2013 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer April 8 - Reports/PICS

The doors didn't open until 8, show was supposed to start at 8:30. Well, it was after 9 when DJ Curtis and Max took the stage. They started with Edelweiss, and I thought, "oh, this is quirky enough that I'm going to like it." Wrong. They constantly talked to each other, looked confused, and didn't really seem to be having much fun. Considering that they've been doing this for a few weeks now, you'd think they'd have some kind of organized routine going... Or maybe I'm just too :old: to "get" it. My niece and her friend both liked them. :dunno:

Anyway, I was hoping they'd cut their set short since they started so late, but no... we had to endure the whole set, and finally, FINALLY there were done and their props were cleared away. :yay:

When Mika finally came out, it was without any fanfare, onto a mostly dark stage. He looked marvelous in that tweedy suit with a solid dark bowtie and some very dangerously spiky Louboutins.

I'm not sure whether I can remember all the songs in the right order, but it went something like this:

Grace Kelly

Toy Boy

Lollipop

Blue Eyes

Billy Brown

Start of the Popular Song 2X

Love You When I’m Drunk

Underwater

Stuck in the Middle

Emily/Elle me dit

Lola

Origin of Love

Popular Song in its Entirety

Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)

Stardust

Hia Leah

Happy Ending

Relax

Make You Happy

Celebrate

Love Today

Over My Shoulder

What happened with Popular? Well, he got through the first verse and then completely blanked out on the second. So he started over and got stuck in the same place. I was shouting the words out to him, but he just wasn't getting them so decided to leave it and then came back to it later after consulting his trusty iPad. :naughty:

His voice sounded absolutely beautiful, but I think he must be getting a little tired by this point of the tour. Still he gave as much energy as he always does. He was just as chatty and flirty as he seems to have been in previous shows. :wub2:

The venue itself wasn't bad, but I'm still much more looking forward to Wednesday's show in the DC synagogue.

The show ended at about 11:30 and we waited a good half-hour before Mika came out to sign a few things. He very sweetly spent a minute with us talking about his flubbed lyrics and then we had to share him with all the others who were waiting. *sigh*

Can't wait for Wednesday.

I'll see if I have any photos worth posting...

dcdeb · April 9, 2013

Just a few photos:

And one thing I forgot to mention -- you'll notice that he didn't wear the hat until the very last song. :wub2:

krjsantos · April 9, 2013

He forgot the lyrics again :doh: the thing Rain and Roxy was epic in Montreal :naughty: something is causing the bad concentration of our boy :teehee:

Great Deb :wink2:

Thanks a lot for sharing :flowers2: and have a good rest :huglove:

mari62 · April 9, 2013

thank you very much for the lovely report and pics Deb :wub2:

tiibet · April 9, 2013

Thank you for the report, Deb!!!!!! Awwww, good to hear you enjoyed so much :wub2: Acoustic MYH is so wonderful, isn't it :swoon:

What you say about the DJ set... Well you should have seen them in San Francisco :teehee: I think they were getting better at every show I saw, they almost seemed to have fun at a couple of shows. But the set is really too long.

Thanks for the photos :wub2: To tell the truth I wish they clearly told "no" to flash every time. I never use flash these days, because personally I just hate using it (it means less good pics when using tiny cameras, but the good ones are usually better than with flash) and it's just so disturbing. I mean it it's disturbing me, how can it not disturb him?

You are so lucky to see him in Washington in a couple of days. Your HOME gig and the most special venue for this tour :wub2:

mamiam · April 9, 2013

Thanks for report and photos - lovely !!

What's wrong with MIKA ?! Keep on forgetting his own lyric - too bad ...

I envy your DC synagoque gig in a couple of days - enjoy !!

Love,love

me

PemberlyPenmanship · April 9, 2013

In the words of Mika last night (his cursing is adorable) ****ERY ****ERY ****! I made him a needlepoint card and stuck around to buy a shirt but they started closing the doors and almost no one was left....when did he come out? >.< I'll have to mail it to him this week.

But it was nice that you got to see him! I loved the whole show except I agree, the delay was unbearable; my friend I were dying and I was really surprised that he didn't say one or two "hello" words when he jumped on stage. But my guess was he wanted to get right into it so the show wouldn't finish late. Seriously, though, HOW did he sing so beautifully and (pretty much) non-stop without a serious water break?! Crazy!!

