2024 - Mika @ AFAS Amsterdam, NETHERLANDS, 29 March REPORTS / VIDS / PICS

[Jojotje]

14 minutes ago, Kumazzz said:

 

Thanks a lot for posting ! @couldbepurple

 

AFAS Live FACEBOOK

 

Album Mika, 29 maart 2024

23 pics

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can see my youngest daughter on some of the pics. Reading the comment about ‚the Dutch‘ I hesitate to say she‘s Dutch and fan from the beginning. She‘s holding the M and I golden balloons and a green heart. 

Edited March 30 by Jojotje
More text

[Jojotje]

4 hours ago, holdingyourdrink said:

Will write a full report later, but I was incredibly surprised to see the entirety of QTTFT go up in smoke. The show was amazing nonetheless, please don’t get me wrong. This time I was an “angel” and not an “enfant terrible”, so I had a better view of the general atmosphere. And I can tell you all the way up to the angels people LOVED it, but it was not thanks to the setlist, it is thanks to HIM. Mika is a force!

 

He could’ve EASILY kept Jane Birkin and C’est La Vie in my opinion. And I am saying this with a slight pang in my heart, because I really did adore Rain on the Apocalypse Club as it’s my favourite live, but it deserves C’est La Vie of all songs. 

The English adaptation of Bougez was incredible. Just like the French version it pulled people right in, no mistake about that. I can understand why he did that in a non-French speaking country, especially as it’s the first song of the show. It serves to pull people in and set the tone. And it pulls in people even more if it’s a language they understand. Smart move with same energy.
 

Also, there were no songs from MNIMH (there weren’t in the French leg of the tour either, but if he wanted to stick to English for this setlist he could’ve chosen from that album as well). He said he hasn’t been back in Amsterdam for more than 8 years, but he also didn’t show off enough of the songs he has done in the last 8 years. Which we all agree are absolute gems!
 

I loved the show yesterday and I also loved the setlist, because I just love his music. But at the same time it makes me very sad in my fan heart that he is selling himself short by sticking to his first four albums. The new audience who doesn’t know Mika initially know him by the 4 classics (GK, Relax, Lollipop, Big Girls - right?). The 15 other songs of the show are new to them anyway. 
 

I hope he will come back to the Netherlands very soon, much sooner than 8 years. The show was sold out for months, he attracts the audience easily. I hope he will consider having a setlist that will include all of his albums, the Dutch people will love it. I guarantee you that they will adore it. 

Last time he was in the Netherlands was in Utrecht, in February 2020. That‘s much less then 8 years. 😁

[Sara penny]

4 hours ago, holdingyourdrink said:

Will write a full report later, but I was incredibly surprised to see the entirety of QTTFT go up in smoke. The show was amazing nonetheless, please don’t get me wrong. This time I was an “angel” and not an “enfant terrible”, so I had a better view of the general atmosphere. And I can tell you all the way up to the angels people LOVED it, but it was not thanks to the setlist, it is thanks to HIM. Mika is a force!

 

He could’ve EASILY kept Jane Birkin and C’est La Vie in my opinion. And I am saying this with a slight pang in my heart, because I really did adore Rain on the Apocalypse Club as it’s my favourite live, but it deserves C’est La Vie of all songs. 

The English adaptation of Bougez was incredible. Just like the French version it pulled people right in, no mistake about that. I can understand why he did that in a non-French speaking country, especially as it’s the first song of the show. It serves to pull people in and set the tone. And it pulls in people even more if it’s a language they understand. Smart move with same energy.
 

Also, there were no songs from MNIMH (there weren’t in the French leg of the tour either, but if he wanted to stick to English for this setlist he could’ve chosen from that album as well). He said he hasn’t been back in Amsterdam for more than 8 years, but he also didn’t show off enough of the songs he has done in the last 8 years. Which we all agree are absolute gems!
 

I loved the show yesterday and I also loved the setlist, because I just love his music. But at the same time it makes me very sad in my fan heart that he is selling himself short by sticking to his first four albums. The new audience who doesn’t know Mika initially know him by the 4 classics (GK, Relax, Lollipop, Big Girls - right?). The 15 other songs of the show are new to them anyway. 
 

