REPORTS/VIDEOS/PICTURES: Mika in Nice, France at Palais Nikaia - May 1, 2010

Here is a 9:35 overview of the whole night in nice:

Bravo France - one of your native Sons returns!

You received him well!

Kudos!

btw, does he still talk about the puppet and stuff, even if he doesn't sing toyboy but la solitude instead? he always said it was his fave part of the show - and it was mine too, him sitting there at the piano, just talking+joking with the crowd and making fun with that puppet. i'd hate to see that this part is missing now. don't care too much bout the song toyboy itself (the most interesting parts for me were only when he messed it up ), it's ok if he sings la solitude instead, it sounds beautiful - but i'd really miss the talking part.

i could imagine that he'll sing la solitude at the french festivals, he mentioned in one interview that he'd do cover versions at the festivals.

i can't see the point of taking french songs to gigs out of france honestly.

he said he wanted to thank french fans cause they changed his life, and he sang 'la solitude'.

Despite how hard was the queue thing this time and how we tried to do our best to help the situation, the gig was great!

Mika gave his best, as usual, even if he seemed really tired and his voice wasn't at its best.

I was a BG again and I had fun even if I can say I hate those skulls!They're a death trap!

The march wasn't so great because, I think, we were too many and the stage was a little bit smaller than the Arena Tour ones (like Barcelona, Milan etc..)!

Plus we were chosen at 6 PM and we only tried the death march once...plus..there were too many steps to get to the stage!!Ouch!

Anyway, we had fun

Mrs P laced up my corset again and she called me with my name, very pleaseant feeling!

She stayed with us to get us inside the backstage and while we were waiting, she danced and sang her son's songs like a proud mother!How sweet!!

After the show we saw the band and I had a chance to take a pic with Imma. She IS lovely!

Mika was tired, we did 2 group pics and I gave him a small present.

That's all! Another lovely Mika day!!

Here are my few pictures

http://s574.photobucket.com/albums/ss190/Sarinachan/Mika%20at%20Palais%20Nikaia%20Nice/

Here are two vids by YT user Isaolive13.

Happy Ending:

 

Ove My Shoulder with just over two minutes of Mika talking at the beginning:

 

Gosh - Mika is sweating a lot!

I would love to know what Mika said in the two minutes of talking before OMS if anyone would be knid of enough to translate for some of us here?

Thank you.

 

Hello,

This is what he said in (my approximative) English. Forgive my mistakes...

"We are very proud to come here for the second time.

We were very happy and quite surprised the first time, so your welcome us for the second time is a great honor. Thanks a lot.

Even if I look like somebody walking out of a pool, it is your fault, it is hot in the South!

Are there people from Villeneuve-Loubet here tonight? I spent 10 years when I was a child every summer in Villeneuve-Loubet. We went stealing cokes and sweets from the hotel.

(piano)

What am I doing? I have completely forgotten. There’s a romantic melody running.

I am going to sing a song I recorded one week after my fifteen’s birthday in a little garage with my friends.

(song)"

Lovely, huh?

Hello,

This is what he said in (my approximative) English. Forgive my mistakes...

 

"We are very proud to come here for the second time.

We were very happy and quite surprised the first time, so your welcome us for the second time is a great honor. Thanks a lot.

Even if I look like somebody walking out of a pool, it is your fault, it is hot in the South!

Are there people from Villeneuve-Loubet here tonight? I spent 10 years when I was a child every summer in Villeneuve-Loubet. We went stealing cokes and sweets from the hotel.

(piano)

What am I doing? I have completely forgotten. There’s a romantic melody running.

I am going to sing a song I recorded one week after my fifteen’s birthday in a little garage with my friends.

(song)"

 

Lovely, huh?

 

yes, he was trying to take breath after the mad dancing before!

there was no apparent air conditioning in the venue

it was too hot!

Hello,

This is what he said in (my approximative) English. Forgive my mistakes...

 

"We are very proud to come here for the second time.

We were very happy and quite surprised the first time, so your welcome us for the second time is a great honor. Thanks a lot.

Even if I look like somebody walking out of a pool, it is your fault, it is hot in the South!

Are there people from Villeneuve-Loubet here tonight? I spent 10 years when I was a child every summer in Villeneuve-Loubet. We went stealing cokes and sweets from the hotel.

(piano)

What am I doing? I have completely forgotten. There’s a romantic melody running.

I am going to sing a song I recorded one week after my fifteen’s birthday in a little garage with my friends.

