Back in February MIKA announced that the 2013 tour in support of his latest album, Origin of Love, would be held at small "intimate" venues across the States and tickets to this very rare chance to hear new arrangements of his entire catalog were gone in less than 60 seconds for the show here in San Francisco!
The show may have been stripped down but MIKA was dressed to impress, giving JT a run for his money in suit in tie at The Great American Music Hall Monday night.
Most artists place hit singles somewhere in the middle of their set if not the very end but not MIKA. With that said I was surprised that the show opened with Grace Kelly, which is easily the most popular MIKA song to date however I was not surprised that everyone (everyone) in attendance sang along.
Without getting up and with a genuine smile still reaching from ear to ear Michael Holbrook Penniman, Jr. greeted his fans from his piano with a polite "Good Evening San Francisco" before the second song of the night "Toy Boy".
Instead of sparking a sing along during the a kid-show theme song-esque chorus of the bumble-gum pop song, "Lollipop", fans opted to clap along to the beat leaving the singing to MIKA, it was exuberantly engaging.
"Sucking too hard on your lollipop
Oh, loves gonna get you downSucking too hard on your lollipop
Oh, loves gonna get you down
Say love, say love
Oh, loves gonna get you down.
Say love, say love
Oh, loves gonna get you down."
After asking for assistance to turn his piano so that it faced the audience following the song "Billy Boy" MIKA exclaimed, "Oh thank god! Well it's good to be back in San Francisco!" and the charm and charisma oozing off of the small stage at The Great American Music Hall continued to fill the venue a warm-fuzzy feeling. Six songs off the new album were featured in set list and even though I thought there would be more new material it was clear that the crowd appreciated the more or less even mix from all three albums.
Just like the latest album, Origin of Love which MIKA himself describes as "more simplistic, less layered than the last one" it's accompanying intimate tour seeks the same sort of maturity but it will still bring out the kid in you plus it gives you a reason to get dressed to the 9s and that's always fun!
SET LIST 3/25/2013
- Grace Kelly
- Toy Boy
- Lollipop
- Blue Eyes
- Billy Brown
- Popular
- Love You When I'm Drunk
- Only lonely man
- Underwater
- Stuck in the Middle
- Emily (sung in French!! Ooh La La!)
- California
- Origin Of Love
- Big Girl
- Century man
- Relax
- Love Today
- Celebrate
- Happy Ending
- Stardust
- Over My Shoulder
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