Everything Liverpool students want from a Scouse Eurovision 2023, a wish list

After a steadfast campaign, Liverpool was awarded the right to host the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of Ukraine next spring. The announcement came last week after the BBC decided to back Merseyside over a strong Glaswegian bid. Liverpool has been rocking ever since, however, there is plenty of speculation going around about how the city is going to pull off the spectacle. 

With talk of a Eurovision cruise ship on the docks, a Euro-fan-village on the waterfront and a month of continental celebration across the city, it’s fair to say that Liverpool is making its own unique mark on Europe’s most treasured entertainment show. 

As the official planning gets underway for Eurovision 2023, here’s a deep dive into our very own Eurovision mood board. 

A proper northern Eurovision

Eurovision has been a long time coming for Liverpool. The 2023 contest will mark the ninth time that the United Kingdom has hosted the contest, but the first time in the North-West of England. A proper chips and gravy Eurovision if you will. To mark the occasion, why not propose a presenter from the region to host the shows? Liverpool boasts plenty of worthy candidates in comedian John Bishop, Killing Eve star Jodie Comer or maybe Cheshire’s very own Daniel Craig. Regardless, it would be a shame to outsource.

The show is bound to feature shots from these Liverpool landmarks

Let’s not forget that every Eurovision has a slogan. Usually, it’s a one-liner about peace, harmony and unity – something along the lines of Come Together (Sweden’s crude attempt in 2016). Given that the contest is coming to Liverpool, it feels apt to embrace a quick, sharp, Scouse one-liner: You’ll Never Walk Alone. 

The All-Important Interval Acts

Eurovision is a smörgåsbord of culture. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not all about camp European pop music. Once all the acts give it their all for glory, the show becomes a showcase of the host city’s culture. In the past, we’ve seen Riverdance, Madonna, and most recently a throwback Mika medley as the infamous Eurovision ‘interval act’. With stakes high, Liverpool has to throw the kitchen sink.

As a rich city of music, could we see a hologram reunion for The Beatles? Some on Twitter have dared to suggest TikTok sensations Queen of Scotty Road and Sandra Hannah (owner of Chanel the African Grey) could light up the show. Could we even see the long-awaited comeback of PandaGirl.94 (the TikTokker who loves a £5 chicken burger) on the Eurovision stage?

Euro-Party

The Eurovision Song Contest will bring a whole host of fans, journalists and artists to the banks of the Mersey next May. With all these people flocking to Liverpool, they’re going to want to go somewhere once the shows draw to a close at the M&S Bank Arena. This warrants a full Eurovision take-over of the city’s nightlife.

Imagine Austrian Eurovision champion Conchita Wurst getting her heels caught on the cobbles of Conny Square after too many woo woo pitchers at Spoons. Similarly, the thought of Graham Norton hosting his own DJ night at Superstar Boudoir would be one for the history books. You never know, you may be rubbing shoulders with San Marino’s act on the dancefloor of McCooley’s next May. It’s almost a certainty that Level is cooking up a playlist featuring all things Eurovision from Abba’s 1974 winner Waterloo, to Måneskin to the UK’s 1996 entry Ooh Aah… Just A Little Bit by Gina G. The scenes will be biblical nonetheless.

Yassified Superlambananas

You may be unfamiliar with the strangely Scouse Superlambanana. Well, it’s a cross between a lamb and a banana (shocker). The four-legged sculptures were rolled out as part of Liverpool’s successful year as the European Capital of Culture in 2008, with 125 sculptures commissioned with different liveries for the event. In fact, the original can actually be found outside a Liverpool John Moores library. 

Artist’s impression of the French Superlambanana

As Liverpool prepares to host Eurovision, it could be a neat idea to celebrate the contest’s participating nations by designing their very own Superlambananas! A Superlambanana in Lederhosen, yes please. However, it would only be a matter of time before someone stole the sculptures as a great feature for the kitchen in their university accommodation.

You May Say I’m a Dreamer…

With just over six months to go until the Grand Final, there’s plenty to be unravelled as Liverpool prepares for the biggest entertainment event in its history. What else could we possibly see during the spectacular 2023 Eurovision season? A special Nabzy’s burger dedicated to Abba? A Scouse public holiday for the Grand Final? The sky is the limit. One thing is for sure, however, Liverpool knows how to throw a good party.