:54
Norway draws first half

Thursday 21 May, 23:57
Montenegro draws 2nd half

Friday 22 May, 00:01
Cyprus draws 1st half

Friday 22 May, 00:04
Marjetka from Slovenia surprisingly just left the press conference

Friday 22 May, 00:04
Azerbaijan draws 2nd half

Friday 22 May, 00:08
Latvia draws 2nd half

Friday 22 May, 00:11
Israel draws the 1st half