I hope he will come back to the Netherlands very soon, much sooner than 8 years. The show was sold out for months, he attracts the audience easily. I hope he will consider having a setlist that will include all of his albums, the Dutch people will love it. I guarantee you that they will adore it. 

I'm Italian and I agree with every word you said. I believe that even for those who are not 100% fans he should still sing the new songs to make them understand that he is not just Grace Kelly's singer.

[Hero]

2 hours ago, couldbepurple said:

What a show!!! Brilliant day in the Q ruined a tiny bit by the Dutch dicks who refused to move to their spot in line and hurling unwarrented insults at me (seriously only and always the Dutch)

I'm sorry to hear that.  

2 hours ago, SusanT said:

 

I think Mika himself refers to the firebird being freed but perhaps there are other meanings I'm not aware of. I have the impression that the composer Stravinsky is Mika's inspiration. He composed the music both for "The Firebird" - which is based on a Russian folk tale from what I read - and "The Rite of Spring", the name of Mika's previous tour.

 

1 hour ago, couldbepurple said:

ahh yeah the firebird .. of course.. okay that makes sense... I love the Stravinsky work ...

Yes, it's the firebird, also known as the mythical phoenix, which rebirths and rises from the ashes. He said the tour was meant to be as if the apocalypse had just happened, so a Phoenix rising from the ashes of the apocalypse to start the gig makes sense. Also, could be a personal comment on rising and renewing after the sadness of recent years. 

[couldbepurple]

I'll edit my comment: many many Dutch fans are truly amazing - and indeed the front of the Q was very Dutch and super super super: chill, kind, fun!!!

Including the daughter holding the M& I ❤️❤️❤️❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🩷🩵

(I too am Dutch born...)

 

 

it was just a few nasties slightly further back (who did get numbers and then refused to "play" according to the rules. But it is often the case that the Dutch find the idea of a Q a very organic concept 🥺

[Kumazzz]

PRESS

 

Het Parool

https://www.parool.nl/kunst-media/recensie-mika-is-in-afas-live-mierzoet-maar-onweerstaanbaar~bf1a817a/

30 maart 2024, 13:16

 

Recensie: Mika is in Afas Live mierzoet, maar onweerstaanbaar

 

Het concert van Mika in de Afas Live was een feest van herkenning. Hoewel zijn grootste hits vijftien jaar oud zijn, lijkt de entertainer in de beste vorm van zijn leven.

 

Het is moeilijk te geloven dat het twaalf jaar geleden is dat Mika voor het laatst in de Top 40 stond. Nadat alle zes singles van zijn debuutalbum Life in Cartoon Motion uit 2007 grote hits werden, leek de Brits-Libanese zanger voorbestemd een wereldster te worden. Maar in Nederland bereikte zijn latere werk nooit dezelfde populariteit.

 

Uit de setlist van zijn concert in de Afas Live blijkt dat Mika zich daar ook goed bewust van is: bijna de helft van de nummers komt van dat eerste album. Enkel het openingsnummer Bougez komt van zijn nieuwste plaat Que ta tête fleurisse toujours (2023). Dat volledig Franstalige album behaalde in Frankrijk trouwens meer succes. Daar is de in Parijs opgegroeide popster een graag geziene televisiegast en zetelt hij ook in de jury van The Voice France.

 

Maar de showman kent zijn publiek, en vertaalt voor de Nederlandse toeschouwers enkele Franstalige songteksten naar het Engels. Ook als je de tekst niet begrijpt, valt er trouwens genoeg mee te maken. De artiest brengt het openingsnummer namelijk ten gehore vanuit een grote lichtgevende kooi. Gekleed in een felrood pak met vleugels, als een ware paradijsvogel. Eenmaal bevrijd uit zijn gevangenis, bewijst Mika een rasentertainer te zijn. De handjes van het publiek zijn vaker wel dan niet in de lucht.

