2009 - New York, NY at United Palace Theatre Oct 16 - reports, pictures and videos

[IngievV]

I agree with you Ingie:wink2:

 

Would be kinda strange if you suddenly agreed with Bernard:roftl:

[foalbaby14]

Would be kinda strange if you suddenly agreed with Bernard:roftl:

I don't think that will happen:naughty:

I tried to be some what nice in my reply to her/him:teehee:

[laura*]

Apparently, all you people with YouTube videos were the same RUDE PEOPLE who prevented people like me from actually seeing the show. I was pushed, yes, PUSHED out of my seat (FF 5) which was three in from the aisle. And then I was caught up in the sea of people RUSHING THE STAGE. It took me nearly an hour to get back to my seat, which was then occupied by someone (female) who insisted it was her seat. I nearly got thrown out by the security people. All you people with video cams and phones and all that technology are just RUDE RUDE RUDE...as bad as the girls in front of me waving the glow sticks.

 

I hated the night. I hated all the rude, self-centered people, and I was really sorry I went. You Mika-maniacs really ruined it for some of us who just wanted to support an up and coming artist.

 

And to think: I saw Grace Jones at The Hammerstein, and it was like one big happy family.

 

Mika: have a word with your fans about concert etiquette. They certainly need it.

 

And the parents of the children were worse: drinking alcohol through the whole show, and standing in the aisle to boot!

 

I was tempted to sit on the back of my chair, once I got back there, but I wasn't going to ruin the show for the people behind me.

 

This was a sham. The entire "fan club seating" was a sham.

 

Good luck Mika. You lost a loyal fan. I won't spend a penny on you in the future. Not one penny.

 

I already wasted about $200 on your digital downloads, DVDs, and a regrettable concert.

 

And to the MIKA FANS?

 

SHAME ON YOU! ALL OF YOU.

 

If you were there, then SHAME ON YOU.

 

I'm sorry you had a bad experience. Please don't give up Mika because of that.

 

iBernard -

 

First, I get where you're coming from. I too have been to gigs where people have had too much to drink and shout "I LOVE YOU MIKAAAA!!!!" while he's performing. I've also been to shows where fans are shouting - not singing, shouting - the lyrics to his songs so loudly that he's barely audible over the shouting. Yes, it's irritating, and yes, fans should have some more respect in cases like that.

 

And I understand that security were especially rude at this show; I wasn't there, but my understanding is that Mika specifically gestured for the fans to fill the gap between the first row of seats and the stage (as he's been known to do) and the security people came and forced everyone back, rather rudely.

 

But ultimately, half of the gig experience lies with outside factors, and half lies with your own response. Yes, I'm aware there were rude security guards and drunk and/or loud fans. And I know firsthand how those can taint the concert experience. But at the end of the day, you're the one in control of how you react as a result of outside factors. You made the choice to let yourself be so deeply angered by these circumstances.

 

It's no one else's fault that you suffer from disabilities. It's no one else's fault that you elected to spend $100 to see this show. Those are your circumstances and choices, and while I understand they impact your needs at the show, it's not up to a 15 year-old fan in the front row to concern herself with your individual needs or your requirements to happiness. Mika's last show in NYC was at a club, Le Poisson Rouge. I was at that show, and it was a standing venue, packed wall-to-wall with a crush of bodies. A seated gig is much calmer, in fact, than most Mika shows.

 

Also consider this; again, I'm aware you had an unpleasant concert experience, but you specifically said that you used to enjoy Mika's music, and were excited about the concert. So what do you stand to achieve by coming on his fan forum and announcing that you "won't spend one penny" on Mika in the future? Are you trying to somehow "punish" Mika for one ninety minute experience that didn't go as you'd hoped? When clearly, your issues weren't with Mika himself or the quality of his performance, but with other factors?

 

If you were to take the high road, you could say, "I've learned my lesson; the front of these shows is too chaotic. Next time, I'll get a balcony seat where I'll be able to see the show without being in the middle of the fray. But at least I got to see a very talented young star at the beginning of what will surely be a long and successful career."

 

You could say "Damn, the security at the United Palace are brutal. My next Mika gig will be at a different venue."

 

Or you could even say "It's a shame the live shows are so chaotic, and I won't go to another, but I'll still enjoy Mika's recorded material."