<3 Mika, I can't wait to see you live again some day. I hope I can study abroad in Europe and see you there soon! Thanks for coming to our not-so-popular city!

stelly78 · April 9, 2013

Thanks a lot guys!! :wub2:

Beautifuls pics!! :thumb_yello:

:aah: OMG Mika... :aah: This guy is unique in is genre:mf_rosetinted: Forgotten his own lyrics... :naughty: Mika seriously, it's not very serious!! :wags_finger:

cathouzouf · April 9, 2013

In the words of Mika last night (his cursing is adorable) ****ERY ****ERY ****! I made him a needlepoint card and stuck around to buy a shirt but they started closing the doors and almost no one was left....when did he come out? >.< I'll have to mail it to him this week.

But it was nice that you got to see him! I loved the whole show except I agree, the delay was unbearable; my friend I were dying and I was really surprised that he didn't say one or two "hello" words when he jumped on stage. But my guess was he wanted to get right into it so the show wouldn't finish late. Seriously, though, HOW did he sing so beautifully and (pretty much) non-stop without a serious water break?! Crazy!!

<3 Mika, I can't wait to see you live again some day. I hope I can study abroad in Europe and see you there soon! Thanks for coming to our not-so-popular city!

he did the same in Montreal a few days ago and he was not late... Just showed up on stage in the dark, sat at the piano and sang 4-5 songs before saying a single word:wink2:

A. Clay · April 9, 2013

Thanx Deb, see you Wed. night in DC

Just a few photos:

And one thing I forgot to mention -- you'll notice that he didn't wear the hat until the very last song.

MIKA kept the tie on for the whole show?

nas · April 9, 2013

Thanks deb! :thumb_yello:

I hope he doesn't start so late tonight or I'll be in ahm fecal matter as the kids say:aah: I have trains to catch

Spoke with a French fan who was there she said it was "amazing"

cathouzouf · April 9, 2013

Thanks a lot guys!!
Beautifuls pics!!

OMG Mika... This guy is unique in is genre:mf_rosetinted: Forgotten his own lyrics... Mika seriously, it's not very serious!!

Best analogy Ican find is exactly like a figure skater who nails the most difficult jumps and one day find himself tripping on a single loop... Those things happen to the best ;-)

Alireine · April 9, 2013

Thank you for the report and the pics Deb! :wub2:

daiyuanamanda · April 10, 2013

His schedule is too full. Worry about him . Take good care.

stelly78 · April 10, 2013

Best analogy Ican find is exactly like a figure skater who nails the most difficult jumps and one day find himself tripping on a single loop... Those things happen to the best ;-)

Yeah!! :naughty: :aah: These are things that arrive!! :aah:

dcdeb · April 10, 2013

In the words of Mika last night (his cursing is adorable) ****ERY ****ERY ****! I made him a needlepoint card and stuck around to buy a shirt but they started closing the doors and almost no one was left....when did he come out? >.< I'll have to mail it to him this week.

But it was nice that you got to see him! I loved the whole show except I agree, the delay was unbearable; my friend I were dying and I was really surprised that he didn't say one or two "hello" words when he jumped on stage. But my guess was he wanted to get right into it so the show wouldn't finish late. Seriously, though, HOW did he sing so beautifully and (pretty much) non-stop without a serious water break?! Crazy!!

<3 Mika, I can't wait to see you live again some day. I hope I can study abroad in Europe and see you there soon! Thanks for coming to our not-so-popular city!

Yes, he rather outdid himself in the use of the F word. :teehee: I especially loved his little stamping tantrum when he forgot the lyrics to Popular the second time.

Mika came out about 30-40 minutes after the show ended. My niece and her friend were really tired and just about ready to give up, but I urged them to hang on a few more minutes and I think they were glad they did. :wink2:

Sorry I didn't get to say hello, hopefully there will be a next time! Soon!

Thanx Deb, see you Wed. night in DC

MIKA kept the tie on for the whole show?

Yes! Left the coat on for a good portion of the show as well. He was very dapper. :wub2:

And yes, see you REAL soon, Alice! :thumb_yello:

mamiam · April 10, 2013

His schedule is too full. Worry about him . Take good care.

My thought too - he needs days off now - real holiday !! :shocked:

Love,love

me

dcdeb · April 10, 2013

http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/20130410_Review__Mika_s_theatrical_pop.html

A.D. Amorosi, For The Inquirer

Posted: Wednesday, April 10, 2013, 3:01 AM

Beirut-born Michael Penniman - Mika to you - might not seem the dream of teen lasses and sorority girls. He's high-pitched, slight-of-build, and makes exuberant music that's an au courant, hit-making encapsulation of all things Glam Rock and fussily British (Sparks, Elton).

