The Tax Free World Association (TFWA) has announced that international artist Mika will perform at a private concert for delegates at next month’s Cannes exhibition. Mika will headline the Le Premium Evening on Thursday October 21, in the Grand Auditorium of the Palais des Festivals which marks the finale of the week-long duty-free and travel-retail show.

The evening will begin with a dinner cocktail at the Riviera Beach marquee adjacent to the Palais and will end in TFWA’s private club, The Scene, with cocktails and dancing into the small hours. The Scene Restaurant will be open from Monday to Thursday for lunch between 12.00 and 14.30, although exhibition participants may also eat in the Bay Restaurant next to Bay Village.

TFWA delegates can enjoy a range of business networking opportunities starting on Sunday October 17 with a golf tournament at Mandelieu Golf Club, sponsored by Gebr Heinemann and Hugo Boss. This will be followed by the opening cocktail at the Carlton Hotel. Other activities include a tennis competition at the Club Sportif de Montfleury sponsored by Ajmal and a cooking class at Les Apprentis Gourmets.

Further information about all these activities and pre-registration information can be found at www.tfwa.com. Sports and leisure activities should be pre-booked; invitations to the Opening Cocktail and Le Premium Evening are part of the Full Delegate package and are only available upon pre-registration.

Mika’s music is not meant for people who don’t understand it.

The ‘Rain’ singer doesn’t worry about impressing people who aren’t already fans because he knows the songs he produces don’t fit in to typical genres.

The 26-year-old pop star explained: “If you don’t understand my music it’s obviously not meant for you. My music is not calculated. It is a product of circumstance.

“It might appeal to you because of the life you’ve had or because you relate to the stories. But my music is not fashion. It’s not sound. It’s not scene. I was never accepted into a scene. I tried! And I would have liked it! But I can’t and I just don’t know how to do it. I don’t know how to make any other type of music than the music I make.”

The singer – whose real name is Michael Holbrook Penniman Jr. – also admits he wasn’t surprised when he revealed he was bisexual that no one seemed to care.

He explained: “Look, I’ve always said I can fall in love with a man. I can fall in love with a woman. And I’ve always said that I have no shame in that. And I don’t think there was any negative reaction to what I said coming out as bisexual.

“In fact I don’t think there was any reaction – I don’t think anyone was surprised whatsoever. I don’t think anyone gives a s**t. I think people just want me to have a label.”

Italy I love you.

I was thirteen, my trousers were too short, there was sweat on my brow and my suspenders were rubbing against the back of my neck. That summer evening in Bordighera, I decided I hated Italy. Here, everything was difficult. I couldn’t get served in cafes, I felt uncomfortable and unfit and my sisters got all the attention. Foreign women have no idea what Italy really is; ask an awkward teenage boy instead. He knows the truth.

Growing up, our summer vacations would almost always be spent in the south of France. We would drive from London in our white Toyota Previa, crammed with luggage, pillows, my parents, a few family pets including a rabbit hidden under my seat, and my four siblings. Siting on the floor of the car wasn’t an option it was a necessity. As long as the trunk was able to close and the police didn’t see us, we would be off from London on our 20 hour journey to the sun. To this day, driving by car is still my favourite way of getting around, even on tour.

Calling all Mika’s Magic Numbers players – the end is almost here.

For the past few months you’ve been racing to accumulate points by entering competitions, buying tickets, merch and records and contributing to the Mika fanclub.

Alas, all good things must end, and the game is coming to a close on October 31st, 2010.

At that time, the very top players will be invited to an exclusive, intimate Mika gig. Yet more leading number nabbers will be invited to an exclusive Champagne reception with Mika himself.

In the meantime, we will no longer be awarding points for posting comments, photos or videos to mikasounds. You’ve all done us proud and helped build a thriving community. Now we think it’s time to let it grow at its own pace.

Instead there’ll be two new ways you can win points as Mika’s Magic Numbers draws to a close.

First up, we want YOU to design a Mika t-shirt. You can be as creative as you like, let your imagination run wild. All entries will be posted on the site and get you a 1000 Mika points.

The winner – as chosen by Mika – will see their design put into production for sale in the Mika Store and also earn 25,000 Mika Points. Just email your designs to tshirts@mikasounds.com for your chance to win.

Secondly, we want to know what you think of Mika’s music – post a video review of your favourite albums and singles to date and it’ll earn you 1500 points.

Good luck everyone.

Source

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Fringe Festival Review

Why play a set when you can put on a show? That seemed to be Mika’s motto at this Edge festival gig, where the stage dressing and many of the surprise set pieces that occurred were as arresting as the songs themselves.

One particularly odd moment came at the start of Love Today, when a procession of women (presumably) dressed in bright neon-coloured wedding dresses paraded onto the stage in a funeral march, followed by a group of stagehands carrying a more thanlife-sized doll of a smiling ginger-haired boy.

On they came and off they slowly went, leaving the doll sitting in the middle of the stage so Mika could knock it about during the song.

If that sounds weird E well it was, but at least the singer was making an effort.

Whatever you might think of his light, poppy and sometimes a bit over-the-top music, Mika (real name Michael Penniman Jr, from London) seems dedicated to putting on a show that his audience will remember.

“Right. Bright and early. The your is dine. Thank you all for an amazing year and a half.”

“It’s already late… of course”

“Just landed in Warsaw. Second time here. Did a contemporary music radio broadcast when I was here last. I think I was around 15 yrs old”

“But I loved my trip. Esp the music by Dai Fujikura. Walked around every corner of Warsaw “

I’ve scanned and added the scans of the TBWKTM booklet, the Asian Tour Edition cover and back and the Songs For Sorrow Cover to the gallery. If I have time I will scan more.