Tour Rumours - 2013!

[krysady]

It waw great to meet you, too. I hope there will be many other occasions in the future, too.

I was thinking exactly about what you mention: chapels. I got into his concerts after the Berlin acoustic show and Little Noise with the King' Singers is my other favourite show of all time. The acoustics is just so different in that environment - perfect for many of his songs, if not all. Besides, it would be cheaper to organize and provide him the opportunity to develop further as a singer since it is more difficult to do those shows properly.

 

It would be great if he'll do some acoustic shows now,with the new band.I think the sound is so good and different now,you can easily notice the new level of performance.Maybe we'll get to see some vids from that so secret show for charity,although I can't remember if he told you when is going to be :rolls_eyes:

[nico_collard]

Well, it was Mika who said that he wasn't going to be touring in 2013 - we don't know any more than that I am afraid

 

I hope that's not the case...

 

 

Then again, if he doesn't come here, it means I won't be missing out on too much.

 

I hope too ! I'm really confused, how could he do that..

 

Mika, you told us you'll come back to Montreal, you CAN'T forget us.

 

He told us he'd be coming back to Australia... on two separate occasions!

 

I have no idea what exactly Mika's plans are or why but haven't we been discussing all week what the consequences would be if the album is not successful enough? This was expected IMO.

 

Of course there are smaller, even independent artists who will tour all over the place. But Mika's got other interests he can pursue. Look at Toronto for example. Realistically if he came back here now he'd have to play the same venue he started in. He probably wouldn't even recoup his costs of bringing his family and crew and band to North America. Why would he do that? He can spend his time writing songs for Madonna or concentrating on lucrative festivals in Switzerland or France or just taking a break and living his life. I imagine he's got things on the go that we don't even know about.

 

If he couldn't recoup costs in Toronto, then there's not much hope elsewhere...

 

To be fair, he's doing good in France, so he should really concentrate on touring places where he isn't doing so good.

So it would make sense if he targets touring places where he hasn't been in a while, and where his sales haven't been great. As touring is part of the promo cycle, there are quite a few places he should target, S.America, Australia, New Zealand, S.E. Asia (e.g. Indonesia, Malaysia, where he hasn't really played yet).

Every year, one way or another he has done shows in France, and other places in Europe, I'm not denying that. But France is where he does well in, and clearly he rewards that.

But I don't think it would hurt him if for one year, he focuses on markets that he's not doing great in, and give fans in those places a chance to see him perform. I think it's time.

 

YES!!!

 

Especially NZ, I'm just looking for a reason to go back there...

 

Hear,Mika?? Listen to her!! And if those small venues it happens to be into a church,or chapels,or even tiny cathedrals,it would be heaven!

And,Suzie,it was really nice to meet you!

 

Oooooh, churches, yes! That would be awesome!

[mellody]

It waw great to meet you, too. I hope there will be many other occasions in the future, too.

I was thinking exactly about what you mention: chapels. I got into his concerts after the Berlin acoustic show and Little Noise with the King' Singers is my other favourite show of all time. The acoustics is just so different in that environment - perfect for many of his songs, if not all. Besides, it would be cheaper to organize and provide him the opportunity to develop further as a singer since it is more difficult to do those shows properly.

 

iirc he said the last time how much he loved it to sing a song like billy brown in a church... i bet he'd be totally up for singing origin of love in one!

[RAK1]

iirc he said the last time how much he loved it to sing a song like billy brown in a church... i bet he'd be totally up for singing origin of love in one!

 

He sort of did, in Paradiso, it's a disused church. He seemed to be quite pleased with himself singing it there

[mari62]

iirc he said the last time how much he loved it to sing a song like billy brown in a church... i bet he'd be totally up for singing origin of love in one!

he already did in Milan

[robertina]

http://www.fnacspectacles.com/place-spectacle/manifestation/Variete-et-chanson-francaises-MIKA---BENJAMIN-BIOLAY-03PB3.htm

 

Bourges - April 25th

Just french songs!

[mellody]

http://www.fnacspectacles.com/place-spectacle/manifestation/Variete-et-chanson-francaises-MIKA---BENJAMIN-BIOLAY-03PB3.htm

 

Bourges - April 25th

Just french songs!

