Yep! They sold out. We saw that coming. But, there’s always a miracle and a silver lining when it comes to anything related to Tears for Fears. The group Event Travel has a number of packages from which to pick that will help you achieve the experience for which you are looking.
We’re going to skip our normal list of accommodations and go strictly with theirs. Why? Because you’re gonna need it. When going abroad for concerts it’s best to find package holidays and deals so that you are not overspending and you get something that is all inclusive. If you seriously do not want to do these packages, contact @papasfans and we’ll email you personally with suggestions, ground transportation and other info in case you’ve already booked your ticket and don’t need any of the below.
HUGE THANKS to THE KILLERS’ media team for being so on top of everything and getting information out! Much appreciated!
*Update: hotel packages are sold out so if you need one we suggest these which are near the train and can get you to other places you need to go while you’re staying in the city…
The Cumberland/Hotel Cumberland: Great Cumberland Place, Westminster Borough, London, W1H 7DL, United Kingdom
Hotel Mercure: 8-14 Talbot Sq, Paddington, Westminster Borough, London, W2 1TS, United Kingdom
Hotel Grosvenor– this is sold out but check back with them periodically because it’s managed by a great team – 86 Park Lane, Westminster Borough, London, W1K 7TN, United Kingdom
This is dedicated to Lax, our travel fan pal from 2015. He is so hardcore he went to David Lynch’s concert and Tears for Fears all in the same night. He’s been doing shows for quite a while. Glad we got to do a couple with him. Also dedicated to Alan Todd who shared some amazing videos. Shout out to Mr. Mendoza who was also there!
Jason DeBord was in attendance. Long time fans will remember him from San Francisco 2012. Took some great shots and did an amazing write up on the show. Looking forward to sharing his work.
Some really cool things happened at this show. You all may remember Bill from way back when. He’s been with the band for a long time. Bill is a hard worker and is very kind, thoughtful and intelligent. He opened the Humphrey’s show with some bandmates and that was awesome. Thanks to his pal Sammy for allowing us to share this photo.
With that said, we think it’s important to highlight some of the amazing people who make these tours so majestic. Bill is certainly one of those people. On numerous occasions he has gone above and beyond to be kind. We appreciate it. We’re aware that it’s a task to remember faces and names. Not everyone can get a set list or a pair of drumsticks from the band but he, Jamie and others do try very hard to be fair and do extra things like that and it’s always appreciated by the recipients be they a part of our Travel Fan Team or someone who is just joining in the fan shenanigans.
Again, Bobby drove fans from place to place as did Becky (who was responsible for taking care of our travel fan t-shirts that were such a hit). So many people stayed in touch the entire time via email, Twitter and other social platforms. New friendships were made and the pictures say it all. The teamwork was terrific and was noticed!
TFF Travel Fan for over 15 years – Bblaze!
Meet Your Fellow Fans Online! Click through and like the content. Be sure to leave a hi and connect. It’s awesome to make new friends in the name of music.
Did you miss a show? You can find links to all the concert recaps and photos on the reschedule note. Feel free to share your concert experience on the Tears for Fears Travel Fans and Kooks FB page. Get some sleep, replenish your travel fan cash and perch! Also, please see the note below from the moderator to wrap up what has been a really amazing couple of weeks.
He knew exactly who he was looking at – thank Susan for this! 🙂
*Tour Pause – Closing Note from the Moderator
Very sad I didn’t get to meet many of the new people that flew out to see the band. When the reschedule dates were released they were on days that I had committed to other events. I’ve literally been en route to something 90% of the past three weeks. Also, much like many others, I couldn’t believe the $1000 total to rebook flights. I would rather put that money toward Tears for Fears merch and tour accommodations. It was a very angering experience to see there was absolutely no way to remedy that. For me it was a sign that maybe I should put a stop to the whole “Stop, Drop and Go see Tears for Fears” way of life that I’ve had for the last 6 years. We always say we’re making up for lost time and that’s why we go to such extremes to get to so many shows. Well, maybe that time has been made up?
Thank you from Alisa. Big Hugs to her!
Wear it with pride! TFF Swag
Feel encouraged to love!
Tears for Fears Superfans
As I sat in hotels here and there, I was continuously on the phone or exchanging email with fellow fans as we scrambled to see if we could get better seats for those flying such a long way. Some even flew in from the UK (Obrigada Paula). Others drove for hours. It was a lot of work! Despite not being physically present I am terribly exhausted. But it was worth it because many of those very people claimed that the band was in ‘belle forme.’ I’m so glad that people who dedicate a chunk of their year to see TFF didn’t have to break with tradition. The extreme excitement of a Tears for Fears show rushed through not only myself as I logged on at night to pick up video being sent to me but it electrified everyone else as well. It was even with us throughout the day. So many of us were literally in a state of excitement for three weeks.
