The 2012 Eurovision Song Contest in Baku, Azerbaijan, took a step closer today with the Reference Group meeting and the subsequent live show to determine the allocation draw for the two semi-finals on 22 and 24 May.

Firstly, we were informed that the venue was confirmed – as expected, the Crystal Hall (currently under construction) will host the 2012 contest, housing a total of 16,000 fans and locals. All that remains now is for the building work to be completed in time for the first rehearsals in early May!

This was followed by the “serious” work of the day, as our hosts presented us with a faltering and glitch-ridden but nevertheless charming show, pulling names out of pots and giving us an initial insight into how the 2012 contest will be structured in terms of the participating countries. While the actual draw will not be finalised until the Heads of Delegation meet in mid-March, we now at least know which countries will sing in the first and second halves of which semi-finals – and the lots were drawn as follows:

Semi-final 1, Tuesday 22 May (18 countries)

First half:
Montenegro
Iceland
Romania
Albania
Belgium
Latvia
Switzerland
Finland
Greece

Second half:
Moldova
Cyprus
Austria
Denmark
Russia
San Marino
Israel
Ireland
Hungary

Semi-final 2, Thursday 22 May (19 countries)

First half:
Serbia
Netherlands
Portugal
Macedonia
Belarus
Malta
Ukraine
Armenia
Bulgaria

Second half:
Sweden
Georgia
Slovenia
Estonia
Turkey
Slovakia
Croatia
Norway
Lithuania
Bosnia & Herzegovina

It was also decided which of the automatic finalists – the “big 5” and host country Azerbaijan – would vote in which semi-final:

First semi-final: Italy, Azerbaijan and Spain
Second semi-final: United Kingdom, France and Germany