Mika : Tiny Love Tiny Tour

Brooklyn Welcomes Michael Holbrook

Mika brought his Tiny Love Tiny Tour to Brooklyn Steel this week to promote his new album, I Am Michael Holbrook (for those who didn't know, Michael Holbrook Penniman Jr is his real name).   The first single from the album, Ice Cream, was one of my favourite new releases of the summer; I also loved the video's nod to Kylie's Slow video. 

Mika has enjoyed critical and commercial success since his breakout hit, Grace Kelly, went to the top of the UK charts in 2007.  He was even compared to the legendary Freddie Mercury after reaching the top of the BBC's Sound of 2007 poll.  Mika responded: "The comparisons to Freddie Mercury are fine. They started long before I made the record – I've even referred to it in Grace Kelly. A Freddie comparison is a compliment. He's a genius and one of the best there's ever been.

I had seen Mika live in NYC back in 2012 when he was touring to promote The Origin of Love. It was an extraordinary show so I knew we were in for a remarkable evening.  He took to the stage in a red suit and white ruffled white shirt and danced, gyrated and shook his adorable locks throughout the show (much to the delight of the audience).  There were no fancy projections or changing set pieces but very effective lighting (with different colours corresponding to the themes of various songs).  He performed all of his much-loved classics (saving the iconic Grace Kelly for the encore) as well as several songs from the as yet unreleased album.  Dear Jealousy and Tomorrow are set to become favourites on the new album (in addition to the aforementioned Ice Cream).

The setlist was as follows:
Ice Cream
Dear Jealousy
Relax (Take It Easy)
Origin of Love
Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)
Tiny Love
Blue
Underwater
Lollipop
Popular Song
Tomorrow
Happy Ending
Love Today
We Are Golden

Encore:
Grace Kelly
Tiny Love (reprise)