mouselle

Part 2 (sound check and supporting act) Soon there were the tell-tale sounds of the sound-check, so I went hunting for the best possible sound. To my amazement, it was possible to see inside through the clear lettering on the opaque doors. And to see Mika! At first, the band was onstage and Mika was at the sound desk. The band was playing live, but Mika’s voice was obviously a track. They ran through most of the songs, with Mika also watching the light show on the screens behind the stage. (And yes, I have no pride and no shame. Others came and went, but I was stuck like a moth to that peephole for a very long time!) Luckily the lettering covered four doors, so others could also see without me feeling too greedy! Passers-by stopped to see and listen to what was fascinating me, and most either recognized the name or remembered Grace Kelly, and all were nice. I met various MFCers and chatted with them too. It was so funny. A person would come up, and gasp OMG! It’s Mika! Then they would gasp OMG! He stood up! (or sat down, or is on stage, or whatever!) I enjoyed it immensely, and started discussing with people how he was just like a real boy, who moved and everything! I think they all got the joke – I hope so! And I understand, because I share it, that he seems so much like a remote dream, that the actuality is just amazing. He does exist in real life, not just on our computers! (maybe it’s an Aussie thing – it’s been a loooong time between drinks!) Then Mika moved to the stage and ran through the concert, miming taking off the space suit. The order of songs seemed random to me, as the space suit mime occurred after he had ‘performed’ half a dozen songs. So I got a lot of Mika concert time, and my day was so fabulous already that I was about to bust! And I still had the real concert and the M&G to come. Thank you so much to the mods who organised the M&G – the prospect of it meant so much to so many of us! We already knew we were going to have one before we left for the concert, and that was just magic. I still had two spare tickets and asked at the ticket window if they wanted them back. They said no, but that the front of stage standing area had sold out, and I was welcome to loiter nearby and approach people who might want them. Soon I had them sold, and just in time as ten minutes later the doors were about to open. Just then people called my name down the line, and some-one wanted my tickets, but I was glad I was not still hanging on to them that late! Then we were in, and I got a spot along the barrier in front of the piano and Imma, the back-up singer. I was so glad to have the barrier to hang on to. I had had so many days of walking and standing for hours, and the time I spent watching the sound-check instead of sensibly sitting and resting, and my legs were letting me know! I diagnosed the problem as a temporary lack of sufficient adrenaline that would be cured soon! The people against the barrier had a ledge/platform to stand on, which was just wide enough for me to sit on and doze until the support act came on. (No sleep the night before means I can sleep anywhere!) Annie spotted Owen on stage doing his last minute checks, and called out to him about a nearly invisible coil of plastic wire on the stage where Mika might trip, so Owen brushed it away. Orianthi came on. The guitars and drums were very loud, and her voice was not loud enough, which is a common problem with support acts. I couldn’t understand any words of her songs, but her guitar playing and fingering was magic. Wow! Annie and I were laughing, because there were photographers scrambling in front of our barrier to get the best shot, and she gave great smolder! At one point she laughed privately with her band with glee at how the crowd was beginning to clap more after each song as we came to realize her artistry. Then she turned quickly to the front again and smoldered for the camera, holding classic guitar poses, and obviously deeply into the music. A little later she moved to the other side of the mic to give the rest of the crowd a good look! She was great, but I am so used to Mika’s exuberant freedom that she seemed so studied and restricted in her movement that I was just so amused! She soon finished, having been a far better supporting act than I had expected. I sat down again to rest for Mika, and dozed some more.

Robertina, you are so kind to say that. I love writing detailed reports so I can hold all the precious details and not lose them as they fade over time. Sometimes it all seems dream-like, and so good it could never have happened. Then I come across my report, and go "wow, it really was that good!" I've got the next part written, so I'll put it up, and than go back to writing.