I don’t know which was my favourite show. If I had to pick I’d say it would be Red Rocks. The energy was just wow! There were some really cool moments for the core team and the ROCSaTears. I’m so grateful that the band took time with those that appreciate their music enough to move heaven and earth to be present as much as possible. I know that inner flame of travel fandom and a sense of peace came over me when I saw Tears for Fears actually smiling together with fellow fans wrapped around them like dolls. We adore Tears for Fears and their families. Nothing beats getting to physically stand with them even if for a brief moment. I felt a so much comfort and relief when I saw the band hugging fellow fans and the numerous interactions on Twitter and in person.
Personalised Photos by Manami. Here’s one she did of Tears For Fears as SuperHeroes 2011 based on a funny day in Vegas and Andye’s glasses
Tears For Fears Superfans at the OC Show… Photo by Kai G.
Tears For Fears Fan MeetUp #7 Sunset Station 2012
Why So Emotional?
I learned something about myself this time around and that is, I accidentally became emotionally invested in this band and didn’t even realise it. A few others have expressed the same. For those who are feeling “addicted” to the work of Tears for Fears, remember that the band created several albums and you have purchased all of them and perhaps several copies and remastered remixes as well. They hold concerts and you bought tickets and enjoyed every show. This is what they are offering and this is what we’ve got. When we start to ponder what else is available, we are reaching a level that may not be the healthiest way to exist in the Tears for Fears fan world no matter how cool a Tears for Fears museum or fan conference may be.
The band knows many of us have a wish list a mile long that includes everything from a group photo spot at every show to a website with a registered fan base. What they are offering right now is music, concerts and merch. We will bask in the availability of those things and do our best not to get caught up in a dream land filled with visions of Tears for Fears theme nights at Disneyland (yeahhh…that was someone’s wish and what a cool thing that might have been).
One of many neat shares from the band over the weekend…
#Seats #TwitterThrowback – well timed…
Carolyn’s H’s Tattoo
In closing…
I do hope that everyone had a good time. It’s really refreshing to see that Curt took note of the front row. I hope that, if anything, Curt can somehow get those front row seats and sell them to fans directly. It’s long overdue that those of us who follow the band religiously should never have to fear that we’re going to end up in the balcony being yelled at by some person who doesn’t even own a copy of ELAHE (let alone have a copy of Tomcats and Mayfield) and only came to hear them sing Shout. You deserve better than that and so does the band.
Long live the good work that Tears for Fears has produced and I pray all of us are able to enjoy it to the fullest in the future. And…don’t forget the flight and ticket insurance! Just keepin’ it real…
-AA
This is dedicated to Jolene B and Pam. Huge thanks to these ladies for making it out to the show and representing superfan life in the TFF Travel Fan world. So glad they had a great time! This means a lot!
Thank you @rolandtff and @curtsmith for an amazing concert! I've never heard anyone that sounds so phenomenal live or made it so personal. pic.twitter.com/aHoN7ZmpS6
Thank you @rolandtff and @curtsmith for an amazing concert! I've never heard anyone that sounds so phenomenal live or made it so personal. pic.twitter.com/aHoN7ZmpS6
To all the fans we chat with daily that travelled to see the band, it’s clear you had an amazing night and your fellow fans are thrilled. Again, many thanks to all who checked-in all night. Hope we get to spend more time together in the future. Cheers!
This is dedicated to the awesome Valerie M, music queen of the night Melissa D and her husband plus lucky Lael who met up in Arizona for an outstanding show!
“Tears For Fears is just what the doctor ordered. Honestly, it is about living in the present. Letting go, being one’s authentic self and finding kindred spirits in people that are mirrors of ourselves, makes one keenly aware there is a power larger than all of us, and that our whole is larger than the sum of our parts, no matter were we go in this world…” – Lael
Our man Lax was there too! This is one of 2 shows he attended this year.
Valerie has some really cool stuff. Check out her experience. She notes that some of the video is very bouncy because she was dancing around. We wouldn’t have it any other way! Gotta dance! Let the band know you adore them. “Curt is a combo of the guy next door and rock star. Cool watching Roland play guitar up close. Excuse my giddy schoolgirl giggle when he looks at me…” -Valerie M.
