Enmore Theatre, Sydney
Wednesday 26 February 2020
Reviewer and Photographer : Annette Geneva
What happens when an international pop sensation returns to a country he hasn’t toured in 11 years, despite releasing quite a few albums after his last visit? Well let me tell you…
The evening was off to an interesting start with CHELA as support. CHELA hails from Fremantle and while she has not released an album yet, her support slot for Mika’s tour showcased her numerous singles. CHELA is a very talented singer-songwriter who worked with a bunch of big names in the music industry, however what has taken me was the fact that I have never heard of her until today, but I realised that I have heard her songs before – not knowingly of who the credit for those songs belonged to.
Tonight however, CHELA impressed me with her contemporary dancer who accompanied her on stage and gave out some serious Kate Bush vibes while being soundtracked by CHELA’s glam pop electronica. CHELA greatly reminded me of Natasha Khan and her powerful female empowerment songs, CHELA had one of her own tonight that was about loneliness and “masterbation”. No wonder she was highly regarded and signed by a french label Kitsune with her single ‘Romanticise’. Kitsune were back in the day responsible for Crystal Fighters, La Roux and Klaxons – CHELA fits right in.
It was the time for the man of the hour – Enmore Theatre in Sydney was Mika’s third out of four shows of Oceania’s leg of ‘Revelation’ tour. To be honest My Name is Michael Holbrook is by far Mika’s most honest and boldest album, so it was not surprising to see a theme of the meanings of colours and human vices going on behind this tour.
‘Ice Cream'(2019) was a perfect opener to get Mika’s devoted old fans and younger new wave of fans in the mood for a glittery extravaganza of a mid-week pop show. Rambling on about colours and feelings Mika spoke very deeply about jealousy and how that was something that made him both take a break from music and get right back into it – as Mika himself described “Process of reconciliation and the guilt of responsibility”.
“Green is the colour of jealousy” – Mika announced while standing bathed in green highlights against his perfectly tailored yellow suit – he burst into ‘Dear Jealousy’(2019). Continuing with his confessions and colour themes he informed the audience that : “While red is colour of love, pink in the colour of desire” which obviously was a hint to the opening cues of ‘Origin of Love’(2012)
Not surprisingly a highly regarded track off 2007’s Life In Cartoon Motion ‘Big Girls (You Are Beautiful)’ made the floor vibrate, while the crowd went insane. With such a diverse demographic at the show it was truly no doubt that punters were genuinely enjoying themselves. The amount of parents with kids and older crowd, who perhaps grew in tow with Mika’s musical journey prove that even after a hiatus or even after not visiting a certain country with a tour – fans remain loyal to those with raw musical talent, contagious smile and dance moves as well as an impeccable fashion taste.
‘Tiny Love’(2019) – sounds like an intense opera-like song which could almost match Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ crossed with anything off The Beatles’ Rubber Soul. It was a carefully calculated follow up with ‘Underwater’ which made the crowd sway and provide an absolutely beautiful singalong in preparation for the culmination of the show.
“So before I came on stage, I was in my room for a break and I was struck with hunger, the kind of hunger that makes me eat anything I see…Vegemite? No, sorry…I bit my tongue and it was disgusting…but it was a rude awakening, but it put me back to my childhood and I just wanted to tell you this story that I bit my tongue….and I was bleeding and no one wants to kiss a boy with a bloody tongue” and the rambling turned into the opening of ‘Lollipop’ so smoothly, it could’ve been a spoken work song. I was stunned at Mika’s ability to get his fans on their highs and their lows with a mundane story of a bleeding tongue. With a Freddie Mercury-like puppeteer ability Mika made to make the whole venue silent and an acoustic/acapella version of ‘Happy Ending’(2007) was beautiful. Followed by a story about a woman who’s story “probably ended badly” and Mika’s personal reflections progressed into ‘Love Today’(2007). ‘We Are Golden’(2009) was an absolutely perfect closing track – so much energy, so much ferocity and a glitter drizzle on the crowd.
Costume change into a pink suit for the encore – Mika performed ‘Grace Kelly'(2007) and a different version of ‘Tiny Love'(2019) closed the show. What a mid-week pick me up, I am sure whoever got work and school tomorrow will be buzzing and will be on their highest serotonin levels until the weekend 🙂
In comparison to Mika’s 2009 show at the same venue, this tour was less extravagant and with a smaller production, plus backing track instead of backing singers. However it didn’t change the energy Mika resonated the whole night. That energy is essentially what makes him an international pop sensation. So worth going to see this show, even if you are not a die hard fan, go just for the sake of improving your mood for the rest of the week.
MIKA
CHELA
