We are grateful that Roland and Curt tour together bringing their phenomenal energy to fans around the world in many different countries. Here are some of the reviews and fan fun that took place before, during and after the show.
Venue Address: 149 Westchester Ave, Port Chester, NY 10573 Suggested Hotels:Doral Arrowood Hotels closer to the area such as the Hilton were sold out due to other events happening at that time.
Meet & Greets: This is not a third party show where meet & greets are handled by a sponsor. That’s all we’ve got. Most likely we’ll arrive a day in advance, have dinner and hang out like we usually do. Some will be driving in from the Canada show so we’ll be waiting on them to get in and keep this fan train rolling.
As information comes in we’ll update this post so be sure to subscribe and follow us on Twitter (@papasfans) for “fan travel” info and shenanigans.
As we get ready to move into another set of Tears for Fears shows in the coming cooler months, we’re reflecting on the excitement that took place a little more than a month ago. Big thanks to our dear pal Pennie for sharing her experience!
Living in a destination city, I have been fortunate to have seen Tears for Fears locally. In the last year I’ve had the opportunity to travel to a couple of shows out of state. I decided on Albuquerque/Sandia Resort because the show was at an amphitheater which had wonderful reviews, and this would be my first show experience at an amphitheater.
I arrived mid-morning. The grounds of this resort are quite remarkable, with a beautiful golf course that seemed to be more enhanced by the stunning Sandia Mountains in the distance. In the lobby of the hotel I was greeted by a large TV screen displaying the announcement of the TFF show! I was obviously in the right place!
Show Time!
We arrived at our seats just as Tears for Fears was taking the stage. We found that people were sitting in our seats. An honest mistake, I’m sure. Luckily, an usher helped get them to their correct seat. It was near dusk with a slight breeze, and slowly the stage lighting became more colorful. The set list was very similar to previous shows on the tour. Some of my high points:
-The wonderful guitar rift on EWTRW makes me feel like I’m floating.
-I LOVE the new techno intro for Pale Shelter.
-Break it Down Again (video below)- Roland was doing his best to keep the crowd involved, encouraging everyone to get their arm up and swing it side to side. We had a pretty responsive audience.
-Memories Fade- This song is quite emotional for me. I never get tired hearing TFF play this song.
-Creep… we all know how we feel about Creep!!
I took an audio recording of Head Over Heels. I always do when my daughter isn’t with me. It’s one of her favorite TFF songs and I love to share the moment with her.
Later in the show, the wind picked up quite a bit and was blowing from all different directions. The band had a heck of a time keeping their hair from blowing across their faces… some more so than others. Roland stated joking with Curt about his hair which made the crowd laugh.
Technical difficulties always seem to turn into an amazing, impromptu masterpiece of winging it. At the beginning of Woman in Chains, I think the wind knocked one of Jamie’s drum sticks from his hand because everything stopped while someone brought him another drum stick. The wind continued to blow and I was becoming a bit nervous about the overhead speakers and lighting which were swinging back and forth over the stage. I had to tell myself to “Focus on the music Pennie.”
During the show I noticed a guy running up and down the steps several times who would turn his ear to the stage and listen as he reached a seat below us. I ran into him after the show and asked if he was working the boards because I kept seeing him running up and back? He said “Yes, how did it sound?” You could tell he was genuinely interested in my opinion. I told him it was absolutely wonderful.
I come away from this show knowing that Tears for Fears genuinely cares about their fans. We are truly fortunate to have Tears for Fears touring again!
Looking forward to the next adventure!
TFF Travel Fan Pennie K.
Fan Videos from Albuquerque:
Very energetic version of BIDA from Karla Kristina on YouTube
Johan Malone shared a great video of Shout on YouTube
Lael has travelled and met up with the Travel Fan Team for several shows. This year she headed off to the Wild Horse Pass Resort and Casino with SnapHappy Pam, another long time travel fan, for the Arizona stop on the tour. Here’s her experience…
Lael and Pam… long time travel fans… 🙂
I connected up with SnapHappy Pam, who takes great pictures and videos of bands, for the TFF show in Chandler, Arizona. She was gracious enough to pick me up at Sky Harbor International Airport. I was highly concerned about the heat that day, as it was expected to get up to 115 degrees Fahrenheit!!
Pam and I also had our work cut out for us, as we needed to find a birthday card for Curt Smith, and gifts for both Curt and Roland Orzabal. We found some nice gifts at the Arizona Mills Shopping Center, but we were still on the search for an appropriate card for Curt. Pam decided to stay in the car as I went to find a card, stating that she “trusted my judgment”. No pressure, right?!! Well, I finally found a card, and after a little issue with gift bags, we were on the way to the hotel.
