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This was Eurovision in Concert 2019 in Amsterdam

07 April 2019 at 14:13 CEST
Darude feat. Sebastian Rejman at Eurovision in Concert 2019 Eurovision in Concert
The 11th edition of the annual Eurovision in Concert took place at AFAS Live in Amsterdam on Saturday night. 28 of this year's Eurovision artists were flown into the capital of the Netherlands to perform their participating song in front of 4500 enthusiastic fans.

The Eurovision in Concert event was hosted by Marlayne Sahupala (The Netherlands 1999) and Cornald Maas (Dutch commentator for AVROTROS).

The show

Before showtime, three former Dutch Eurovision stars warmed up the crowd: Sieneke (2010), Justine Pelmelay (1989) and Rosina Louwaars (Harmony, 1978).

At 20:00 it was showtime. The first part of the show was kicked off by former Eurovision Song Contest winner Dana International (Israel 1998 & 2011) who sang her iconic song Diva.

After Dana took to the stage Kobi Marimi was right at Home for Israel, Anna Odobescu asked to Stay for Moldova, Armenia's Srbuk followed by Walking Out and Oto Nemsadze would Keep on Going. Then Germany's S!sters sang to their Sister, Ester Peony from Romania performed On a Sunday on a Saturday, the UK's Michael Rice told everyone that it is Bigger Than Us, Katerine Duska was after a Better Love for Greece and Tulia set the place ablaze for Poland in Fire of Love (Pali się). Darude feat. Sebastian Rejman asked how to Look Away, Australia made AFAS Live feel Zero Gravity by Kate Miller-Heidke, Eliot from Belgium made the place Wake Up, Nevena Božović offered her Serbian Kruna and Miki from Spain put on La Venda.

The second part of the show began with another former Eurovision winner in Nicole (Germany 1982). She sang her winning song Ein Bißchen Frieden and an extensive medley of winning Eurovision songs translated to German including Waterloo and Euphoria!

Czech Republic's Lake Malawi then took to the stage to convinced us that they are just a Friend of a Friend, PÆNDA from Austria expanded her Limits, Joci Pápai brought an ode to his father with Az én apám and Denmark's Leonora proved that Love is Forever. The night shifted gears when Hatari performed Hatrið mun sigra for Iceland, D mol took the audience to Heaven for Montenegro, Belarus' ZENA was sure the crowd woud Like It and Norway looked for their Spirit in the Sky with KEiiNO. Jurij Veklenko took the audience on a safari through Lithuania to Run With The Lions, San Marino's Serhat made the crowd Say Na Na Na, Sarah McTernan was the night's lucky number 22 for Ireland, Jonida Maliqi turned up for her homeland Albania with Ktheju tokës and Luca Hänni showed his dirty dancin' moves during the Swiss entry She Got Me. The night came to a close with Duncan Laurence's Arcade, performing in and for his home country, the Netherlands.

Social encounters

During the press presentation in the afternoon, all 28 acts were welcomed by Amsterdam's mayor Femke Halsema (pictured between Serhat and Darude feat. Sebastian Rejman) and posed for a group photo.

The United Kingdom's Michael Rice met up backstage with Sarah McTernan from neighbouring country Ireland.

Germany's participants S!sters were over the moon to meet 1998 Eurovision Song Contest winner Dana International (Israel 1998 & 2011).

Hera Björk (Iceland 2010) made the guys from Hatari smile at the Eurovision in Concert afterparty.

What is next?

Next week, on Sunday 14 April, we will travel to the United Kingdom for the London Eurovision Party. In London - at the time of writing - 18 of this year's participants will take to the stage.

After London, we will pack our bags for Madrid. Their PrePartyES will take place on Friday 19 and Saturday 20 April, for which 19 of this year's participants have been confirmed at the time of writing.

Stay tuned for more preparty coverage, running up to the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv in May!