 

just french songs? where did you read that? won't be a long gig then, he doesn't have *that* many...

[lyli21]

I asked Alias production (his promoter in France) if there'll be other dates and they answered me "Check out our page for the new dates"

So there is more than hope

But I think maybe they are just talking about festivals ? Well wait and see

Edited November 22, 2012 by lyli21

[Kaito]

I asked Alias production (his promoter in France) if there'll be other dates and they answered me "Check out our page for the new dates"

So there is more than hope

But I think maybe they are just talking about festivals ? Well wait and see

 

Rumours about Lyon "Les Nuits de Fourvières" (Virgin Radio Lyon is said to have talked about it...). We'll see... I hope I can attend at least ONE of these festivals

[toshiko]

But you don't restrict your market to one country either. Because if you bring out one bad album, and that doesn't sell well in your best market, that can pretty much finish you, as you could lose ticket sales there, if people don't want to bother seeing you.

You have to be doing well in a few countries, both with record sales and touring, to be able to maintain a momentum. I suppose the exception to the rule is if you do well in high population countries. I have heard of some artists making quite a healthy living from the Japanese market, without doing too great anywhere else.

Also, it's only fair to fans in countries I mention in my last post, as well as ones I haven't, that barely see him at all. That they get a chance to see him too. Maybe if he spent a chunk year touring these places, he may start getting good sales in them. I'm sure he wouldn't sneeze at any money he could gain from them, I know if I was in his shoes, I wouldn't

 

I had waited 27 years for "Tears for Fears", the UK duo from 80's coming back to Japan to do the show. We are quiet but patient, I think. Japan is so far from Europe. Listening to his interviews, I also understand that MIKA wants to write songs, not just touring as he did before. BUT I hope MIKA will come to Japan next year

[Mousetrap]

I had waited 27 years for "Tears for Fears", the UK duo from 80's coming back to Japan to do the show. We are quiet but patient, I think. Japan is so far from Europe. Listening to his interviews, I also understand that MIKA wants to write songs, not just touring as he did before. BUT I hope MIKA will come to Japan next year

 

You are SO patient! I admire your endurance But I don't want to wait for the next Mika's show for 27 years I want to see him again next year

[robertina]

just french songs? where did you read that? won't be a long gig then, he doesn't have *that* many...

 

I don't know, I saw

 

Variété et chanson françaises, Pop-rock/Folk

 

so I thought it might be something in french, maybe covering some famous songs...or maybe it's just my wishful thinking

[Kaito]

I had waited 27 years for "Tears for Fears", the UK duo from 80's coming back to Japan to do the show. We are quiet but patient, I think. Japan is so far from Europe. Listening to his interviews, I also understand that MIKA wants to write songs, not just touring as he did before. BUT I hope MIKA will come to Japan next year

 

So do I... Especially in July xD *That'd be perfect*

[Pandora_Z]

I had waited 27 years for "Tears for Fears", the UK duo from 80's coming back to Japan to do the show. We are quiet but patient, I think. Japan is so far from Europe. Listening to his interviews, I also understand that MIKA wants to write songs, not just touring as he did before. BUT I hope MIKA will come to Japan next year

 

I completely understand. This is going to date me but I have been an avid Barry Manilow fan since 1974. I went though the good years of the 70's and early 80's and also supported him wholeheartedly through all the jokes and cracks made about him in later years (and today). To me, Barry is one of the world's greatest performers and he is still performing and selling albums!

 

http://www.billboard.com/column/chartbeat/barry-manilow-scores-50th-hit-on-billboard-1008019332.story#/column/chartbeat/barry-manilow-scores-50th-hit-on-billboard-1008019332.story

 

But I have only seen him perform live twice but I own every piece of music he has ever put out there. That is what makes a true fan. To be able to stick with someone through the good times and the bad, the ups and the downs, and be there with them even when they make mistakes. Sort of like a marriage.

 

That is how I feel about MIKA. I will always be his fan no matter what he does. Even if he stops performing and simply writes songs, I will still find a way to support him in any way I can. I can wait 27 years for him if that is what it takes.

