dcdeb Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 (edited) Mika, Roundhouse, London (Rated 2/ 5 ) Sugary pop too sweet to digest Reviewed by Jack Riley Thursday, 6 August 2009 Being the adventure of a man whose principal interests are Queen, glitter and, quite possibly, Beethoven, tonight's concluding gig of the iTunes festival sees Lebanon-born singer-songwriter Mika decked out in a black eye make-up and white overalls combo deliberately reminiscent of Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange. As sartorial allusions go, it's pitched a little high, perhaps, for the army of young teenagers who, crammed 20-deep against the Roundhouse's metal barrier, spend the show expressing their unbridled ecstasy at witnessing 2007's unlikely pop star du jour crash through his hits with an energy that borders on the absurd. In fact, if there's one fair criticism of tonight's performance, it's that it lacks the light and shade of his more musically accomplished contemporaries; beginning with forthcoming single "We Are Golden", there is little chance to take stock of the 13-song set, during which the star seems to spend as much time stood on top of the centre-stage keyboard clapping his hands in the air as he does using it to play along to songs like "Blame it on the Girls" and "Dr John". The latter, a new song from the star's forthcoming second album (also entitled We are Golden) garners one of the warmest receptions of the night, despite its unfamiliarity to the audience. There is particularly fulsome applause for "Big Girls (You Are Beautiful)", and the torrent of adulation continues throughout as the crowd are showered with glitter and man-size balloons in what at points feels like an attempt to cover up some of the lyrical and musical shortcomings of a set that is generous with enthusiasm but light on any real emotional engagement. In a stupefying whirlwind of nonsense words and repetition, "Love Today" sees the crowd battered with the line "Everybody's gonna love today, gonna love today, gonna love today" until the ceaseless adulation emanating from the crowd inspires an odd kind of pity at such ineloquence, and a feeling that perhaps in recent history pop music as a genre has short-changed its fans ruthlessly. If his first album, Life in Cartoon Motion, released when Mika was 23, was his "schoolyard record" as he's claimed, and the second an apparent tribute to the difficulties of being a teenager, then it follows that we will be waiting at least another eight years for something reflecting his life at the moment. Although it's sad that he's out of step, it does suggest why this nostalgic, non-threatening pop has such appeal to younger audiences. At times it's shameless indulgence with all the tasteful depth of a luminescent paddling pool, but something in it has driven 2,000 young fans to scale heights of adulation normally reserved for much bigger stars. For that alone, Mika demands respect, and it's impossible not to feel slightly moved by the sincerity with which the star conducts himself over an evening typified by the overwhelming delivery of such underwhelming material. http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/mika-roundhouse-london-1767846.html Edited August 6, 2009 by dcdeb added link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fmbm Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 Rated two out of five?! Bad reviewer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcdeb Posted August 5, 2009 Author Share Posted August 5, 2009 Rated two out of five?! Bad reviewer Well, you have to take the bitter with the sweet, I guess... not everyone is going to see things the same way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Well, you have to take the bitter with the sweet, I guess... noteveryone is going to see things the same way. The irony is that they do seem to see his show in much the same way as other reviewers. They just don't like his music which is irrelevant to a concert review IMO. People already know his music and have formed an opinion before they go to a gig. The reviewer's job should be to tell you if the artist is any good at presenting their material to a live audience or not, not give commentary on the content of their albums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cibele Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Rated two out of five?! Bad reviewer :sneaky2: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CazGirl Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 I don't really care about the whole review, but the line "Being the adventure of a man whose principal interests are Queen, glitter and, quite possibly, Beethoven," is quite frankly hysterical :roftl: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAK1 Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Can't say I'm surprised at this. The Independant is a paper, that like to consider itself high brow, but isn't fit to lick The Times boots! It's read by middle aged, stick up their backsides, "intellectuals", who think their so superior to everyone else, that we should all be licking THEIR boots! Not even when I'm taking my last breath will that happen! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fmbm Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Well, you have to take the bitter with the sweet, I guess... noteveryone is going to see things the same way. I know, but it's kind of in the job description of a fan to get mad when negative reviews surface Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gatagordinha Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 I quote: "Being the adventure of a man whose principal interests are Queen... " Good grief, what an opening! You hardly had to read on to know what was coming, did you... A classic case of doesn't like and doesn't get Mika. Oh well, we're used to that, each to his own etc. He should have reviewed the concert more objectively though, and perhaps tried to understand WHY there was such crowd adulation. Poor journalism! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naectegale Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 he called me a young teenager Haven't been mistaken for one of those in a long time I don't think he was actually there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kt4mika Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 :shocked: no hope it dont upset mika if he gets his eyes on it it was one of the best Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcdeb Posted August 6, 2009 Author Share Posted August 6, 2009 I know, but it's kind of in the job description of a fan to get mad when negative reviews surface Oh absolutely! I wasn't saying you shouldn't be mad! I agree with you! I even hesitated before posting because it was a less than stellar review, but I figured, oh well... gotta present both sides, even though this reviewer was not quite as objective as he ought to have been. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naectegale Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 I know, but it's kind of in the job description of a fan to get mad when negative reviews surface It sure is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kt4mika Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Oh absolutely! I wasn't saying you shouldn't be mad! I agree with you! I even hesitated before posting because it was a less than stellar review, but I figured, oh well... gotta present both sides, even though this reviewer was not quite as objective as he ought to have been. yeah thats life, not everyone likes the samething if we did life would be boring. but glad to put this thread on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fmbm Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Oh absolutely! I wasn't saying you shouldn't be mad! I agree with you! I even hesitated before posting because it was a less than stellar review, but I figured, oh well... gotta present both sides, even though this reviewer was not quite as objective as he ought to have been. Yeah, I know We'll post 50 good reviews and one bad one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gatagordinha Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 It is deeply patronising to the audience too, which is perhaps the worst aspect of this review. Assuming all the audience was teenage (did he look around?). Assuming that nobody under the age of 23 could possibly pick up on the A Clockwork Orange reference. Assuming the audience only has the musical sensibility to respond to a repetitive chorus of a few words. Well I am assuming Jack Riley is 83, votes Conservative, and sits up all night listening to the Shipping Forecast and obscure Moldovan folk music. It's just an assumption, it may not in fact be true but so what. I am going to judge him anyway based on circumstantial evidence and stereotype . PS Yes of course we should be mad , but it's good to read diverse reviews, it's all part of the rich tapestry of being a Mika fan! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAK1 Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 I wrote a comment, should be up in the next few minutes. That is if it doesn't contravene their, obscene or improper comment rule! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAK1 Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Looks like they posted it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naectegale Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Looks like they posted it! Your comment is great I've commented too - the man's an idiot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnaMariaPetra Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Mika, Roundhouse, London (Rated 2/ 5 ) Sugary pop too sweet to digest Reviewed by Jack Riley Thursday, 6 August 2009 Being the adventure of a man whose principal interests are Queen, glitter and, quite possibly, Beethoven, tonight's concluding gig of the iTunes festival sees Lebanon-born singer-songwriter Mika decked out in a black eye make-up and white overalls combo deliberately reminiscent of Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange. As sartorial allusions go, it's pitched a little high, perhaps, for the army of young teenagers who, crammed 20-deep against the Roundhouse's metal barrier, spend the show expressing their unbridled ecstasy at witnessing 2007's unlikely pop star du jour crash through his hits with an energy that borders on the absurd. In fact, if there's one fair criticism of tonight's performance, it's that it lacks the light and shade of his more musically accomplished contemporaries; beginning with forthcoming single "We Are Golden", there is little chance to take stock of the 13-song set, during which the star seems to spend as much time stood on top of the centre-stage keyboard clapping his hands in the air as he does using it to play along to songs like "Blame it on the Girls" and "Dr John". The latter, a new song from the star's forthcoming second album (also entitled We are Golden) garners one of the warmest receptions of the night, despite its unfamiliarity to the audience. There is particularly fulsome applause for "Big Girls (You Are Beautiful)", and the torrent of adulation continues throughout as the crowd are showered with glitter and man-size balloons in what at points feels like an attempt to cover up some of the lyrical and musical shortcomings of a set that is generous with enthusiasm but light on any real emotional engagement. In a stupefying whirlwind of nonsense words and repetition, "Love Today" sees the crowd battered with the line "Everybody's gonna love today, gonna love today, gonna love