EWTRTW
Creep
Head Over Heels
Shout
We met a couple of people online too. Meet Tricia! She also agrees that not much has changed, Tears for Fears sound just as good as day 1!
Just before Roland sang Radiohead’s Creep, he chatted with the audience. These are golden moments for us. We love this and joke he could read the phone book and we’d be happy. He and Curt are quite enjoyable to listen to any time any place…
*Be sure to click through and like the video. Make a new Tears for Fears fan friend!
Secret World – such an excellent song
Shout
Listening to TFF "The Hurting" CD. @rolandtff and @curtsmith and the guys rocked @ComericaTheatre last night. On my feet dancing all nite 😃
So happy everyone had a great time. This was a fun tour full of excitement. Still feeling speechless at the amount of team work and the endless excitement! We can barely sleep! Thanks for reading, thanks for hanging out online and being present at shows so often!
-TFF Travel Fan Team
For many, the Tears for Fears tours are a ceremonial pilgrimage, a getaway to another state of mind. Anything that ails you is swept away as soon as the opening music leading them to the stage begins to play. We’ve spoken about that feeling before and it’s simply majestic. Few things compare to these tours. It’s a different kind of excitement, a mysterious energy that just coats a crowd…and, as we’ve noted for years, it’s addictive. Enter the Kerfuffle of Kooks, the travel fans, the hard core peeps that can’t stay away, it’s a craving that must be satisfied. They prove again and again that this band is not only relevant but vital to the industry. What Roland, Curt and team bring to the musical table is very unique and impossible to forget.
More of ROCS here: https://www.periscope.tv/QtCDior28/1YqJDDZgDDaJV?t=4 *Periscope videos last about 24 hours unless the user archives it. CD/SK is very good about archiving her experience on YT so you can follow videos there. Please be sure to like and comment on her channel. Many thanks!
Of the many bands that stirred up euphoric emotion in the 70s, 80s and 90s, The Fixx has its place among them as does the continued music of David Bowie. Both are heard before most shows which results in a myriad of “ohmmigaaahd, I love this song” and “Yess!! Bowie, YEESSS!!” from the crowd. That, too, is an experience and warming to see. The band or somebody in the crew has had this mix of music since 2010 and it’s like…the best music mix ever with these amazing timeless pieces of gold. Tears for Fears, The Fixx, and David Bowie are to rock what Beethoven is to classical music. Their work is etched in industry stone as unmatched. So, this share from “solohour” was a treat! Hear the music in the background…mmmmm. That tingling feeling of joy just sweeps over us.
The Fixx Stand or Fall…a fantastic fixture pre-show
Ahhh VIP, a little slice of heaven. This was brought to our attention. Yes, this is what some of the passes look like but they of course usually change from show to show and for good reason. We’re well aware that this is a special option that doesn’t happen for everyone. As seen on photos floating around the internet, yes, we’ve been “back there.” What goes on back there? Well, sometimes there’s a lot of people. At times we saw a lot of the crew. Other times it was just us and the band because we had a meeting. Each time, you can find people chatting and talking about music. People were very friendly (lots of familiar faces). There are cool people taking photos and it’s a very kind and informal environment. ROCS usually change clothes and they both look like a million dollars from head to toe all over again. It’s a very warm and peaceful experience with angelic excitement if that makes any sense. We hope that one day a fan conference will be in place so that many of the newer hard core travellers (as well as the loyal returners pre-ELAHE) will be able to have a moment to shake the guys’ hands. We know that is important and many have messages they want to say in person. It’ll have to be done strategically. We don’t want to overwhelm anyone and disturb their peaceful aura.
Here are video shares from the night, again please make sure you like the clips and make a new friend. Nothing compares to online friendships that eventually come to life at shows. All of us met online prior to travelling together. Huge thanks to the TFF Travel Fan Team for always going the extra mile. Whether you know it or not, it is noticed and it is appreciated. Enjoy!
EWTRTW
Sowing the Seeds of Love
Mad World
Pale Shelter
Head Over Heels
Shout
Awesome shares on Instagram. Make a new friend, like a post and leave a comment.
Please note that there is a TFF Arizona Fan Meet-Up in the works. It is for fans only (no guarantee that the band will be present). Please check out Lael’s post on the TFF Travel Fan Team FB page and reply for details. Have a great rest of the week!
Look out for posts from the band before and after the show via @CurtSmith @Rolandtff and @TearsForFears.
*Dedicated to the TFF Travel Fan Team at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Curt’s Kerfuffle of Kooks. Huge thanks to Drummer Genius Jamie for the hugs!
