Mika @ Hammersmith Apollo

It's taken me a whole day to get this far. I have a horrendous cold, I've had a 3 hour nap and I really don't feel any better. My head is banging, my eyelids are dropping and my energy is rapidly draining but if I don't do this blog now it won't be done at all.



So. Charlie, Graham and I arrived in the queue at 3:30pm on 28th February and were number 70-something in the queue. We waited in the cold for about an hour and a half, and then I heard staff members asking for people with numbers on their hands.
The three of us squirmed our way through the queue and we were being led inside. People with numbers got to queue inside while the others had to wait in the cold. I felt kinda bad, really...but welcomed the little warmth we had!

When it got to around 6:30pm, everyone formed a line by the doors to enter the bar area in numerical order. Once the doors opened at about 7pm, everyone got to the venue doors and suddenly the queue became a bunch so it's not like queueing up in numerical order actually mattered. Whilst we waited for the venue doors to open, security let the people from outside in as well and then people started edging around those who were let in first...when we finally got let in the theatre I was about 3 or 4 rows back and could barely see a thing, so I'm afraid the queueing system didn't work in my favour this time round. Just like at Shepherds Bush 2007, I had to see the concert through my camera.

Don't get me wrong, I was glad I was there and the gig was amazing. Mika was full of energy (from what I could see, anyway) but considering I'm only 5" my place is definitely at the front and nowhere else. xD

Here are some pictures that I managed to get.











At the end of the gig, I managed to meet him. I bought a blank book a while ago and I put all of the events I've been to in there, so I keep all gig tickets, or train tickets or wristbands, and I put them in there and I get special people to sign it as well. Considering I've already got Mika's autograph, I asked him to do something different.
I also told him that Jimmy had drawn in it, so he said "Okay, let's see Jimmy's drawing then." so I showed it to him and his face was like O.o
He then said "Oh...God. God help help Jimmy. And his sanity." which I did find quite funny, but Mika didn't smile when he said it so I wasn't entirely sure if he was joking or if he was truly appalled by Jimmy's hard effort!

This is Mika signing my book (not that you can really see it) and this is the picture.





Here are some videos from the first night as well. Enjoy.

Intro + Rain



Before we go on, I'd just like to take the time to say that I absolutely adore this introduction. A boy at school bored in lesson so he draws in his notepad...it's just silly doodlings, writing his name...chirpy french music in the background...and then something in his mind takes over and ends up drawing skulls and scribbling things out, the french music dies out and there's heavy breathing with random shouts of "We are not what you think we are!" in the background. You could really feel the frustration and...well, I just thought it was brilliant.

Stuck In The Middle



I See You



Any Other World



Happy Ending (excuse my harmonising vocals at the end...)



Love Today Intro + the beginning of the song (starring Sara getting dragged by Mika lol)



We Are Golden



I hadn't watched any YouTube videos at all so I had no idea what to expect. Everything was a great surprise but it was just a shame my viewing was very restricted. It's no doubt his best show in my opinion, I just hoped I would have a better view the next day so I could appreciate it more.

The next day we arrived at 3:30 again to find that there was hardly anyone there. We were so confused! I heard someone call my name and it was Suzie. Basically what happened was that there was some filming at the Apollo so people had to leave and come back at 4pm, but to guarantee places they were handing out raffle tickets. Luckily Suzie asked for an extra 5 tickets so she gave us 3. Thank you Suzie! You are an absolute diamond. Oh, and I was number 51 this time! Much better than being 70-something. I was sure I'd get front row this time round.

So we went off and came back at 4pm, and we ended up queueing inside again. I could feel a cold coming on but I tried not to let it bother me.
The queueing system was much better and more organised this time. Because we didn't have to queue in the cold, everyone was in better spirits and more relaxed. Plus, instead of letting everyone else in at the same time as us, they let us get in the theatre first before the crowd outside! We got front row though we were quite far to the left, but I wasn't complaining. I had a pretty damn good view.