Yet, there he was - all snug-fitting tux and tight curls - thrilling an all-ages crowd of gals and the boys who love them during a sold-out show at Union Transfer Monday in what was billed as an "intimate evening with . . . "

What that meant was that his usually crowded stage and busy arrangements were stripped down to just Mika trilling theatrically and hammering piano, with instrumentalist/vocalists along for the bumpy ride.

Bare without bombast, his best-known tracks - "Grace Kelly," "Toy Boy," "Blue Eyes" - came out fast, furious, and histrionic from the start, with his falsetto twittering across these most melodious songs.

Oddly, after a while, this stripped-down sound - still rich with saxophones, synths, and thumping tom-toms, to say nothing of the tinkling piano - brought out a monotony in Mika's tunes and a tedious anthemic quality in his lyrics. Though an easy crowd pleaser, "Big Girl ("You Are Beautiful)" came across like a second-rate version of Queen's 1978 hit "Fat Bottomed Girls," with Mika sounding more cutesy than cutting.

What saved the show from being a speeded-up version of "Music Box Dancer" - surely a '70s reference Mika would love - were songs from 2012's The Origin of Love.

In their recorded versions, these cuts were too busy in their attempt to match a blend of house-hop with Mika's complex, wordy pop. Torn apart and made simpler, The Origin of Love's "Emily" became a cunning family drama, with Mika showing off his handsome low register.

Same went for the slower ballad "Stardust," the tap-dancing "Underwater" (with shoes and a suitcase as the song's rhythmic base), and his new album's delicate title tune. It was nice to hear Mika take a breath, then take several lower ones, rather than always breaking glass.

Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/20130410_Review__Mika_s_theatrical_pop.html#ixzz2Q47CP6UV

Edited April 10, 2013 by dcdeb

stelly78 · April 10, 2013

Thanks for this review dcdeb:wink2:

PemberlyPenmanship · April 11, 2013

Yes, he rather outdid himself in the use of the F word. I especially loved his little stamping tantrum when he forgot the lyrics to Popular the second time.

Mika came out about 30-40 minutes after the show ended. My niece and her friend were really tired and just about ready to give up, but I urged them to hang on a few more minutes and I think they were glad they did.

Sorry I didn't get to say hello, hopefully there will be a next time! Soon!

Yes! Left the coat on for a good portion of the show as well. He was very dapper.

And yes, see you REAL soon, Alice!

Haha yes, his tantrum was really cute. I mean, I think when most celebrities curse it's really casual and tasteless but Mika's honesty and little anecdotes and jokes are so disarming and charming. I especially enjoyed his quip about the "fragrance" that made him forget his lines! :naughty:

(For everyone else, someone brought/had smoked before coming in weed--or crack, I'm not an expert in drugs lol so I really don't know--and as soon as he made a comment or two people working at the venue starting snooping around.) :mikacool:

kreacher · April 11, 2013

Same went for the slower ballad "Stardust," the tap-dancing "Underwater" (with shoes and a suitcase as the song's rhythmic base), and his new album's delicate title tune. It was nice to hear Mika take a breath, then take several lower ones, rather than always breaking glass.

WTF? How could anyone mistake Underwater for Stuck In The Middle? :blink:

Haha yes, his tantrum was really cute. I mean, I think when most celebrities curse it's really casual and tasteless but Mika's honesty and little anecdotes and jokes are so disarming and charming. I especially enjoyed his quip about the "fragrance" that made him forget his lines!

(For everyone else, someone brought/had smoked before coming in weed--or crack, I'm not an expert in drugs lol so I really don't know--and as soon as he made a comment or two people working at the venue starting snooping around.)

it smelled like a skunk sprayed in there, so i'm sure it was pot (aka "skunk")

before the gig all the security clustered around the front but off to one side and looked out over the crowd (they reminded me of a bunch of meerkats xD), perhaps they suspected something before Mika said smth. i was wondering about their odd behaviour at the time but figure it was a fight or smth.

What Deb said :thumb_yello:

Ok my report... lets see.... ugh the gig seems so long ago xD

Got there at 1:30ish and only Deb & OneCrazyPenguin were there so that was awesome the weather was great for queuing, the neighborhood.... not so much :aah:

i was front row, a bit off center of where he sang but right in line with where he sat for most of the gig at his piano.

He told talked about his family before Emily/EMD. i forget his exact quote but it was smth about how bad the song makes his mum seem, and his dad and how ppl think his brother's gay

Happy Ending blew my mind and OMG UNDERWATER i loved what he did w/ the lone light bulb, so striking!

