Gatagordinha

and again... Yeah, he was there afterwards last night - I've got a couple of good pics of him (well one is of the back of his head but also has Mika on it ) - I'll post later.

What a fantastic night! My friend Jane and I rolled up at the Apollo at about 5.45 and there wasn’t much of a queue, we were surprised! I eventually spotted Sarah Lollipop and her sister just in front of us (doh! I’m so slow) and at the front of the queue we spotted ‘Holy Johnny’ in all his finery, I think Sparkly1 and her daughter and also vixenbbw were there at the front too. Ruth walked past and noticed our hearts flashing away and we had a chat. How weird is it meeting these people in the flesh that you feel you already know!!? Anyway then I spotted The Cameraman – Andy? Do we know for sure yet? – he was filming people in the queue and he was about to walk straight past me but I accosted him with a cry of “Mika Fan Club!!!” and he proceeded to interview me (I still have that blinding light imprinted on my retina..), asking me about my cat ears, what I thought of Mika in relation to Amy Winehouse, and then we got talking about Morrissey and how I liken him to Mika in some ways – he told me he’s a big Smiths fan too so maybe just maybe I won’t end up on the cutting –room floor, although I had had a few *cough, lots of* drinks so…hmmm. Enough said! Anyway inside we were about 8 rows back from the front, on Martin’s side, great view. Palladium were good, very energetic, Peter the singer is sweet and the keyboard player just mad! Mika came on at about 9.10 pm, and I knew what to expect from the zillions of Youtube things I have seen, but it’s true, nothing can compare with The Real Thing, and he was awesome. He was wearing my fave gold jacket, swapped to the blue shiny one later – just gorgeous. I concluded he looks younger and skinnier in real life. Well his set just flew by – I think my faves were Relax, an extended SITM with lots of audience participation, and HMDYLM and Holy Johnny: I was the only person in our section of the crowd who knew the words and was singing along and Mika acknowledged this – he looked straight at me and smiled (swoon:blush-anim-cl: ). Lollipop was great, with the ticker tape and the balloons, and a bunny appeared up on the balcony at one point! Waited at the stage door after – it had turned much colder and was raining a bit but after an hour and a half Mika emerged, in his patterned hoodie, saying he was freezing (“You people actually live here! It’s freezing!!”), he was really sweet and signed stuff but not many photos – his ‘people’ were glaring at anyone who had a camera basically. Chatted to Ruth in the queue, she was lovely, and I could see other MFCers down the end of the queue…sorry I didn’t talk to you, I really didn’t want to lose my place in the queue as my friend was really cold and wanting to get off home. But I did say hi to Sparkly1 in the toilets, as you do! I’m now in a kind of limbo half way between Cloud 9 and total depression. I don’t think any of you will need me to explain that feeling! Can’t wait to go again, only wish I were going tonight, or to Donny. But I will be there next time round have no fear. Rach x PS Forgot to say. My friend Jane was a total Mika sceptic before last night. She thought she was going to quite fancy Martin..but she confessed afterwards that she couldn't take her eyes off Mika for the whole time. She says he is 'really charismatic and a great performer'. I think we have a convert!

Hi there! I'm just back from my friend's in Manchester and my review will be here SOON - just want to say that Mika absolutely blew me away last night - it was my first gig (yeah I know...why did I take so long?? ) and although I obviously had high expectations, he totally surpassed them and then some! :mf_lustslow: Review soon!! But right now I need to eat!!

:roftl: :roftl: Love it!

This is a ridiculous situation when you are paying them a fee on top of the price of the ticket. What is this booking fee for, if not a payment to them for a service? They aren't giving a service. I'm really shocked. Get on the phone people and give them a mouthful!!

OMG it's TODAY!!!!!!!!!! I think everyone else who is going is offline from now till the gig so I'm probably talking to myself here, but: HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL!!! Rach xxx

Fab pictures!!! Thanks. You look as if you had a great time. Nice to put faces to a few names too

That's bad new Vix. Best wishes anyway xx

Unless it is a real deluge, Jane and I are aiming to be there for 5.45 (doors at 7 right?). So we'll be the ones under the shocking pink umbrella, shivering away! How will I get to sleep tonight?? I'll also be recognisable by the big bags under my eyes

Yes I remember reading about that - the infamous Leeds gig. Not planning to queue too early, I'm not bothered about being 'on the first row' really but don't want to be at the back either. And I'll have my brolly

Thank you Israel for that footie favour last night English football fans salute you! Sorry for Scotland though. From what I heard they didn't deserve to lose that game (maybe the Italians here will shoot me now ).