After checking in at the hotel and getting ready for the concert, we made it to the venue about 5:30 p.m. It took us a little time to actually wind our way back to the Ovations Showroom. The actual theater is adorned with beautiful ornate glass door panes. We looked into the doors of the venue, and guess who we saw on stage? Roland Orzabal was working on his pedal settings while tour and venue management looked on from the back of the venue. We peered closer, and Pam pointed out Curt Smith to me; he was also monitoring the sound check at the back of venue. After a couple of minutes of viewing the sound check, and talking to other fans that were now congregating outside the venue, we went on our way to find something to eat before the show, and to try to find the band’s tour bus.
Pam held our place at the lounge, while I ventured out to locate the tour bus in heat that made me feel like I must be searing my eyeballs. I found the bus after a several minute walk, and it didn’t appear there was anyone on it at the time, or maybe the crew were all sleeping? Being as discrete and respectful as possible, I quietly made my way back to the lounge.
As I still was on the search for some decent food, I was starting to feel faint at this point. I discovered that the lounge located in front of the theater didn’t serve any food, so I needed to find the take-out line for the restaurant. At this point, I was in a maze of a daze; it was very easy to get lost in this casino, because there are many interweaving lounges and restaurants, even though it’s actually a rather small complex. After finding where the casino had take-out food, and then after a decent time in line, I was finally able to place my order for a spinach salad, but was told it would take twenty minutes for my order to be ready.
Wild Horse…
Now I realized we needed to get the gifts back to the boys, as time was running short!! I was finally able to get in touch with the venue’s entertainment manager, Jason, on a tip from Andye, and he was gracious enough to run our gifts back to Curt and Roland. Meanwhile, Pam was having fun taking pictures of the beautiful artwork and ornate lighting fixtures all around the interior of the casino.
The doors opened promptly at 7:00 pm, and we were told by the ushers that we could go back and forth to get food and drinks, which I thought was so GREAT, as I still hadn’t picked up my food order.
It was now only half an hour before show time, and I was HUNGRY. Pam was smart and had grabbed something more substantial to eat while at Arizona Mills, while I was sustaining myself on the banana I’d had for a snack hours ago. I finally retrieved my salad and then preceded upstairs, as my seat was in the balcony, while Pam’s seat was downstairs. This turned out to be a pretty ideal situation, as I loved the view up top, while Pam liked the feeling of solid ground underneath her, and it gave her a great vantage point to take her wonderful pictures and videos.
The Show
When I got upstairs, I was pleasantly surprised that there was a lounge up there with a beautiful view of the surrounding desert. I delved into my salad and discovered it had an eye-popping freshness with its delicate greens, sweet strawberries, and juicy pieces of chicken. While I savored the fresh cracked pepper that lingered on my tongue, I marveled at this amazing venue, the circumstances of how I got here, and the show I was about to see. I got to my seat in the very last row of the balcony and took in the view—it reminded me of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in the L.A. Music Center—and I felt as if I were floating over the stage.
Carina Round took the stage to a house that was still only over half full. Her beautiful, soulful, and rustic-tinged voice filled up the hall while people were still talking over her—argh, grumble, grumble! I was singing along with her when I realized most of the people around me didn’t know the lyrics to her songs, which made me kind of feel out of place. I went to the restroom and her voice and guitar filled up the ladies room as well. Carina’s set included a newly added song called “Backseat”. Curt Smith’s ethereal voice could be heard offstage, and then he came on stage to sing the last stanza of the song with her.
During the fifteen minute break, I went downstairs via the elevator to see if I could chat with Pam for a moment. (I think it’s marvelous that security let us go up and downstairs, allowed me to bring my almost empty gift bag with me into the theater, and surprisingly didn’t check our bags either.) I wasn’t able to locate Pam, so the security guard started to give me a hard time about being down there; he gently reminded me how much time I had left before I headed back upstairs.
Tears For Fears opened the show with Lorde’s version of EWTRTW before coming on stage, which created a heightened space for the show. It’s beyond comprehension that while this was the fifth time I’ve seen TFF perform, I felt as if I were hearing them for the first time. They sounded so tight, the separation between the parts was incredible, and it never ceases to amaze me how they stay true to the original recordings of their songs, while imparting a new energy each time they tour.
Since I was ‘hovering’ over the stage, I had a great vantage point where I could see all of the fingerings and chords for both Curt and Roland. I also saw exactly what Jamie Wollam was doing, except for his pedals, which I could hear quite well. I was standing up, singing, and dancing to all their songs. I couldn’t help thinking: unless one is not physically able, how can one NOT dance to Tears For Fear’s music? It is dance music, correct? I was trying very hard not to annoy my fellow concert goers, while cheering, screaming operatically, and waving to both Curt and Roland. It was pretty hilarious, if you ask me!