Ok, time to start writing my report. I think it's going to be rather long, and possibly jumbled. My time sense got scattered and thrown away with the last skerricks of any sense I might have had. I’ve posted in the Idol and the Sunrise threads about the first two days, and this concert day was the topper. I meant to get to the Enmore at 12, but ran late and only arrived at 1pm. A few people were ahead of us, so we parked our bags and settled in. I have to say here, that overall I am so grateful to the people who tolerated my perpetual absences from the queue and let me maintain my position. I was away a lot! My son Jericho/David helped, as he did stay put a fair bit, and chatted happily. First I tracked down DC who has stalked many a star at concert venues all over Sydney. He showed me the back alley door where stars come and go, but it was too small for stage stuff, so I found the bigger door which was actually on the main street. Unfortunately, all the stage stuff was already in the venue. I was fooled in my inexperience by what happened at the Forum 3 years ago, and they were all much earlier this time. I decided that Mika could not possibly be here this early, so I was going to wait around the back entrance until fate saved me. (Last time he arrived after 5 pm!) One of Mika’s technicians whom Annie and I befriended after Sunrise came out for a smoke break. His name is Owen, and he is Welsh, and he is responsible for the guitars and keyboard setup and sound. He is not a roadie. He has been with Mika from the beginning, and was happily chatty. He kindly let me know that Mika had arrived at about 11am and had been busy with his mother and sister. The planets they had in the US had not made the trip, and they were painting flat circles to take their place. Annie casually asked if they would like any help, as we would happily help, as would the other MFCers idly sitting in line. Owen said that since they had had a posse of MFCers helping to paint in the states, it was worth asking, and he’d let us know. Unfortunately the answer came back that if we had offered at 11am our help would have been welcomed, but they only had 3 more to paint and were nearly finished. (You can guess how early I might arrive at the next gig!!!!) As the answer was negative, and queue was buzzing with Big Girl excitement, we did not share the (sadly extinct) possibility with the others. Owen said Mika was very tired, as he had 13 hours of duties on the Sunrise day, and had only had one 20 minute break all day. Everyone was getting worried about the frantic schedule he has at the moment. (Later someone in the band told Annie that they were dreading Hong Kong, as it was going to be equally busy, and they were all incredibly tired, with Mika obviously being the most tired of all. I hope you Hong Kong folk treat him kindly - he needs it!) Owen also said that on the day Mika hurt his foot, his mother had told him which shoes to wear, but Mika pointed to a different pair and said he was going to wear those. Then he wandered out on stage, forgetting to wear any at all… So, if you spot a lovely Welsh bloke out for a smoke during band set-up or take-down, he’s well worth approaching! For the accent alone! John and the story of What Happened Earlier…. At Idol, after Mika’s performance, I had failed totally to spot Mika arriving or leaving, so when I saw John I approached him, and asked if he would pass on to Mika that I thought it had been an awesome performance. He thanked me, and asked my name, then said “I’ve seen you before, haven’t I?” I said yes, and that I’d see him tomorrow at Sunrise. He gave me a look that doubted my sanity, and said he’d look out for me. .. …At Sunrise, after Mika rehearsed his first song, John wandered over to the window and looked out. He spotted me, and gave me a bow with a flourish … Back to the concert… A little later John came out and checked the crowd numbers. He said hello, and that he would organize a runner to get drinks for everyone. Then 10 minutes later he came back again, and said all the runners were busy, and would I organize drinks if he paid. I asked if I should be getting hot chocolates or ice-creams, as the weather could have suited either! He said that people could have whatever they wanted, so I got pen and paper and took orders, then did relays to deliver drinks as they were ready from the café. David really liked the thought of being owed $20 (the shortfall) by Mika, but did claim his money back in the end.

