Author: IBCE

IBCE publishes content that benefits cultures and people.

Brit Week featuring Curt Smith (solo show) @ McCabe’s Guitar Shop 4 May 2012

Travelling with the Tears for Fears Stateside Fan Club is always a joy. I am very very grateful for these opportunities. We’ve made it to nearly every solo show that was made public since September of 2010. We now have new fans onboard who come out and spend a few days in Los Angeles with us. This time we were in back in Santa Monica at the historic McCabe’s Guitar Shop. 

Day 1 Arrival

Most of us got there a few days in advance. I arrived just shy mid-week to make sure the resort we booked for the mini-meet-up had everything we needed for the several days. We got an automatic upgrade with my resort membership which was incredible. That meant we had this huge suite for several days instead of the days in which guests were to join us. I phoned Carri right away and told her to come over as quickly as possible and to bring Kai as well. I wasn’t sure where any one else was. While waiting, I stocked that room with as much as room service could bring and began working on various things. My hands pecking away on the computer…my eyes staring at the magnificent Pacific Ocean…my first time actually being able to enjoy it as I’m always on a fly-in and fly-out on trips to California. 

Carri got there about 8pm. Kai had to go back home and work on some things. So Carri and I explored the oversized patio and stared at the Santa Monica Pier well into the night while listening to Tears for Fears and Curt Smith solo music. It was so nice to be with her again. I think we hugged for nearly 5 minutes in the lobby alone…then in the suite we were like living dolls running around just happy to be able to have some real fun. By 1am or 2…we were snuggled in our pajamas staring at that magical Ferris wheel on the pier. I am fascinated by lights and colourful things…I think that was evident in the tweets we sent that day.

Day 2 Curt Smith Show during Brit Week is Today

The morning was spent noshing. I had a ton of eggs…like a boat load. Because I knew I was going to be too nervous to eat as show time approached. Filled with protein and ready to exercise, we ran down to the ocean passing a statue that I thought was a human being. I’m very open and love people so I immediately began calling out to it as we approached. “Hello!! How are you??” I asked…only to get no response back…then I realized it wasn’t a really tanned human but instead a bronze statue much like that in the “Change” video. Oops…

Feeling slightly crazy I walked a little slower down to the beach. Once there, we walked quickly to the ocean and splashed around til noon. Then we rushed back. While Carri was tanning, I went to the hot tub and met up with a lady whose husband was from England. We had a long conversation about Tears for Fears, her life in Santa Monica and all the tea shoppes she and her husband frequented. She gave me the names of pubs and places to visit while there. When the heat of that tub nearly left me passed out I crawled up to the patio deck and just stood there…frozen in the gorgeous, but chilly, Santa Monica air. Then I raced back to the room and we started getting ready for the show. 

The Queue (shown in the very first picture above) Being in line is just part of being a superfan. Our driver dropped us off around 5pm. The show was at 7pm. We were about 12th in line. Same as last time. Ahead of us were some fans originally from Turkiye/Turkey, a lady who drove up from San Diego and a few from other far off locations. Eileen was in front of us. Kim arrived, then Yara and her husband who slid in line behind Eileen. Then Traci and Lael who drove in from Arizona. The list goes on and on…tons of people, some who were literally snatched off the road and given one of our extra tickets when they expressed interest why we were in a queue . We talked and took photos until we saw (@Wzzy) drive up. Then minutes later she came out and handed us skittles!! The sugar rush of choice among the band and Tears for Fears fans. We were stoked! The Awesome Afton came out and stood with us for a little while before they went back inside. We then went over fan club business and experiences in other fan clubs including Duran Duran and U2. We all expressed excitement and worry over the upcoming tour…awesome dates, excellent evening showtimes and the sad lack of opportunity for early tickets…this is the kind of thing that fans fear…and some didn’t have tickets to the OC show just yet. A few said they wouldn’t go unless they had pit seats…I totally understand.

The Show 

Before we knew it, 7pm arrived. As that line moved my stomach flopped. I almost leaned over and vomited. I was so excited I couldn’t stand it. I was happy to get inside and sit down…of course, something had to go wrong…Carri lost her ticket while we were standing in line. I nearly died of shock. After I got our seats, I went to go give the ticket receipt to the doorman to prove I bought 4 tickets and her’s was one of them. But nothing needed…she came back and let me know that everything was okay. In fact, Traci Smith came to the rescue and made sure everything was okay. Talk about loyalty among friends. Thanks Traci! She took care of CD while I went to get the seats taken care of. Teamwork indeed! Carri later found her ticket in one of the numerous pockets of her jacket and took it back herself. Despite the fan panic, I was able to cheer up quick after looking over my shoulder to see Curt’s wife in two rows behind us, wearing an anchor on the sleeve of her shirt…thus matching my anchor earrings…yeah, I thought I was a badass after spotting those thus making us anchor sisters…Hey whatever connection we can get right? We sat there chatting in the row…the same row we sat in last time. My hands shaking a little…

The show began on time. The host came out and gave his now famous funny speech about grabbing a guitar and heading to the door in case flames broke out. We laughed and then he introduced Curt, briefly…because he doesn’t really need an introduction. Then Curt spoke to us for a little while which sent chills and thrills through the audience. I wrote down just about everything he said. I held on to my show notes for weeks…but I’ve travelled a lot since then and can’t locate them and I know people are tired of waiting on the details. So, I write this particular show experience from memory. More will perhaps be added later including videos of fan fun. A lot of funny cool things happened. Fortunately, the show was taped by McCabe’s…a good deal of it anyway.  You can watch the amazing, mesmerizing, audience inclusive performances here…

 

 

 

: 

 

 

Highlights from the show…

There were so many incredible moments in between the songs. Often times we were showered with Skittles and busy chair dancing. Everyone danced in their seat (proof is in the videos)… and let me say, I’m ready to kiss the feet of the guy who videotaped the show. I said early on that I had surely wished someone would video tape these solo shows…it is crucial for our fan archives. So, whoever you are…take your shoes off…I’m ready to go to town on you! Thank you!!! 

Refusing to play “Sun King…”

And thank G-d!! Charlton was like, “who put this up here?” And I was so grateful they threw that request out. I put my head in my hands…cause I knew I’d be sick if it was played…and so would a few others near me… Few want to hear that song any more…I have to say it, meaning aside, the song “sounds” beautiful but well…but let’s move on…let’s just put it aside. I’m so glad that “period of silent time” has passed. 

Audience Interaction…

It’s always a welcomed moment to hear a band that you’ve followed since you were a small child say your name…or address you during a show…ask you a question…etc… And that happened several times throughout the show. Curt acknowledged those he could see in the crowd. He said hello to Carri, Traci, Kai and I…he went on…stating how we fly in from across the country to shows…to me that is equal to winning the lottery or having a blessing placed right on my head. Forgive me, but many will understand me when I say, “If I didn’t wake up the next morning I would have lived a good life.” That band means that much to me…having a handshake, a hello…and all that care that they’ve given us…well, each moment is like a kiss from the heavens. I feel so blessed and so grateful beyond words for everything Curt Smith has done. And I appreciate he and Roland Orzabal for the constant recognition and sweet demeanor they shower on the fans. I don’t know if we deserve it, but they keep dishing it …and I tell you, it makes us even more excited to work as hard as we can to be present at anything they do…with friends and thank you’s in tow…

A little “Graduate…”

While tuning and preparing for the next song…Curt teased us with a few chords saying, “You’d have to be real die-hard to know this one…” Well I knew it…it was part of a song on the “Graduate” album…I yelled out “Graduate.” A surprised Curt looked down in the audience at me…and said, “Andye’s got it goin’ on…” I said, “you know I got this…I gotcha Curt. I gotcha…” Cause goodness knows I listen to that album as if it came out last night on the MTV music awards…:;sings Julie Julie…:: but I digress…Again, these were one of the moments that Curt called us out…and I was like “heck yeah…superfan represent!”

Afton on the stairs…And throughout the show was Afton…sitting on steps that led down to the stage…sort of like attic steps…tapping her foot and swaying…something about her being there was comforting, cool and sweet. We love Afton…many of us remember her back in the day on KMK’s Tears for Fears fan page. She was an active fan like one of us, checking in everyday and adding to the numerous conversations…and now she’s apart of the TFF team…now if that’s not cool I don’t know what is…It’s been awesome seeing her over the years on stage and off. Big hugs for her!

