MIKA GIGS

Choregies d’Orange 2024

 I visited the Orange antique theatre day before the philharmonic event and saw that the view was marvellous from every part of the venue. I also saw that the wind made chairs in the highest part of the venue fly down the stairs. Obviously the mistral that is typical for the region can be also heard during events. Hearing and feeling the wind gave the concert at Choregies d’Orange on June 23rd 2024 only extra character even though and undoubtedly it must have made the performing more difficult and challenging for artists and musicians on stage. 

I’ve never seen a concert, even symphonic, that starts this powerfully. The orchestra coming in and starting with the overture, Mika performing first Toy Boy - playfully like he does - and then Underwater and suddenly the wind becoming only stronger, his singing almost competing with it, the sand blowing in the air, Ida singing like goddess her hair and the dress flying and all that at one of the best preserved Roman theatres in the world. Yes I had sand in my eyes and yes the wind was really strong and yes, it was one of the most unique, most incredible concert experiences I’ve ever had. I still almost can’t believe it all happened. The symphonic concept is special and even as a symphonic concert what we witnessed in Orange was hugely special and totally unique.

The setlist in Orange was magnificent. I knew from day before after hearing rehearsal tunes from the venue he would do several songs that have been huge dreams for me and I already knew the setlist would be more amazing than I could have possibly imagined in advance. Among the songs that he performed were four songs that alone would have made me happy. Hearing Last Party, Heroes, I Went To Hell Last Night and Je sais que je t’aime were all the biggest wishes I could have had of rare or new songs for this concert. It didn’t stop there. He did also the classics I see as the strong base of his symphonic music: Underwater, Over My Shoulder and the beautiful, gentle version of Relax.

It didn’t stop there either. He had his every album well represented. Happy Ending (performed with Ida), Grace Kelly and Love Today from Life in Cartoon Motion. Toy Boy from The Boy Who Knew Too Much. Drunk, Origin and Boum Boum Boum from The Origin Of Love. Good Guys from No Place In Heaven. Blue from My Name Is Michael Holbrook and also C’est la vie and Jane Birkin from Que ta tete fleurisse toujours. It didn’t even stop there, he even had the symphonic Tehu soundtrack album represented and quite exactly in the middle of the concert Mika and Max left the stage leaving the orchestra do excerpts from Tehu with gorgeous Ida singing solo parts. What an absolutely incredible “break” in the middle of Mika’s own performance completing the setlist with something from his each album the soundtrack album included. Loved it as a gesture and loved seeing Ida performing extra parts we hadn’t heard before.

About the order of the songs. After the playful Toy Boy and hugely special Underwater (the circumstances!) and then Boum Boum Boum it was time for Last Party which is one of my important songs and something I look forward to and love every single time. Before Last Party I was almost so overwhelmed by the beginning of the show, everything being so unexpectedly strong and dramatic, that it was hard to focus on the music and not to think of the unique venue or the weather with the wind and purely listen. During Last Party I was gradually taken over by the voice and I sank in the music and when I Went To Hell Last Night started nothing but the music existed anymore.

Absolutely fantastic version of I Went To Hell Last Night, one of the most important moments of the whole concert and the best ever version of the song. It was a convincing performance. I believed every word of his story, also ”there’s a little bit of God in everything” even though I’m not a religious person at all. The impact with the orchestra and the choir was strong, there was something faithful in the tone, and the part “one day you will see, a part of you is part of me” and Ida’s voice after that felt almost impossible to comprehend (so surreal it was even happening). I was just there one with the music, my mind was totally filled. I felt I have no body at all, only the mind completely filled with this song. Just the memory of that moment gives me still an emotional reaction.

