MIKA GIGS

France

Zenith d’Auvergne in Clermont-Ferrand 26/2/2024

The first gig of the tour has a special, even vulnerable first night vibe. It feels one of the kind and we all, the artist included, are stepping into something new. The excitement in Clermont-Ferrand was enormous. The first thing for the audience to see after entering the venue was the colourful stage curtain with the face theme: eyes  and a huge open mouth. The same image and different other colourful images were represented in the new merch. 

When the show started surprising elements were brought on stage as a continuous stream and every time I thought we were coming to the end that was not the case. There was another big surprise and yet another one and then almost an ending and the final ending after that. The setlist was more generous than anything I had seen before. It included many new songs, songs I had hoped to hear and songs I didn’t even dare to hope. A fully satisfying combination. In the middle of numerous new songs I had flashbacks from the past, many details in the background animations and outfits reminded me of different details from previous tours.

The opening character in the dramatic red suit and wings was locked in a bird cage and the photo description from the tour book told the story is about a firebird. The scene was extremely dramatic and mesmerising and definitely my favourite show element during the whole show. The wing covering the white piano looked like an angel wing but could represent an elegant white bird as well. The gorgeous blue toned feather outfit during Love Today was definitely modelling a very fancy bird. Stunningly beautiful outfits. We have seen feathers before yet nothing as stunningly elegant as these. The outfits were flamboyant in the exactly right way. In addition to feathers the distinctive look was created for example with short jackets. 

Another repeating theme was the rainbow. The white piano opened and revealed a huge rainbow that looked like a new version of the giant red heart we saw coming from the piano during the Revelation Tour. An enormous rainbow coloured “Club Apocalypse” sign came from the ceiling clearly following the example of the Heaven sign that used to go up and down during the Heaven Tour. This time the difference was Mika standing high up on the sign. 

Every song was thought-provoking with added details, costumes and backgrounds. We saw stunningly beautiful animations on the background of Any Other World, done in an impressive, stylish way that feels suitable with this timeless, serious song. The new Happy Ending performance had elegant pink backgrounds and a pretty, delicate ending. My favourite song in Clermont-Ferrant was Feels Like Fire. Gorgeous backgrounds, gorgeous vibe, gorgeous strong yellow colour in the suit, an absolute highlight. I enjoyed all the new songs fully as well. The first gig of the new tour was wonderful and full of excitement. A beautiful mix of music, creative elements, outfits and other details.

Zenith Lille in Lille 3/3/2024

During the third show of the tour in Lille I was seated so I also paid attention to the crowd and tried to observe what kind of reactions each song caused in the audience. Traditionally the crowd in Lille is one of the best in France and the crowd was fantastic this time as well. The full standing area was involved in the show from the beginning. Apocalypse Calypso is right after Bougez, which is a powerful start, and during it was amazing to watch the full crowd waving their hands from side to side and singing the lyrics already. It was an impressive sight and made me understand how easily Mika’s French audience has welcomed his new music in French. I could also see that the majority of the seated people in Lille had the potential to stand up and dance, they were simply waiting for that final tiny little “push” and encouragement from Mika.

My favourite song in Lille was C’est la vie. The show elements looked stunning and the whole crowd seemed to feel the same way. I loved the performance seen from a distance, the arena version was fantastic with the lights, the rainbow sign and exciting intro. The seated area was more and more on fire and Love Today made the crowd totally wild. During the night I admired the view, I admired and loved the big stage elements and the background animations. I was totally surprised how well the audience reacted to all the new songs compared to even some many older songs. I admitted the fact that the seated audience absolutely loves Big Girl. 

The one thing I felt missing in the seated area was the energy and emotions coming from the stage. Not understanding French, not seeing any facial expressions, that was not possible to get the vibes that were real in that moment.

Zenith Rouen in Rouen 4/3/2024

At the fourth gig of the tour it was already easier to observe more details. The show was two hours and there were approximately 20 songs. The songs were grouped in smaller groups with different outfits and colour combinations, and each song had its own background with details. Some songs had huge stage elements like the birdcage, the wing piano, the Apocalypse sign and the rainbow. There were numerous beautiful little details and intros between the songs. The show started with Mika in his red suit and the band members in their pink. The rich yellow suit was used during Underwater and already before that in Feels Like Fire which was quickly becoming one of my favourite songs on the setlist. The combination of elements - the mood, the performing, the video, the colours on the background, the suit - made the song a tiny show inside of the big show and a great detail. The blue bird suit was a piece of art more than a stage outfit and Any Other World once again a stunning experience. During the Rouen gig something unusual happened and I was on stage during Elle Me Dit. Someone from the audience is occasionally asked on stage but obviously it was unexpected for me and it was a little bit scary but also extremely nice and heartwarming. 