[cathouzouf]

I had waited 27 years for "Tears for Fears", the UK duo from 80's coming back to Japan to do the show. We are quiet but patient, I think. Japan is so far from Europe. Listening to his interviews, I also understand that MIKA wants to write songs, not just touring as he did before. BUT I hope MIKA will come to Japan next year

 

I completely understand. This is going to date me but I have been an avid Barry Manilow fan since 1974. I went though the good years of the 70's and early 80's and also supported him wholeheartedly through all the jokes and cracks made about him in later years (and today). To me, Barry is one of the world's greatest performers and he is still performing and selling albums!

 

http://www.billboard.com/column/chartbeat/barry-manilow-scores-50th-hit-on-billboard-1008019332.story#/column/chartbeat/barry-manilow-scores-50th-hit-on-billboard-1008019332.story

 

But I have only seen him perform live twice but I own every piece of music he has ever put out there. That is what makes a true fan. To be able to stick with someone through the good times and the bad, the ups and the downs, and be there with them even when they make mistakes. Sort of like a marriage.

 

That is how I feel about MIKA. I will always be his fan no matter what he does. Even if he stops performing and simply writes songs, I will still find a way to support him in any way I can. I can wait 27 years for him if that is what it takes.

 

Glad to see I am not alone in my boat! I often refer to myself as a low-maintenance fan:thumb_yello:

 

Should we start a club?

[Christine]

I can wait 27 years for him if that is what it takes.

 

Glad to see I am not alone in my boat! I often refer to myself as a low-maintenance fan:thumb_yello:

 

As I tried to explain before (obviously badly ) I mean something else when I use "Mika fan" in quotes. It's something that barely even existed in the 1970s, at least I never experienced it. It has come about due to the internet that has lead to strong and informed fan communities, the changes in the music industry and the changes that all celebrities have gone through in interacting with the public.

 

The thing is Mika is a high maintenance pop star. He wants people to follow him wherever he goes. To promote him on Twitter and Facebook. To plan surprises for him. To give him gifts. To be in his choir and know all his lyrics and moves. To be in the front row and know all his lyrics and moves. Etc., etc. It's a symbiotic relationship but it's also one that cannot be switched on and off like a faucet. For those who really participate in that they have to be tuned into what's going on - with Mika, with other fans. It's a big investment of time and relationships and you can't just walk away from it for a couple of years and come back to pick up where you left off.

 

Will I still be listening to Mika's music in 20 years? I hope so. Will I still go to a gig if it happens in Toronto? For sure. But that's not really what I mean.

[mellody]

But you don't restrict your market to one country either. Because if you bring out one bad album, and that doesn't sell well in your best market, that can pretty much finish you, as you could lose ticket sales there, if people don't want to bother seeing you.

 

that's exactly what mika said in the fast forward magazine interview:

 

But in all this you stick to your major label...

 

They stick to me!

 

Yeah, or like that. But you kept your freedom, didn't you?

 

100 percent! But they gave it to me. It's a mixture of the two. First thing, I'm very lucky because I sell records around the world. I don't sell records just in one place. And that affords me a kind of... that decentralizes the focus of power from my label, which is really important. There's not one market they can say where WE have the right because we're the ones investing in you. It's not like that, which really helps me!

 

(full interview: http://www.mikafanclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27434&page=3 )

[cathouzouf]

As I tried to explain before (obviously badly ) I mean something else when I use "Mika fan" in quotes. It's something that barely even existed in the 1970s, at least I never experienced it. It has come about due to the internet that has lead to strong and informed fan communities, the changes in the music industry and the changes that all celebrities have gone through in interacting with the public.

 

The thing is Mika is a high maintenance pop star. He wants people to follow him wherever he goes. To promote him on Twitter and Facebook. To plan surprises for him. To give him gifts. To be in his choir and know all his lyrics and moves. To be in the front row and know all his lyrics and moves. Etc., etc. It's a symbiotic relationship but it's also one that cannot be switched on and off like a faucet. For those who really participate in that they have to be tuned into what's going on - with Mika, with other fans. It's a big investment of time and relationships and you can't just walk away from it for a couple of years and come back to pick up where you left off.

 

Will I still be listening to Mika's music in 20 years? I hope so. Will I still go to a gig if it happens in Toronto? For sure. But that's not really what I mean.