 

But you're choosing to be angry and victimized, rather than taking the high road.

 

Clearly, your concert experience was tainted by a few rude security guards and a handful of over-excited fans. I understand that.

 

But iBernard, did you know that Mika's debut album sold nearly 6 million copies? And yet, you're calling every moment of enjoyment you've gotten from Mika's recorded material a "waste" just because of ONE bad experience with a miniscule fraction of Mika's 6 million-plus fan base.

 

Yes, shame on the fans who screamed througout Mika's set and tainted the experience.

 

But more shame on the fair-weather fans who only support Mika when everything goes according to their own roses-and-sunshine plans.

 

Obviously this fan was still angry when the posts were written, but I also think that we could accept some criticism that sounds "fair".

The fans are not guilty because Mika wants them to do certain things during his show. This is true, but since some people in the audience find the gigs a bit too noisy and pushy, we could discuss the issue and see if things can be different.

I don't want Mika to lose fans because some people get too fangurlie during the show.

Personally, I agree that the sing along part is sometimes excessive. As I said in my report for the acoustic show in Milan, the audience was too noisy. Ida was annoyed in my opinion and Mika had to tell people to be quiet because he couldn't sing. I watched the Blackpool videos and I found that BIOTG became a sing-out-of-tune-along song.

I think we should really examine the situation since we're an official fan club.

Being able to discuss unpleasant situations could only be a positive thing, especially seen from the outside.

 

I'm sorry if I didn't make myself understood clearly. I'm tired tonight. This post is not meant to be rude or subversive.

[IngievV]

I don't think that will happen:naughty:

I tried to be some what nice in my reply to her/him:teehee:

 

I've always been fascinated by people spending their precious time, signing up to a fanclub to cause a stir:roftl: I wonder if their real lives are really that uninteresting.

 

Hmmm where is the Tokio Hotel forum? One of their fans tackled me when I was innocently walking by because the Tokio Hotel calendars of 2000 were half the price. How rude.

[IngievV]

I'm sorry you had a bad experience. Please don't give up Mika because of that.

 

 

 

Obviously this fan was still angry when the posts were written, but I also think that we could accept some criticism that sounds "fair".

The fans are not guilty because Mika wants them to do certain things during his show. This is true, but since some people in the audience find the gigs a bit too noisy and pushy, we could discuss the issue and see if things can be different.

I don't want Mika to lose fans because some people get too fangurlie during the show.

Personally, I agree that the sing along part is sometimes excessive. As I said in my report for the acoustic show in Milan, the audience was too noisy. Ida was annoyed in my opinion and Mika had to tell people to be quiet because he couldn't sing. I watched the Blackpool videos and I found that BIOTG became a sing-out-of-tune-along song.

I think we should really examine the situation since we're an official fan club.

Being able to discuss unpleasant situations could only be a positive thing, especially seen from the outside.

 

I'm sorry if I didn't make myself understood clearly. I'm tired tonight. This post is not meant to be rude or subversive.

 

It's the same at every concert: Frontrow = Crazy fans

In the back = Normal people

 

Nothing you can do.

[lollipop_monkey]

Obviously this fan was still angry when the posts were written, but I also think that we could accept some criticism that sounds "fair".

 

And I'm fine with constructive criticism. We see constructive criticism all the time on MFC.

 

I'm not fine with people who go to one gig, have a bad experience that doesn't even have to do with Mika directly, and yet start lashing out in anger and blaming it on Mika - and announcing they're no longer going to support his career. It's childish and pathetic.

 

Mika wants fan participation at gigs. He specifically gestures for fans to come up close to the stage. He specifically points the mic at the audience because he wants to hear the fans.

 

If someone wants to see a show where they can sit quietly with their hands folded in their lap, he or she is welcome to go to an opera. A Mika gig isn't the place for that.

Edited October 19, 2009 by lollipop_monkey

[Mika4Life13]

It's the same at every concert: Frontrow = Crazy fans

In the back = Normal people

 

Nothing you can do.

 

I was front row.

 

(So ingie knows what she's talking about, believe me )

[foalbaby14]

I've always been fascinated by people spending their precious time, signing up to a fanclub to cause a stir:roftl: I wonder if their real lives are really that uninteresting.

