greta Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 http://gigguide.aloud.com/2008/03/mika_live_review.html Mika turned the Brixton Carling Academy into a nightclub Thursday night with a sold-out closing show-slash-dance party that was the cherry on top of a 19-month long tour, during which audiences of all ages and fashion styles danced, sang and bounced balloons. Promptly at 9:00 p.m., after an intro with an angel-like dancer that burst out of a balloon, Mika kicked off the night with his dance hit, Relax (Take It Easy). With some fans queuing since 7:00 in the morning, the colorfully dressed audience exploded in cheers as the singer appeared onstage bearing no traces of more than a year on the road. Dressed initially in a glittery brownish suit, Mika gave a performance that reflected his talent and youthful energy, reaching high notes even while jumping across the stage. The 90-minute show of the recent Breakthrough Act Brit Award recipient touched on all of the hit singles of his debut album, Life In Cartoon Motion. He turned the venue into a club with upbeat pop/disco numbers such as Grace Kelly and Love Today and mellowed it out on the piano with My Interpretation and Happy Ending. He frequently encouraged the audience to sing along and even during slower tunes the energy in the audience was palpable and transferred to the stage, where the Beirut-born singer had trouble sitting steadily at his piano. The stage was decorated with rose bouquets and light strings overhead. His band was as much part of the show as he was, sporting colorful attire and displaying equal amounts of energy. Mika talked to the audience several times, showing an excited young singer very comfortable with his stage. He constantly interacted with his band members and had a “drum-off” with the sparkly female drummer. At one point, the singer held up an umbrella under a rain of confetti and a giant skeleton figure came out to the stage to dance with Mika and eventually kiss him. This interaction concluded in an a cappella opening to Love Today that then dove right into the falsetto-voice-filled song, which Mika achieved while strutting around in a very Freddie Mercury-kind-of-way. The difference between Mika and the everyday pop artist is not merely that the musician writes all his songs, taught himself to play the piano and received singing lessons from an opera professional. His music is mostly upbeat pop and dance but his lyrics touch on personal issues and social critique, like the homosexual realization in Billy Brown and the praise for not-so-skinny girls that is Big Girl (You Are Beautiful). During this number, Mika flirted with plus-size dancers that grazed the stage in corsets. Younger teens enjoy the catchy music, adults appreciate the poignant lyrics, and everyone likes the dancing. His gig, its colors and features, and the diversity of the crowd created an atmosphere that was very specific to his music, onstage personality, and to the whole feel of the musical cherry bomb that is Mika. Toward the end of the night the show began to take shape more of a party than anything else as big balloons and streamers rained on the audience and on stage. For the first encore, Mika and his band dressed up as puppet animals and did some (sexual) acts behind a curtain before going into Lollipop. The venue officially turned into a club when the singer pulled a girl from the audience onstage, with herds following, and those in the stands bounced balloons and got covered in confetti. Young Mika performed so enthusiastically that it seemed he was unaware of his fans’ devotion and thought he still needed to convince someone before taking his final bow. The crowd cried out for more even after this party/show extravaganza, so Mika came back onstage, out of his bunny outfit, and told the crowd he will start recording a new album in a few days. “So what do you say, should we start again?,” he cried out to the undying energy of the crowd before beginning another rendition of Relax. After this one, however, Mika really ended his show, and his tour, and now has the monumental task of surpassing his first album. As for this show, it was undoubtedly a happy ending. Christina Cromeyer Dieke Posted by Mischa at 12:31PM | March 5, 2008 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andi Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 Fab review Thanks for posting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xBillyBrownx Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 Thanks for posting! Ahhh memories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jujuzita Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 OMG, thank you for this...a great review Though he was dressed as a lion and not as a bunny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gatagordinha Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 What a pleasure to read a great review about a British gig. It makes a change! Thanks for posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkly1 Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 Oh I dunno why but this brings prickles to my eyes in a kind of wooah SOOO proud of him kinda way, it's like YES YES that is a MIKA gig experience, and YES memories (go see my Lollipop vid on utube if you want to see Cynthia getting yanked up on stage after the security tried to yank her back lol). GREAT review and WELL DONE MIKA!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milou Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 soo.. It's really over now 'eh:shocked: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Martuff* Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 Thanks greta fOr pOsting! Great review! Aww.. I always think abOut that night! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vixenbbw Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 This really does make a change eh? Great to see the balance comments at long last! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sariflor Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 Fantastic review!!! Thanks a lot! Certainly the best review for the best closing-the-best-tour-gig-of the best-artist !! :punk: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annabelle Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 Thanks for posting, Greta! Loved this review, it's fantastic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanessa Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 Wonderful review !It was a pleasure reading it but I can't believe everything went so fast ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IngievV Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 Amazing review:thumb_yello: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyn Mastin Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 That's an absolutely wonderful review, and another name for our Goodies list methinks. You can tell it's a woman who's wrote the review, because, in this country anyway, it's the men who give the scathing belittleing, and downright nasty comments about Mika... Cos they are soooooo jealous of his youth, his looks and his charisma! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guylainem123 Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 wow... i think this is the nicest review i have ever read about his concerts... wtg MIKA!! :punk: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertina Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 i was not there, but i can feel every word she writes. thanks for posting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FREDDIESDOUBLE Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 Perfect :punk: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queenie Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 Great review!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Billy Brown! Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 WHAT?! wow cant wait to hear his new album!! gunna be great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabdash Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 What a great review and totally made me go back to that wonderful night! I never heard him say he would strat recording his album in the next few days!!?? Did that actually happen?? ANywya, thanks for posting, I relived the best night of my life! lol!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewokwicket Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 Brilliant review!! Brings back so many memories of that night for me and in the words of Mika.....I really wish we could do it all again!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greta Posted March 10, 2008 Author Share Posted March 10, 2008 and we were to miss this!!! I mean, what am I, the official google wh°re? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DANI56 Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 Thank you, Greta....and we was there !!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzy Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 Blimey, she definitely enjoyed herself. It's nice to see a critic who isn't determined to find something to fault, but is actually willing to give a true overall view of something which is what reviews should be about (and would be more useful if they were like it). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoppappop Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 ha ha ha... 7am ? they know nothing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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