“Such an amazing show tonight!!! Gorgeous venue!! The band has never sounded better!!! The crowd was so stoked!! There are no words to describe how incredible tonight was! Not to mention, the incredible gift from Jamie Jamie Wollam! The cherry on top was a tweet from Curt Smith!!! Wow! I wonder if I’ll ever come back down to earth! PS: As always CD & I were representing!!!” – Becky Boom Boom – Travel Fan Soldier of Sound – a real ROCSaTear
Soldiers of Sound armour… many hard core travel fans wear it to every show. These are the “ID” bracelets from the coveted, limited edition “Curt Smith Bundle.” #VIKForLife
Hard to say anything else really…just speechless. As mentioned in the travel fan info, so many fans headed out to this show. The venue was packed. Very grateful we had so many long time travel fans on the ground last night. Huge thanks to those who went the extra mile to support Tears for Fears. There’s a lot to be said about people who dedicate their time and energy to this group. Not enough thank yous in any language to sum up the gratitude felt all around. Cheers all, enjoy the shares below. Be sure to click through, like the posts, and make a new Tears for Fears fan friend…
Thank you Jamie for taking the time and welcome Lindsey R to the crew.
*Drummer Genius Jamie will probably never know or be able to fathom how much he means to us. Some things are just left unsaid because it’s hard to express. Wishing he and the crew decades of good times ahead and we pray we get another 30+ years to enjoy them.
From Lady Carolyn: “The bag he is holding contains a couple gifts we got for him. Bobby Russell came up with the idea of finding out what brand of drumsticks Jamie Wollam uses and the size he prefers, and signing our names on them with different colored sharpies. Jamie is always giving the fans his drumsticks as precious souvenirs and we wanted to pay him back in some way. While we were at the music store, I saw a beautiful black cowbell, so we got that and wrote appreciative messages on it with a silver sharpie. He loved the gifts and said they were going in his collection. We (Bobby Russell, Silver Kitty, Becky and I….The ROCSatears) are extremely honored. Jamie is such a kind man.”
On that note, there’ve been many nights where we’ve wondered how to repay the band back for their kindness…nice to see he was open to receiving the gifts.
TFF Travel Fan for over 15 years Bblaze!
Always amazing weather and scenery, great venue, stunning and lovely…
Want to give a shout out to all of the fans that travelled to the shows this past weekend. Jen, KPC, Stephen, Sad, Dave, David, the list goes on. In particular, we had fans from Atlanta and New York that made the journey. Stephen documented his travel on Instagram. His primary reason for heading to Ontario was for the band and he ended up making a mini-holiday out of the trip. This post is dedicated to each of these great people who went the extra mile literally.
Well, Tears for Fears in Canada came and went so fast. These videos and photos were shared with us and brought to our attention aligning our joint efforts to highlight fans in Canada, many of whom repeated their experience from last year. As Sad mentioned, we always aim to support this band. We addressed concerns about this leg of the tour below. For now, enjoy these shares from both shows.
Speaking of experiences, we had some complaints this time around. In fact, we’ve had some unhappy travellers in the past few shows and this is due to encounters with some in the audience who may not be so loyal or understand our dedication to the band. We can’t stress enough how important it is for us to have a fan section so we can stand up and sing along without people around us telling us to sit down. Throwing things at us, hitting us and other behaviour toward Tears for Fears fans because we won’t sit down is not acceptable. Snoozing through a show is also rude. If you were hurt during a show, email us. We have a lawyer, security and have no problems pressing charges quietly. Everything is in place to do so. A music holiday shouldn’t be a horror show and those that find these measures extreme should be mindful of karma. We’ve been following this band for years and have never seen or heard of people being assaulted until late 2014.
One of the reasons we have this team and try to keep in touch with everyone is make sure all who are making such an effort to take time out of their busy schedules actually get decent tickets and can sit together. Many travel fans (aka anyone that travels to see the band outside their home state or even 3 hours down the road) could be spending that time making money or being with their families but instead are spending a chunk of change to go see Tears for fears. However, the passion runs deep and people want to pay their respects to the band that made us cry so to speak. Many take their whole families, this is their summer holiday or in the case of the reschedule, an impromptu trip. Many went with their spouses and made the show a date night (i.e. famous musician Ted Yoder). We deserve the right to stand and enjoy a show without being heckled or abused. Due to the horrible behaviour we encountered last year, some sat this tour out and have no intention of travelling again unless we can be close to the band each and every time. No more sitting in balconies or random out of the way places. That’s over.
