2022 - Mika @Arena di Verona, Italy, 19 September

[krysady]

15 minutes ago, silver said:

I shouldn't think that people who had front row seats at other venues were somehow given priority here - more likely the promoters just tried to fit in extra seats where they could, to cope with the demand.

 

But I agree, it's a mess.

This is their goal for sure, but they should give to anyone the possibility to get a place in those extra rows.

[maggie112]

I had 5 front rows (and one 4th), in this way the result is that I have one 5th 😂 I see that it’s still a good spot, but let me be annoyed by the whole thing 🥲

[krysady]

Any Italian fan tried to email them and ask what's with those seats appeared over night? 

[mellody]

I heard that fans asked Mika about the additional rows yesterday after the festival, and he didn't know about it. That's what I thought, dunno 'bout the cancellations but this definitely wasn't his decision. I'm curious whether he'll work with friendsandpartners again for the next tour, maybe it was all due to serious problems with them. In their T&C for the tickets, they wrote a lot of stuff like they could change places, put you somewhere else, add rows etc. - but I thought they'd only need to do that so if there's new Covid restrictons they could follow those rules without having to cancel the gigs. Maybe they wanted to use it to make more profit, and Mika wouldn't accept that? Well, whatever. I doubt he can change their decision to add more rows - if they can decide that without him even knowing about it, it's obviously not part of the contract that he has a say in it. So all we can hope is that he'll make up for it by going into the audience more often, especially to the place that used to be the frontrow.

[NaoMika]

12 minutes ago, mellody said:

I heard that fans asked Mika about the additional rows yesterday after the festival, and he didn't know about it. That's what I thought, dunno 'bout the cancellations but this definitely wasn't his decision.

 

The additional rows have disappeared!

Thanks MIKA😉

[mellody]

20 minutes ago, NaoMika said:

 

The additional rows have disappeared!

Thanks MIKA😉

 

Good news for a change!  Hope it stays that way. So maybe Mika did have a say in it?

[maggie112]

my concern is that the promoter (Friends and partners) got several angry emails and messages yesterday, so they removed them from the map, but then they will be there anyway. 

[Emily2b]

It looks like they have moved those seats to the edge of the map so either they are trying to fit them in somewhere else and are in the process of adjusting the map or moved them so we wouldn't be annoyed but they will be at the front anyways or they are seating people outside the venue but that last option would be very unfortunate😂 I really hope they can sort something bc it would be gutting to not be near the front when we all thought we would be😔

[crazyaboutmika]

3 hours ago, mellody said:

 

Good news for a change!  Hope it stays that way. So maybe Mika did have a say in it?

I hope so

[maggie112]

I am quite sure Mika doesn’t have anything to do with seat allocation, it’s all up to the promoter and the venue 

[maggie112]

8 hours ago, krysady said:

Any Italian fan tried to email them and ask what's with those seats appeared over night? 

Yes of course, yesterday evening many fans wrote to their assistance email complaining. No answer but they removed the rows from ticketone map 

[Chiara 83]

7 hours ago, mellody said:

I heard that fans asked Mika about the additional rows yesterday after the festival, and he didn't know about it. That's what I thought, dunno 'bout the cancellations but this definitely wasn't his decision. I'm curious whether he'll work with friendsandpartners again for the next tour, maybe it was all due to serious problems with them. In their T&C for the tickets, they wrote a lot of stuff like they could change places, put you somewhere else, add rows etc. - but I thought they'd only need to do that so if there's new Covid restrictons they could follow those rules without having to cancel the gigs. Maybe they wanted to use it to make more profit, and Mika wouldn't accept that? Well, whatever. I doubt he can change their decision to add more rows - if they can decide that without him even knowing about it, it's obviously not part of the contract that he has a say in it. So all we can hope is that he'll make up for it by going into the audience more often, especially to the place that used to be the frontrow.

 

Good point.