 

Hmmm where is the Tokio Hotel forum? One of their fans tackled me when I was innocently walking by because the Tokio Hotel calendars of 2000 were half the price. How rude.

I was just saying that to Alex(cheeseygoodness) She's next to me right now:naughty:

 

I haven't had that experience just being pushed around by security guards when I wasn't the one causing the problems:naughty:

It's the same at every concert: Frontrow = Crazy fans

In the back = Normal people

 

Nothing you can do.

 

So true

[foalbaby14]

And I'm fine with constructive criticism. We see constructive criticism all the time on MFC.

 

I'm not fine with people who go to one gig, have a bad experience that doesn't even have to do with Mika directly, and yet start lashing out in anger and blaming it on Mika - and announcing they're no longer going to support his career. It's childish and pathetic.

 

Mika wants fan participation at gigs. He specifically gestures for fans to come up close to the stage. He specifically points the mic at the audience because he wants to hear the fans.

 

If someone wants to see a show where they can sit quietly with their hands folded in their lap, he or she is welcome to go to an opera. A Mika gig isn't the place for that.

I completely agree! You could tell he wanted us to come up to the stage but the security would not allow it. And he even did a singing competition during BIOTG.

[willywonka]

It's the same at every concert: Frontrow = Crazy fans

In the back = Normal people

 

Nothing you can do.

 

 

Is that the rule?

If you guys get in the frontrow...

So you mean i should sit on Mika's lap at gigs?

[superstar]

Apparently, all you people with YouTube videos were the same RUDE PEOPLE who prevented people like me from actually seeing the show. I was pushed, yes, PUSHED out of my seat (FF 5) which was three in from the aisle. And then I was caught up in the sea of people RUSHING THE STAGE. It took me nearly an hour to get back to my seat, which was then occupied by someone (female) who insisted it was her seat. I nearly got thrown out by the security people. All you people with video cams and phones and all that technology are just RUDE RUDE RUDE...as bad as the girls in front of me waving the glow sticks.

 

I hated the night. I hated all the rude, self-centered people, and I was really sorry I went. You Mika-maniacs really ruined it for some of us who just wanted to support an up and coming artist.

 

And to think: I saw Grace Jones at The Hammerstein, and it was like one big happy family.

 

Mika: have a word with your fans about concert etiquette. They certainly need it.

 

And the parents of the children were worse: drinking alcohol through the whole show, and standing in the aisle to boot!

 

I was tempted to sit on the back of my chair, once I got back there, but I wasn't going to ruin the show for the people behind me.

 

This was a sham. The entire "fan club seating" was a sham.

 

Good luck Mika. You lost a loyal fan. I won't spend a penny on you in the future. Not one penny.

 

I already wasted about $200 on your digital downloads, DVDs, and a regrettable concert.

 

And to the MIKA FANS?

 

SHAME ON YOU! ALL OF YOU.

 

If you were there, then SHAME ON YOU.

 

Hello iBernard!

 

Sounds like you had a really bad time! I am sorry!

 

I would suggest talking about this experience in a place other than the Mika Fan Club. You seem to have a lot of negative associations with Mika after this concert, and maybe it would make you less angry to confront this issue in a place not so Mika-related.

 

Everyone on the forum joined because they like Mika. You have made it clear that, because of this experience, you have chosen to no longer follow Mika. Maybe more people would sympathize with you if you talked about this in another location.

 

You talked about posting a blog about this. Good idea!

 

Cheers!

[laura*]

It's the same at every concert: Frontrow = Crazy fans

In the back = Normal people

 

Nothing you can do.

 

I wasn't front row in Milan. At all. The front rows were too noisy anyway from where I was. I'm sorry. I'm a patient person - with a few exceptions - and I enjoyed the gig, but I can imagine that some people may not put up with that.

 

And I'm fine with constructive criticism. We see constructive criticism all the time on MFC.

 

I'm not fine with people who go to one gig, have a bad experience that doesn't even have to do with Mika directly, and yet start lashing out in anger and blaming it on Mika - and announcing they're no longer going to support his career. It's childish and pathetic.

 

Mika wants fan participation at gigs. He specifically gestures for fans to come up close to the stage. He specifcally points the mic at the audience because he wants to hear the fans.