We don’t expect to meet the band nor do we beg for those things to happen (at least not all of us). The times that it has happened have been miraculous and we’re grateful for the many times we’ve experienced that blessing. Still, there are hundreds of us and they can’t meet us all. This is a concert, not a fan conference. But we do feel that fans who travel deserve some decent respect. That isn’t always happening. The only way to ensure that is with a fan club section at a show or an organised VIP of which isn’t “officially” available. So we work extra hard to literally “mine” tickets, sometimes paying horrible prices that are 5x as much as market rate just to get everyone together.
We’ve managed to get decent seats at most shows so far …except Canada. We’ve never been able to really get great seats for everyone due to the fact that these are casino shows for the most part. We have no control over who gets on the front row. The casino often reserves those types of premium seats for their casino winners, etc. Or premium seats get “gifted” or rewarded to other people who are rarely hardcore fans. In the case of Friday’s show, two people in those seats fell asleep…and of course Good Man Curt noticed it…and called them out on it. We support his decision to do so.
Those seats could have gone to any one of the people who drove the long distance to see them or maybe another local fan who has waited years for these concerts. Not sure who those people were that slept. Maybe they were just really tired and didn’t feel well? Hope they are okay but in future we trust they’ll have the kindness to leave and hand over their tickets to someone behind them instead of sleeping through a band’s show. It’s just as bad as people who go to the front row and just sit there. Andye saw that happen at Duran Duran/Nile Rogers Chic too…it’s very disrespectful and a slap in the face to tons of fans who, again, went the extra mile.
Of all the good things that did happen, this tweet from Curt was one of them. He’s done it before (solo show Spring 2011). So Heaven be the faith that moves mountains allowing us to support this band in our merry travel fan way.
Cheers! Be safe, stand your ground. You paid for it!
-TFF Travel Fans
Tears for Fears came round in the wind and the rain in Michigan. This post is dedicated to dear Becky M who is no stranger to the Tears for Fears tours. She grabbed the set list for the team. Way to go! So awesome of you! Here are some other photos and posts from that day. Big thanks to our Becky and fans on the ground for uploading and sharing photos.
Here’s Becky’s experience. She writes…
“No pictures tonight, but this is the set list from the Meijer Gardens show. AMAZING…..had some rain and a couple of wind gusts but it was a great show. Tonight will be hard knowing they’re only an hour away, but need to spend time with family before they fly home Wednesday morning. Vocals were solid, and the people around us were wonderful……too wound up to sleep.”
We also e-met @sutecides. What an outstanding photo!
Lot’s of great people posted to Instagram. Be sure to like their posts and send a thank you!
Second show of the tour, Tears for Fears Chateau Ste Michelle in Washington State. Eager fans could not wait for them to get on that stage. They went absolutely wild. There were some “live” people in that audience too. They were fiercely dedicated and our hats are off to all of you. Many thanks to all the fans who posted videos and pictures. Be sure to follow @tearsforfearsmusic on Instagram for videos as well.
Things to enjoy? Curt Sticking his tongue out on someone’s picture. Too freakin’ cute. Be sure to like all of these videos and say thanks to the videographers.
Let’s open with this gorgeous piece of footage by Live Music Guy – nice job!
Bit of a recap on the past week’s shows stars with the one at Maryhill Winery. These are videos and photos from Instagram and fans on the ground who have been in touch throughout this part of the tour. Many thanks to everyone for sharing individually and on your social accounts. Remember to tag your items #TFF2016 and we’ll be sure to find you and feature your dedication to the band and their music. Be sure to follow @tearsforfearsmusic on Instagram for live video and mini-montages from the shows.
Touch of the Superficial
Can we mention how good they looked at this show? Whaat whaat?! ROCS looked like teens! Check out Roland on Break It Down Again in the video link below. Amazing! That breeze had his tresses a’flowin’ like a river, it was gorgeous! Wow!
Compliments on the wine at Maryhill Winery + Billie Jean
Shout
So far several fans just feel the shows are too short. They want more than 90 minutes. But these set lists are the standard for Tears for Fears. When you adore them that much there is not such thing as “enough time” in their presence. It’s never enough…and why we as travel fans fight to get to as many shows as we can year after year. We feel you! It’s never long enough. We need a 3-day Tears for Fears concert with a show every night including solo work. Just sayin…keepin’ it real.
For those looking to meetup, let us know what shows you’re going to so we can get you in touch with other fans for group pictures and anything else that may come up! Safe Travels!
-TFF Travel Fan Team
Tears for Fears Travel Fans 