Disturbances…Ummm, it was made clear that we were not allowed to take pictures…so why was it the person that drove up from San Diego had to be asked twice not to do that? Honey…please do not ruin it for the rest of us. It’s a miracle he let’s us get that close.

Another painful thing was we were missing one person. I left their ticket behind at will call…what was odd was that when the ticket taker saw that I had an extra ticket she said to me, “You have someone else coming?” I said, “Perhaps…the name is…” and before I even got out the person’s family name she’d written it down…as if she knew something…that was very twilight zone-ish and creepy…about as creepy as the situation that surrounded their absence. 

Post Show- The Meet & Greet

Okay, let me say the meet and greet was over an hour long…and how fortunate were we to be in his presence for that amount of time?!! 🙂 I took a lot of pictures of everyone that spoke to him. He took a moment with each person that came to the show. I should’ve brought my iPad so I could have taken top quality pictures vs. those blurry ones on my blackberry. A few came out pretty cool and I think there’s a collage of pictures from that day floating around on Facebook. Again, every single person in line got a moment with him. A few people went a little nuts but the quiet of the room hushed them into good behaviour. They got their hugs, hand holds and a nice picture to take with them. Some had gifts…including myself. We gave him a runner’s watch from Vestal. That’s our thing…watches…we like to express our appreciation for what Carri calls his “genuine-quality time.” TeamCS (Carri, Kai, Traci and a few others including myself) sort of gathered around him at the same time.

We took pictures and video and then he sent a hug to SheeShee (Sheila) of which many have already seen in a video on SheeShee’s and Carri’s wall. Sheila is a long time travelling fan who couldn’t be with us this time around. It hurt not having her there because she always plans some cool thing to do…last time we sang happy birthday to him on stage…that was wild and fun…that man brings out the best in us…and sheeshee ring leads!

 

Then he signed a ton of cds I purchased for the media team to which I belong…he signed posters, artwork…you name it. He was extremely generous of his time. We were floored standing there watching him and absorbing as much of this majestic moment as possible. Before I walked away I said, “I will pay you x amount of dollars for one of those T-shirts.” Curt replied, “Which one?” Kai leaps forward and says, “This one!!” referring to the awesome blue shirts that came in the Curt Smith Bundle. He said, “Ohhh, well, I may not have more of those but I’ll get you another one.” Carri perked up…”There’s another?” You know us…we want to collect everything… and while we wrapped up our chat he kept mentioning that he was going to get a shirt for me… and then he asked Arlene (@Wzzy) where were the ones I was specifically requesting…

 

I stepped back and continued to take pictures of the other fans and then the guy from McCabe’s said he was closing soon so we might need to clear out. I thanked him and as we walked away Curt yelled goodbye saying, “Thanks Andye, Thanks Carri!! See you!” and then I heard, “Andye…Andye!!” It was Curt…he threw me a shirt…everyone said “awww…” and smiled at his sweet gesture…I thanked him and then turned away quickly toward his wife…tears of gratitude stinging my eyes. We told her goodbye and she smiled and said goodbye… then we headed back to the beach.

The infamous blue Mayfield Tshirt that I refuse to put down…here Carri wears hers…

 

Afterparty I swear we meant to invite more people but many had already vanished so this turned into a gathering of 3 and I was very happy that it was that small because we were exhausted and in no mental condition to arrange Valet parking for everyone, lead them to the suite and get them situated. We ended up dancing around on the patio, drinking and rehashing the show in total awe…there were moments of just complete “OMGAAAh, did you hear this…and that…” Then we see this tweet come in on our news feed and that was just another huge bonus! 

You can imagine…it was craaayycraaaay on that patio…we were running around with our hands in the air amazed at that stellar show, the fact that we met Frances (his beautiful wife), how many times he kept speaking to the crowd and shout outs to us for travelling across country ANNDD that he threw me that shirt! I love my Curt Smith shirt collection…It is growing!

 

Day 3 The party continues

We slept late…but we got in our swimming, walks through Santa Monica…all that…we all did what we wanted and then came back to the suite and danced around…there was a lot of dancing…you’ve perhaps seen some of the videos…it was too much fun…wayyyyyyy too much fun…still in our swimsuits, talking to the handsome man in the cool swim shorts in the suite next door (our patios were touching) and just living it up in Santa Monica…I knew it was going to be hard to leave…

Carri and Kai hanging out on the patio getting some sun…I’m taking pictures and playing music…drinking gingerale 😉

We had a freakin’ blaaaasst. We made a new playlist on the iPad with The Fixx ( our preshow band with our anthems Stand or Fall and Saved By Zero)…then Tears for Fears favourites like, The Working Hour, Music For Tables, Girl Panic by Duran Duran…we lived the life…well up til Sunday afternoon when it was time for us to head back. 

Thank you will not suffice in this situation. I want to fall on the ground and just cry tears of joy because that’s how I feel everytime I think about Brit Week 2012…it took me a while to get my thoughts together…to try and explain this without crying…and here it is…that’s what happened on this magnificent Curt Smith Solo extended weekend during Brit Week 2012. Curt spoils his fans. He looks after them and he notices everything. We love him, we appreciate him…we could go on and on… til next time! Cheers! Thanks for reading! Enjoy the madness… 

Very happy to have had Carri & Kai with me the whole time! They are too much fun! Can’t wait to share video as proof!

 

A heartfelt plea for Tears for Fears Superfan VIP!

We are all excited about the upcoming Tears for Fears 2012 Tour. It was unexpected as so many of us were under the impression another album would be made before the dynamic duo (Roland O. & Curt S.) + team (Jamie W. , Charlton P., Doug P., Michael Wainwright, Afton H. & crew) would head back out on the road. In fact, many of us were prepared to travel in 2013…not right now! But alas, when fan duty calls we get on the ball!!
VIP wishes
Let’s cut to the chase, we want VIP options. We want to be as close to the action as is safe and possible. No, we may not be able to sit on stage at the OC Fair show, we may not even be able to form a chorus and clap section on the side of the stage in Vegas but we want to see sweat, we want to get hit with skittles, we want to be with the band more or less…and many are willing to pay a premium price to do so.
Curt Smith already has an established site where one can subscribe FOR FREE and get the very first updates on what is going on in his world. I’ve benefit from those by purchasing VIP packages that allowed us 1st and 2nd row for solo shows. He even bought dinner for us at the Whitefire Theatre shows.

