giraffeandy

1 hour ago, Fleeples said:

I'm loving all the NPIH love on this thread. It's the album that turned me from a casual enjoyer into a full throttle fan. It's so good and so underappreciated, and I'm so mad at my past self for not going to that concert (I was too shy to go to things like that alone at the time).

Same and SAME! I also enjoyed Mika before but NPIH is the album that really turned me into a hardcore fan. And I also regret not going to the gig during NPIH tour because I was also too shy to go alone. I knew about the gig in my city but at that time, I didn't know anyone from the fanclub or any other fans of Mika so I didn't go. Today I would go alone but back then, I was too insecure to do that. So I can relate! 

1 hour ago, Fleeples said:

I think Rain is almost too sad for a crowd visit, Relax could be fun (but his little jump on stage for Relax was amazing aha)! I never ever would've put Big Girl on my set list before seeing him live the other week, but his crowd visit was so fun (I appreciate so much that he came all the way up to the balcony too, not many artists would). I do think that the crowd visit should be for a song everyone including casual enjoyers knows.

I was looking for a song that's dancy enough and well-known. Rain is quite sad but in a "Dancing on my own" way, it's a song where you can get lost and forget about the pain. I personally love it, it's probably my favourite "dance song" from Mika. Also I was thinking he could still do the Relax jump when he returns back to the stage at the end.

Today I came across a new game called Mika and The Witch's Mountain 

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1819460/Mika_and_The_Witchs_Mountain/

Mika is a witch girl 

Btw, maybe it was just wishful thinking, but I was really looking forward to the Magic Piano tour because I was hoping he would get a bit more creative with his setlist during the smaller, more intimate concert, maybe playing more ballads while sitting at the piano and then have the big show at the arena. I was thinking that it would make no sense to have the exact same setlist for both gigs so that we would hear more songs including some he doesn't perform that often during these two nights. It's a shame this concept didn't work out. 

6 hours ago, linzijay said:

21. Passager (This song makes me cry and gives me the chills, it's the perfect album closer and I'd love it as a concert closer, too)

How could I forget about this one! Also Promiseland, if possible together with Mashrou Leila! (22 songs aren't too much, are they? )

6 hours ago, linzijay said:

Definitely agree that I'd prefer a Taylor Swift-length concert! I would also take a NPIH- or QTTFT-exclusive concert because they're my favorite albums.

I agree, NPIH is definitely my favourite album too and currently I really enjoy QTTFT and would love to hear more songs from it live (not only in France)!

6 hours ago, linzijay said:

The only songs I wouldn't care to ever have at a concert (even though I've never been to a Mika concert) are probably Grace Kelly and Big Girl (You are Beautiful). I feel like I've already heard them too much.

Also agree, I've been to gigs and GK, BG and tbh even Lollipop are the ones I'm not really looking forward anymore that much because I've heard them too many times. But at least GK is a must.

Btw, of course I still want Mika to visit the crowd, but with a different song than BG, maybe Relax or Rain? 

22 hours ago, silver said:

Sometimes I think it's easier to list the songs you don't want to hear

 

Personally I would like to excuse Mika from doing Grace Kelly, Big Girl, Billy Brown and We Are Golden.

 

I'd have to work on my ideal setlist though

I agree even though I'm fine with BB and WAG and would instead include Lollipop and (please please don't hate me but I've never enjoyed it that much) Underwater. And probably EMD. Just because I would prefer other French songs like the new ones or BBB. 

21 hours ago, Fleeples said:

All She Wants (he never would out of respect to his Mum which I respect, but goddamn I wish he would because it's one of my all time faves. If he ever /has/ performed it live and I missed it, please send a link).

I don't want to give you false hope but if I'm not mistaken, I remember singing him All She Wants in some TV show before releasing NPIH... But I think it was just a short snippet, not the entire song. It's also one of my faves.

Now my dream setlist (the order is a bit random tbh):

1. Relax (to set the mood, everyone knows it and it's really great live)

2. Tah Dah (I doubt he still knows about the song )

3. Sanremo 

4. Good Wife

5. All She Wants

6. Pick Up Off the Floor

7. I See You 

8. Blame It on the Girls

9. Rain

10. Hurts

11. Les Baisers Perdus

12. Moi, Andy et Paris

13. 30 secondes

14. Je sais que je t'aime 

15. Jane Birkin

16. Boum Boum Boum 

17. Good Guys

18. Tiny Love 

19. Dear Jealousy

20. We Are Golden

(I guess more songs would be a bit unrealistic but I realized there are hardly any TOOL songs... But tbh, it's my least favourite album so it makes sense. I also preferred songs I haven't heard live so far - from this list, I've only heard 8 songs live)

18 hours ago, Fleeples said:

not sure if he was having wing problems or cage problems or just timing problems...