Palais des Congres in Tours 13/3/2024

We had a lovely, lovely Apocalypse Calypso night at Palais des Congres in Tours. The venue in Tours is a concert hall. The show was almost the same as it is at arenas with the setlist and elements but it could also offer a taste of that warmth, coziness and intimacy that smaller venues can and that I love and miss in my heart. It was absolutely lovely. The stage was low and it was close and I could practically feel the sweat and the breeze when Mika was dancing around and around like he does during several songs like Big Girl or We Are Golden. C’est la vie was done without the big sign and close to the audience. During Moi, Andy et Paris he sat down and asked people to sit as well which immediately created some intimacy and during Any Other World people sat without asking and I leaned back in my seat and simply stared the water lilies on the background while listening and it was meditative and there was just that moment. Lovely experience indeed and I was really happy we could have a smaller gig like this between the big venues.

Zenith Dijon in Dijon 15/3/2024

In Dijon I was standing in the audience ready for the gig before it started and suddenly felt enormously grateful for the new show and also genuinely excited to see it once again. This was the 10th show of the tour. There's something so pure and magical in the process, that the artist creates something from their heart and the audience opens theirs to experience it. Having a possibility to be literally inside the music we love during shows is simply incredible. I felt the show would be particularly good before it even started and the show in Dijon indeed turned out to be a relaxed, good mood show that exactly reflected my own mood that night. 

I wanted to watch and observe the opening Bougez as carefully as I possibly could and the start for the show was absolutely fantastic and the best I had seen so far. The redbird's facial expressions and the pose and the whole energy were all glorious and theatrical and I couldn’t stop staring at the figure with the giant red wings. After that I loved the pink scenery in Apocalypse Calypso that looked like a combination of the surreal Valentine’s day and the end of the world desert. Then Talk About You before the second part of the setlist with a collection of my favourite songs: Feels Like Fire, Underwater, Relax. All focused on deep love. Then Yo-Yo about ups and downs and Jane Birkin that talks about insecurities. In my ears Jane Birkin feels therapeutic, for Mika to sing and for the audience to listen to, and I love the moment when it’s done together and I loved it in Dijon as well. 

I also loved Moi, Andy et Paris and enjoyed how the song was evolving together with the audience night by night. After this point the spotlight moved to the big audience with Big Girl and Elle Me Dit. In Dijon the stage was filled during Elle Me Dit and we saw dancing bananas and a few other people who eagerly signalled they would also like to be on stage. After that it was all about classics and strong show elements and no risks were taken.  30 secondes, Grace Kelly, C'est la vie. The audience loves C’es la vie and there were happy hearts in Dijon to thank the crowd before the scene became sad and moving for Happy Ending. At the end of the song Mika was talking about love, first in a small voice, then repeating “love, love, love” and the audience started to shout “LOVE, LOVE, LOVE” and Love Today was done this time in a white sailor boy outfit. 

After Love Today it was the time for a small gesture to thank the audience, then backstage and changing outfit. The band stayed, it was obvious more was still coming. The second "ending highlight" was Any Other World which I found even more meaningful than the first big highlight and something that touches even deeper. Looking at the flowers opening in the background and listening to the song - it feels like time stops and I can reach a totally calm, meditative state and somehow accept everything around me. It asks a huge talent to be able to do that to people. The elements mixed well together in an impressive way.

In the end of the show I again felt that everyone has learnt deep, meaningful things about life. The setlist ended in the most colourful and happiest possible way with We Are Golden and flowers everywhere. After We Are Golden the curtains closed and the symphonic soundtrack started to play and there was a beautiful “after feeling” when Mika came to greet the crowd and to say thank you and good bye to the audience, first alone and then with the band and then it was over. We all tried to collect ourselves and spent one more minute listening to I See You and it was all a bit dreamy and I had to wonder if it all happened for real or just in my mind. A beautiful show in Dijon. 