(song)"

 

Lovely, huh?

Thank you so much Enigmaa!

Thanks everyone for reports pics vids and translations

I'm uploading my videos on YT - you'll find them here http://www.youtube.com/user/marinadio

will post a report asap

Thanks everyone for reports pics vids and translations

 

I'm uploading my videos on YT - you'll find them here http://www.youtube.com/user/marinadio

 

will post a report asap

Thanks Marina!

I love the few cute changes in Good Gone Girl:

Ida is beginning to look more comfortable with the routine.

Marina, thank you for posting your vids. Now I understand Jimmy´s tweet about sneezing and fake snow. Must laugh so hard, nearly was falling from my couch :floor:

Oh my dear! How nice!!! TS, ts, who is the queen of night?

What a gig! I could hear perfectly from where I was sitting!

The audience was spellbound! And the venue was really packed!

I had so much fun with my gig-mates. Let me play the diva for a sec: I would like to thank Marie-Thérèse, Marina and her super cool husband for being such good company! Thank you!

Gigs are actually causing problems to my brain: I even translated from English into English for Marina's husband.

Perhaps this is my best video:

What a gig! I could hear perfectly from where I was sitting!

The audience was spellbound! And the venue was really packed!

 

I had so much fun with my gig-mates. Let me play the diva for a sec: I would like to thank Marie-Thérèse, Marina and her super cool husband for being such good company! Thank you!

 

Gigs are actually causing problems to my brain: I even translated from English into English for Marina's husband.

 

Perhaps this is my best video:

How many gigs have you been to lately Laura*??

I am so jealous!

Beautiful vid!:thumb_yello:

How many gigs have you been to lately Laura*??

I am so jealous!

Beautiful vid!:thumb_yello:

Not that many. You just remember my fantastic reports very clearly.

It's the same crappy camera I used at the previous gigs, but maybe the gig was so good that the camera worked better than usual.

As ever my report will be in chunks covering more than the gig. You may wonder at the length of this report: let me explain.... I had an e mail from Easyjet to say my flight to Nice was cancelled. Then I had one to say my flight back was cancelled too. Then I had one saying my flight out wasn’t cancelled, it was an error. I e-mailed to confirm because the flight time had changed. They e-mailed back telling me not to bother them with e-mails as they were very busy! Charming. So I let it be for weeks. Then they said I could do on-line check in. I did that, no problem, printed off boarding passes and went to Nice on Friday without problems. Sadly when I got to the airport yesterday afternoon there was no flight home. They were very nice and they transfered me to earlyish this morning.

I planned to drop my case off here and use my bus ticket to roam in the other direction, towards the port and have an evening adventure. But I was spooked by someone outside my building in Nice who accosted me. He wouldn’t back off and was standing between the fob button and the door. I know I’d be fine but I decided to stay put. So I was the only lonely one, putting my time to good use writing my report.

So bear with me as I go into really unnecessary detail.

So, it all began with a crack of 3 a.m. rise and journey to Liverpool airport on Friday. Everything went smoothly and I took off on time at 06:10. I had a horribly painful throat and a nasty cough and as we came in to land I had shooting pains across my forehead and in my ears which left me hearing the echoing sounds of a huge sea shell. My first attempt at speaking French sounded, to me, as if I was whispering in a swimming pool, but I was understood. Achievement! I found the bus stop and asked for the right stop on the Promenade des Anglais. So far, so good, and all in French. The next problem was finding where I was staying but a bit of reinterpreting the directions found me indoors in the total pitch dark where I blundered into someone’s door and scared us both half to death. At least she showed me a light switch albeit unsmilingly. I let myself in to where I was staying and found pitch dark again. More dithering and blundering found a light switch and then sets of shutter winders which let the daylight in. I was close to a supermarket and found everything I wanted, again practising my French. When I was settled I guessed Kath would be arriving but when I went to the meeting place she was already half way through a drink. Somehow the journey which took me an hour and a quarter was only 40 mins for her.

We had a drink; I lapsed back into speaking English, came back, shopped (again) and at some point decided to do a reccy of the Palais Nikaia. Our bus tickets were valid all day so we set off. The first bus set us down but a lady at the bus stop said it was ‘loin’ (far) We walked some way but weren’t even sure of the direction till a helpful man in a hotel reception area drew a map but helpfully suggested buses. It was very far indeed. The next bus dropped us off near a sign for the palais, but we couldn’t find it. We walked through a rather hairy housing estate, the kind of area the French hide from tourists more successfully than the British I think. So we decided to go home and got the same bus driver who must have thought we were crazy when I told him, “nous ne pourrons pas le chercher” (we couldn’t find it) Anyway, we’d learnt it was a flippin’ long way away, and the number of the bus to get. So home, Mika on iTunes, Mika picture screen saver and bed.