He changed the words to Hia Leah some, working Philadelphia in there instead lol

He told cute stories too, like how he had a cheesesteak and how he came on a train w/ some crazy person who was whistling.

my sister (who was SO happy he played her fave, MYH) was up in the balcony and said the lower part looked full but there was some space up there.

Post gig the line to meet him was so nice and orderly. i said some stupid stuff to him while he signed my totebag.

My sister & i walked back to her car in the far side of the parking lot behind the venue and needed to drive around the block back past the front of the venue. we saw he still there, greeting the last maybe 7-10 ppl :wub2:

pics (and short vids of old songs since w/out flash most of my pics were crap!!) to come later.

i'll post more as it all returns to me.

stelly78 · April 11, 2013

Thanks for your report kreacher:thumb_yello:

lemontine · April 11, 2013

Alright, so here is my quick little report of what happened.

I got there around 4:20 and there was ten people already there, one person arrived shortly after us, but most came within the last hour or so. I actually had fun waiting (this is the first show I'd ever waited in line for). I made friends with a girl named Biz (elizabeth) and Jenny, Biz who had never seen him live before (like me) and was there for her birthday (also like me ) and Jenny who had seen him once five years ago and still couldn't stop talking about it! :naughty: We three got the front row on the side with the piano so we had a perfect view of Mika the whole time! :wub2:

The doors opened a minute or two before eight, but the show itself was very late starting. When Max and Curtis came on it was a little awkward... They played a bunch of songs, but It really looked as if they were just awkwardly standing up there not doing much... It was fun for a little while, but it was way too long.

Mika came on and opened with Grace Kelly which was great, made some comments about the "fragrance" which he said was better than dried up beer.

He forgot the lyrics at the beginning of blue eyes, well, not really forgot, he started with the second verse by accident, put "I forgot the lyrics to my own song" to the tune and started over again

When he got to Popular Song he skipped the second verse and then forgot the lyrics, so he decided to start over again, but then he made the same mistake AGAIN the second time, and told us to forget that happened and that he'd come back to it later in the show, which he did, but only after consulting the trusty 'old man' iPad. Mika noticed Curtis had been looking up something beforehand and he seemed rather embarrassed about it when Mika questioned him! :teehee:

They did Stuck in the Middle with the tap dance rhythm, and three-person piano playing. He started Emily, then stopped to comment on how mean the song was to everyone in his family, and how really the only part of it that was true was that his father really didn't have that much money growing up, but then continued and finished the song, switching to French in the second verse!

He sang Hia Leah with Philadelphia lyrics, and I did manage to snag a video of that which I may or my not post depending on if people want me to or not...

the Philadelphia lyrics went:

Philadelphia, I don't wanna leave

oh, nice to see ya, I don't wanna leave

It's a little hot here for me today

I ate a cheese steak before coming on stage today

I think that's why it showed down my brain a little bit

I met a mad man on the train today

He drank two vodka's and an orange juice and kept whistling to himself

And I looked at him and I thought 'that could be me'

Philadelphia, oh

Philadelphia, woah

Philadelphia, *whistle*

Philadelphia, tonight I love you that's all

Philadelphia, oh, I love you that's all

Philadelphia, I always loved you that's all

Oh, I'll always love you that's all

My camera literally ran out of memory the second the song ended DX

There was one funny moment where, and I forget what song it was (Origin maybe?) he asked us all to close our eyes, one girl behind me screamed out "BUT I DON'T WANT TO" and I heard numerous agreements. He said "Trust me. There's enough distance, I'm not gonna do anything!"

He forgot to put on his hat until the very last song, Over My Shoulder, which disappointed me a little. But Over my shoulder was beautiful... Mika's voice was perfect through the entire show.

I waited around the gate for like, 35 minutes, until he came out. Me and my sister both got hugs and our tickets signed, but I'm extremely shy so we didn't say much.

Both my parents now after seeing the show are more interested in him and have even bought some of his music! So I consider that an accomplishment! although my mom kept bringing up the fact that he has a nice 'tush' :doh: She didn't even know what he looked like before the show XD

Anyway, I hope I get to see him again sometime because that was amazing!

Edit: Oh, also, when were waiting in line, me, Biz, and Jenny were pressing out ears against the window trying to hear the soundcheck, and we distinctly hear Popular being played more than once! Which makes the fact that he messed it up twice all the more baffling. XD

Edited April 11, 2013 by lemontine

silver · April 11, 2013

I'm glad you had such a great time (and your parents are fans now! :thumb_yello: ).

I think your first Mika gig is always special (but it just makes you want to see him again ...and again...)

2013 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer April 8 - Reports/PICS

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