Of course he didn't know about the front seats. This is not something he is involved in and he doesn't have to take care about it. Friends&partners (maybe  along with Mika's management -Giulio?) decided to add seats in the "buco d'orchestra", perhaps to switch first rows from other venues 

 

They made a complete mess with tickets after cancellation especially because there was this switch thing. Concerning the causes of the cancellation, we will never know. And now I am starting to find peace and I was glad to see him smiling in his last IG story from France😌

Friends&partners organize huge tours for the major artists in Italy in Arenas and Stadiums (Mengoni, Cremonini, Elisa, Mahmood, Ultimo, etc) so I would be quite surprised if they didn't manage to organize Mika's tour💀 Btw, I hope he won't work with them anymore 🥺

[holdingyourdrink]

5 hours ago, Emily2b said:

It looks like they have moved those seats to the edge of the map so either they are trying to fit them in somewhere else and are in the process of adjusting the map or moved them so we wouldn't be annoyed but they will be at the front anyways or they are seating people outside the venue but that last option would be very unfortunate😂 I really hope they can sort something bc it would be gutting to not be near the front when we all thought we would be😔

Oh boy, I’m afraid you are right… I truly hope they won’t be in the buco d’orchestra, but right now it seems they are “undefined” and could be anywhere…

[mellody]

Maybe they'll first take a look how many seats they need to relocate and see if they manage without those extra seats. It wouldn't make sense to just take it off the map because they got angry e-mails, if it's there on the gig day the anger would just be postponed & not solved. And they surely don't want people to be extra pissed off at the gig?! Unless Mika's management plans something with those seats to give us better places, to make up for the cancellations. I doubt it tho.

 

It still surprises me that Mika didn't know about this. I assumed he can't change it because contracts allow them to do it, but if he organized a special fan presale for fans to be in the front and then they just ignore that and don't even tell him about it, that's weird. He does care about his fans, otherwise he wouldn't organize such a presale.

[maggie112]

9 hours ago, mellody said:

 It wouldn't make sense to just take it off the map because they got angry e-mails, if it's there on the gig day the anger would just be postponed & not solved. And they surely don't want people to be extra pissed off at the gig?!

In that way the day of the gig people would be angry but at that point what do you do? You start insulting the concert staff which has nothing to do with the choice? You seat in the front row and then people who legitimately (don't know how) have been given those place will claim to sit there? (it's not very easy to choose which seat anyway, since the first 4 rows in the "orchestra" seemed to be staggered in a different way than all the other ones, so it's not immediate to understand which seat one should take without starting a fight 😂) 

I really hope it won't be the case 

Edited September 9, 2022 by maggie112

[Chiara 83]

11 hours ago, mellody said:

Maybe they'll first take a look how many seats they need to relocate and see if they manage without those extra seats. It wouldn't make sense to just take it off the map because they got angry e-mails, if it's there on the gig day the anger would just be postponed & not solved. And they surely don't want people to be extra pissed off at the gig?! Unless Mika's management plans something with those seats to give us better places, to make up for the cancellations. I doubt it tho.

 

It still surprises me that Mika didn't know about this. I assumed he can't change it because contracts allow them to do it, but if he organized a special fan presale for fans to be in the front and then they just ignore that and don't even tell him about it, that's weird. He does care about his fans, otherwise he wouldn't organize such a presale.

 

We will find out on the gig day if those orchestra seats have actually been removed, but many protest mails have been sent so I am optimistic. Btw, I realized that I have a very lateral first row so I won't have those people in front of me anyway because those orchestra seats are central. Concerning fan presale, I don't think this is something "special Mika organized", but it is a practice used for all gigs in Italy, which are thousands. There is always a presale and then general sales. The organizers (Friends&partners) know that most passionate fans want to see their artist closely so they invented this presale thing, which goes also their advantage because presale tickets cost more than the normal ones

Mika cares about his fans in other ways: stopping after gigs, signing autographs, smiling, talking to us, involving us in his new projects, showing us excitement when he's in the studio recording a new song

This Arena gig will be one the most impressive concerts in his career and we will be there to support him in every possible way, despite the sadness for the tour cancellation which is fading away day by day

 

 

[mellody]

1 hour ago, Chiara 83 said:

Concerning fan presale, I don't think this is something "special Mika organized"

 

It was specifically for the fanclub, same as for Paris Philharmonie and most of the US gigs. So I'm sure this was initiated by Mika - surely not organized by him petsonally and maybe we were lucky that friendsandpartners have experience with it, but I'm sure it was Mika's wish to do this for his fans.