 

If someone wants to see a show where they can sit quietly with their hands folded in their lap, he or she is welcome to go to an opera. A Mika gig isn't the place for that.

 

Exactly. Fans do what Mika wants. I think we should discuss that.

Accepting other people's point of view is constructive. Saying: things are this way, accept them or be quiet is not constructive.

Lots of people may be reading this forum. That's why I'm concerned.

Again, I don't want to be subversive, I just think that "Houston we have a problem".

[Mika4Life13]

I can't believe people have to "discuss" concert behaviour.

 

Even when i was little I knew concerts were crazy,

 

That's why it's called a concert, it is concerning

[PhotoJenic]

Wow. I was sincerely baffled for a second.

 

I thought the person ranting was the same person that got a photo with Mika in the restaurant. I wondered what the heck happened in the matter of a few days to turn such a great experience to a horrible one. Guess I got forum names mixed up, two completely different people. They both have a 'b' and 'r' near each other guess that's why.

 

To the person who's not happy... I'm pretty sure not all of those people were MFC members. I think the hardcore fans are more interested in Mika than alcohol.

[willywonka]

I smell trouble again...

 

I noticed there has been a trend to turn report threads into "let's drop the bomb in here" thread...

 

Please dont turn this into a "let's argue forum issues right here right now" thread...

 

I was enjoying reading it and seeing the pics and vids as i'm pretty much certain every other fan was...

 

Maybe mods could create a SUBVERSIVE THREAD where peeps would discuss forum, gig behaviour and other SHI* instead of here, ok?

[dcdeb]

I smell trouble again...

 

I noticed there has been a trend to turn report threads into "let's drop the bomb in here" thread...

 

Please dont turn this into a "let's argue forum issues right here right now" thread...

 

I was enjoying reading it and seeing the pics and vids as i'm pretty much certain every other fan was...

 

Actually Wonka, you have a point -- we do ask that the gig threads

be kept for reports, pics and vids and to keep chit-chat to a minimum

in them for that reason

 

iBernard has posted his disappointment with this gig 3 times now, I think

that's probably enough. There are plenty of other threads to talk about

concert behavior, and I would also suggest writing a letter to the United

Palace Theater about their security, as I probably will do.

[laura*]

I smell trouble again...

 

I noticed there has been a trend to turn report threads into "let's drop the bomb in here" thread...

 

Please dont turn this into a "let's argue forum issues right here right now" thread...

 

I was enjoying reading it and seeing the pics and vids as i'm pretty much certain every other fan was...

 

Maybe mods could create a SUBVERSIVE THREAD where peeps would discuss forum, gig behaviour and other SHI* instead of here, ok?

 

Nobody means to discuss things here. There's a starting point, but if we ever discussed the problem, it would be in an appropriate thread.

I wouldn't call this trouble. The fan club exists in real life, too. I think it's understandable that there are problems sometimes. There were problems even in Alice's Wonderland!

I'm not arguing and I'm not being subversive. I normally deal with problems, I don't run away from them. I do it every day in my classes.

[Christine]

Exactly. Fans do what Mika wants. I think we should discuss that.

Accepting other people's point of view is constructive. Saying: things are this way, accept them or be quiet is not constructive.

 

There is no constructive resolution to this because IT'S A CONCERT. MFC is neither responsible for nor is it going to change what people have been doing at rock and pop concerts for the past 30 years.

 

Have you or iBernard ever been to a real concert before? Not Annie Lennox or Grace Jones or other middle aged women - but a proper gig of a young popular artist?

 

I was at Arctic Monkeys a couple of weeks ago and do you know what people in the front rows were doing? They were crowd surfing on top of people's heads. For hours. Dozens of them.

 

This is what goes on at a concert. If you can't handle live crowds at concerts, don't stand in the middle of one! And please spare us the moaning on your way out the door because we're not responsible for the protocol. If iBernard was back in the 6th row he/she was probably in a row of random account holders at Mikasounds and not MFC anyway.

 

Expecting us to do something about it or blaming Mika is ridiculous.

[willywonka]

Actually Wonka, you have a point -- we do ask that the gig threads

be kept for reports, pics and vids and to keep chit-chat to a minimum

in them for that reason

 

iBernard has posted his disappointment with this gig 3 times now, I think

that's probably enough. There are plenty of other threads to talk about

concert behavior, and I would also suggest writing a letter to the United

Palace Theater about their security, as I probably will do.