18 hours ago, Fleeples said:

God what I'd give to hear some more songs from NPIH or MNIMH... Good Wife or Tomorrow please? Definitely keep some nostalgia stuff in there, but did we need 90% of LCIM?

Good Wife is definitely on my dream setlist together with Hurts, Pick Up Off the Floor, Tah Dah, I See You, All She Wants, Sanremo and a few others probably  I've already heard all but 2 songs from LICM live (most of them several times of course) but only 3 songs from TBWKTM for example.

18 hours ago, Fleeples said:

but if he was going to play just one french-language song, why Elle Me Dit?

I agree. He sings EMD everywhere even outside of France and it's not a bad song at all but tbh, it has never been my favourite... Jane Birkin would be a better choice now with his new album imo. Even though it's in French, at least people know the person and can sing "Jane Birkin" and the "lalala" bridge. 

If I'm not mistaken, they also played Material Girl in Berlin, I remember because some people in the crowd were commenting on it. 

32 minutes ago, carafon said:

Btw was the new album available at the merch in the concerts where he didn't sing any new song ?

Maybe he prefers that people discover the new songs without him 

Yes, in Berlin you could buy both the CD and the vinyl. He did sing at least Jane Birkin though...  But I still found it a bit ironic that he is selling all this merch and playing mostly songs from his very first album. 

32 minutes ago, mellody said:

Or like Bryan Adams, he has a certain point in his setlist where fans hold up banners with songs they'd like to hear, and he picks 2 or 3 of those to sing them. 

Yes but for Mika, I think it would be better to prepare and learn the lyrics before...  

Even though it was nice when he decided to sing Love You When I'm Drunk in Zurich, I think it would be a bit stressful for him doing this every gig. 

One more random thought that came to my mind - last year I've been to a Fall Out Boy concert. It's a band that also started in the 2000s but they still bring out new albums. They currently have 8 studio albums and most of their major hits are also from the older ones. But there was one thing I really liked about their tour and I wished Mika had the same idea for one of his tours - there was one part of the show they called "Magic 8 Ball". Each gig, they played one surprise song during this part - a song they have never played live or they haven't played in a really long time. I was thinking it's so cool for the fans who have been to many gigs to hear a rare song on every show. Imagine Mika doing it, I would love that!

2 hours ago, mellody said:

Maybe he himself needs the nostalgia, who knows.

I don't know but isn't it more fun for an artist to present their new stuff than repeating the same for 15+ years? I'm rather thinking he must be a bit tired of the LICM songs already. I would be for sure and I heard other artists saying they are often tired of their most played songs, sometimes they even hate them. I don't think that's Mika's case but I also don't think he enjoys it all the time. I don't want him to stop playing them at all, I just wish for a more balanced setlist with songs from all his albums including French songs because it's a big part of him. A setlist where he would show himself as an artist evolving from his first album until now, showing the different stages of his discography. Not a setlist only for people who seek nostalgia and who want to see the Mika from 2007, but a setlist for people who want to see Mika as an artist with a long career who still has something new to offer. Maybe he can tour even smaller venues for such a tour but it would be a nice gift for his fans because currently, his main focus is on the "general public" and not on his fans when he is creating his setlist imo.

I was also hoping for more French songs in Berlin. I don't even speak French but I really like the new album and I don't think you have to know the language to enjoy the music. If he is afraid people wouldn't understand at all what he is singing, he could have made English translation of the songs and show them behind him on the screen so everyone would get an idea about the meaning of the lyrics. I'm quite disappointed that he is playing it so safe lately with his setlist, singing mostly songs from his first album. It makes the general impression he doesn't have any new songs to offer which simply isn't true! I was very happy to hear Billy Brown or Any Other World, but 8 songs from LICM (at least in Berlin) it's too much imho. It's almost half of the gig! Then only WAG (1) from TBWKTM; OOL, UW and EMD (3) from TOOL; TAY and GG (2) from NPIH (I'm actually glad he is singing songs from my favourite album again because he used to ignore it); nothing at all from MNIMH; Bougez and JB (2) from QTTFT + Feels Like Fire and Yoyo remix (which I don't like tbh ). That means 12 of 18 songs are from 2012 or older; 14 of 18 songs are from 2015 or older... Considering it's a new tour for a new album, it's really sad. Maybe his goal is to reconnect with people who only know his major hits but will these people search for his new music if they only hear the same old songs during the gig? They will probably think there aren't any new songs worth listening if Mika doesn't even play them live. His gig will rather be a throwback for them, a nostalgic trip to the past, not a reconnection with an artist who has still so much to offer. It doesn't make sense to me and I really hope it will change soon... 

8 minutes ago, Liv1680 said:

I am already inside because of RAIN

We are already eating here for a while, where are you sitting? 