I was at Sunrise this morning, waiting outside, and although I did not get to meet Mika, I spoke a fair bit with John and his mother. I couldn't hear any of the interview, only watch the dumb show through the window. It was about like watching him do a French interview, where the translation will be provided later. I did not get any real eye contact this time, but would still describe the experience today as being worth the trip, and there is still a concert to come! Speaking of which, Mika's mother took careful note of the half dozen people there this morning, and told us all that we would get to meet Mika after the concert. She was not discrimiinating beteween MFC and non-MFC. So my magical Sydney experience continues. Walking on air with head in the clouds is about right, I think. Luckily I have Annie_M and Jericho and even DC telling me what to do next, now that my brain has gone totally blonde!

mikamexico: RT @mikadb: http://twitpic.com/qcbqf - at the opera house watching the australian idol final rehersals, mika is performing about 1 hour ago from web

I read this thread the other day, and was amused by the comments about needing to know someone before we can love them. There is an old song (30 to 40 years old!) sung by afellow who goes on al song about how much he loves this girl, he's loved her for so long, etc. Th eend of the song he says effectively 'now I just need to know her name!" I tend to remark caustically to my husband about how unrealistic that is, and he always says, that's how boys are! They just do that! No need to speak to the love object, until you're well in! It might not be done that way anymore, but I reckon it might, too! If the boy was the quite retiring type...

I have 3 extra tickets for MIka at the Enmore Theatre in Sydeney Australia, on 24th November. Let me know if anyone wants any.

Very rough translation courtesy of babelfish! Tomorrow, the young singer Mika libano-américano-British will be of l' emission Everyone speaks about it, to speak there about the spectacle qu' it will give to Montreal Tuesday, of its new disc, l' excel The Boy Who Knew Too Much, of its funny of life, its singular voice (it covers four octaves), of its real knowledge of French… At a few minutes of l' recording, Mika nicely granted us a few d' minutes; interview, faggots d' intelligence and of charm. When one can listen The Boy Who Knew Too Much in version doubles CD (a disc in version studio, l' other in version spectacle piano-voice), one carries out at which Mika point is 1) an exceptional melodist, 2) an exceptional arranger. Take the song Toy Boy: on the disc live, it is quasi mozartienne, in version studio, it became quasi Broadway! “I compose in a very simple way, to the piano, explains Mika with his pretty French accent, in such manner qu' one can make d' a melody all sorts of thing. Arrangements are a super occasion to change the things, to bring a song elsewhere…” Could Toy Boy thus exist in version Gregorian chant, for example? “C' is funny that you ask that: I am precisely preparing a concert of charity and they are only the voices of King' S Singers (famous male chorus has cappella) which will serve d' to me; instruments! I want to show that the pop music has as much flexibility than the classical music.” Classical music, l' opera, Mika knows puisqu' he studied them… for then plunging to body lost in pop scintillating, always doubled of dark. Very the beautiful song Blue Eyes has thus paces of smiling song of the Caribbean: “But if you are delayed with the words, explains Mika, you carry out that this n' is not smiling. It is inspired d' a girl whom I know, who had of the problems and with which one prescribed drugs qu' so much; it lost its heart, its heart of it. What j' always test d' to express, c' is “the beauty in gore”, the beauty in the bloody one, and vice versa.” “Emotional joinings” This way d' to oppose light music and heavy text of direction - as the fact Leonard Cohen, in particular - c' is one of the forces of this 26 year old wonder: “For me, the songs are kinds of emotional joinings, and one can starting from two dimensions - music, words - interfere such manner qu' they have several facets, a whole crowd of subtleties…” A little as on the small pocket and the booklet the disc, facts of highly coloured drawings? “Exactly. You know, one painted all with the hand, my friends and me, all, on a table, that took hours to us. One then photographed the result to make the small pocket, this n' of it; is not of Photoshop! Ç' was difficult and long, you n' do not have idea, whereas that seems very simple, light, almost childish.” Like a very good pop song, finally… Those which saw Mika in 2008, at the Centre Bell, remember d' a spectacle incredible, generous, filled with balloons, costumes, d' Chinese shades, etc Of what l' will thus have; air the spectacle of Tuesday… in the room Wilfrid-Furrier of the Place of Arts, then qu' they will be 10 musicians on scene? “J' still use l' opposition, explains Mika. C' is a more traditional room… where the spectacle will not be it. I will say simply that the show starts as if we were in 1955 and that… j' stays dead!” Oh servant boy, that promises! “I believe that it will be something”, he concludes while laughing before d' to add, with a little fear in the voice: “All that j' hope, c' is that people will want to accept well what I propose to them: in the first album (l' Life in Cartoon Motion, 2007), j' excel; built a concrete world, with characters. In the second, I include in fact these characters and I transport them elsewhere… And j' would like to continue thus, all my life: starting from my so simple songs, to make albums which constantly add layers to my characters… J' hope that people will allow me to develop them during the remainder of my life…” Mika, in spectacle in the room Wilfrid-Furrier, Tuesday October 13, 20:00. ________________