Thanks Tia - we will try to enjoy ourselves Thing is, it's been really dry here in Manc this Autumn so it'll be bad luck if we get a downpour tomorrow I hope my home made badge holds out in the rain

I'm worried now, it's forecast to be very cold and showery - I don't normally feel the cold too much (I've plenty of padding ) and I really do not want to have a load of coats and hats and scarves. Guess I'll just have to suffer. I have bought a bright pink umbrella though, just for the occasion. Mika can borrow it, it's just his thing OMG I am so excited, I've been doing a house-cleaning frenzy this morning because I cannot sit still - it's as if I'm about to give birth or something (the mothers will know what I mean ).

List is a good idea! Don't forget to get flashing everyone. Ruth we shouldn't be able to miss you and your friends if you are all flashing away! I think I know what you mean! It's all a bit surreal

Normally I'd agree wth you, but Mika isn't normal and it hasn't been a normal year for him! He's had such an incredible year and made such an impact that I think the DVD is justified, and we shouldn't underestimate his selling power - his 'people' were hardly going to look a gift horse in the mouth were they? Also, he's the kind of artist who is going to constantly evolve his live shows and so it makes sense to capture his 2007 set-up on DVD.

Good for you! My Mum is in her sixties and she like Mika. She's annoyed I didn't ask her to go with me to his concert on Monday. (Truth is, I'm 38 but I'd still get that embarassed-daughter-feeling if she saw me drooling over Mika ) Mikalove does not recognise age

Thanks for posting. The European reviews and articles are so much more positive, there's none of the 'sneering' you get all the time here in the UK - I love reading the stuff you French/Dutch/Belgians/Italians etc etc post. Thanks. Just one thing: what is the meaning/nuance of 'malmenée' here (at the end, 'une voix malmenée et pourtant en place.....')? Perhaps a Frenchie can help me out here That little section sounds ambiguous to me...

I have not seen the DVD yet but (rhetorical question coming up) is this not the very same performance of Love Today?: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11fKfRMFC24&feature=related If this reviewer is criticising that voice - then it's true. He has no ears.

Somebody really hasn't done their research here Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong and wrong (drag?) Oh well. Marmite shmarmite. Thanks for posting greta.

Me too, I got excited! Reminds me of the heady days of Sivan's Scrapbook. WELL DONE Wendi you deserve a medal for your hard work. It looks fab. How can Mika and co. ignore it??? They can't.

Marilyn you are local to me, do you not read the MEN too? We cannot have this reviewer sullying the good name of Manchester Well tomorrow when I have more time I will post a comment on the article, on the website. Or maybe actually I should wait until I've seen the dvd...but I've seen the youtube footage and it isn't going to be any different is it??

This is my local paper, the one I read every day, so I am doubly not pleased Of course everyone is entitled to an opinion but it seems to me this reviewer just doesn't get, has never got and will never get Mika, and as such, he's hardly even bothered to be balanced or look for the good points. And Lord help me but I swear if I see one more effing reference to Leo Sayer I will

I do think that using falsetto so much puts a lot of pressure on Mika at live performances - he has so much to live up to to reproduce it perfectly, and even with a trained voice like his, it must be hard.. I agree that the pitch of HMDYLM is perfect for his voice. Mika's 'full voice' is so underrated, especially by his detractors. I think it has a lovely tone and clarity to it, much better than such as Robbie Williams. It's not all about the falsetto is it - wish more people 'out there' would recognise that.

Agree. Which songs are you referring to 'where he overuses his falsetto', out of interest? In your opinion, I mean.

I bet he's already going - secret closet fan, there are loads of them you know. I'm annoyed because this is the only review of the DVD my husband is likely to read and now he's gonna think, oh it's rubbish, I won't buy that for Rachel then for Christmas after all. I think the time for hinting is over, I need to buy it for myself!!!