 

 

 

Thank you, Deb!

 

You know, Portugal gets one gig a year (if Mika doesn't cancel), as many as other countries, (Lena for instance never had Mika in Russia, and people from Ukraine and Latvia and so on) so the only way for me to know about gigs is to read these threads...

 

 

If people come here to discuss every single problem they have, had or will have with whatever, takes ages to read, and at gig hurricane times it gets even more difficult...

[babspanky]

I would reply to iBernard, but I believe proper netiquette is to ignore

trolls.

 

I would reply too, but am completely bemused by the sheer anger in the post.

He'll give himself a heart attack.

Is it worth it?

Chalk it down to experience and move on.

[willywonka]

Nobody means to discuss things here. There's a starting point, but if we ever discussed the problem, it would be in an appropriate thread.

I wouldn't call this trouble. The fan club exists in real life, too. I think it's understandable that there are problems sometimes. There were problems even in Alice's Wonderland!

I'm not arguing and I'm not being subversive. I normally deal with problems, I don't run away from them. I do it every day in my classes.

 

I didn't mean you and you know it, Laurita...

 

If there are issues to be discussed, it should not be in these threads, these are the only threads peeps who never go to gigs can have a bit of fun, too...

 

I'm not saying peeps shouldn't discuss things, but I couldn't care less if peeps were drunk or pushing or whatever...I just want to know WHAT MIKA DID OR SANG OR SAID...

Edited October 19, 2009 by willywonka

[babspanky]

I wasn't front row in Milan. At all. The front rows were too noisy anyway from where I was. I'm sorry. I'm a patient person - with a few exceptions - and I enjoyed the gig, but I can imagine that some people may not put up with that.

 

 

 

Exactly. Fans do what Mika wants. I think we should discuss that.

Accepting other people's point of view is constructive. Saying: things are this way, accept them or be quiet is not constructive.

Lots of people may be reading this forum. That's why I'm concerned.

Again, I don't want to be subversive, I just think that "Houston we have a problem".

 

Or "Houston iBernard has a problem". I don't.

[babspanky]

I can't believe people have to "discuss" concert behaviour.

 

Even when i was little I knew concerts were crazy,

 

That's why it's called a concert, it is concerning

 

[sariflor]

Blimey, why did I miss all the action?

I will say that Bernard needs to chill a bit IMO, and that Milan was a fantastic gig, with great atmosphere, and absolutely no rowdiness. Everyone behaved, and if some found it "noisy" I really can't relate to that.

Heck, Mika himself asks fans to sing along and is grateful for the atmosphere. As long as the audience are respectful and don't chat/ruin quiet songs, I find it highly unlikely that they will be loud enough to drown Mika.

Like Christine said:it's a gig.

Oh, and you mention Blackpool Laura. I was there,at the front,and I assure you that Mika's voice was loud and clear. If you watch videos you will obviously not get the same experience so I think that your comment is unfounded.

[guylainem123]

ibernard,

 

i feel really bad that you didn't have "the Mika experience" you wanted/had hoped for. i completely understand that security seemed to be quite aggresive at this show.

 

however, considering that the venue held 3353 seats and that 32 of our members replied on the rsvp as "yes" they were going (not including you, of course) i hardly believe that you can blame it all on mfcers. a few members have admitted being a little over zealous, but i can't see how Mika should be the one punished for it. it's like saying my car is being repaired again, so just for that i'll punish the butcher and steal a turkey

 

while i sympathise with your disability, choosing to be in the middle of the action wasn't the best thing to do. perhaps the balcony would have been a better suited for your needs.

 

when i first saw your post yesterday, i felt bad for you. i really did. but now i find it a tad arrogant on your part that the 4 posts that you made on mfc are either about how YOU can meet mika via your mikafanclub connections that YOU have JUST signed up for and post 2,3 & 4 are about how horrible of a time YOU had because of mikafans. i see a pattern here... don't YOU?

 

when you post on your blog how horrible mikafans are, just to be fair, why don't you mention also how YOU acted on here. fair is fair. let them know how YOU behave on forums as well. and don't bother giving me a shortcut to your blog, i found it.

 

ciao