FREDDIESDOUBLE!!!!! Did you just make me :bow:!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow - even the possibility is incredible! Thank you for saying it!!!!

here! http://www.mikafanclub.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=19951

:wub2:Excellent! It's all yours! !(Bows, and departs stage left with alacrity) (Claps and cheers from offstage!!!)

Any day now! Are you ready?

I chose you because you are close enough to besiege with gifts if necessary!

Can we organise a person to be the arranger and holder of details? We can all do our own thing, and will, but I see value in having a single person as fount of all knowledge. There's lots of stuff we could have centrally, like: Who's coming and how many extras and for how long Who's staying at the hostel and how long Who wants to be met at trains and airports, and when/where Phone and mobile numbers and emails Themes and special effects - what to wear, what to carry (flashing lights, posters, flags?) Meet-ups planned - time, location, attendees This thread and the Aussie thread are going to have a lot of people posting about their planned activites, but when Chickadee's (sorry!) plane will arrive late, and the people who were going to meet her will instead be at the sudden secret Mika meet (very sorry, Chickadee!) maybe there should be one person who does not have their mobile turned off while they ignore all incoming calls? That's an extreme example, but we do seem to have a number of young people who's relatives might like to be reassured that there's some structure and planning going on! I'm not a born organiser and I don't like mother-henning, so if some-one else is and likes it, please volunteer. Otherwise, I suppose I'm nominating myself, just so it happens. I feel there is a need for it to happen. What do you all think?

OMG, did I fall into the Mikagasmics thread by mistake??? Nah - it's always deliberate.... Thanks Silver, I'm definitely enjoying the show!

Likewise - stunned... Zoe, I'm so sorry to hear this, please pass on my best wishes for her swift recovery. Not sure what else to say- except to offer long distance MFC hugs -

If you ever notice the number of bands touring on the strength of the one single they had 10 years ago, you start to realise that touring is actually a great way to make lots of money, for not too much extra effort. (ie songs and album are already made) That is, if you like playing live,and you don't truck too big a show around with you. Even if you have a huge show, a well managed tour is a great money-spinner. Badly managed extravagent ones can bankrupt a band/artist....

I second the thanks for the info Petra. Its all very complex and the average person (me!) has no idea what drives the music economy. Thanks heaps for taking the time to explain some of the detail!

@mikasounds Running from studio to the airport. If I miss my flight I will eat my big toe. In public 21 minutes ago from Tweetie

Ok, just had a thought and checked it out. On twitter, Adam being new, he has 60, 182 followers. Mika has 38, 479. Adam was totally right. AI was a platform for him, not a competition.

HAPPIKALI!!!!!!:clap: Where? It's a secret, and if he tells us he'll have to meet us....

It's packed!

If you believe the front page of this thread, there are 57 Mikamites, but not all are necessarily still avid/active, and then there's a group of avid but irregular returnees, like me, who might not hear in time (I love Chickadee!) and if you took a headcount of those of us who are able to attend a Mika event somewhere in Australia on 24 hours notice, you could hide us behind a ute, I think. (Breathe!) Somewhere in Australia - ummm - if you didn't know Australia, maybe you could pick Uluru as a nice central location... Chickadee and I are in Canberra...