Still, my health was starting to deteriorate. My back joints were killing me like crazy, I had a banging headache, I had disgusting mucus at the back of my nose not to mention I was starting to feel sick. I felt so out of it I was contemplating missing the gig. For real. I even had to go to the toilet and risk losing my front row spot because I thought I was going to throw up, though luckily I didn't.

I managed to get back to my spot without any hassle which was a lovely surprise. I still felt really low, but I thought "You know what? I've paid £25 to see him and I'm front row, so I'm gonna suck it up and enjoy the show."
During the first two songs (Rain and Big Girl) I was still sick as a dog, but as the concert continued and I got more into it, my troubles started to float away. Before I knew it I was raving away, jumping up and down like a loon and singing. Or shouting, whatever.

Mika spent quite a lot of time on our side and he was giving loads of eye contact, even I got some! I remember him looking at me whilst I was singing "Love, love me!" and doing the actions to it.

Gigs are always so much better at the front, even Charlie agreed. Now he understands why people queue early! It was so worth staying. The gig was amazing - he was on fire and his voice was fierce.

One of the best performances I think was Dr. John. It's not my favourite song on the album, but I loved Mika's characterisation on stage. He wore this long coat with feathers on it and stalked round the stage. I'm a bit annoyed I didn't film it actually, and I've just YouTubed but so far no-one has uploaded a video of Mika singing it at the second Hammersmith date.

For this night I just mainly took pictures, I didn't record anything until towards the end.



































(Mika speech, band introduction, the beginning of Relax and what looks like some leg exercise...)



We Are Golden (short and front row version)



Mika speech and Toy Boy



Lollipop Drumming



All in all it was a much better experience than the previous night, despite my illness.
As we approached the foyer, Charlie and Graham announced that they were going to go due to the fact that they were starving, and I wanted to stay so I took the poster that they bought in order to get it signed for them.
I waited in the cold like many other fans and joined the back of the queue when Mika eventually came out. I really do not understand people's behaviour sometimes; as soon as people see someone famous they lose their manners and hound them like a piece of meat. When Mika came near our spot, everyone was edging forward which was frustrating, because if people continued like that they'd end up in the road! Lord knows why they didn't use a barrier like they did the previous night. In the end I had some Japanese girls barge in front of me. I asked them repeatedly to join the back of the queue but they chose to ignore me. I became pissed off very quickly, asking why people were so fucking rude and obnoxious. I mean, if people queued in a civilised way, Mika would be able to make his way round to everyone a lot better and things would be fair. I don't care if you're from Japan or Timbuktu, you know what a queue looks like, you know how it works, so fucking abide by the rules because it spoils the situation for everyone else.
I wouldn't have minded so much...I have Mika's autograph anyway, but this was for a friend, you know? I asked the Japanese girls to move now that they had their Mika flyers signed, but to no avail whatsoever. Rude, rude, rude.
I managed to worm my way in front of one of them, considering that was my original spot anyway, and Mika was talking to someone. I waited for him to finish the conversation (because I'm not the sort of psychotic fan who hassles him) but then when that was done he said goodbye to everyone and got in the car. I did call his name, but then I was like you know what? He's gone. There's no point calling, he must be knackered and just wants to go home, so I left him to it.

But seriously, why do people feel the need to be rude? It's so annoying how people can become so selfish at the sight of one person. It's not like they couldn't hear me, I was right behind them and my anger was apparent. Now, I'm not the sort of person to get angry, but I was ill and cold and their behaviour just made the situation worse for me.

But whatever...what's done is done.

I hope you enjoyed reading this, watching the videos and looking at the pictures (please don't use the photos without permission or say that they're your own). Looking back on it, it seems to be rather bittersweet as there were good moments and bad ones, but the show itself was a gem and that's all that matters.
Also before I go, I think it's absolutely brilliant that the first gig was sold out because it does go to show that Mika is a well loved musician. There were plenty of people shouting out "WE LOVE YOU MIKA!" and although it can get annoying sometimes for fans who just want to hear him sing, I also found it quite sweet, heartwarming and reassuring at the same time.
I support Mika 100% and have done since the very beginning, so to see and hear others express such love to him was a beautiful thing to witness.