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c@rin@

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    2009 - Mika@Brussels 04 June - Gig reports, photos & vids

    in Concert Reviews

    Posted

    Outside at the backstage entrance were already some 60 persons waiting I guess? Mana found out that there was a wifi available so Mana, Niki and I were stalking the MFC on our phones… Technique is a wonderful thing! I have no idea how long it took before John came out, but is was not that long I thought. They made one line from entrance to car which Mika would go through. We were so busy talking with each other that at one moment Bienie looked right, and said quite surprised that he was already out, and just a few meters from us. Unbelievable, everyone was so quiet that we didn’t even noticed that he was out already!! He signed the flag (again) en found out that Queenie was there, always nice to watch those two together. Mana asked him about Loney Alcoholic, but he didn’t seem that keen on performing that song. Though, maybe in London he said. After my mission to get Anouks card signed in Amsterdam I hoped he could sign my EP this time. Which was no problem since he took al the time for everyone. I told him that Amsterdam was already great, but that this gig was absolutely awesome! He replied that it was difficult for him to play in Amsterdam because of the venue and I told him that it was difficult for us as well since we had no idea what to expect in such a classy venue. Quite strange was that people offered things to sign to him, which he accepted, signed, but kept on talking to me. Sorry for those people, I felt quite embarrassed for taking his time, although he seemed to be happy with the feedback? A strange experience for me though!

     

    Then the band came out, Cherise signed the flag first, and then I spotted a new band member. Dan was walking shyly along the wall, probably trying not to be seen by anyone, but to bad for him… I said something like “hey, we know you, come over here”, and then he came in our direction. Went on the picture with some people, and then I asked him to sign the flag as well. He responded really shy, if I was sure, he didn’t wanted to ruin it… I said we were sure, and we would love him for signing it. Then he looked a bit worried by realizing that the flag was in the middle of the group of MFCers, but the brave guy went for it, and signed the flag, woohoo!! Then Martin signed as well, and we spoke with him for a while. We told him that Relax was awesome, and that he really carried the song! He said that he didn’t had any choice. After they went backstage, Mika had told the rest of the band that they hád to come back at which Martin replied that they had no songs left to play. Mika decided that it had to be Relax, and then as Martin simply said “If Mika wants something, than you simply have to be there, so I played the song.”

     

    I loved how Martin said this, and I think it gives a good vision on the whole Mika-family. If he decides something, they simply go for it. You see it on stage as well, they are all focussed on Mika, the whole time, to catch every singe hand gesture, or glance of him. I think the two new ones, Dan and Alexander, fits in perfectly. Alexander has a good voice, and seems to be “multifunctional” even though he was not that active in Brussels. Dan is amazing, his voice fits so good with Mika’s, his guitar skills are good and he seems to be everywhere on the stage! To me it feels like the magic is back in this new setting. Last year, it just did not felt right, but now it is amazing again!! I’m quite curious if David is still part of the Mika family, or that there is a new keyboard player (Alexander?), but I guess we just have to wait until we can find out…

     

    Anyway, this gig has totally blown me away… The whole evening still feels like magic to me… Lovely feeling though… :wub2::wub2:

    2009 - Mika@Brussels 04 June - Gig reports, photos & vids

    in Concert Reviews

    Posted

    Ok, it is kind of strange. Normally, I don’t have problems with making gig reviews, but this Brussels gig… I don’t know, I’m just not able to write it down as it felt. Quite strange… Anyway, this time I won’t delete my post as I did the three times before…

     

    After some doubts about what the best time would be to arrive at the venue, Bienie and I decided that 1 pm should be reasonable, and it was! When we arrived at 1 pm (what was quite a remarkable planning since it was a 3,5 hour drive by car for me) we found out that we were 12 and 13 in line! Only the frenchies were in front of us, and the first already arrived at 7 am… Just after we took our place in queue, hot chocolate, coffee and chocolates arrived by a security guy who looked quite surprised by his new born job. From the frenchies we learned that John had came out to ask whether we liked something warm to drink, and took care of that. Thanks again John! The very kind and chatty security guy told us that he had never seen something like that before and was truly surprised by it.