 

I don't think the phenomena is new... I was a member of the Bon Jovi fan club in the 80:naughty: and I just read John Taylor's bio (DD bassist) and he talks throughout the books about their fans and how faithful they were (and still are). The means are just different.

 

Mika brought the fangurl back in me (times 1000) and since then, I have done things that I never thaught I would do and never did in the past. But there is a line I will never be able to cross, I will never have the freedom and financial means to start follow him all around the globe.

 

If that doesn't make me qualify as a "Mika fan" then so be it, but I will forever be anyway:blush-anim-cl:

[Pandora_Z]

As I tried to explain before (obviously badly ) I mean something else when I use "Mika fan" in quotes. It's something that barely even existed in the 1970s, at least I never experienced it. It has come about due to the internet that has lead to strong and informed fan communities, the changes in the music industry and the changes that all celebrities have gone through in interacting with the public.

 

The thing is Mika is a high maintenance pop star. He wants people to follow him wherever he goes. To promote him on Twitter and Facebook. To plan surprises for him. To give him gifts. To be in his choir and know all his lyrics and moves. To be in the front row and know all his lyrics and moves. Etc., etc. It's a symbiotic relationship but it's also one that cannot be switched on and off like a faucet. For those who really participate in that they have to be tuned into what's going on - with Mika, with other fans. It's a big investment of time and relationships and you can't just walk away from it for a couple of years and come back to pick up where you left off.

 

Will I still be listening to Mika's music in 20 years? I hope so. Will I still go to a gig if it happens in Toronto? For sure. But that's not really what I mean.

 

Yes it was very different to be a fan of someone in the times before Internet, Facebook and Twitter. If you were especially lucky you could go to concerts but the first Barry concert I went to was in 1982. You used the radio more and your own music. You read articles in magazines and maybe if you were lucky you could see them perform on television.

 

Now, I have only been to two MIKA concerts but I can watch almost every performance on YouTube. Of course it isn't the same as being there. I wish I had the means of following him around the world but I don't. But I am still a fierce fan!

[Christine]

If that doesn't make me qualify as a "Mika fan" then so be it, but I will forever be anyway:blush-anim-cl:

 

Oh don't misunderstand me. I'm not saying anyone is qualified or unqualified. I just can't compare what has happened for me in Mikaland to anything before. I was a massive teen fangirl in the 80s and just saw Rick Springfield again a couple of years ago.

 

In your case I know you worked very hard on the birthday surprise. But there is a whole community and history that prefaces that. Someone had to start MFC, people have to keep it going year after year (both doing technical work and all the member participation), people came up with and executed ideas of surprises in the past to create this tradition, we have developed relationships with each other and with Team Mika, etc.

 

I am not saying you are not a "Mika fan" but that you are part of this system that requires "maintenance" whether you are making your own demands or not. If Mika didn't maintain a relationship with his fans and vice versa things like this would not happen. And I think when things like this do happen it's very different from what it was like to be a fan of Rick Springfield when I was 14.

[Sabine64]

Oh don't misunderstand me. I'm not saying anyone is qualified or unqualified. I just can't compare what has happened for me in Mikaland to anything before. I was a massive teen fangirl in the 80s and just saw Rick Springfield again a couple of years ago.

 

In your case I know you worked very hard on the birthday surprise. But there is a whole community and history that prefaces that. Someone had to start MFC, people have to keep it going year after year (both doing technical work and all the member participation), people came up with and executed ideas of surprises in the past to create this tradition, we have developed relationships with each other and with Team Mika, etc.

 

I am not saying you are not a "Mika fan" but that you are part of this system that requires "maintenance" whether you are making your own demands or not. If Mika didn't maintain a relationship with his fans and vice versa things like this would not happen. And I think when things like this do happen it's very different from what it was like to be a fan of Rick Springfield when I was 14.

 

Yes, it´s quite different to be a fan today, it´s so much easier than in the 70 ies or 80 ies. I remember the time I was an Elvis fan and all information we git at that time was by buying magazines for a lot of money in the hope there would be an article inside or one pic. If you were a member of a fan club you only could have contact via letters which took so much time.

I really love to be a fan these days and I love MFC and the friends I got here.