Preferred Method of VIP: 
1. We pay Curt in advance (or whomever is delegated in charge), first come first serve by the timing on the receipt or email.
2. Each fan is only allowed to purchase 3 VIP tickets apiece
3. Our names are added to a list.
4. We arrive at the venue, check in and are seated in the first 5 rows. As in a restaurant, all parties within that 3 ticket purchase must be present or that next VIP seat is given to the next VIP member. Seats start at front row center and branch out on each side. If it is general admission, we are allowed to go in first much like we saw a certain TFF crew member lead some people into the venue at the Wiltern.
*If needed two or more of us will fly out in advance to help orchestrate this. We are not asking for payment, it is a volunteer task. Maybe after the show we can take a picture with Roland and Curt or something…but we’re not asking for compensation…just the chance to make sure our fellow SUPER fans get up front. As we have discussed many times, there is nothing worse than seeing some random person that “just” found out TFF produced a new album in 2004-2005 and can’t even sing half the words to any song let alone the lyrics to ELAHE…while 15 rows back are the superfans who can barely see over the heads of these “fair-weather fans.” Not cool! Not Cool At All!
This prevents fans (many of which are self-proclaiming that they are up in age and getting tired) from having to line up at the crack of dawn at a venue in hopes of seeing these precious band members we tweet, FB, etc 365 days a year. It also prevents the very unfair fiasco that occurred in Los Angeles just before The Wiltern 17 September show (and ohhh yes, we are going to discuss that situation at length) where ??Wiltern staff?? offered VIP at 530pm which disrupted the line of superfans already in place and turned into a very big complicated uncomfortable situation for many involved. While we are very happy that security listened to superfan Penelope when she said “we had a line formed already, please respect that”…it was indeed a very uncomfortable situation for quite a very long time. Still not sure why they thought so many people could fit in that tiny room…and one bar tender…really? for 100+ who decided to just go ahead and buy the VIP…I digress.
Sure, we will get there early, I just think we shouldn’t feel if we don’t line up 9 hours in advance we may end up in the 15th row…considering so many of us fly in from all over the globe to see this band on these rare occasions.
Various superfans also looked at a number of other bands and how they form their VIP teams.
At the top of that list were:
Duran Duran seems to have a subscription based fan club where fans pay $35-$65 to get passcodes which allow them the option to buy premium seats through the Duran Duran site?  Then the rest are released to the general public the following day? If you are not a subscription based fan you can’t get those really good first few row seats…not even from the box office it seems. Which is only fair. It seems you have to go through the band’s page, log in and get your tickets? Duranies, correct me if I’m wrong. It is hard to understand the process if one is not a part of it completely. I’ve always listened to their music but only recently bought a subscription. It seems the ticket link actually links to the box office and you get first dibs on some really hot coveted seats. I saw those seats in Atlanta and man they were freakin’ awesome!
Madonna seems to have the same sort of set up. You subscribe to the fan club/pay a fan club fee (annual) and you get updates on when tickets go on sale and can use your passcode or something to that nature to get your premium seats? Non-subscribers can’t get those premium seats…which again is only fair.
The B52s announce the pre-sale password on their facebook page and you can go in and get tickets. Many fans do not like this method because it does not provide intimacy. Not every Tom, Dick and Harry should get to see that passcode because they happen to “like” the B52s page and it showed up in their newstream so now they are going to go buy 90 tickets and sell them to desperate superfans. I suspect that they sent it to their mailing list first because the Atlanta pit seats were gone by 11am the day the passcode was announced. Either way, at least they did something for people who want pre-sale tickets. I’m “satisfied” with my 3rd row orchestra though I’d have loved access to the pit seats so I could dance around with the hardcore fans.
New Kids on the Block held a sort of townhall. You can read about it on @MomCycFan’s Blog. This is a great alternative to the meet&greet. Those who subscribed to the fan site (it’s pay per user site) got an invitation to meet the band for free and bring one friend. I think this would be lovely for future meet-ups. It is very similar to what we’ve been discussing via various social media pages already.
A sweet brotherly kiss from Roland to Curt at the Wiltern Show. We want more of these and we are willing to pay! We love & appreciate this band. Please, Sirs, we would like some more. -Sincerely the Superfans

Given that we are very afraid Tears for Fears won’t be releasing another album (as we understand that the band is busy, have big families now and other responsibilities and interests) we are trying to make the most of what we fear may be the last of “Tears.” We superfans are willing to give a bit more to be on a list that guarantees we are not standing 19 rows back… even 6th row is not acceptable. We want to be upfront. We want to sing-a-long (not loudly, by the way, I was not screaming, but lipsyncing at the Wiltern cause I had no voice left at this point of the tour, hence why I was screeching by the time Roland handed me the microphone) sway and get showered with Curt’s candy and see Roland toss his hair back… We like to watch Michael smile at us squirming in our seats and wave at people in the audience…that means alot to us.

We slave all day in the real world, this is our release, our moment of absolute happiness. So many of us love and appreciate this band. The band’s music is such a big part of our daily lives, career choices and, in turn, so is the band…we care about every member! I pray someone in management can step forward and help us out. Have mercy! Someone please offer a fair Loyal Fan VIP. The band knows who has been around…we want to FEEL these shows…not just “be there.” Many thanks, MUITO OBRIGADA y muchissimas gracias!

Salute to Asia’s TFF fans & Kooks!

As a few of us finish up a round of sushi at a meet-up for band bloggers we can’t  help but be reminded of our awesome fellow-fans in places like Manila, Philippines and Tokyo, Japan. Since 2009 and more so in 2010 this region of Asia has shown their dedication to the dazzling duo we adore as Tears for Fears. There are pages dedicated to the band as well as Curt Smith (Curt Smith Fans: Phils Kooks Philippines) with regular updates, video-tweets and interaction with fans around the world.

Two members in particular have gone above and beyond to share their appreciation for Roland and Curt with their sweet and generous time. Manami is the region’s fan club artist who creates lovely photos for fans’ birthdays and special occasions. As with all fan-generated projects, Manami volunteers her time to make fun and exciting artwork that fans and the band have recognized on numerous occasions. Despite their claims to “not know English very well” they have managed to communicate beautifully with so many of us each and everyday for the last year and half. 
Daily, Admiral Juli hosts a Tears for Fears Japanese Fan Site and sends out a video tweet which has a link to a Tears for Fears video. Each day it is a different one pulled from the years of archived footage. Admiral Juli has also been active with Roland’s brother’s band DelaQ and created a very cute picture of Julian that he uses as  his facebook photo. Talk about a fan salute…that is huge! 
Both fans are very friendly, genuine, truly loving and a great addition to the global revamp of the global Tears for Fears fanclub. Hearing that the band is headed to Asia is a great joy for all of us as we feel that part of the world could benefit from the energy of a live show. We are happy to read that the band is looking into participating in the Super Sonic music series in Seoul South Korea as well as Japan with visits to both Manila and Cebu Philippines.
And our cool pals in the Philippines have had some entertaining meet-ups, complete with place settings for band members as they make wishes for their presence at their local hangouts. Again, this is why we are very excited about Tears for Fears “returning to their side of town.” Cheers to our dears in Asia! Let us keep the #365DaysAYearOfTearsForFears energy going!

Caring Kooks inspired by Tears for Fears’ Curt Smith

In the past few years, the very generous Curt Smith has jumped aboard some awesome causes. His involvement with groups like TwitChange inspired and encouraged several Tears for Fears fans to get involved with worthy causes. TeamCurtSmith (TeamCS) was created around one of these early charity projects as mentioned in previous blog posts. And together this group continues to donate money and resources to causes that Curt has either mentioned, been apart of or things they feel he might appreciate. Some of their recent donations have gone to GoodWill, The Angel Tree Program and most recently they’ve put forth plans to donate to the Friends of Longacre Hall.

The team isn’t raising millions just yet but they are donating just under 1,000 as a group for several causes. TeamCS is made up of about 6-7 fans, most of whom travel to California for Curt Solo Shows as well as anything related to their beloved band Tears For Fears as a whole. Coming from diverse backgrounds, including a Native American, a Nigerian, Americans from various ethnic groups and most recently a fan from France; the team’s goal is simply to show support and give back as Curt has given to them and to the world. This group is certainly special with big hearts and loyalty to anything Roland and Curt related…like none other…

Their involvement with Twitchange earned them a follow from Curt Smith on 17 September 2010. This date has remained special to them and on their 1st anniversary they spent it front and center at the Wiltern for Tears for Fears’ sold out concert. More on that show is to come as they approach their 2nd anniversary.
Just after that extraordinary event the team gathered together to buy gifts for Angel Tree recipients. An 18 year old young man named Stephen received gifts as well as a young girl picked by TeamCS member Lisa.
And now they are looking to donate a portion of their March resources to Friends of Longacre Hall ( a project Curt Smith donated £10,000 to recently). The group is open to others from various regional Tears for Fears fan groups joining the pool of donations so if you or another fan are interested in pitching in for this project send your inquiry to PapaSFans@gmail.com or go to the Friends of Longacre Hall on your own and get involved. 
From birthday gifts, joining in on the Roland & Curt Quilt project and tons of other TFF inspired giving opportunities and volunteering, these Kooks are certainly a loving bunch with nothing but admiration for one of the world’s top music groups ever. Be inspired, give back to the communities and groups that have influenced you! And let us know about it! Cheers! 

The Best Bundle of Musical Joy!

Andye shares her thoughts on The Mayfield Bundle: By now everyone is surely enjoying their Curt Smith Bundle. It is such an awesome package. We’ve been totally spoiled with all of these branded items…it is almost just too much! Like many, I’ve certainly worn my Curt Smith Wristband everyday. I haven’t touched the Skittles and don’t plan to. I’ve taken a ton of pictures of it, shared the contents with fellow music lovers (I gave my autographed CD to a media executive whose eyes lit up when he saw what came out of the box upon arrival & gave The Villains Band lead singer the music card from cd baby that Curt included in this sensational sunny yellow bag of fun…)  I’ve kept everything else in tact and will place it in the TFF archives…

It seems many bought it as a keepsake…a post-tour closure souvenir to go along with the awesome memories we have of the 2011 tour and other great times with the band prior to that. But I’d like to see this Bundle take on a whole new role.