The next day, May 1st, was gig day. I had very cold feet about a stadium gig; if Mika had announced his UK dates before these, I would absolutely not have even considered attending this one. Kath’s wise words were that it was a new experience, something to compare previous and future gigs to. One thing we decided was not to get involved with early queuing. I know, I know, I said that about Dublin and then still queued in the freezing cold, but honestly, with the numbers of people and the different entry points these places have, it seemed to be a possible disastrous game. Also, the French are very fond of Mika “Ils l’adore” and the fact that he fills these enormous venues meant that we were going to be just one of the punters.

We spent the morning till 2 p.m. on the beach, discovering too late that May 1st means shops shut up as if it were a Sunday. So we had no food, no water bottles, nothing for a picnic in the queue. We decided that arriving at 4ish would be wise, so we set off for the bus. What bus? No buses today; it’s May 1st. I would have thought that the man in the tabac could have warned us at the point of sale, but I would have thought wrong. We decided to get as far as the airport and then find a taxi onwards. No airport bus either. No bus to an international airport?? Good grief! Well, heck, who needs buses? It’s pretty flat along the prom with many velo bleu (bikes) for hire. We investigated and pressed buttons but we needed a telephone card or to make a call and as neither of our phones had managed to go roaming, that wasn’t going to happen. No option: plan Z: pay whatever it cost for a taxi. Someone directed us to the stand and off we went, passing the place we’d set out from 45 minutes earlier!

The fare cost us 30 euros which made the idea of staying in a local hotel instead of using this free place seem worth reconsidering. My heart sank at the number of people already waiting. We saw Sara etc and they explained the queuing system: early MFCers and the first 100 non MFCers, then other queues snaking around barriers and out into the open spaces. We joined one. Gosh it’s an ordeal. Bleak, nothing to look at, no stalls for water or snacks and as it had managed to rain, not really a possibility of sitting down. But on the up-side; no burning sun, no freezing British February weather and starting to queue a tad before 5 pm cut down on the actual hours of life spent in that queue. After about half an hour, I left Kath to go and see if anything was happening with the MFCers. Good timing by me as, while we were talking, Mrs P. came out for boys, big girls and lollipop girls. Sorry, I annoyed her immediately by holding my camera up – oops! and she told me off. As Hotdlp walked to the gate I noticed her sweatshirt and took a photo of that instead. I watched as people were chosen, some even had their waistlines pinched! I was working out my French to say, if asked if I wanted to be one, that I had already – the word déjà featured, but I’m never sure about been. été, I think. When the fun was over and Sara had thrown her water bottle over the fence for me (thanks: it was literally all we’d had to drink since midday!) I went back to Kath.

I went back to find that our line had contracted and squashed way down between the barriers and I had quite a wriggle to get back to her! We were assuming that we’d another two hours or so before the doors opened, the entire outside area was totally full and people were still arriving, but actually, even before 7 o’clock, they put huge bins to take all cans and bottles off all the punters and then start checking bags. We got to the doors where they checked our tickets. I asked where to go next and was told any door, so I took off after Kath as she went up some steps and through another door. I was stopped because my ticket was for standing, (as was Kath’s) and luckily she heard my shout and we scarpered back downstairs. We’d discussed where to aim for and we actually had time to weigh up each other’s preferred places before deciding to separate. She was on the barrier, far left (Martin and Ida’s side) in front of the speakers. I had two ‘rows’ in front of me but was a bit more towards the middle (not ‘in’ the middle I hasten to add), and for minimal queuing it seemed like a result. Most of the people in front of centre stage were sitting on the ground and pulling out pieces of pizza etc. Kath said that at one point she was the only person around who wasn’t eating! Most of the fun I had waiting, came from watching the two girls in front of me stopping the young man in front of them from bringing his friend/s to stand with him at the barrier in front of us. They were very nice about it but he was left in no doubt that he couldn’t do it. To be fair, we never saw anyone get close but he looked very sad. The girls behind me dealt with a similar situation at the side of me. No unpleasantness, they just weren’t letting late arrivals stand at the front. At one point there was a sudden rush from the back causing most of the ones sitting down to stand up. They took much less space that way which was fair but it gives you an anxiety about being crushed against the barriers. It was very hot and sweaty as we waited. I could tell I was dehydrated already with that dry dust taste in my mouth, but there were no options. The time went on surprisingly well with the music track including Paolo, and it was time for the support group. They were French and although I heard their name twice, it began with P but wasn’t a word I recognised. There were three of them; a dark haired man in a military jacket, another young man and a young woman. And they all played piano keyboards! I thought they were fine, better than some who have supported Mika. There was some drumming by one of the men and the woman also played a piano accordion. Just lovely. Modern French music. After they finished a security man passed some bottles of water into the crowd. I tried to get one but was told to share with a woman and her son who had one next to me, I watched while she drank, he did, she had a second drink and then he did. She had obviously no idea that I was waiting! She poured water on her hands and rubbed her son’s head. More water and dabbed their necks. I couldn’t bear it as she prepared to dribble it on him so I asked if I could have some. They gave me the bottle immediately and I drank as if my life depended on it! Oh that was so good. The visions of my mass being hoiked over the barrier in a faint faded away and I settled to the evening in much better spirits.

