*Dedicated to Angel Dawn of Louisiana who went out of her way to get fans to this specific show! Big hugs to Bobby R in Oklahoma and all his efforts as well!
Wow! What an awesome show, performed with perfection and all the cool things you dream of when it comes to Tears for Fears. The crowd was mixed with all ages. The VIP section where many long time fans stood faithful, singing every word, was filled with the sweetest fans a band could ask for…Dardy, Ms. Wooten, Kendaly, Adam H, Lisa and Patty…just phenomenal people that many of us, as fellow fans, love to have right next to us. We were also graced by some serious icons that work globally but are based in Atlanta – Model Cairo and singer/songwriter Michael Roland Magno. We were thrilled to be with some of our favourite friends and family. We missed those who were not able to make it including some of the core travellers – you know who you are! May the love train fly again with you all included! Happy Anniversary to Jim S and his wife! Thank you for being so loyal!
Michael Magno and his wife Meg
VIP Platinum and Tier 1
We’d been thinking a lot about this show since it was announced. After the Jan UK & EU extravaganza we had time to really sit down and think about the logistics. After countless email back and forth with Shaky Knees Festival staff, we were convinced that going all out for VIP Platinum just for one day at $750 or 3 days at $1600 after tax and shipping – was the best option for fans to have a really wonderful experience. We also suggested VIP Tier 1. We were under the impression that Tears for Fears would be on the main stage. The app showed the band to be on a sponsored stage of which several of us thought was a main stage. The main stage allowed fans to stand there on the side of the stage at the band’s discretion and watch the show. However, the Piedmont stage was not a main stage and their VIP Tier 1 and Platinum area did not have the comfortable chairs, shade or the perks of the Platinum area like the main stage which was called Peachtree. So if you followed our suggestion and hung out in the Piedmont VIP you probably got a bad sunburn and your legs hurt! Great music but…we expected all VIP lounges to be the same and they were not.
So, some fans went to the VIP lounge at Peachtree to relax and others, our dear Adam, made sure he was perched and ready in VIP Piedmont. He literally held down the fort for a few hours and we’re super grateful. An hour or more before the show, he was there with several other amazing friendly beloved fans. Shoutout to Adam for taking care of business and looking out for others. We were all able to bunch up together to the left of the stage (Roland’s side – that’s the only place VIP viewing was set up for this stage). No, we didn’t get to stand side stage because, again, this was not the main stage, but the band saw us and knew their hard core soldiers were there…some of us with our books so Charlton would know we support his work as well.
Prior to the start of the show, Bill was out working. Andye grabbed this photo and shared it with him. We really like him and have always appreciated his kindness. There was a moment in the show where Curt’s guitar cord or something was falling out and there was Bill, like a vigilant angel, to hurry and get it reconnected. He did it with a smile and it was beautiful.
And big thanks to Jamie for taking a nice photo with Patty!
The Show
Let the photos and videos speak for themselves… still speechless. These are from awesome fellow fans. In some cases you can hear a chorus of people of a variety of ages singing along. *Note that Roland did say he would have been happy if Weezer was there too. We’re okay with a Weezer – TFF show. So…next year?!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxDBOtsAxS-/
Professional Capture
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxDjjoepMc-/
After the show, fans didn’t move from the area. They stood there and chanted, “One more song, one more song!” It wasn’t a small group, it was like…the whole crowd that got into it. It was wild and one of the most loving gestures. These were people of all ages just chanting in unison with energy and fervor the likes we’ve not seen since Duluth 2017. Fans at other venues stick around but this was like an army or what you’d see at a protest. It was intense, that was strong love. People were crying, one larger group stayed until every set list had been distributed. We finally left after taking some photos of Lisa and Adam with the set list.
Huge thanks to all who showed up and went that extra mile. That was an investment and one of the most expensive shows we’ve paid for in years. It was super glamping and I think we’ll be better prepared in the future. I don’t know if this is a precursor to Coachella or what but this all happened for a reason. We loved spending time with EVERYONE. It was incredible…just incredible and unforgettable. A few of us are going to need some time to really let this sink in because this was just…very spiritual and overwhelmingly beautiful.
One of our goals was to help create that sense of community and fun along with drinks and food. However, VIP at Shaky Knees was a little hard to navigate…and sometimes things just didn’t have a lot of clarity. Several of us are still in absolute shock at what felt like lack of consistency for the Piedmont stage. We understand that people work hard for their money and for some of us this is our only holiday time. We want to encourage fans to enjoy these deluxe packages and it just didn’t feel like a Platinum experience at the Piedmont stage. The band’s performance made up for a lot of discomfort in the earlier part of the day. We were able to overlook some of the things we were expecting to a degree but consistency is crucial when a festival is asking for hundreds or over $1000 per person for these experiences. We’re happy the band was there and that matters most but some of us will need some additional assistance for future in order for things to go smooth.
Lots of love to all who were there and your beautiful faces! You all are such beautiful people! Adam, Patty, Lisa, Dardy, Cairo, Kendaly, Michael and Meg, Joe and Katie – the energy was a blessing in itself!
Cheers!!
Follow @tearsforfears @curtsmith (@papasfans for travel info and unique details)
P.S. we’re going to check on the TuneIn app to see what on earth happened. The festival noted that they’d live stream but in hindsight, if it’s just one radio station they can’t do every stage. So, we’re checking to see if it was archived. Hugs to all!
*written by Andye
Tears for Fears Travel Fans 
Such an amazing show in Atlanta! Thank you Andye for sharing all the excitement! Watched all of the videos and looked at the beautiful photos! I have been singing and smiling all day and I was not there! You made me feel like a part of the experience! Thank you!