This should certainly be the norm for every Tears for Fears tour going forward. I think 3 months prior to the next one (and we pray there is a next one…there are hints of a new album but we won’t make any assumptions or official statements til the band speaks up and puts their seal of approval and authenticity on the chatter) …a Tears for Fears bundle should be made available for purchase to superfans who want to really make the most of their band following experience. A code should be given to each of those boxes that can be used to buy advanced tickets for premium seats near the front row. This will eliminate the need for us to stand in line as early as 7:30am in front of venues. This is not healthy or realistic but people did do this…in Los Angeles in fact. I and many others lined up ultra early for everything…and I’m talking a day in advance arrivals, etc…it was not easy but you know…when you love a band as much as we do, you do what you have to in order to be on time, present and accounted for.

The VIK badge
This has such great potential. In the future, it would be ultra cool if a TFF Superfan badge could be available for advanced purchase. Perhaps 200 of them with a code. These could perhaps be issued (at cost) to the fans who are already registered with Curt Smith’s mailing list/have remained in contact with the band/have supported them in various projects over the years or especially now. This is tricky however, because let’s face it…there are some wild fans out there that shouldn’t be so close to the stage…given their past behaviour. It is safe to give them up-close access like that?  I’m really unsure how to go about this in the fairest way… but would love to discuss it further… Perhaps it could be handled much like the success of Curt’s solo shows have functioned most recently…Those who follow him should get a chance to continue that support with the purchase of advanced seats much like he offered on his April-June residency at the Whitefire Theatre. First come first serve?

Either way, this was a great idea…I’d love to see it continued in grand fashion…a way that is fair in that those loyal fans (the band knows who they are) buy premium seats. If the show is General admission they must submit a code or perhaps wear the wristband that permits them to go into the venue ahead of time… Nothing worse than seeing a loyal fan screaming from the back of a concert while random people who can’t even sing the words to their songs get to sit up front. That is not cool given the distance that some go to get to these shows…I think of all of those people from New York…and overseas… mercy…we have got to come up with something.

I applaud this bundle for the excitement it generated! I really appreciate Curt for making it affordable in that each item (after doing research) would have cost about $12 each retail. It may seem expensive to some but in the end it was a great deal that brought a lot of joy! Cheers!

Big Thanks to Marcio of Brasil for sharing so many photos! Cool High Five to Amur in the Philippines for going through such over the top measures to get one in her country! You can see hers on Curt Smith’s Facebook page. Muito Obrigada and Maraming Salamat you awesome #Kooks !!

Tears for Fears in Las Vegas (Rebekah & Andye’s Experience)

Rebekah’s experience: I was on youtube, drowning in Tears for Fears nostalgia, and found Curt Smith’s Official Webpage. I see where he’s gathering dates for the Tears for Fears concerts for 2011 and will be announcing them shortly.  WHAT?! TEARS FOR FEARS CONCERT DATES?  IN THE US?  I swear, it took me 2 minutes to catch my breath!

The concert dates were announced.  I bought my tickets online that day for the Las Vegas venue, as my daughter was living in Las Vegas.  What could be more perfect?  I would get to visit with my daughter and see the concert!  How in the world could that be topped?  I corresponded with a precious woman at the Red Rock Casino, Las Vegas, NV, for the Sept. 16, 2011 concert.  She and I exchanged several emails regarding this concert, as I had several questions.  I expected her to get tired of me, but she seemed to share in my excitement and anticipation for this event. Should I ever need accommodations in Las Vegas, it will be at the Red Rock Casino simply because of this one woman, who I am now ashamed to say I have forgotten her name, but, she was amazing!

It’s March.  The very long countdown begins.

In the meantime, I become associated with an incredible artist by the name of Janice Whaley through twitter.  She has been recording all the Smiths songs, using only her voice, by herself, in a closet of her home for a solid year!  I thought to myself, I’ve got to know more about this woman.  So I did.  We began tweeting and I fell in love with her.  Her spirit and tenacity was infectious!

I digress. (This is why I don’t write for a living!) In our conversations I learn she is working on a project with none other than one of my music idols, Curt Smith! OMG! What are the odds!!

Time drags on to September.  Sometime around August, I learn that Janice is going to be in Las Vegas as a guest speaker at a conference, the same weekend of Tears for Fears!  The stars are all lining up!  I told her we HAVE to get together!  Numerous tweets, emails, DMs, and text messages later, my daughter and I pick up Janice at her hotel on September 16, 2011 and  headed for the Tears for Fears concert, TOGETHER!!!

I was overjoyed to finally meet this amazing woman!  It was so funny!  The first thing she says to me is, “I love your accent!”  I wasn’t sure what accent she was referring to, (I’m from Texas) but I could not stop hugging her! My daughter drives and Janice and I just talk and talk.  I was in heaven, or at least I thought I was in heaven.  Little did I know I wasn’t even close. Janice informs me on the drive to the Red Rock Casino, that she spoke to Curt briefly and he told her he couldn’t get any more back stage passes.  Back stage passes?  I didn’t care about that, as long as he could get her into the concert, because I wanted to share this amazing experience with her!

We finally arrive.  It’s been 6 very long months.  Well, actually it’s been 29 years, as I have never been to a Tears for Fears concert.  We go and look for “Curt’s people” so Janice can get her ticket.  We find her and she pulls out 2 VIP Passes.  Janice smiles and looks at me and I’m just trying to understand what is happening.  It starts sinking in and I begin to tremble.  I might actually get to meet Curt Smith!  Are you kidding me?!  I now look over at my daughter, torn as to what to do?  She quickly says, with the biggest smile I have ever seen, “Mom, give me my ticket and go.  I’ll find you later”.  At this point I can not stop shaking.  Janice assures me that Curt is just a regular guy and once I meet him I will feel perfectly at ease.

I digress, again!  Time runs out before the concert begins, so we’re told to come back after the concert because Curt really wants to see Janice.  We head off to find my daughter and our seats just as the band comes on.  I am on top of the world!  All is as it should be!  The weather is beautiful! The venue is amazing!  The band is FREAKING FANTASTIC!!  I have never had so much fun in my life!  All this and to be sharing it with my daughter and Janice was almost more than I could handle.  I was on top of the world.  Also, I know that about 6 rows in front of us is a whole row of Kooks that included “Ms. Andye” (who I was also hoping to meet on this trip, but there just wasn’t time), who Roland  points out in the course of the concert!  This was cool, because I knew exactly who he was talking about!

The concert is almost over.  They’ve come back to do their encore, so Janice and I head back to meet  our connection to go back stage.  The wait is almost unbearable.  Finally, she waves us in.  Curt sees Janice and the look he gives her makes me melt.  This is truly a very special man.  Finally, Janice introduces me.  We speak only for a few brief moments because there are several other people there, friends of Curt,  that he wants to chat with.  This wonderful man still graciously poses for a photo and gives Janice one more gigantic and loving hug.  I love and respect Curt Smith now more than ever.

Janice, my daughter and I float back to Janice’s hotel where we sit and reflect over the nights events and I try and learn as much as I can about my new, forever friend.  We hug goodnight as we put to bed, the BEST DAY OF MY LIFE, yet!

Andye’s Experience: It has taken me months to muster up the energy to talk about this overwhelming, beautiful and exhilarating show. I have yet to have ever witnessed anything like it in my life. As a superfan since childhood, watching the majestic duo and their team outshine the stars in the sky with their angelic, powerful voices; I knew this concert was going to be “an experience.” I just didn’t know how much it would impact me and the hundreds of other fans that flew into Las Vegas to take part in one of the most majestic fan meet-ups I’ve ever attended.

