Mika returns to Philly for second North American tour
Samantha Blee
Issue date: 10/27/09 Section: Arts & Society
Mika commands the audience's attention in countless ways. His professionally-trained voice is just as flawless live as it is recorded. Each song (usually accompanied by a hat or jacket change) is a different opportunity to bring something new to the table.
For example, during the old favorite "Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)", Mika enlisted four fans from the audience to dress in corsets and body paint and dance on stage with him. During "Rain", a song off the new album, mounds of confetti shot into the audience while neon-colored balls controlled by hidden stage-crew swirrled across the back of the stage.
With "Toy Boy" came an eerie puppet, dressed all in white to match Mika. The puppet crept across the stage and paused in the center to wait out the end of the chilling song. And during "Blue Eyes", a giant pair of, you guessed it, blue eyes stared down the audience.
At the end of his first US single, "Grace Kelly", Mika decided to showcase his drumming skills. But, remember, this is Mika we're talking about. Exercising that limitless creativity, he then proceeded to complete a drum solo using a trash can strapped around his neck.
Another wonderful thing about the singer, besides the amount of creativity that oozes from his pores? He is genuinely pleased, and seemingly surprised, whenever the audience knows the words to his songs. When the crowed chanted lyrics back to Mika during his single "We Are Golden"- "We are not what you think we are, we are golden!"- he dropped to his knees. A toothy grin spread across his face as he then completely collapsed onto the floor in a fit of joy.
And Mika knows how to go out with a bang. In the same tradition of his last North American tour, Mika ended his show with the nursery-rhyme sounding "Lollipop", complete with giant balloons bouncing throughout the crowd.
When fans seemed determined to throw all of the balloons back at the singer, he took to popping them with drum sticks and smacking them back into the laughing audience before taking a final bow with his mix-matched band.
Mika had a lot to live up to before he took the stage that night. When the European phenomenon came to the US almost two years ago in support of his debut album "Life in Cartoon Motion", he gave the Electric Factory an unforgettable show. How could he top glittered costumes, outrageous props, and endless color this time around?
By upgrading his act with brighter colors, adopting an outer-space theme, and creating glow-in-the-dark props and costumes, of course! By the end of the night, fans could not deny it: Mika outdid himself this time.
For example, during the old favorite "Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)", Mika enlisted four fans from the audience to dress in corsets and body paint and dance on stage with him. During "Rain", a song off the new album, mounds of confetti shot into the audience while neon-colored balls controlled by hidden stage-crew swirrled across the back of the stage.
With "Toy Boy" came an eerie puppet, dressed all in white to match Mika. The puppet crept across the stage and paused in the center to wait out the end of the chilling song. And during "Blue Eyes", a giant pair of, you guessed it, blue eyes stared down the audience.
At the end of his first US single, "Grace Kelly", Mika decided to showcase his drumming skills. But, remember, this is Mika we're talking about. Exercising that limitless creativity, he then proceeded to complete a drum solo using a trash can strapped around his neck.
Another wonderful thing about the singer, besides the amount of creativity that oozes from his pores? He is genuinely pleased, and seemingly surprised, whenever the audience knows the words to his songs. When the crowed chanted lyrics back to Mika during his single "We Are Golden"- "We are not what you think we are, we are golden!"- he dropped to his knees. A toothy grin spread across his face as he then completely collapsed onto the floor in a fit of joy.
And Mika knows how to go out with a bang. In the same tradition of his last North American tour, Mika ended his show with the nursery-rhyme sounding "Lollipop", complete with giant balloons bouncing throughout the crowd.
When fans seemed determined to throw all of the balloons back at the singer, he took to popping them with drum sticks and smacking them back into the laughing audience before taking a final bow with his mix-matched band.
Mika had a lot to live up to before he took the stage that night. When the European phenomenon came to the US almost two years ago in support of his debut album "Life in Cartoon Motion", he gave the Electric Factory an unforgettable show. How could he top glittered costumes, outrageous props, and endless color this time around?
By upgrading his act with brighter colors, adopting an outer-space theme, and creating glow-in-the-dark props and costumes, of course! By the end of the night, fans could not deny it: Mika outdid himself this time.
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