 

Druipend van het zweet

 

Na twee nummers verruilt hij zijn rode pak voor een knalgele, de eerste van maar liefst zes kostuumveranderingen binnen zeven kwartier. Hij neemt de tijd om het publiek even toe te spreken:

“Het is acht jaar geleden dat ik voor het laatst in Amsterdam was. We zijn inmiddels allemaal weer wat ouder en misschien ook wel wat langzamer.”

 

Aan Mika is daar niks van te merken. De 40-jarige rent en spring zoveel over het podium dat hij zijn dagelijkse stappendoel wel twee keer gehaald moet hebben. En zelfs druipend van het zweet zingt hij met gemak de vele uithalen en lastige stukken kopstem in zijn repertoire. Ook het publiek zit niet stil. Zodra monsterhit Big Girl (You Are Beautiful) wordt ingezet, verandert de Afas in een dansfeest. Op het achtergrondscherm staat de tekst van het refrein, maar die lijkt niemand nodig te hebben.

 

Vleugel met vleugels

 

Mika bewandelt de grens tussen Freddy Mercury en Toppers in concert. Als in de tweede helft van de show een vleugel met daadwerkelijke vleugels bedekt in discolichten het podium wordt opgereden, vraag je je af of hij die grens niet overschrijdt. Maar als hij op het instrument een indrukwekkende akoestische versie van Billy Brown uitvoert, met wederom lange stukken falsetto, trekken die twijfels weer weg. Zelfs de meterslange opblaasbare regenboog die in het daaropvolgende Grace Kelly uit de vleugel tevoorschijn komt, neem je maar voor lief.

 

Tijdens slotnummer Love Today, vraagt hij het gewillige publiek om ‘love, love, love’ op te dreunen. Op het grote achtergrondscherm wordt een apocalyptisch landschap geprojecteerd - een verwijzing naar de naam van de tour, Apocalypse Calypso. Echt eng wordt het niet, want zelfs deze dorre vlaktes met verlaten gebouwen zijn zuurstokroze. Het bewijst maar weer: de wereld van Mika is mierzoet, maar onweerstaanbaar.

 

Google translator

Spoiler

 

Review: Mika is sweet, but irresistible in Afas Live

Mika's concert in the Afas Live was a celebration of recognition. Even though his biggest hits are fifteen years old, the entertainer seems to be in the best shape of his life.

It's hard to believe that it's been twelve years since Mika was last in the Top 40. After all six singles from his 2007 debut album Life in Cartoon Motion became big hits, the British-Lebanese singer seemed destined to become a world star. But his later work never achieved the same popularity in the Netherlands.

The set list of his concert at the Afas Live shows that Mika is also well aware of this: almost half of the songs come from that first album. Only the opening song Bougez comes from his latest album Que ta tête fleurisse toujours (2023). That entirely French-language album achieved more success in France. The pop star, who grew up in Paris, is a popular television guest there and also sits on the jury of The Voice France.

But the showman knows his audience, and translates some French song lyrics into English for the Dutch spectators. Even if you don't understand the text, there is plenty to do with it. The artist performs the opening number from a large luminous cage. Dressed in a bright red suit with wings, like a true bird of paradise. Once freed from his prison, Mika proves to be a born entertainer. More often than not, the audience's hands are in the air.

Dripping with sweat

After two songs he exchanges his red suit for a bright yellow one, the first of no fewer than six costume changes within 45 minutes. He takes the time to address the audience:

“It has been eight years since I was last in Amsterdam. We are all a bit older now and perhaps also a bit slower.”

Mika doesn't notice any of that. The 40-year-old runs and jumps across the stage so much that he must have achieved his daily step goal twice. And even dripping with sweat, he sings with ease the many outbursts and difficult parts of the falsetto in his repertoire. The audience is also not sitting still. As soon as monster hit Big Girl (You Are Beautiful) starts, the Afas turns into a dance party. The background screen shows the lyrics of the chorus, but no one seems to need them.

Wing with wings

Mika walks the line between Freddy Mercury and Toppers in concert. When a grand piano with actual wings covered in disco lights is wheeled onto the stage in the second half of the show, you wonder if he's crossing that line. But when he performs an impressive acoustic version of Billy Brown on the instrument, again with long stretches of falsetto, those doubts disappear again. Even the meter-long inflatable rainbow that emerges from the wing in the following Grace Kelly is something you take for granted.