Planning for this show started months in advance. Tickets were purchased the first day, rooms were booked shortly after and the mad dash of watching flight prices remained steady through July. Though some of the others decided to stay at a location far away from the venue in order to take advantage of the “Las Vegas Strip” experience, I wanted to be as close to the venue and “band action” as possible from start to finish. Perched and waiting, we arrived a day early. The blessings of the upper level suite package were made possible by the Red Rock staff. Though other fans had rooms on other floors I wanted them with me as much as possible. There was no way I was going to bask in that big space by myself.

Red Rock Hotel and Casino: The good, the better, the best!
This is one swish venue. The pool is immaculate. The stage is gorgeous. Everything about the place is just dynamite. I’ve stayed in a slew of hotels and blogged about a dozen a year but nothing really compares to the amenities and comfort of those signature suites.

Minutes after we settled into the rooms we took a walk around the property. It wasn’t as hot (temperature wise) as I thought it would be. I’m a pantyhose, high-heels-suited-lady all day long, so I figured I’d be a melted pool of caramel by the time we finished trolopsing around. On the contrary, I wanted to change clothes and get in the pool. Not bringing a swim suit there was a major missed opportunity for total relaxation. I will remember that in the future (iA).

The Casino and Concert Venue
I had been in contact with the venue every month with questions about set up and how the concert layout was to be. I knew that we had standing room only up until July. Then the venue decided to change it to seats. This, according to the hotel, would be the first time they’d be doing seats and chairs in this fashion. On a random chat with the legendary musicians of “The Gipsy Kings” I received a picture from the band showing how the seats were (see the photo above). This let me know I should’ve gotten a seat ticket instead of standing. So I contacted the venue and the “confusion” began. No one really knew what was going to happen it seemed. But the venue’s truly hard working staff took the time to ask around or at least transfer me enough times to get to some answers that made sense. Long story short, the day before the show, still, no one really knew. We were just “told” because we bought our tickets so far in advance we were guaranteed to be in the seats which were placed in front of the stage. And I do mean directly in front of the stage, right smack up against it. I have to give a shout out to Neon Trees superfans who gave me great direction as well explaining that we needed to be there early and stand in line so we could actually get the place we wanted.

After all of this exploration and information overload we grabbed lunch and headed back to the suite. By 9pm at night I was exhausted, stuffed with vegetables and soup. We ordered all kinds of stuff. Cream of spinach soup, steamed vegetables, cranberry juice, giant cookies and milk (for Carri) and I can’t remember what SnapHappyPam had. We anticipated when the band would arrive. And I went over my do-not-freak-out-manners in case I ran into them in the hall. But none of that occurred. By midnight, Pam and Carri went back to their rooms and I crawled into that gargantuan bed, mobile device in one hand checking twitter and facebook nonstop til I fell asleep…with one of 2 giant flat screen TVs on which by coincidence had an infomercial on that was playing Tears for Fears. Nothing like a greatest hits music show that features your favourite band!

By 4am I was up. I went to watch the sunrise. I took a picture of it and sent it to Curt. While uploading the photo to his wall, I saw a tweet from Michael Wainwright that they had just pulled into the venue. I got dressed in 10 minutes, shower and all and perched downstairs. I had no shame. I just wanted to see them. I was eager to do my “good morning.”. I sat there for awhile. A long while. Charlton came down the steps but I didn’t recognize him right away. He sat about 2 seats away with guests but I didn’t want to turn around and stare and say, “Charlton, my man, wasssauppp!?” So I sat there…and googled him because I was in that much awe I couldn’t even think he was sitting that close. Yes, I get starstruck. Calm but starstruck. I expected a slew of other fans to start turning up out of nowhere to take a peek. But there was nothing. I was the only one. Sitting there, in a casual business suit, reading the twitter feeds and facebook as if they were the stock pages of the Wall Street Journal. Eventually he got up and left. I sat for a while longer…proud of myself for not being a screamer. I feel sorry for anyone who is…I’ve been there. It’s ugly.

About 10 minutes passed and a tweet from “someone” who likes to call himself “the Devil” (not to be confused with the ELAHE song) made a very uncomfy statement about lobby punters. I have no clue what a lobby punter is but just in case it was a reference to me sitting there, I left and went to go sit by the pool. While there, some of the other travelling superfanatics recognized me. We started chatting, walking, taking a gander at the tour bus like little kids looking at a candy shop from across the street. We had a good time. Carri and Pam joined us and we watched the stage get set up. Every fan had a story of a past show. After relaying all the logistics regarding the fan meetups were complete we went back to the suite and ordered more food. Lobster sandwiches, milehighs, more Gingerale, etc. The HQ was feeling like a stake-out. We had all kinds of equipment out, mobiles, laptops, etc. We sat at the dining room table interacting with other fans and watching foursquare check-ins. I checked off my list of who was at the venue and told them we’d be downstairs around 3pm and we couldn’t wait to see them. It was hilarious. We were having a blast.

Action plan in place we started getting ready at 3pm. I went through a number of rituals and then Alexis and her Roland Orzabal loving pal came up to the room. I was already dressed by that time. I slipped into my traditional Turkish-Nigerian embroidered dress with veil, pulled my hair back into a low ponytail so my wild curly hair wouldn’t fall in my face. Still slipping in bobby pins, we wasted not a minute rushing over to the Casino where the line was to form. AJ, Brigitte, SheeShee (Sheila K.), Kim, Rochelle, Joseline…they were all there. It was awesome. The warm greetings, the fact that we all recognized each other…the whole nine yards…we were thrilled to be there and first in line hugging and chatting…being superfanatics. 2 hours passed, the line was wrapping around the casino interior. People were coming up to us asking if this was the concert line. We mumbled, pointed to the back, they’d look and their eyes would scan all the way down to where it ended. The Superfanatics were perched and not open to breaking the line…and then 7pm rolled around. It was time to go inside.

A Little Chaos
Confusion began to reign. Some staff were told doors open at 8pm..others were told 7pm. The lines began moving out of the door, people were running to the gate to get up to the stage. Security stopped us saying, “sorry, there’s  problem.” I’m thinking, “Oh great! I knew this was too good to be true.” SheeShee got to go forward because she was on a cane at the time. Poor woman was having surgery and she still made it. I couldn’t find Pam and Carri though moments ago they were beside me. Made no sense. I wondered if Pam had stepped out of line and then lost her place. I tried to text her. There was no response. Security let us go forward. I didn’t see Pam in the line ahead of me. I started to panic. People pushed and pressed closer wanting to get in. People I didn’t recognize from Curt’s fan page or Twitter or anything else were everywhere. Security was checking tickets religiously. People were getting turned away for not having a “seat” ticket. I got nervous. My ticket taker had torn the ticket so you couldn’t really tell what seat I was suppose to have. Fortunately I had the receipt and it had the “code” that let me get in. I walked so fast to the front. I got to the front row but was turned away when a group of superfans told me they were saving seats. I moved to the second row center. Just as nice. I looked around. I was surrounded by the active members of Curt’s fan page and twitter followers. That was a relief. We made it. The real interactive fans were where I felt they deserved to be. Nothing worse than seeing someone who isn’t a die-hard get to sit up front while people who reach out to him everyday get put aside due to circumstance. Not the case tonight. But where were Carri and Pam? No where to be seen! I text again and finally Carri said that security made them wait. They were not even in the stage area at all! I assured them there were great seats and that they’d be fine. Because only the first two rows to the left, center and right had been filled. Fortunately they made it at 8pm and got third row. The group was all there! I was so excited I sent a text Curt to say, “Supaaahmaaahn, wassssupp! We in yo face man!” it was so funny. So out of character for me to try to speak slang. And as we sat there, the best of the new romantic songs plus a ton of 80s hits were piped through the speakers sending us back down memory lane…all of us singing and just having a really good time. One really cool moment for me was when Hermest and I looked at each other during Stand or Fall by the Fixx and said, “oooh, this is such a good song!”

Michael Wainwright opened for them and sang a number of songs from his new album as well as his past work. Blue was one of the most compelling of the set. He is a great singer, clear, gorgeous voice. And he is very cute. It was at this point things began to feel very surreal. The sky begin to turn a deep blue, the wind was blowing. It felt incredible. These elements and the fact that the legends were now entering the stage was so overwhelming I felt light-headed. As if the world was lifting up…as if we had entered an incredible new realm. I had no idea what was going to happen next.