I Went To Hell Last Night was definitely one of the BIG moments during the concert in Orange and I paid for it during Good Guys which in Versailles was one of my huge favourites. During Good Guys my mind was still recovering from the previous song. This is why I love seeing two (like in Florence or Paris) or even three symphonic concerts (like in Montreal) in row. The experience is always so strong I inevitably miss a song here and there simply because my mind is still staying in the previous song. This time Good Guys worked as a transition from one major moment (I Went To Hell Last Night) to another (Je sais que je t’aime). I did notice him using “gay guys” in the Good Guys lyrics which as always felt right because that’s what the song is all about.

If you have thought like most of us that Je sais que je t’aime would be a beautiful part of the symphonic setlist you were right. The song was absolutely stunning and again, hearing Ida’s voice made it even more magical. I have always thought Ida as my favourite person on stage with Mika and after Orange I think so even more. It’s not only about her beautiful voice, it’s equally much about the fondly way she’s using it. There’s something so caring and careful in how everything is done in exactly right amounts whether it’s little whispering here or beautiful pure singing there. No level of professionalism - that was obviously also there - can compete with the bond between people who know each other well. An astonishing version of one of my huge favourites on the new album. Another BIG, BIG moment.

Then a total change in the mood and a playful version of Drunk. Expressive in every way and to celebrate the wine gods the letter R pronounced like literally after a couple of glasses of wine: “I only love you when I’m dRunk”. An entertaining performance and very suitable at this point of the setlist and something to bring me back on earth after such a strong version of Je sais que je t’aime. After Drunk it was easy to focus on the collection of pieces from the Tehu album performed by the orchestra and gorgeous Ida. I appreciated it there was no usual break on the setlist and it was done this way. Maybe also for practical reasons but it gave a thoughtful impression as well and I truly enjoyed the moment.

The second half of the concert started in the most powerful possible way with Heroes. Not only another BIG moment but maybe my favourite part of the whole concert. Extraordinary song, extraordinary performance. His deep serious voice in the song is everything and I often think Mika should be worldwide known just for this song. Not for Grace Kelly or Big Girl but for the symphonic version of Heroes which is simply put phenomenal. I will never forget hearing Heroes at Teatro Sociale Como years ago when the song filled the whole pretty venue so differently than any other song. I thought the sky is the limit for this song, that’s how impressive it was, and I felt the same way in Orange. The sky is the limit or there are no limits at all. With songs like that we are transferred to another dimension. I found it hard to even believe something that amazing was happening and when the song was over I looked at my friend sitting close to me and we both had only one thought in our mind and we stood up at the exactly same time knowing this was the moment to show how much we appreciated the symphonic performance.

Standing ovations ask quick consideration and are on a fine line, they shouldn’t be done too often and still often enough to tell that someone is amazing and this time the whole audience was up and cheering at the same time and Mika seemed genuinely touched looking at it all. It was such a pure reaction from the crowd and so well deserved yet he suddenly started to look shy and - as always in that situation - to point and thank everyone else on stage and I thought - as always in that situation - that they are great but this is all for you. Just for you. After showing respect to him for a good moment I gradually started to want to show respect to the others on stage as well because they were all not only great but amazing as well. Such challenging circumstances and every single person on stage handled it wonderfully being a part of that extraordinary performance. After Heroes I felt exhausted and incredibly grateful for being there, almost doubting I deserved that much in life.

After that a song from the new album and C’est la vie. The audience took it well, the French audience loves the album and especially C’est la vie and showed it as soon as recognised the song. Again, I wished we had two symphonic nights because after Heroes my mind wasn’t fully focused on C’est la vie but I loved it that it was on the setlist and loved hearing the symphonic version of it. C’es la vie is a song that can have many expressions and all of them are fantastic and interesting to see. The symphonic version was more considered and detailed compared to what we have heard before and it was made big which felt deserved for the song and Mika made it even bigger spreading his hands and emphasised “dance” clapping powerfully his hands at the same time.

After C’est la vie Over My Shoulder and my personal symphonic highlight because I collect different versions of the song for my mind gallery. One of my favourite ever Mika songs, written by Mika at a very young age. Ida joining the song sounded breath-taking. I feel her voice gives songs always a hopeful tone which I love. Again, a truly spiritual moment.