 

Btw, I read on Twitter that Mika has told fans in Paris that he took care of the Verona problems. So that gives hope that it's not just hidden but really gone.

[Chiara 83]

1 hour ago, mellody said:

 

It was specifically for the fanclub, same as for Paris Philharmonie and most of the US gigs. So I'm sure this was initiated by Mika - surely not organized by him petsonally and maybe we were lucky that friendsandpartners have experience with it, but I'm sure it was Mika's wish to do this for his fans.

 

Btw, I read on Twitter that Mika has told fans in Paris that he took care of the Verona problems. So that gives hope that it's not just hidden but really gone.

 

ah ok, now I understood. I thought  it was the usual presale I experienced with other artists here in Italy...which begins 2 days before general sales. 

and YES! I read the tweet by Camille! he tried to fix the whole thing and this is amazing

 

 

He will receive lots of love in Verona and this will be a memorable concert

 

He's supposed to be present at Tim awards as well (tonight or tomorrow, the organizers didn't say anything yet)

I have tickets for both nights so we'll see...

 

Update: Mika is tonight at Tim awards!

 

Edited September 9, 2022 by Chiara 83

[maggie112]

That’s the thread 

 

 

let’s cross everything 🤞

[mellody]

Fyi, Serena has received the papers for the fanaction today, and this will be the instruction sheet:

 

Doing the stalls surely won't be a problem, but of course we hope they let us also in the upper areas to put the papers there as well. Do any of you have tickets for these areas, or are you all in the stalls?

 

Serena told me that the doors will open ca. 19:00/19:30 and the concert starts at 21:00. It'd surprise me if they only open at 19:30, because in such a big venue it takes a while to get everyone inside, they would usually spread that out a bit. But maybe, if there's no support act... Anyway it means we have to work without too many discussions, once we're inside, to get it all done in time. So we need to make a plan in advance who does which area and distribute the papers accordingly before going inside, so everyone knows what to do. I'll try to work that out together with Serena.

[carafon]

Reading the last few pages I wonder if it wouldn't  be wise to open a " first row obsession " discussion  along the "post gig depression" topic to try to ease fans trauma 

 

Seriously .....imagine that @dcdebor @Hero changed their travel's plans and got one of these controversial places ....How do you think they would feel knowing that fellow fans who don't have any extra merit than  just being lucky enough to choose the remaining date asked not only the organisation but Mika himself to remove them from possibly blocking their view ?

Or better ....How would you react if it was you ???

And how can we ask Mika to show empathy to the fans if we are not able to be empathic to each other ?

As @Anna Ko Kolkowskasaid , the distance between our seats and the stage will remain the same with or without these extra rows that are lower and separated by an alley from the first regular row . 

 

I'm sorry to go against the grain , but this decision is the only one that didn't chock me in the reorganisation's process . 

( the fact that people have to ask for a refund within a very short time being the one I can't understand .... ) 

 If I can count , people on the fifth row will still have more people behind them than in front of them . And you'd probably block more views behind than the people in the orchestra area ......because who ever saw an orchestra blocking the view of the audience ???? 

 

 

Edited September 10, 2022 by carafon

[Anna Ko Kolkowska]

10 hours ago, mellody said:

So we need to make a plan in advance who does which area and distribute the papers accordingly before going inside, so everyone knows what to do. I'll try to work that out together with Serena.