Tears for Fears appear…
These glorious guys entered the stage, Roland and Curt, Charlton and Jaime then Doug…They began with Everybody Wants To Rule The World...it became a huge party. Everyone was singing and swaying and dancing around. It was overwhelming.

!!!Interactions!!!
-Roland did a beautiful, well spoken short speech thanking all of us who came in from other states. Curt named familiar faces as he scanned the audience. It was just awesome and very special for many of us. Roland elaborated on how nice the quilt was and gave a thanks for the gifts we delivered in person and via mail.

Curt started throwing skittles (click on this to understand, explanation is in interview), we love that! It’s insane, but he could’ve dumped a trough of skittles on us and I’d have swam around in all that sugar like nutcase adult. It was just so wild, random and too cool.

Roland mentioned that they were going to be in Los Angeles the next night. I responded with “We’re coming!” He looked at me and said, “you are, you’re coming?” I said like a soldier, “Yes, Delta Flight 10:10″… I almost said, “Sir!” as if I was there, standing before him reporting for duty in my blue Turkish Nigerian Frock. Talk about International Superfanatic…smh. LOL!  He smiled said, “that makes two for you.” He also recognized Sheila, who had been to about 3 concerts on the tour. Roland and Curt certainly made not only my day but my life. That was so sweet. All those years of anticpating what one would say to them…and there it was…that sweet interaction. Ooh, so nice…

The show continued, we sang every word, we danced to every song as if the original videos were playing before us. During Sowing the Seeds, Roland gave Curt a sweet hug. It was so precious I asked them to give each other a sweet family kiss for Saturday night’s show (and they did, another point for LOVE!)

It was around this time that I believe G-d came. I’m not being sacrilegious. I truly believe G-d came and just blessed that show. It was too beautiful for words. The clarity of each song, the interactions of the band, Roland’s beauty, Curt’s lovely face and their overall excitement. Oh, just angels, they were, on stage.

By the night’s end I had moved up front to dance. I couldn’t help it. Roland looked down at me at his feet and smiled really big. Ohh, what a moment. Even AJ said, “The highlight of the night was seeing him look at you like that when you moved to the front and started dancing.”

There was an afterparty but very few really went because 1. the band wasn’t there. 2. the band was not there. 3. the band…wasn’t there. And understandably so Curt had to get to his daughter’s football game early the next morning. Isn’t he the coolest dad? 😉 I’m sure Roland’s two lads have cool things to say about him too. They big guys now and probably have a ton of cool stories. We headed back to the room, did a couple of tweets to the fellow fans and to the  band, packed and tried to sleep. The next morning, a man with Roland’s hair and physical build slipped into an elevator just before we could really see him. I nearly fainted. Had he been able to get that elevator door back open to see what we wanted he may have been disappointed with our meager “we’re not worthy bow and thank you.” Given I had no roses to toss at his feet. LOL.

After a nice chauffered ride to the airport, Angels still followed me as people handed me my credit cards, ID, etc that were just slipping out of my bag left and right as I walked. I was still in a daze. I sat in the airport waiting for my flight, sending the band all kinds of ideas while sipping a venti sized coffee from Starbucks…they were all random profitable tweets.

I couldn’t wait to get to Los Angeles. I could seriously, physically follow Tears for Fears for the rest of my life. If I won the lottery I’d give a chunk to charity, my relatives and the rest would go towards me being perched doing fan club charity projects and waiting on shows. I love this band. I love how nice, caring and unbelievably sweet they’ve been to us and how beautiful they are in spirit. Thank you!

Best part: being with fans for 2.5 days in Vegas, just basking in the glow of TFF. Only thing missing was an authentic legit fanclub section.

Worst part: I don’t like grown adults running and pushing each other. This is dangerous! Those of us who have a VIK badge from the Curt Smith bundle, those of us who are always on facebook and twitter interacting and sending our adoration should probably be lumped into a list and get the option to buy a premium seat before regular ticket holders. I mean it is only fair that those of us who care get to be up front…yes, right up there (well behaved) and enjoy the show. We shouldn’t be shoved and knocked down after being first, waiting in line for half-a-day to get a decent seat. We must work with venues to see what can be done about that. Not sure how but something must be done.

*pictures from Red Rock Casino Facebook, SnapHappyPam Photography and the Tears for Fears Atlanta Fans archives

Special thanks to Alex at the Red Rock Casino for spoiling us with kindness and cool things. He is one of the reasons we want to return. Many thanks to Delta for not losing our bags, Big thanks to the band for being patient with our squealing and the loss of my voice. Thanks to all of the fans for coming over and speaking. Big Big Thanks to everyone who came to the meetup!

Enjoy some clips from the show courtesy of the SnapHappyPam Photography! Subscribe to her YouTube Page: ProudMom27

Curt Smith at Whitefire Theatre (Lisa’s experience)

Lisa is one of the travelling fans. She made it out to the 1 June solo show. Read about her experience…

When Curt Smith announced his residency at the Whitefire Theatre, I really wanted to go, but initially didn’t think it was possible to afford the trip from Baltimore to Los Angeles and be able to take the time off from work.  I also didn’t know of anyone that could afford to go with me and was hesitant about traveling that far alone.  As the date of his first show grew closer, the desire to go grew stronger.  I began to search online for airline and hotel prices, and WhiteFire Theatre Californiadreamed of being able to make it work.  Finally I decided I needed to do it, had to do it!  Initially I planned to travel alone, fly out the day before the show, and return the day after. Thanks to some help, I was able to arrange to bring my dear friend with me.  Because I was no longer traveling by myself, we decided to stay a few more days and enjoy Los Angeles.  I had not been there since 1979!  The trip was amazing, the best time I have had in years.  We did all of the things the typical tourists would do and loved it!

Of course, Curt’s concert was the highlight of the trip. I was able to arrange for VIP tickets and I was the first to enter the theatre during sound check.  As we walked into the theatre, I turned back to say something to my friend and when I turned around I was face to face with Curt, as he was standing behind the microphone with his guitar, warming up for the show.  He smiled at me and I couldn’t believe what was happening!!  The show was amazing!  The interaction between Curt, the band and the fans was fabulous.  He performed songs from Tears For Fears, his solo works and collaborations, along with cover tunes by The Cars and Coldplay.

We enjoyed his rendition of “I Feel Pretty” from West Side Story,” a song he had to sing after losing a bet to Charlton. 

Every song was wonderful, but I have to say his cover of “Parents” by the Budgies was my favorite. It was breathtaking. It was just him, his incredible voice, and an acoustic guitar and I was mesmerized. I could have listened to him sing all night long and still have wanted more. After the show, Curt signed autographs and graciously posed for the cameras with his adoring fans. After meeting Curt, I became very emotional.  It was my dream to meet him and my dream had come true. The evening was coming to an end, and it was time for me to leave. I was hesitant to ask Curt for a hug good-bye, not knowing how he felt about that kind of thing. After thinking about it for a few minutes, I went for it, asked, he obliged and what a great hug it was.  My heartfelt thanks to Curt, for a wonderful evening I will never forget.

Set List:

Drive (Cover), Seven of Sundays, Coming Out, Trees, Aeroplane, Beautiful Failure, Everybody Wants to Rule the World (+ some great Jazzy jam session instrumentals in between songs)

Fans sang Happy Birthday to Curt as an early birthday present
-Intermission-
I Feel Pretty (yes, that one, we’ll let Andye explain that one), Reach Out, Where Do I Go, Parents (Cover), Snow Hill, Halfway Pleased, All is Love, Yellow (Cover)
& Mad World

Music Superheroes: Batman d’Orzabal & Superman Smith

During the Tears for Fears stop in Vegas, several members from the stateside Kooks Team CS were hanging around the pool… 11am-ish. I’d been up for hours…watching the sunrise and reading tweets by Michael Wainwright. So by the afternoon I was light headed and dizzy, wishing I had brought swim gear so I could splish splash around in the water with Carri D. And as we laughed and giggled various fans came over to say hi saying they recognized me by my
glasses from Facebook and other online Tears for Fears fan communities.