today" until the ceaseless adulation emanating from the crowd inspires an odd kind of pity at such ineloquence, and a feeling that perhaps in recent history pop music as a genre has short-changed its fans ruthlessly. If his first album, Life in Cartoon Motion, released when Mika was 23, was his "schoolyard record" as he's claimed, and the second an apparent tribute to the difficulties of being a teenager, then it follows that we will be waiting at least another eight years for something reflecting his life at the moment. Although it's sad that he's out of step, it does suggest why this nostalgic, non-threatening pop has such appeal to younger audiences. At times it's shameless indulgence with all the tasteful depth of a luminescent paddling pool, but something in it has driven 2,000 young fans to scale heights of adulation normally reserved for much bigger stars. For that alone, Mika demands respect, and it's impossible not to feel slightly moved by the sincerity with which the star conducts himself over an evening typified by the overwhelming delivery of such underwhelming material. http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/mika-roundhouse-london-1767846.html Unfamiliarity? Is he not aware of the internet?? But (I've read it twice, quite difficult language for a non-english reader!) it is not an all bad review. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiibet Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 he called me a young teenager Haven't been mistaken for one of those in a long time I don't think he was actually there My thoughts exactly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naectegale Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Unfamiliarity? Is he not aware of the internet??But (I've read it twice, quite difficult language for a non-english reader!) it is not an all bad review. or, indeed, the radio The man's a dinosaur Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louiza Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 People already know his music and have formed an opinion before they go to a gig. The reviewer's job should be to tell you if the artist is any good at presenting their material to a live audience or not, not give commentary on the content of their albums. totally agree with that Can't say I'm surprised at this.The Independant is a paper, that like to consider itself high brow, but isn't fit to lick The Times boots! It's read by middle aged, stick up their backsides, "intellectuals", who think their so superior to everyone else, that we should all be licking THEIR boots! Not even when I'm taking my last breath will that happen! that journalist sounds a lot like he's trying to present himself as an "intellectual" who would never be impressed by pop music. love the comment about the independent notbeing fit to lick the times boots:naughty: It is deeply patronising to the audience too, which is perhaps the worst aspect of this review. Assuming all the audience was teenage (did he look around?). Assuming that nobody under the age of 23 could possibly pick up on the A Clockwork Orange reference. Assuming the audience only has the musical sensibility to respond to a repetitive chorus of a few words. I found the assumptions about the audience were very annoying too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sariflor Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Can't say I'm surprised at this.The Independant is a paper, that like to consider itself high brow, but isn't fit to lick The Times boots! It's read by middle aged, stick up their backsides, "intellectuals", who think their so superior to everyone else, that we should all be licking THEIR boots! Not even when I'm taking my last breath will that happen! I love it when you get angry I quote: "Being the adventure of a man whose principal interests are Queen... " Good grief, what an opening! You hardly had to read on to know what was coming, did you... A classic case of doesn't like and doesn't get Mika. Oh well, we're used to that, each to his own etc. He should have reviewed the concert more objectively though, and perhaps tried to understand WHY there was such crowd adulation. Poor journalism! Totally agree. These reviewers just piss me off-they totally miss the point of a review in the first place and just use this as a vehicle to put out there their pre-conceptions on the artist themselves. What a total waste and pile of crap. Unfamiliarity? Is he not aware of the internet??But (I've read it twice, quite difficult language for a non-english reader!) it is not an all bad review. I'm not native either so I may be getting it wrong myself, but if he says WAG and Dr John and then says "the latter", isn't that Dr John that he's talking about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sienna Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 I really can’t see it as good/objective reviewing or even good writing when a writer has to create sentences which stretch over five lines or more! It is only confusing and boring, sorry! When I read comments like this it strikes me that the reviewer is more delighted about his/hers own writing than anything else, "artist or no artist to comment on, I’ll just use all the fancy tricks I learned in journalist school!" Bad writing, hard to understand...and I read a lot in English! Can't say I'm surprised at this.The Independant is a paper, that like to consider itself high brow, but isn't fit to lick The Times boots! It's read by middle aged, stick up their backsides, "intellectuals", who think their so superior to everyone else, that we should all be licking THEIR boots! Not even when I'm taking my last breath will that happen! Haha! Lovely Rose! Poor journalism! Oh yes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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