Another day, another concert – this time it was MIKA in Geneva at the sold out Arena de Genève. The crowd was buzzing with anticipation for the final stop of the tour, and the atmosphere carried that special end-of-the-journey electricity. 

By the time the lights dimmed, the arena was packed with a wonderfully mixed crowd, although the number of excited girlies singing along to the preshow playlist might have tipped the demographic scale just a little. Up on the balcony, eagle-eyed fans even spotted Mika’s family watching proudly. A supportive family moment in the middle of a roaring arena always adds a little warmth to the night.

Jack Garratt opening for Mika in Geneva

Opening the evening was Jack Garratt, who proved once again why he’s often called a one-man band. With looping pedals, synths, drums, and vocals all controlled by a single human whirlwind, Jack filled the stage with sound and personality. Song nr 2 was my personal favorite, Better. Loved that I was right up in the pit, simply vibing and soaking in the moment.

I had seen him perform several times before and knew what to expect. But this one time I saw him at Coachella, was a bit different. Technical issues forced him into an intimate acoustic moment with just his guitar. Unusual, but probably one of the best performances of that day. In Geneva everything worked as it should (at least from what I could tell). Jack seemed so effortlessly cool. His outfit was *chefskiss*, loved the dazzling jacket with bling-bling-tassels that caught the lights every time he moved. By the time he wrapped up his set, the arena had filled almost completely and the energy in the room was steadily rising.

Concert Photos Jack Garratt

At this point, unfortunately I haven’t received approval of my photos of Jack yet – hoping this will change soon. Will be uploading them here, as soon as I hear back from mgmt.

When it was Mikas turn to take the stage, the crowd exploded. The production and stage design was playful, theatrical, and wonderfully over the top. A giant gear mechanism thingie  spun above the stage that actually brought Mika down to the stage. A massive megaphone loomed like a prop from a pop-art dream, and at one point Mika performed on top of  three-story piano. 

Mika has the kind of stage presence that radiates joy. You cannot stand in that room and stay neutral. The entire crowd seemed caught in the same current of happiness, singing loudly, dancing freely, and feeding off every ounce of energy he gave them.

As the night raced toward the finale, Mika delivered one of the most unforgettable moments of the show. He suddenly jumped off the stage and dashed into the crowd. And not just a few steps either. Somehow he ran through one of the most tightly packed audiences imaginable and resurfaced on the balcony. The speed alone was impressive. The show flew by just as quickly, even though the clock crept close to 23:30 by the time he finally left the stage. For my first Mika show, it set the bar incredibly high. Safe to say it will not be my last.

Mika in Geneva – Concert Photos

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