While we sat there some of the Tears for Fears road crew & Casino team were setting  up speakers and running cords. We were busy chatting about the band and what was going to be on the set list. Our conversation was the same with each fan that came up to us as we sat perched between palm trees, looking at the stage and watching how the whole event was put together. Music Superheroes became the term of the afternoon and was used to describe both Roland and Curt so passerbys &road crew wouldn’t think we were talking about them like a bunch of groupies. And from that, the names Batman and Superman were the selected for these Rock Royalists. 

It was perfect because earlier that summer we’d given Curt a Superman bag filled with a special watch from us and then some branded items that my boss said he might like. From that day forward Batman (pronounced with excitement BATmaaayyyn) and Superman (Supaaahmaahhn) replaced Roland and Curt’s names in just about every conversation online and off. It’s been fun. And Manami from the Japan Tears and Kooks team created this cool picture of the  Online Party game theme. It’s been a blast…some childhood fun come to life in a modern way. I even got a Batman lunchbox recently after spotting in the check outline of a dress shop believe it or not. Too much fun! 

Would Tears for Fears ft. Sophie Hunger & Tinariwen (maybe?)

Funny how Tears For Fears have been a great cushion and encouragement for me to appreciate my own culture. Over the years they’ve worked with a number of cultured artists and always have a diverse group alongside them in some form or fashion. I believe with all my heart Tears For Fears would make great music event hosts, headlining an international night of global stars. I recently saw two I could imagine in one of their future fascinating festival line ups.

Tinariwen featuring Sophie Hunger

Tinariwen’s legendary show was so incredible and so overwhelming it took me over a week to wrap my mind around the experience. I first saw them on TV… CNN International in fact, on Inside Africa and other programs highlighting the world’s great musicians. A note had barely been played and I was already hooked. To hear of talent bursting out of the coveted and sacred Tuareg region of the world was exhilarating. And thank G-d for Facebook because that’s how I found out they were coming. With them was Sophie Hunger who explained to us how she and her band drive for nearly 8 hours a day in a car from city to city to do these 40 minute shows and how much it meant to her. She said she appreciated us paying attention as if that wasn’t something that happened regularly…but how on earth could one not pay attention to her? That voice! Oh myyy! That alone I feel is why she should one day perform alongside Tears For Fears. She’s got this range from heaven and her lyrics are deep. Accompanied by two outstanding multi-instrumentalists; the combination of the three make them an opening act you almost don’t want to perform without!

My Show Experience: The Fan Point of View I don’t think the show was promoted very well. How I coincidently ran across this concert announcement is not how a legendary group’s show should be spread. Nonetheless, Alhumdulillah! I got my ticket about 2-weeks before and then on the blessed day was up at 6am to get ready for their 8pm show. I went through a number of rituals I do for shows I deem sacred. There was the cleansing, polishing scrubbing, raqs workouts, meditation…the whole nine yards. This was not a show to take lightly. Anyone could be there…anything could happen. Hours rolled by and 6pm came. It was “go time.” I happily found the Variety Playhouse with ease. I’d been there so many times but my nervousness left me concerned if I’d find it without getting turned around in circles. All that worry for nothing. I was 2nd at the door.

I sat at Fevzi’s (Ali Baba’s) place and listened to the ultra talented Sophie Hunger chit chat with new fans who warned her not to take that beer down the street or she’d be arrested. They complimented her shoes and cool European clothes. She was very cute. Little did I know she had one incredible set that she was about to lay on us. A new fan asked for her autograph and I specifically remember her saying, “I’d give it to you but it’s worthless.” My heart sank! She has no idea of her worth! The lady is so talented and beautiful. If I had been that fan I’d have demanded she give me her autograph…or bribed her with another beer…something!! LOL!

The line began to form and there were mostly couples as expected. This show I imagined would bring in families and tons of locals from the Maghreb. I rather expected a homogenous audience but instead found it to be full of international families and young men and women who looked as if they’d been following this band for a while with their demand to be left alone in the front row. Once we were permitted inside (right at 7:30 on the dot as promised) Security came around telling each of us seated on the front row that people would get up and stand in front of us. We quickly let them know we’d be one of the many doing just that. They got the picture and left us alone to squirm uncontrollably for this show to start.

Superfanatic Friend

Victoria from Tennessee drove 5 hours to see Tinariwen. She too was up at 6am to get ready for the show. Her family dropped her off at the venue at 3pm and she was fortunate to meet the band and hang out with them while she waited for the show. Her energy was through the roof. She was just like me at a Tears For Fears concert…eager and waiting with angst as the hours ticked away til show time. While we waited, the music was just pure hard core blue-grass. Songs about cornbread and square dancing with the local gals…It was complimentary to the night only  because we knew we were about to hear some raw-straight-from-the desert-music…and well, that blue grass set was straight out of Appalachia. Vicky was tapping her feet the whole time. I don’t think it was because she necessarily enjoyed it but because she was so anxious for the show to start anything to get her mind off of the wait was helping. Here’s her story about her experience: Feel free to read this and come back to see it from an international community point of view.

Though I adore their music and got hooked to their sound quickly, as it takes me back to the loving days when my family was all here in the states; I’m not nearly as up on my Tinariwen facts as Victoria. So I was thrilled to have her with me and get a thorough lesson on who each group member was and what songs were on the set list. If it wasn’t for Victoria wouldn’t have had as good of a time. She was a great help the whole evening and if she hadn’t been there I’d have spent the whole time worried about singing the songs correctly or calling certain members by the wrong name.

Sophie Hunger

Sophie sang several of her own songs and changed up one to fit the environment… including the words “Little 5 Points” in the lyrics. Such a cool nod to all of us in Atlanta and the neighbourhood that was hosting them for the evening. The remaining songs were a mix of English, Swiss German and some French. I enjoyed her entire set and certainly want to collect her music. She made a new fan out of me within the first 3 minutes of sharing her powerful sound. It was incredible. You have to hear her. Here’s a short clip that doesn’t do her justice but you’ll perhaps understand…

One of the beautiful things about the night was the aesthetically pleasing stage. I’ve been to so many shows at The Variety Playhouse and I’ve never seen a stage set so well. The colours changed with each song and the background was gorgeous. I don’t remember this when seeing Cheb Khaled, Gogol Bordello or others. Of course many bands have their own backdrops but was that of the playhouse or?? Stunning choice!! When Sophie completed her set the stage lights came up for just a few minutes. By this time the whole playhouse was filled…not sold out but filled and that was comforting…though this band is SO BIG there’s no explanation as to why the tickets didn’t sell out and several fans made their voices heard with anger that more people weren’t there to hear them. Of all cities in the south, Atlanta should have sold out. But embarrassingly we were not and that may be due to the personal agendas of many people in our community or…The “messed up economy” that has left many without the means to attend anything at all.

Tinariwen 

House lights dropped, the band began to emerge from the gorgeous backdrop. Victoria and the whole front row lept up and walked forward clapping while  zaghareets wailed through the venue. We stopped just short at the stage, my head right at Hassan’s feet and their spirit just took over. The set included a number of their top hits and some of the newer items that have been promoted around the world. Right now, my favourite song by them is this one on which Carlos Santana accompanied at the Montreaux Jazz Festival. And our show felt very intimate like this one here:

And here’s a short clip of perhaps my favourite song of the night. 

Tinariwen’s influence is certainly from their culture/our culture…that sound from Mali/Niger and surrounding countries and cultures that make up one of the most beautiful and naturally serene parts of the world. But Rock, Blues and other genres are embedded into their sound because they heard this music on television growing up. Read their history here: They are the Desert’s Guitar. They are some of the best representatives of the region’s sound and again what an honour to be front row dancing and swaying in a cultural fashion (as we do) with them leading the way…particularly Hassan, who dances the entire time. It’s amazing.

When they walked off stage my greedy, selfish, superfanself went into beg mode. “Hassan, I want a towel. Give me a towel, please?!!” They had barely had a moment to bow to the audience I was already reaching cause I was afraid they’d walk off. So I’m yelling in French and Arabic to please let me have the towel. Hassan stuck around and got the two towels left on stage and gently threw them to me and Victoria. We were totally giddy. My pals in the international community who know “how I am” laughed and shook their heads. “She’ll sleep good tonight,” I could hear in the minds of several. Security even said, “I don’t get it…what joy do you get from a towel?” I told him quickly about my collection from bands all over the world.