On 3/28/2024 at 11:10 PM, mellody said:

I've booked a table now on Monday at 9pm for 15-20 people at this Tapas Bar near Checkpoint Charlie: https://mundo.berlin/zimmerstrasse/en/ (unfortunately the website doesn't work for me in every browser, not sure why...). It was an online booking on their website and I got an immediate e-mail confirmation, so I assume/hope it worked. After booking I saw that they would have a cocktail happy hour until 9pm - so if any of you want to get a cocktail for the happy hour price, either let me know, then I'll try to call them and change the booking to 8pm (I probably can't be there yet by that time, but if you know you'll arrive sooner, I can send you my name and the reservation number, so you can already take the place). Or maybe it'd be enough if you arrive a few minutes earlier and already order your cocktail before 9pm.

I hope it's ok for everyone who wants to come to the meetup.

That looks perfect, it's quite close to our hotel and I personally love Spanish food/drinks! I have to ask my friend but I think I wouldn't mind coming a bit earlier for dinner so maybe we will be there already around 8pm. (I guess there will be enough free tables for 2 if we come earlier so don't worry about the reservation)

"Spanish/Czech/German Beers" – I don't drink beer but it's a nice combination for me 

On 2/6/2024 at 12:34 PM, mellody said:

I wanted to ask anyway, who would be up for a meetup the evening before the gig? Depending on how many would be interested, we could meet for dinner, or have an actual MFC party. @Statue_of_Liberty lives in Berlin, so I'm sure she could help us to find a suitable place.

I'm late to the party but I think me and my friend would come for dinner 

I'm watching the European Figure Skating Championships this week, it's in Kaunas and the DJ in the arena is always playing a song after each skate to fill the "break" as usual. Yesterday during the men's final, I suddenly heard a very familiar tune and the most beautiful voice started singing the words "is it really necessary every single day...". I was so happy and started singing for myself at home because it's really rare to hear Rain somewhere and I love the song! Later he also played Relax. Good music taste! 

I saw people ranking the songs so I wanted to share my personal current ranking after being addicted to the album for 5 days: 

1. Je Sais Que Je T'aime

2. Moi, Andy Et Paris

3. Passager 

4. Bougez

5. Jane Birkin (grew on me a lot lately)

6. 30 Secondes (this one also)

7. Touche Touche (used to be in my top 5 but I guess now I prefer JB and 30s)

8. Apocalypse Calypso (from 8. to 10., it's pretty even to me tbh)

9. Amour Pirate

10. Doucement

11. C'est La Vie (I'm really sorry, I like the "EMD" bridge but otherwise, it's not my cup of tea musically)

12. Sweetie Banana (it's not bad but tbh, I do skip it sometimes  also after Lollipop and Ice Cream... I don't trust Mika singing about bananas  If that makes me go to the NC, it's all Mika's fault.)

It's still impressive that I like all the songs in the top 10, only the last two I skip sometimes when I'm listening multiple times... I think that's great considering it's a French album. 

16 hours ago, dcdeb said:

I find it easier if I treat it as a name -- Jessie K. Jatem.

Thank you, I'll definitely use it! 

I need this kind of alternative lyrics for all the songs.  

The album is so good! I shouldn't be surprised but my expectations were quite low to be honest, I didn't like the first singles that much and even though I don't mind a few French songs, I've never listened to a French album before. I thought I will only enjoy a few songs but it's really growing on me, I can't stop listening to it since yesterday and the songs are getting better. That's so unexpected for me, but it seems the Mika magic it's there, even though I don't understand most of the lyrics. I'm also really grateful Mika did these reels about each song so I get the meaning a bit better, it makes it easier to get an idea about the songs.

Bougez officially made it from one of my least favourite songs to my top 5! 

All I know is that I love this song 

21 hours ago, silver said:

Being a non-French speaker, I hadn't intended to buy this album.  However, some of the snippets have sounded really interesting, even if I don't really understand the lyrics.  But I think I'd like to hear some of the tracks in full before I buy it.

Same but I think I will end up buying it anyway  I really like the artwork and there are a couple of great songs I do enjoy even without understanding the lyrics (or at least most of them). 

8 hours ago, emilynxlan said:

I don't know what he's saying but girl I am living 

can relate 

I see most of us share the same favourite songs, so far I like Je sais que je t'aime, Moi, Andy et Paris and Passager the most. Touche Touche is my favourite upbeat song. The second half of the album is really strong. As usual, the singles are some of my lesser favourites...  

Tbh, I didn't like the song at first but I have to admit it grew on me a lot and now I'm starting to enjoy it. It's not my favourite one but a really good opener. And I think it will be great live! 

I really like this song, it has a different vibe than most of the other songs, less upbeat, more calm and dreamy.