Gatagordinha

Have you managed to contact them yet? I can't be 100% sure because it's 20 years since I've been to the Ritz and it's been modernised recently, but there used to be a balcony/mezzanine there with casual seating. So even though tickets are Standing, it may be possible to ask for priority entrance to enable you to get one of the seats there. Worth asking, at least! Good luck anyway.

Oh how can you say that??

I don't have strong feelings about this video really. If anything I just find it a bit boring! If musicians do this sort of thing I like the videos to be either very extreme or very funny or very surreal. This is none of those things. It's just mostly snogging and cliched expressions of love (I'm a hard old cynic obvs ) As for the song, I did/do love the live version but like others have said here, there's just something lacking in the album version. It's too laid back and washes over me. It's nothing to do with the vocoder-ed voice either, I like that. It's more the rhythm and lack of dynamism. Rather than sounding passionate, Mika sounds a bit bored It's a shame but I don't think it's going to be one of my favourites from the album after all, now that I've heard it in its entirety .

Like this one a lot, it's really grown on me. Great euphoric dance sound that manages not to sound dated (unlike Overrated).

I hate to say it but it sounds like a Scissor Sisters song to me And with the title!! Not that I have anything against that band. I think it's ok, but I'm kind of glad it's not on the main album because we don't need the whole Mika/Scissor Sisters comparisons in the media all over again, that's so 2007

I do like this one. It has that bit of quirky Mika originality that you don't really hear in anyone else. Don't get me wrong, I like a lot of the songs on TOOL but not all the songs have anything that particularly sets them apart from the crowd IMO (apart from his voice)... but this one does. And I love his shouty voice in the chorus!

Probably not, given the age restriction means I would be risking it taking my daughter, who will only be 14 on the 17th December! I really don't need the stress at the moment of worrying if they'll let her in or not, so I'm probably passing this one by. But I'm peeved. Edit: @krysady Yes the dancefloor is sprung! It's an old ballroom which has recently been modernised. it's a nightclub actually, a student place. I used to go there a lot when I was a student in Manchester.

By all accounts, they require photo ID. Of course there's always the chance we wouldn't be asked to show it, and she can pass for 14, but I've heard they're very strict so if we do get a jobsworth on the door then it's no go. It's really annoying as I'm supposed to be going there in a few weeks to see a band my daughter also really likes, and for various reasons I'm struggling to find a +1 and it's so stupid that according to their rules, I can't take my very mature 13 y o Oh well!

Would love to go to the Manchester Ritz gig but just one problem: I've promised my daughter she can come to see Mika with me next time he's up here, but she doesn't turn 14 until three days after the gig And I know they are very strict at that venue Looks like I'm waiting for the big tour next year IF THERE IS ONE

I love it. That chorus is a thing of genius. He should write more with with this Hillary person! Edit: If he releases Underwater as a single over this, then I'll break something (hard, over his head).

I really like the verses!! They've a really interesting contemporary sound. The chorus taken from the old demo just seems surplus to requirement though and sounds really dated Strange song!

Yep, I listened to it ONCE yesterday and could not get the tune out of my head all day. That's old skool Mika It does sound like a boyband song, but a good one. I can imagine One Direction singing it for example *waits to get flamed* Of course, it's too good for them really

I listened. Well why not I wasn't going to, but what can I say, I'm weak. Well it's more the fact that i'm not as excited about the album as I was about the last two so the anticipation isn't as high for me anyway. Of the "new" songs I like the sound of Kids and Step With Me. Really strong tunes. Overrated...oh dear, what has he done to it . Or with it. Maybe the bit we haven't heard yet will be super duper though Personally I would ditch Emily and replace her with Karen but apart maybe from Overrated, there's nothing I instantly dislike. It's going to be a good pop album that's for sure. I've never expected Mika to do anything other than pop, it's what he does, but I dunno, maybe I was expecting something just a little more experimental or edgy within the remit of pop. This album isn't that, sadly. But I'll buy it and I'll still almost certainly go to see him on tour next year.

You're not weird at all . This is how I feel too. Well I've literally only listened to the song once, and not even the whole of it, but yes it does have an old fashioned feel. It reminds me very much of Three Steps to Heaven by Eddie Cochran. I'm hazarding a guess it reminds Mika of it, too

The different release dates for the CD/download are a bit baffling but I don't see why the album can't be streamable from just before the date of the earliest release. for example, via mikasounds.com. Seriously, what is there to lose from doing this? People who want to buy the product will still do so on its release, and those who want to steal it will still do so... I don't see what the problem is. So many artists do it this these days. That way everyone the world over gets the opportunity to hear the record at the same time and everyone's happy. I know we are dealing with a huge record company machine here so that's probably why this will never happen. Having said that, MGMT did it with their second album and they are signed to Sony/Columbia..so it can be done.

Is the version on the album more upbeat and dancey though? From what I remember reading on album preview threads it seems so. I think I'll prefer it that way. Thanks for the link to the video I'm not going to listen to it any more though now until the album. This acoustic version doesn't do a lot for me at first listen to be honest.

If this is indeed the cover, I have to say I don't like it much. I quite like the fact it's simpler and less "Mikaish" (never liked that term ) but I don't like the lettering on the side or the picture of Mika at all. The golden crown of thorns idea is ok but it looks amateurishly done, to me.

Yes he does, that's spot on. For some reason (probably just heavy cultural influence) many British singers use an approximation of American vowels and consonants when singing. It's quite common. Even those who have pronounced regional British accents in speech (Adele being a good example). There's a tendency to soften consonants and alter vowel sounds or dipthongize them. Use of the rhotic "r" also increases. For example In 'Someone Like You', Adele tends to pronounce "instead" as "instayeed" which sounds very American, and specifically southern USA, to me. I actually find it a bit annoying but that's by the by... Since Mika's spoken accent is a strange mix of British and American, it comes as no surprise that he sometimes mixes up the rules when singing, hence the "waater" thing.

Good theory But they'll be talking about it I presume. Perhaps he's there in his role of Londoner Extraordinaire

Yes it is I'm excited for the Olympics now but it's only recently that I've been able to get into it even though I'm a sports fan. But the buzz has really increased these past few weeks, as you'd expect. It won't be rebroadcast as it's just a nightly news magazine, but quite a good one, well respected and usually well watched. But it'll be available on BBC iPlayer (I hope). I hope someone can record it, I don't have the technology to do so i'm afraid

Mika is lighting the Olympic cauldron!!!! I knew it.

This is really great....but it's the Olympics opening ceremony tonight and so many people will be watching that and not Newsnight (myself included ) which is a real shame. It's a pity it couldn't be ANY other night of the year But yes it's still good to see him on British TV again!

Do you like it compared to the live version? A few of us have been saying it sounds rather flat, but speculating that this may be a rough mix and not the final version that will be on the album. In any case, I still think it's a great song!

Would love to be able to go to this. Coliseu is a great venue and I love Lisbon at this time of year..chestnuts in the streets etc. *sigh* But it's a no no.

Aah it makes sense now. I'm very relieved as I did Latin years ago and thought I had been cheated by my teacher .