Then I walked toward the backstage door because one of the members was standing there. I got some pictures and then security politely told us we had to go because they needed to clear the area and start breaking down the stage. The members of Tinariwen were gracious and said, “Just come with us…” And so those of us who were standing around them (about 10 of us at this point who had gotten past security’s suggestion to use the other door and leave out the front) followed like little ducks to a tiny little room…then a door opened and low and behold there the rest of the band was and the tour bus.  Groups members  welcomed us to hang out with them…so I had to be polite and stay right? LOL! 

We spent about an hour taking picture after picture, getting autographs “Fee Arabi…la’a englessi” I began… stating that please don’t write in English on my ticket. Put it in Arabic! They laughed. I gave Hassan a kiss on the cheek which may not have been the smartest idea because in our culture that’s just being forward and fast. Haram yani…but he got over it and next thing I knew we were all cozy and chatting like brother and sister. Then Ibrahim opened the tour bus door and one of the ladies from Ethiopia got on…then another from India…and then he motioned for me to get on… “Moi?” I asked. He bowed slightly and said, “Yesss…” Well, I wasn’t gonna ask twice. My embroidered gown clad self lifted the garment so that I wouldn’t trip and fall and climbed the steps inside what may as well have been a great palace. 
We sat down, tea was made and we had one of the best evenings that lasted well into 1am…there was singing, storytelling and much more as we sat their cozy and tight together. I loved it! The last time I was on a tour bus was when Bob Marley’s son Ziggy was in town and I waited an hour and half to get onboard. That little friendly family visit cost me my cultural friendship-marriage but I wouldn’t have changed a thing. So there with Tinariwen I felt right at home as if this was supposed to happen. And ceremonies began, tea was poured and conversations the likes you only see at home began…there wasn’t a topic that wasn’t discussed. It was just incredible. (video begins with concert moment)

One of the members from Café Istanbul was there and wanted to go get food and bring it for all. But the night went on and on and we were well into our little ceremony so by the time it was over I suggested she take the guys to Café Istanbul so they could see how beautiful it is. Things were moving a bit fast at this point…and I’ll leave it at that.

It was a gorgeous evening, I made some new friends and I was just absolutely amazed with the kindness and friendly nature of such a grand legendary band. If Tears for Fears are ever in the mood for a jazzy set they’ve got to add Sophie Hunger and Tinariwen to the line up. I was absolutely floored by the music, the energy…everything! It was certainly a night to remember. Victoria and I are eager for the next one!  

Thanks for reading!

Duran Duran at Park Tavern Atlanta (the unofficial scoop)

So, I got the scoop on DuranDuran’s private return to Atlanta for Jezebel Magazine…at least this is how it was relayed to me. I wish like anything I had just believed the advertisement when I saw it rather than doing what I did below. Read on…(but 1st, wasn’t Naomi Campbell just freakin’ brilliant in the “GirlPanic!” video? sizzlin’!)

About 5 days ago (still in a continued appreciation mode for Curt Smith’s (TFF) e-intro to JT) I saw a note on Facebook that read “Win VIP tickets to DuranDuran.” Having not heard anything from the band themselves about a local event I thought the promoters of this event ParkTavern Atlanta, were perhaps willing to send someone to a show in New York or something like that. Given that I’m still in a happy euphoric daze from the Tears for Fears tour and the 15 October Duran Duran Atlanta Chastain show I couldn’t keep asking the media team for time away to “run off with the band.” But being the determined superfan, I looked into it anyway…just to see…

I couldn’t find any information. And my heart was running on skeptical. I simply did not believe Duran Duran was coming back to Atlanta. So, by that Thursday it was “a joke” to me. Tweets, FB updates and other cool things from the band poured in…but nothing mentioned Atlanta. I spoke to Denise in Toronto who was still dancing on the Valentine. I chatted with Sir David Esquire…none of these Duranies had heard about this show or they would have told me. So now I was confirming in my own mind no such thing was going to occur.

Monday afternoon, It’s Halloween 2011: I’m plugging away at media assignments and come across something that needs a second opinion. I walk down the hall to my cwky and after I get my questions answered she says to me, “So you going to Duran Duran tonight?” *enter the thunderstorms and cackling witches on brooms*

All of the sudden the room began to spiral out of control. Like a hellish Halloween nightmare the light fixture seemed to blink and the earth went dark with a moon falling toward me…I had to roll out of the way!

“ohhh my Gaaaahhhd! It wasn’t a joke. It wasN’T A JOKE! IT WASN’T A JOKE!!!” (YES, by now I escalated to a “freak out” in her office. I mean, up stomping around with my hands in the air…then of course I had to sit down cause I felt like I might faint.) My heart was racing. I felt tears swell up in my eyes.  She looks at me with shock and says, “Tell me YOU knew about the show right? You need a ticket?” I sat there at her mercy. “Yes, I need a ticket. I thought it was a joke. I saw the advertising but I thought it was out of state…I thought…” I went on for a few minutes hands flailing and explaining as if she needed to know every detail. She sympathized with me and made some phone calls. Then she turned to me and said, “I’ll know by 6pm.” And with that, I left her office with my head hanging down and slumped back to my desk to recoup and re-concentrate on the tasks at hand. I was so focused that I finished my assignments one hour earlier than usual and then headed out to hopefully hear back from her later.

I did not.

I went home later that night feeling terrible. I fell in the floor after a few tweets and went to sleep. Devastated and determined, I vowed to myself to not ever let such a thing happen again. How could I ever assume that a Duran Duran show may not happen just because the band said nothing about it. Sure, it’s logical, but still, I’m a raqs and rock band superfan I shouldn’ve known better.

The Morning After

I finished up my media assignments and then around the same time tottled back over to the cwky. “Hi! Tell me you went to the show! Please say one of us made it?!” And this is what she said in a nutshell:

It was different than what I expected. We got there on time which was about 8’oclock. No one was there. Just a few people…and they were in costumes. It was like a Halloween party. Then about 10 or 10:30 Duran Duran comes out, gets up and does a cool acoustic set of 4 songs. Simon was there in a big top hat with a tie around it. He was the only one standing. The rest were seated for the most part. One of the pretty girls that’s touring with them now was also there…the one with the long black hair. A slender guy and I think JT was there. They sang 4 songs…asked if they were in Atlanta, which in hindsight was weird…and well, that was about it. We expected more but hey…you know.

We talked more about the details of the music. She’s not a hard core Duranie in comparison to Carri D and Sir David Esquire who could probably feel the vibrations of a Duran Duran song from an iPod 8 people away (just as I can for a Tears for Fears song and have on many occasions but i digress…)  So, she couldn’t really remember the names of the songs. From what I gather the set list was as follows:

All You Need is Now

Hungry Like the Wolf (Acoustic)

Leave the Light on

Reflex

Video of Hungry Like the Wolf, recorded by Cwky& “The Marketing Guy” Posted permission granted by Ryan at Park Tavern 4:35pm 2 November 2011

And now let’s enjoy Girl Panic from the 15 October show (by Duranie atlrio) which was my favourite song performed that night due to the gorgeous young lady on percussion who blew us away with her talent:

Overall, I should’ve been there at Park Tavern. The odd unfairness of that moment makes me queasy and I was sick all night and all morning.  I got sick on the commute into downtown atlanta this morning too. I just should’ve been there. I’d have sat peacefully and well-behaved. If I can sit and listen at a Curt Smith Solo show I can sure as heck behave at DuranDuran… So, here I go throwing myself into the pile of Duranies to legally stalk Atlanta news feeds and hunt down any information that says they’re coming this way again…an intimate venue with Duran Duran is just what I need. I’m perched. I’m ready! Let’s go!

Girl Panic Official Behind the Scenes Info: It is brilliant when bands can take their image and find a company that can push it forward. After these few encounters with Duran Duran and the Duranies I’m blown away with their style and finesse. They look amazing. Looks aren’t everything but first impressions are. I think these guys and their fans have won over a ton of us in the TFF crowd. While we’ll always be groovin’ to Curt & Roland, we are also right there with their pals Duran Duran enjoying fun fashion and things that take you to another place in life. It’s all about fun! And the final product (Girl Panic!) was amazing & brilliant. A clever marketing manager was onboard here and I would kiss their feet with respect. In fact, clever is a petty word:

told ya!