     

    Queuing was quite relaxed. It was luckily dry, although there was some wind which made me feel frozen after already a short time. But hey, it could have been much worse! The number system in combination with your name on a list worked perfectly so we were able to leave the queue for a moment, en step in at the position you arrived at. Not that it was that necessary for this gig. At 5 pm, only 38 numbers were handed out. Quite amazing I think?!?!

    Anyway, John already told in Amsterdam that he would take care that we would let in by number, and he did. A security guy showed up, and gave instructions that we should line up in the order of our hand number (good job Niki!), and that we would be let in the venue in groups of 10. This worked totally perfect! Everyone was calm and relaxed. No pushing, no screaming, just great. Even the people who had to collect their tickets at the box office had plenty of time to do so and don’t had to rush. Really really great! I hope this will be done at the other gigs as well, especially now it turned out to be a good working system!

     

    Entering the venue, we had the time to look around along the stage setting, and then decide where we wanted to sit. It felt so luxury! We choose to take a spot at the second row, right in front of the piano seat, so we should have a good look at Mika during the gig. And then the commonly waiting for he support act… Waiting and waiting… Haha, one quite annoying song got stuck on the repeat button, and started over and over and over and over again… Then luckily we were saved from than song and the support act came on. Blue roses they were called and I saw them before at the gig in Amsterdam. I think they are quite good, although it is not really my kind of music. But they have clear voices and didn’t get out of tune, so for me it was ok. After them, we were treated with, yes, again the same song on the repeat button… This time it didn’t took that long, and soon we heard a tune from Jungle Book and the crowd went mad!

     

    Then Mika came on with his band. Indeed, we had an excellent spot from where we are seated! He started with Grace Kelly, or better said, he tried to start with Grace Kelly, but messed up already at the start by hitting the wrong keys on the piano. Thereafter Lady Jane, which is quite nice live! They playlist is posted already in this thread, so I’m not going to repeat it. I really loved Toy Boy, the celeste fits in perfectly, and Mika seems to enjoy singing that song which makes it really lovely to listen en watch the performance of it. I don’t know, the flow in that song makes it just like magic to me…

    The total gig was just one big party with people dancing and singing. After lollipop with the trash bin drumming they left the stage, but came back to perform My Interpretation and Rain (like in Amsterdam). I was quite surprised that he did the French Grace Kelly immediately after it, since in Amsterdam he did Grace Kelly as a second encore. After he left the crowd went totally mad and continued screaming for Mika to come back, which he did!!! They came back and Mika told that they were going to do something that they hadn’t done before acoustic and wanted to start Relax. Messed up twice the start of it on the piano and then decided that only Martins guitar would do the trick and forgot about the piano. I was surprised! Even at the end of the gig, his voice was still so damned good and lovely… I was really happy about that, cause last years, his voice started good, but became less during a gig, and now it even seems to get better during the gig!!! Relax was so beautiful, slow and sensitive at the beginning, going to a kind of up beat rockish song at the middle, and ending with an excellent high note… Really perfect… Then they left, and came back again. This time all of them carried a trash bin, and they drummed them. Then they started Lollipop again! Cute detail, Martin signalled to a small kid sitting front row that he had to come in front, gave him a drumstick and positioned the trash bin in a way the kid could drum on it. There after Martin played the guitar himself and the little boy drummed during the song. Dan was chasing his own trash bin which rolled around the whole stage during his drumming. Alexander played the piano, with Mika standing on it, jumping on it, sitting on it… Then he decided to get someone from front row on stage, or well, he dragged her on stage… Soon many others followed. Security went mad and had no idea what to do. Started talking in their walky talkies, and then started to help people on stage. It was definitely a nice sight, Mika jumping on the piano, and a lot of fans dancing around it! Then they really left and we left the venue as well.

