Hi, again...
Second part of my report:
Intro music and the ballon in the center of the stage. It explodes and reveals the backup singer dressed like an angel with wings and all. Lights go down again, first notes of Relax, Mika enters stage and all hell breaks loose!! All the people in the audience are yelling, claping and welcoming Mika with thunder!
Big girl with the inflatable missus. Mika, bassist and back up singer shake their bottoms while lookink at the rubber godess. Priceless!!
My interpretation. Absolutely excellent performance. Mika's voice was in top form throughout and it shone specially here and in a handful of songs during the set.
Then Billy Brown with a funny intro in Spanish (quite good) about his record company not wanting to release this song in the states. Everybody booed and he said "but I did it all the same" and the song about his friend began.
Holy Johnny. A rendition with banjo (played by key player), acc guitar, upright bass, that thing used, in ancient times, to do the laundry and used by buskers to play music, and wonderful vocals by... everyone.
Any other world. What can I say? One of my favourites so I'm partial and I would be unfair to other songs. Tears. What a great voice. Did I say that before?
Ring ring. One of the most muscular songs of the set. It returned the "power" to the showas it had had three more "downtempo" songs. Amazing is the only word I can muster. Raw power.
How much do you love me? New song so nobody knew the lyrics or the rhythm but Mika made us sing some parts and it was like some kind of ritual.
Stuck in the middle. New arrengement which gives it more power and punch. You will be blown away by the guitar playing and the new ending. Fabulous.
Missionary man. As much as I liked the covers of Same Jeans, Sweet dreams, Hips don't lie (funny) this is THE COVER. It's thought as a duet between Mika and his backup singer and it shines. Both are outstanding. When you go to the gig in your time, wait for it.
No happy ending. Oh...my...god! It floored me. I could not believe it was possible to top the CD version. Now, I'm a believer. I've seen the truth and his name is Mika. Mighty vocals and supreme musicianship. The song still lingers in my ears.
Love Today. The most energetic song from the show. All the band in top form and Mika over the top. Solos from everyone (wait for the bass) and colossal percussion solo fron Cherisse and Mika. He even took his shirt off (to the delight of 60% of the audience, my son included). No better ending for the show... well...
Grace Kelly. My ears bleed after having heard this song over two hundred times or more in less than a year but I like it every time I hear it. In the concert you hear the audience but I suppose that Mika was singing with us!
He goes away but he returns for Lollipop. Not the best song from the album (for me) but it really stands out as a live number. I won't tell you about the Chinese shadows play at the beginning or about the party at the end but let it be said that the concert ended at its arguably highest.
But he returns again as we are quite stubborn here in Barcelona and he plays Relax again to an ecstatic Palau Sant Jordi. He asked us if we wanted to start all over again; I for one wouldn't have minded standing for another hour and twenty minutes.
Some general considerations.
Mika and his band were happy and that makes you happy. Thay were enjoying every second on stage. No "attitude" like that used by almost every new singer or band as it's either "sad" or "angry" or "hate you".
He said that he was prepared to play for 600 people at Razzmatazz (2000 would be closer to reality) and he found that he had to play for 6000 (I think we were more people there evn though the Palau had been cut in half). He thanked us a lot of times (part as a courtesy and part because he believed so). He was expecting a bucket and we gave him a full lorry. THANKS to yo Mika.
If I could see him again in concert I wouldn't hesitate.
I hope he records soon andhe returns to the circuit...He hasn't left yet... well...
Greetings from Barcelona.