When I told Mika in Dublin that I enjoyed the new show he said in would be even better in the big stadia. I can see why he thought that and he’s right to be proud of the show. It was clearly well thought out, blending parts from the U.S.A. tour with the astronaught, Sir Ian and the space rocket, the black and white costumes and 40’s feel with the UK leg; the book, the day of the dead and his marionette. It was then expanded on a huge stage using all the height and depth of the venue. This was further enhanced by screens at each side including French sub-titles for Sir Ian’s introduction but with terrible lip synching. The stadium was huge; the seats seemed to go on forever, not rising steeply. But I expect and hope that everyone got a good clear view. And the music was wonderful. I hope someone got the set list, or memorised it because I didn’t. Randomly, I remember Ida singing with Mika in Over My Shoulder, Ida singing opera to Mika’s GGG, some wonderful hip movement from a very unstable looking piano, that scary inclined circle that they scattered with slippery bits and then danced on. Don’t they have H&S in mind when they plan these events? All the big girl, boys and lollipop fans walked through during LT which was excellent. The suitcase bit reminded me a lot of Cirque du Soleil’s Quidam. I cannot have my fingers more crossed than they are about the chances of someone sharing recordings of GGG. Or, even more, the part in the finale when they swapped Toy Boy to do Barbara’s La Solitude accompanied by the woman from the support band playing her piano accordion. It’s all well and good Sara going off backstage, but where are her super quality recordings when you need them? I don’t like rain, but he sang it beautifully; he worked the whole stage and the audience. The French crowd didn’t perhaps know every single word, but they seemed to be enjoying it hugely. And all the band were cheerful and smiley. At one point Mika introduced the TB puppet and put it on the neck of Jimmy's guitar. Jimmy went really close to Mika’s side when he wasn’t looking. Then, when he turned, he genuinely had the shock of his life! He wrestled Jimmy to the ground and poured a handful of the GK ‘snow’ over his face. In BB he did a play with a gun where the flag said Billy instead of BANG! At the end a huge Billy banner came up from the stage to the top. He also did an execution of the entire band, finishing with Martin. He announced “Je suis Mika, je suis mort”

Actually he spoke a lot in French. He said hello Nice several times and thankyou for giving him the success he’s having. He said s.th. rude and apologised. He asked if anyone was in from (?somewhere?), because he used to go there for family holidays every year for ten years. He made the error about presenting his band, explained it and corrected himself, he introduced the puppet and made it say hello and bow. I was so chuffed with myself for keeping up. I like the talking as much as the singing and I’ve worked so hard on improving my French these last 12 months and its paid off.

His costumes, and the band’s, were fabulous. The astronaut, the 40’s clothes, Ida’s dress for her opera singing which stripped back to a lovely short skirt, the florescent bits, Mika’s tail jackets and oh! a red and white banded tee with a long back, and a plain white T with black jeans and silver sparkly shoes. Nice.

The drumming was lovely to see again; so much more a performance when they work together like that. And because Ida took a drum, Martin didn’t have to get to his guitar in a rush. There were two blasts of golden ‘fetti and huge balloons and coloured paper streamers. All in all it seems a thoroughly professional and well presented spectacle which I’m sure would have met Mika’s higher than high standards. Yet his personality, the fun of the occasion and the pleasure of performing was never overshadowed by the theatricals which are undoubtedly needed for a venue of this size.