 

Absolutely the packages of sheets have to be distributed between the volunteers outside the venue.

The volume of paper to get inside is so big that nobody could carry 4-5 reams of paper. First - because it's heavy. Second - the security can start to make problems (as it was in Bercy). Third - there will be no time to loose when inside. 

So you have to calculate how many sheets by person and by color have to be distributed and prepare the quantities.

 

Well, this is what I am doing with the hearts - several packages of 160 hearts (the number of seats per section). I can give the packages inside because they are small and light. But for the big fan action it's a completely different scale. I will help you as much as possible.

[Anna Ko Kolkowska]

I have a feeling that Mika is preparing an acoustic/symphonic concert for us.

Sort of the concert in Versailles.

Yesterday he sang with the small orchestra.

Vincent Bidal mentioned in one of his posts that they have an acoustic concert to do.

The 100 Voices of Gospel has it's secret.

 

Sounds familiar?

[holdingyourdrink]

1 hour ago, carafon said:

Reading the last few pages I wonder if it wouldn't  be wise to open a " first row obsession " discussion  along the "post gig depression" topic to try to ease fans trauma 

 

Seriously .....imagine that @dcdebor @Hero changed their travel's plans and got one of these controversial places ....How do you think they would feel knowing that fellow fans who don't have any extra merit than  just being lucky enough to choose the remaining date asked not only the organisation but Mika himself to remove them from possibly blocking their view ?

Or better ....How would you react if it was you ???

And how can we ask Mika to show empathy to the fans if we are not able to be empathic to each other ?

As @Anna Ko Kolkowskasaid , the distance between our seats and the stage will remain the same with or without these extra rows that are lower and separated by an alley from the first regular row . 

 

I'm sorry to go against the grain , but this decision is the only one that didn't chock me in the reorganisation's process . 

( the fact that people have to ask for a refund within a very short time being the one I can't understand .... ) 

 If I can count , people on the fifth row will still have more people behind them than in front of them . And you'd probably block more views behind than the people in the orchestra area ......because who ever saw an orchestra blocking the view of the audience ???? 

 

 

After letting sit for a few days and having seen the footage of Arena di Verona yesterday, I agree with you. For those who were planning to go to one or all ten dates, we have all been robbed of a fantastic time which we all have been looking forward to. We are all sad about this, this is what we share and should bring us closer together.
 

I am very lucky to have already planned to go to Verona. So my travel plans to Verona haven’t changed and I also have a third row seat in the Arena which I am ecstatic about, because it’s so close and I have seen yesterday, the view on the stage is really fantastic.
For those who had not planned to go to Verona and had first row seats in other venues, are absolutely devastated. And if they are able to change their plans to go to Verona imagine their sadness being in the very back of the Arena? They are fans just like us. Yes of course we bought our seats months prior to the show. But how would we feel it it would be one of our shows being canceled on us and we had to sit in the back of the Arena? 
 

The things we can be pretty sure about: IF they do fill the buco d’orchestra, it will be filled with fellow fans who are just as ecstatic about Mika as we are. Secondly, I am grateful to still be able to see Mika in such an iconic venue, for the last show of the season (that we know about) for 2022. I have had many first rows in concerts and I will have many again. But not in Verona, and that is perfectly fine with me.
 

All of this will not take away from my experience and my excitement. We are in this organizational mess together! That is the beauty of it. So let’s be kind to ourselves and have empathy for fellow fans and for Mika and his team. Otherwise you will just rob yourself from a fantastic experience, no one else but yourself is responsible for it from this point on. So let’s do this and enjoy it to the fullest!! 

[mellody]

But Joelle, do you really trust Ticketone (or friendsandpartners) to do anything in favour of fans?  The fact that Mika didn't even know about these seats rather supports the idea that they just wanted to make money out of adding them, maybe they really were for VIPs or so. We won't know, no one tells us anything, so well, I guess there's no reason to start fighting even among fans.