[suzie]

What seems to be forgotten here is that it is now mostly the 35+ age group posting here and on forums in general. That is hardly the age group any popstar would be able to build their long term career on. There may be still young fans out there but if Mika is missing from the media they use they will simply move on.

[mellody]

Yes it was very different to be a fan of someone in the times before Internet, Facebook and Twitter. If you were especially lucky you could go to concerts but the first Barry concert I went to was in 1982. You used the radio more and your own music. You read articles in magazines and maybe if you were lucky you could see them perform on television.

 

i don't know, the whole following thing was already there when i was a fan of nkotb and take that in the 90s. dunno about before that, but we definitely didn't need internet back then, we'd just communicate via letters and the fan clubs had paper magazines they sent out - of course that always took a while, but you got all the news and the rumours from around the world that way. the difference was just that you never really knew the original source, and i guess that's what christine meant, you didn't have any direct connection/communication to/with the star, except when you met them, or you heard stories from others who had met them. but then, you got that quite often as well, there were specialized fan magazines you could buy, and they had photo stories of fans who had met the bands... i mean, maybe this whole thing wasn't as easily accessible as it is now, but it was there.

 

I am not saying you are not a "Mika fan" but that you are part of this system that requires "maintenance" whether you are making your own demands or not. If Mika didn't maintain a relationship with his fans and vice versa things like this would not happen. And I think when things like this do happen it's very different from what it was like to be a fan of Rick Springfield when I was 14.

 

i have no idea about rick springfield, but again, talking about take that or nkotb, back then the stars did nothing but media interviews to keep up the relationship with the fans - and that didn't stop the fans from doing things like maintaining fanclubs or traveling to concerts or investing time in presents or writing endlessly long letters fangurling. i guess it's just that nowadays we expect more because the star does have the possibility to directly communicate with his fans ... what you probably can compare it best to is the official fan clubs from back then, who sent out quarterly newsletters with printed handwritten messages by the stars (take that, in this case). that was the closest you got to a twitter message or blog back then.

Edited November 22, 2012 by mellody

[Alie]

What seems to be forgotten here is that it is now mostly the 35+ age group posting here and on forums in general. That is hardly the age group any popstar would be able to build their long term career on. There may be still young fans out there but if Mika is missing from the media they use they will simply move on.

 

I'm a "young" fan (19 yo) and I know a few others than me that love's Mika... Other people are blind by the whole s*** that is playing on the radio and on TV right now. When I talk about him around me, they know him but most of them never listen to his new songs... But most of them liked him, they are just not "fans". I think that if Mika come back here, doing one show and a lot of interviews, his popularity will increase again here. They were always talking about him when he came to Star Academie in March and when he came back for his show in August... He needs to come back to remember everyone that his CD is now launched...

[Christine]

i have no idea about rick springfield, but again, talking about take that or nkotb, back then the stars did nothing but media interviews to keep up the relationship with the fans - and that didn't stop the fans from doing things like maintaining fanclubs or traveling to concerts or investing time in presents or writing endlessly long letters fangurling.

 

But then it gets back to what I said originally in that if you couldn't even go to gigs or be involved with the fans who do, how much do you call yourself that kind of "fan"?

 

What if Mika started focusing his entire career around South Korea? Only touring Asia, releasing half his songs in Korean, doing all his interviews in Korean, our only contact with fans who have access to him are Koreans who are busy with their Korean-speaking communities, etc.

 

How long are you going to maintain an interest in that? I mean this is what is happening with France versus English speaking North America. You have to invest an inordinate amount of effort trying to stay connected to that and most people can't be bothered because there's so little payoff.

 

Yes Mika sold out the NYC shows but so many of the hardcores from 2009 didn't turn up. The Canadian contingency was there because I encouraged them to go. I'm the one who keeps them up to date on Mika news. I'm the one who tells them when there are gigs. I ask them if they want to travel with me and that's why they come.

 

These are fans who have followed Mika since very early days but life goes on and most people are not going to go to the trouble of trying to keep up with an artist when there is nothing of interest going on for them 99% of the time. When Mika disappears and doesn't communicate with his fans or spends 18 months pandering to France instead of getting an English album on the shelves they just can't be bothered with it.