Then, Jane Birkin and a total surprise! The audience started to sing along in the end of the song - the same way they were taught to do during the Apocalypse Calypso Tour - and the venue was filled with cheerful singing. I absolutely loved this moment! If there’s a suitable moment for the audience to join during a symphonic concert, this was it. I felt Mika’s performing this time was different than it was for Jane Birkin during the Apocalypse Calypso Tour, he was clearly more seductive with the crowd, like seducing the audience to live in a new, different way, and I definitely loved that. Literally, he seduced the crowd to sing with him. However, his performing seemed to come in a totally natural way and that’s why it worked so well. Like with standing ovations, it has to happen naturally and it shouldn’t be overdone. Both the performance and the reaction were perfect. I was surprised Jane Birkin became such a highlight but I genuinely loved what happened. A happy, smiling moment.

After Jane Birkin it was time for Blue representing My Name Is Michael Holbrook and my favourite song on the album together with I Went To Hell Last Night. The performance for Blue was another BIG moment in Orange. The colour was intense and rich but tone was kept a little bit lighter than we are used to. The effect came from Mika’s performing - maybe he had to collect himself a bit after starting the song twice - and especially from Ida joining the song which I absolutely loved and maybe a little bit from the wind as well. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful version of this extremely meaningful song. I use Blue at home for meditation because it makes my heart beat in a calm, steady way and the same happened in Orange. My heartbeat calmed down, I could totally focus on listening and I could easily keep my mind still and it was incredible indeed. One of the BIG moments for sure. “Blue is a feminine colour, blue is deep and bold.”

Then a small speech about Ida and Happy Ending with her. I saw my friends automatically making small, almost unnoticeable hearts with their fingers and I wanted to do the same. However, my mind being in one dimension and the body in another, my fingers didn’t follow me and just moved in their own way. Hearing Ida in Happy Ending was gorgeous again and immediately made me think of many Happy Endings from the past. There was a strong feeling of continuity that I find important and that makes me happy. The audience loved the performance and the moment the song ended people stood up cheering again and again, it happened very naturally and everyone just wanting to show their respect, to Mika and to Ida and to their outstanding performance.

After Happy Ending it was the turn for Origin and the song definitely deserved to be on the setlist and to be performed with the choir. Sometimes I question Origin. Why he chose Origin? This time I didn’t question and I really enjoyed Origin as a part of the setlist. After Origin only a couple of notes of the next song and I put my hand on my chest because I wasn’t sure I can take that much. Relax is my dearest Mika song. The symphonic version of it is pure and calm and gentle and everything I possibly would like it to be. We heard lovely, lovely, lovely Relax in Orange and again, I felt uncommonly content and grateful. Do I deserve all this? Do I deserve this much in life? I decided I do and that we all do and that the whole world does because things like this heal us. This music is so valuable and so much needed.

In the end of the concert it was the time for the symphonic energy explosion. My personal favourite high energy symphony song is Elle Me Dit which started the final part of the concert. At this point people started to be a little bit restless and move at their places. To be honest, I very much appreciate high energy location only in the very end of the setlist. At this point I don’t care the audience becoming restless. I already got everything I possibly could want: magical symphonic experience that I loved and still love and will remember for the rest of my life.

The concert in Orange was gorgeous in every way. We got it all and at a stunning historical venue. The wonderful, wonderful, wonderful setlist with songs like I Went To Hell Last Night, Heroes, Je sais que je t’aime, Blue, Over My Shoulder, Relax, even Jane Birkin with the audience. The symphonic performing that has taken a step to an another level and has obviously become a part of who Mika is as an artist. The orchestra directed by the amazing Simon Leclerc. The intense presence and the chemistry between people on stage: between Mika and Ida, between Mika and Simon. The beautiful backing vocals by both Ida and Max. The choir. The first violist who smiled and calmly continued even when Mika sat on her shoulder! Unforgettable memory, thank you everyone involved in the event.