Zenith Sud in Montperllier 21/3/2024

The gig in Zenith Sud Montpellier turned out to be one of my absolute favourites during the tour. The whole atmosphere during the night was a sum of several different elements. Montpellier is in southern France and after weeks of cold, rainy weather we got a sunny and summery day. The security was polite, no one was pushing. The crowd was in a good mood and more colourful than usual. There were more men in the audience than on average and many people dressed for the occasion in pink suits or different costumes. The audience must have looked colourful and the cheerfulness reflected on stage as well, at least the performance was particularly joyful that night. 

Bougez started a bit late and I heard later it took time for the audience to be there and they wanted to make sure the full audience could see the show. Already the starting group of songs had a fantastic energy. Because of the audience I loved the songs that are done together with the crowd like Underwater and Jane Birkin. It wasn’t the most harmonious singing by the crowd but the vibe was good and I loved seeing the smile on Mika’s face while watching it. The show was great from the beginning and became song after song more and more wild and culminated during Elle Me Dit when Mika asked some people on stage for the EMD dance and surprisingly the group on stage was funnily uncontrollable. 

After the crazy Elle Me Dit the end of the show was even crazier than the first parts of it. The audience went wild during the high energy songs but luckily calmed down for Any Other World before We Are Golden and colourful flowers. All the energy that was left was definitely used. Everything was given. It really was a wonderful show. I got my inner strength and faith in the world back just during one gig. Music and concerts can have such incredible impact and power and I felt grateful to be able to witness the tour.

Switzerland

Geneva Arena in Geneva 28/3/2024

After 16 Apocalypse Calypso shows in France and one in Luxembourg it was time for Switzerland and Geneva which turned out to be one of my biggest favourites during the whole tour. Things somehow fell into their places before the show, I surprisingly felt very relaxed and despite the lack of sleep not tired at all and was absolutely ready to listen to each song on the setlist and to dance, enjoy and pay attention to my favourite details and during the gig I did all that. 

We got almost the full Apocalypse show. Moi, Andy et Paris was not on the setlist but I knew in advance something would be left out because the show was looking for its new form for the countries outside France. The crowd gave a warm response with good energy and in Switzerland it can be either way, the crowd is into the show or it’s not and this time it luckily was. I loved the mood during the night and the thank you for the energy goes both to the man on stage and people in the crowd, we got old-school, basic “good energy gig vibes” if that says anything. A great show and basic, relaxed and positive vibes, really the best combination and something that always guarantees the result and makes my day. 

Watching Jane Birkin made me particularly happy, just seeing how the song starts with the lovely little intro and Je t’aime moi non plus was thrilling, intimate and pretty. The transitions between songs are lovely and in Geneva I actually closed my eyes while listening to Underwater to start but opened them on time to see how Mika’s figure appeared on stage simply because it looks so beautiful every single time. My mind said a silent thank you to the universe when the white piano was brought on stage and 30 secondes started. In the end of the song Mika walked to the audience after spotting a poster asking to sing and let someone in the crowd sing a part in the end. Grace Kelly after that was introduced in a special, multilingual way in three different languages.

Belgium

Forest National in Brussels 30/3/2024

After France, Luxembourg, Switzerland and The Netherlands (and before continuing to Berlin and after that to the UK) Mika did an absolutely fantastic gig in Brussels. The Belgian Apocalypse Calypso show was absolutely wonderful in every way. First of all, we got the Apocalypse Calypso setlist one more time. It made me so happy I started to jump on my place as soon as Apocalypse Calypso started because it meant there would also be songs like Jane Birkin and C’est la vie. We actually also heard Sweetie banana and even 30 secondes. Only Moi, Andy et Paris was left outside of the setlist and we got Good Guys instead. I felt the Brussels setlist was as perfect as it could be. Another thing that made the night special was obviously the amazing mood. The Belgian audience is widely known as the best in Europe and you have to be there to really understand what it means. The crowd was so loud I thought the singing and cheering would hurt my ears. Just seeing Mika standing there in his pyjamas and tears in his eyes looking at the crowd after Happy Ending was worth travelling to Brussels. It’s not possible to experience a crowd like Brussels every day, an extraordinary moment and something to remember for all of us.