During the closing song Love Today, he asks the willing audience to belt out 'love, love, love'. An apocalyptic landscape is projected on the large background screen - a reference to the name of the tour, Apocalypse Calypso. It doesn't get really scary, because even these arid plains with abandoned buildings are candy pink. It just proves: Mika's world is cloyingly sweet, but irresistible.

 

 

 

 

[CharlotteL]

I don't really have any good videos or photos to share since I was "an angel" in the back and also just focused on enjoying the show.

And I definitely succeeded in that!

I have to say, I feel similarly to the others who are sad that he only played one song from the new album. It was an amazing show, but didn't feel much like the Apocalypse Calypso Tour anymore.

I loved him singing Bougez partly in English, I thought it was a brilliant "shocker" to open the show with and a sweet nod to his non-french speaking audience. But I think it would have been enough, he could have easily kept as many French songs in as he wanted after that, the audience would have been just as captivated. I particularly don't understand the choice of keeping Elle Me Dit in but not any of the new French songs.

 

With that out of the way, the show that I actually did see (as opposed to comparing it to the one I was maybe expecting), it was as brilliant and fun as always. The audience was completely mesmerized, singing, waving and dancing along, from the first row right up to the back of the balcony.

The fanaction for Talk about you with all the colourful hearts was a great success. It looked amazing from the back as if every single person in the pit had one, it must have been hundreds and hundreds. Mika loved it as well and praised the fan who made them for presumably staying up all night cutting them out. I met her afterwards and she was over the moon.

Despite missing the French song I loved all the songs he picked instead. Singing Rain on the Club Apocalypse sign was a brilliant choice. Hearing Billy Brown live for the first time was very emotional for me and Good Guys is one of my favourites as well.

There was also the usual amount of Mika mayhem. The inflatable rainbow got stuck halfway which looked hilarious. He asked Wouter to translate "enfants terrible" into Dutch which took ages until Mika impatiently said "He plays drums fast, but he talks very slowly". Max got lost in the crowd during Big Girl and Mika had to announce "I lost my bassist" once again.

I think they really used the smaller space of the venue well. I was surprised they still managed to fit all the important props on stage, the cage, the piano with rainbow, the Club Apocalypse sign. All brought together by the animations which he creatively reused for the English songs. Billy Brown had the animation of Moi, Andy et Paris but without the Eiffel tour (if I'm not mistaken) and Lollipop used the ones from Sweetie Banana which I think were altered slightly as well. There was an additional set of bananas in all colours of the rainbow on screen at one point which I don't remember ever seeing during Sweetie Banana. Correct me if I'm wrong though and just missed that before. But if I didn't and he really added it for Lollipop, that's hilarious and I would be dying to know the thought process behind it. Did he think "Mhm what animations could we use for Lollipop. I suppose we could just use the ones from Sweetie Banana. But how could we make them a bit gayer?! Ah I know... rainbow bananas!!" 

[Hero]

1 hour ago, CharlotteL said:

 I was "an angel" in the back 

Oh! Then you weren't the person doing the live filming for the MFCToo account? I thought it was you! So who was our kind benefactor?

[Mikasister]

Mika IG stories

 

[Perdchen]

The new Feels like Fire from Amsterdam with Max is so much more beautiful to me than the (in my opinion at least partly) lip synced old version. So much more lively and dynamic! I hope he keeps that version and it was not just a unique experiment among many others in Amsterdam;-)

[holdingyourdrink]

Amsterdam! Mika was in Amsterdam!!! I haven’t lived there for over 10 years, however: you can take me out of Amsterdam, but you can’t ever take Amsterdam out of me! So for him to be there made a lot of great things come together. 

 

I didn’t come alone this time, I had my friend and his husband, my brother and my daughter with me. 

What made the biggest difference is that I didn’t queue to be an „enfant terrible“ in the pit, but opted for the seats and sit amongst „the angels“ (and no, you can’t take the „enfant terrible“ out of me, either ). This made for an entirely different concert experience, which I enjoyed just as much. 