    Dutch Thread Part 30 Y'all!

    in General Chin Wagging

    Posted

    Nee, ik wacht tot Linde online komt... :sad:

    Ik heb er een hard hoofd in op dit moment! :teehee:

     

    Waar hangt het op eigenlijk?

     

    jup, als dat echt waar is dan!! :naughty:

     

    Hij heeft in ieder geval gezegd dat hij een hoop ging touren in herfst/winter. Of dat ook echt gaat gebeuren is natuurlijk een tweede...

     

    Het is echt erg hé .. ik was daarvoor al fan .. maar nu, na die 2 dagen .. ik weet niet .. het is heel anders .. veel intenser ofzo .. Echt geen idee hoe ik dat moet uitleggen :roftl:

     

    Ik snap helemaal wat je bedoeld... Brussel was gewoon zo... Tsja, zo wat...? :blush-anim-cl:

    ben ook al uren bezig met een review van Brussel, maar gooi hem telkens weer weg. Geeft totaal niet weer wat ik wil, en krijg het niet fatsoenlijk op papier :sneaky2:

    Mika@Amsterdam June 2 2009 Gig reports, photos & vids

    in Concert Reviews

    Posted · Edited by c@rin@

    Picture0344.jpg

     

    Concertgebouw shaking on its founding

     

    For the general Concertgebouw visitor it might have been a shock. Mika, the extra-vagant Britisch Lebanese artist came to Amsterdam for a small, intimate acoustic gig. Part of his European tour at small venues as a result of the release of Songs for Sorrow.

     

    For the fans it was not sure what to expect cause the singer is known for his power and colourful shows at large stages. Tuesday evening though, he played in the small hall with only a 400 people crowd. Assisted by two guitar players, a female drummer and a second pianist/singer who barely got in action, the flamboyant artist showed that he as well is able to entertain the crowd in a small scale venue.

     

    Dressed in a pink embroided jacket, a tight black trousers and silver glittershoes with red shoestrings Mika treated his fans with high level entertainment. To be honest, when Mika starts singing his first note, you immediately get cheerful. Add a dose of humour, great piano playing and an extreme high vocal sound and nothing will be able to ruin your evening anymore.

     

    The French fans have thought the same. Armed with cameras and dressed in Mikashirts and cheerful hats they stood in front of the stage to sang along every line and see every movement of their hero. The rest of the crowd remained seated on there red pluche seats a bit longer, but they got up on their feed as well during songs like Big girl (your are beautiful), Grace Kelly and some new songs. During Happy Ending, the crowd became part of the show by singing the chorus along at full power. At Lollipop, Mika and his band changed their instruments for trash bins which they drummed and made the small hall shaking on her foundings. Unfortunately, Relax, take it easy was not part of the playlist.

     

    The intimacy of the gig emphasized the vocal skills of Michael Holbrook Penniman –Mika’s real name- as well as his ability to play the piano. His story telling was of singing, accompanied by many hand gestures bring out the bizarre, sensitive and funny lines even better.

     

    Rated: 4 start out of 5

     

    Please forgive me any mistakes i made during the quick translation

    Dutch Thread Part 29

    in General Chin Wagging

    Posted

    Ik pm je. :thumb_yello:

     

    Thanks!!

     

    Belgjes!! ik ben zo excited voor jullie voor morgen!! WHOOOO!!! :biggrin2 wub2:

     

    Bij deze schaar ik mijzelf onder de belgjes :mf_rosetinted:

     

    Tja, welpies en vuur, da's nooit een goede combinatie. Levensgevaarlijk:boxed:

     

    :aah:

     

     

     

    Ok, 3 uurtjes slaap is toch wat weinig... Morgen zal het ook wel weinig slaap worden :boing:

     

    Bienie, ik ben morgen tussen 11/11:30 bij jou ok?

     

    Slaap lekker allemaal :wub2:

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