.... and my prayers were answered; GGG and La Solitiude are both on YT thanks to the wonderful mari62 ....... and more ~x~

When it ended, and it was a good, long show, the security men pulled a tape across the front and walked with it, forcing us to retreat. Kath met up with Robi and the other fans she was with... We lingered around the concession stand and there was a fabulous full colour brochure of the tour. I was given an orange by a lady collecting for charity. That’s never happened before. Inevitably we had to go out and although it wasn’t warm, it certainly wasn’t unpleasant. We stood around to see if anyone was still inside but then made our way to the barriers for the ‘stage door.’ So there was going to be a M&G! I never dare expect it, so it was a relief at such a different venue to see that he would give even more of his time. I’d have guessed there were over 100 fans waiting but somehow the number dwindled. I’d say 60 – 70 stuck it out. It was a long wait but eventually Sara & co came out from their inside adventure. They said he was really tired, his eyes closing in between sentences. When he finally did come, he’d perked up: the fresh air probably did its bit. He worked along the line, very quickly signing until he got to me. I asked if I could give him another gold star (un étoile d’or) and then decided to speak English in case he thought, I was crazy! I reminded him that I’d given him one in Dublin and he had thrown it away. He said he remembered and had still got it. He said he couldn’t wear it because people would think he was a dick. I looked him straight in the eye and said ‘nobody would think that, you are a love’. I know I had ‘you are lovely’ in my head but I must have censored myself into saying a love. I asked Kath what I said because it was so dreamlike. Good quality conversation. Wow! He moved on to Kath and Robi who mentioned La Solitude so I called out to thank him for doing that. He looked back and said I was the only one from Britain to have travelled over. So Hotdlp & Sara huffed a bit and we agreed there were a few of us. He was really nice. Later on in the line he let someone take pictures with him, so we Brits didn’t hog his attention exclusively. The other fans were very good; there was absolutely no bad or silly behaviour. And, when he finished the line, we all clapped as he got in the car. And we clapped John who was very relaxed. Mellowed said Kath, just the right word.

And is it my place to say what John and Mika were wearing?

I have no idea how late it was by the time Mika’s car drew away. Late. There was talk of phoning for a taxi from the local hotel but I was up for walking down to the airport and getting one there. So we walked and walked and walked some more. We reckon we walked at least 7km and made it all the way back to our own beds. 3:15 by then I think. Bed.

On Sunday I had had a chance to look at the lovely brochure - that’s not the word. What’s the word? that Kath bought and Mika signed. It has one page in French and without a dictionary, I couldn’t get it all. I wonder if s.o. will have translated that by now? But mostly I’m wishing and hoping and thinking and praying that YT will be full of fabulous videos from the night

And it is...

AND SPECIAL THANKS TO SARA WHO FILMED THE MEET AFTER!!!! I had no idea. And its confirmed what I remembered and what I hoped had been said.

ruthie i loved your report, so full of details in nice-land!

a bit of an adventure you had!

it was so sweet to meet you and kath again, a little oldling island!

 

Oh yes, silly amount of photos again, will upload them soon

Your photos are lovely. It was nice to meet you and Nice was fabulous wasn't it?

ruthie i loved your report, so full of details in nice-land!

a bit of an adventure you had!

 

it was so sweet to meet you and kath again, a little oldling island!

I write far too much, but it's an indulgence... I can relive it all.

Actually, watching the videos, I've remembered other things - the coin he picked up off the stage and the Mexican waves we made round the stadium, just to mention two things.

Lovely to see you. One day we'll get to have a conversation.

Have you seen Sara's video:

It starts with me talking to him....then

YOU feature

Hello.

Just a quick report.

I hadn't seen any of the reports or pictures from this show so I didn't know what to expect. I thought it was totally awesome. I love to see Mika in any show - large /small............I just love to see him perform. But in front of a large audience he is in his element. He was clearly really enjoying himself and I thought it was an amazing show. I just can't help turning round and marvelling at such a huge crowd enjoying watching him. It was a brilliant performance. I particularly enjoyed Ida's singing and I ALWAYS love watching Mika perform Touches You so I guess they were my highlights.

It was brilliant to see Mika again, it was two months since I had last seen him and I had a fantastic night. Afterwards was lovely too. It is SO good of him to come out and meet people when he must be absolutly knackered.

Lovely to see some old friends too - and some new faces that I haven't met before.

A brilliant weekend - absolutly perfect.

Thanks Mika for being as brilliant and wonderful as ever. x