 

When I said hi to the queue (I am sorry if I have missed any of you: I was too concerned to be there with my daughter, who is an even more energetic version of me….go figure….), we bumped into Adam and he asked him if we would like to be in a video with about 100 other fans. That video was just posted in Mika‘s stories, so cute to see how it turned out, you are all so stunning!! 

 

Amsterdam was packed, I tell you. Up until the seated area (which was completely filled) there were still people standing behind it and dancing their heart out. 

Speaking of hearts: before the concert, people on the forum asked if we could help cut out hearts. I offered to distribute them in the seated area. My daughter and her newly found friend, the daughter of @smokesignal, offered to distribute it under the lovely supervision of @CharlotteL, who also graced us with her company. 

I had cut out 200 hearts… and the only regret I have is that I didn’t cut out more. People kept asking for them! They all wanted to participate!!! The atmosphere was already fantastic. Yes Mika, all the way up to the angels. Already before the show.

 

Earlier in this topic I have spoken about the setlist, so I won’t discuss it too much here. What I do want to mention again and again is the amazing reception Mika got with every song. It took a bit of warming up to get everyone out of their seat, but the energy and participation was there all the time. I do feel I had to contain my energy here and there in the beginning, but after the first songs there was no stopping me, nor my daughter. We really danced our hearts out! I am sorry for the lady behind me who wanted to film the whole thing, I think I’m featured in maybe 90% of her videos, blocking the view with different flailing bodyparts. 

 

To see the show from a distance was incredible. When you‘re in the front you don’t really see the entire picture. You literally need a bit of distance to gain a different and complete perspective. The visual concept is incredibly done and so….rounded and complete. From the lights to the smoke to the fireworks. Also the visuals were not only beautiful, they were cheeky and funny as well. 

But as I was enjoying the show more from a distance, I get more of a general idea rather than several intense moments, which you usually experience in the pit.  

 

My brother went to see Mika for the first time and loved it. Same for my friend and his husband. They told me that they really loved the atmosphere and the complete audience participation. It is one of a kind. Words like „amazing“, „fabulous“ and „pure showman“ were said more than once.

 

In the end we had to leave a little early, as my daughter was overwhelmed from the intensity of it all. So I did what a mama does and I took her home for many cuddles. She slept swiftly after that and this morning as she woke up the first thing she said was: „When will we go again?!“

[holdingyourdrink]

5 minutes ago, Perdchen said:

The new Feels like Fire from Amsterdam with Max is so much more beautiful to me than the (in my opinion at least partly) lip synced old version. So much more lively and dynamic! I hope he keeps that version and it was not just a unique experiment among many others in Amsterdam;-)

Yes! This was an amazing start! I was confused and wondered if Nomfundo was there and would suddenly appear, but then @CharlotteLtold me it was indeed Max! 

[Kumazzz]

3 hours ago, Mikasister said:

Mika IG stories

 

 

Thanks a lot for posting, here is a merged clip.

 

 

[CharlotteL]

1 hour ago, Perdchen said:

The new Feels like Fire from Amsterdam with Max is so much more beautiful to me than the (in my opinion at least partly) lip synced old version. So much more lively and dynamic!

Wait I'm so confused that everyone is saying this is a new version that he was doing yesterday.

Max has always sung the Nomfundo part in the first part of that song, I just checked a video from Clermont-Ferrand

 

1 hour ago, holdingyourdrink said:

Yes! This was an amazing start! I was confused and wondered if Nomfundo was there and would suddenly appear, but then @CharlotteLtold me it was indeed Max! 

I'm so happy you shared this, I wasn't sure if it was ok to tell that story but it was honestly one of my favourite moments from the whole show.

The way Michelle literally gasped, excitedly turned to me and asked: "Waait is she here???" and I was like "??? ... That's Max!" 

I also have to add that Michelle's daughter is one of the funnest concert companions I've ever had. Not a dull moment before the show!! I hope I'll see you all again soon.

[CharlotteL]

4 hours ago, Hero said:

Oh! Then you weren't the person doing the live filming for the MFCToo account? I thought it was you! So who was our kind benefactor?

Ah no, it was Isa

[Perdchen]

1 hour ago, CharlotteL said:

Wait I'm so confused that everyone is saying this is a new version that he was doing yesterday.

Max has always sung the Nomfundo part in the first part of that song, I just checked a video from Clermont-Ferrand

 

I'm so happy you shared this, I wasn't sure if it was ok to tell that story but it was honestly one of my favourite moments from the whole show.

The way Michelle literally gasped, excitedly turned to me and asked: "Waait is she here???" and I was like "??? ... That's Max!" 

I also have to add that Michelle's daughter is one of the funnest concert companions I've ever had. Not a dull moment before the show!! I hope I'll see you all again soon.

That's interesting! I thought Mika's voice sounded so different in the video recording of the Amsterdam gig. For the other concerts I had the feeling that all recordings sounded almost exactly the same considering his voice, what he sang at which part, what the shaping of the melody was like, where which backing vocal started so i considered it to be partly prerecorded also maybe to match it with Nomfundo's recording. This time he sounded much more "present" with his voice, varied the melody, sang another voice at the end (not the la-daladalei if you know what I mean ;-)) and I could hear Max much clearer so i thought that the arrangement of the performance was maybe changed :). 

Edited March 30 by Perdchen

[holdingyourdrink]

18 minutes ago, Mayli said:

I guess can't really consider u are Asian cause I read some of your posts recently that found u were born in Germany? 

I consider myself a citizen of the world 

[CharlotteL]

Ah you're right that feels like fire was slightly different.

I just remembered that he had Max sing the first verse as well. On the other dates he only joined in during the chorus.

And Mika even let him sing some lines on his own, the "oh my god" and "I feel cold". 

 

There's a video of it on youtube now as well:

 

And his microphone is definitely turned up more than in the previous shows. I thought it had just sounded differently to me because well it was live.

Beautiful in any case, I'd also love to hear a full Mika and Max version

[Anna Ko Kolkowska]

50 minutes ago, CharlotteL said:

And his microphone is definitely turned up more than in the previous shows

 

Depending where was standing the person recording the video.

When you are at the first row in the center, sound is very poor. You almost don't hear Mika. I think it's a sort of dead zone between speakers.

When you are more in the back the sound is correct.

Edited March 31 by Anna Ko Kolkowska

[Jaela]

12 hours ago, CharlotteL said:

The way Michelle literally gasped, excitedly turned to me and asked: "Waait is she here???" and I was like "??? ... That's Max!" 

 

Stoppp cause the same thing happened to me, I was fully convinced she was about to walk out and I got so excited, I think I probably exclaimed "ohmygod she's here!" quite loudly, only to then realise 2 seconds later that it was, in fact, not the case 😂

[carafon]

47 minutes ago, Anna Ko Kolkowska said:

 

Depending where was standing the person recording the video.

When you are at the first row in the center, sound is very poor. You almost don't hear Mika. I think it's a sort of dead zone between speakers.

When you are more in the back the sound is correct.

I was on the stages end both in Lille and Tours, the sound was poor too. In Nancy and Luxembourg I was further, even behind the baffle, it was better but still not very good. Let's see tonight if angels will get a better sound quality 

[krysady]

1 minute ago, carafon said:

I was on the stages end both in Lille and Tours, the sound was poor too. In Nancy and Luxembourg I was further, even behind the baffle, it was better but still not very good. Let's see tonight if angels will get a better sound quality 

I read many people complaining about the sound, I wonder what's going on... 

[Kumazzz]

YouTube Channel Stefan

• Talk About You
• Origin of Love
• Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)
• Feels Like Fire
• Underwater
• Relax (Take it Easy)
• Elle Me Dit
• Billy Brown
• Grace Kelly
• Rain
• Happy Ending
• Love Today
• Any Other World
• We Are Golden

 

 

[Kumazzz]

YouTube Channel  Allround Entertainment

• Bougez

 

 

[carafon]

6 minutes ago, krysady said:

I read many people complaining about the sound, I wonder what's going on... 

Poor equipment or bad balances?