There were only a few downsides of this show from my seat in the house: the mix was heavy on the bass and drums, people talked during the entire show, and the bar ought to have cut people off earlier, as there were some pretty drunk fans by the end of the concert.
Reflections on the Show
It seemed to me that Jamie Wollam was putting on a drum clinic, and Roland was giving a master class on opera singing at times. With Curt’s beautiful vocals and precise bass playing, Charlton Petuss’s sweet lead guitar, and Doug Petty’s wizardry on the keys, anyone that sees Tears For Fears perform live is in for a real treat.
Highlights of the show included, “Sowing the Seeds of Love” which sounded very fresh and tight to me, “Change”, showcasing their consummate technique, and when Roland’s voice opened up on that last line of “Creep”. I found myself thinking, ‘Why is this dude NOT singing opera—seriously—as he definitely has the vocal chops for it?!” The definitive highlight of the show was Roland recognizing me, making eye contact, and then flashing me the greatest smile. As Roland sang the line, “I hope we live to tell the tale” in the encore, “Shout”, I realized why I was meant to be there…I also had finally “lived to tell the tale”.
Thank you, Lael! Very sweet of you and Pam to share great photos and highlights from the Arizona show. See you next time! 🙂
Thanks for reading!
-Lael & AA
*videos and pictures by SnapHappy Pam
Follow: @tearsforfears @curtsmith @rolandtff @carinaround @jwdrum @dougpettyla @CharltonPettus (you can follow travel fan fun via @papasfans) Also, be sure to visit our #2015Love focus and consider a donation: http://www.standwithmaceo.com/ #StandWithMaceo
*Dedicated to Steven Jacobson who made his Twitter debut with a post to Tears for Fears and the Travel Fans. That was pretty darn cool! Thank you!
Our emotional & exciting journey to Tulsa for Tears for Fears began at 12:47am on Tuesday morning, the day of show. I rested just enough to be coherent and not miss our 10am lobby roll call. At 10:25am we rush off with our amazing pal Bobby, a long time TFF Travel Fan that we met through Captain Julian Orzabal. He lead the way. G-d bless Bobby, he gave us the VIP treatment in his incredible vehicle. His son Roland was by our side and kept us laughing and upbeat as we did one last check to make sure we had our tickets, etc. before heading to this next city (Tulsa) on the tour… it was broadcast on Persicope. (pardon this one-off device to device recording).
Living the Dream As we drove, I thought about the unexpected band chat we learned we were to attend that same day. The excitement of that plus feelings from the Kansas City, MO show just began to pour. We became overwhelmed by our experiences with the band over the past 3 decades (which is 95% of my life – #ProudTFFToddlerFan – I still visit the place where I first heard them on the way to school). And then Bobby says, “This reminds me of the winter of ’85…”
On the way
Upclose is an understatement…this felt amazing to all my 5 senses. Healing indeed.
Road Warrior Realities
We finally arrived at the hotel after barely getting through some time consuming traffic. Making the transformation from road warrier to concert attendee is not something that can be done in an hour’s time. You want to bring your best self in the presence of the band…whether you’re seeing them up close for a chat or within arm’s length at the stage. I wasn’t able to accomplish that this time around. The weather was humid, it’s raining and we have a band chat to attend… and I’m just not ready. Not to mention I had been trying all morning to get a last headcount on which fans were coming so we could share this opportunity in an organised fashion. We’re reaching out to see who was on the way so we could, calmly and appropriately give some hugs and appreciation to this extraordinary team of musicians that we have adored forever and a day… and it’s like crickets. Everyone was in transit or busy getting ready vs. answering the phone, replying to tweets or even picking up these extra 2nd and 6th row tickets before the show. It was strange to say the least. So, it would just be us…Silver Kitty, Bobby, Roland the Sequel, Lady C and myself… and at 6:30pm we rushed off to get an extra bag of Curt’s sweets for the show with a few things for Roland in tow.
Long story short, I ran back inside for a bar of Cadbury chocolate for Curt…and got all damp from the rain. “Maybe I should just go to my seat and let the others say hi for me…” I thought as I try to fan myself dry. I decided I’d better show up and just stand back, taking a rain check on the hugs.
A Nice Chat
*Not going to elaborate on this part because I respect everyone’s privacy (and the law of the land) to not record every word said or detail every movement made. But as always, these chats are very sacred and I’m grateful that we were able to share it with those who came along. Somewhat drier, we get inside the venue and see members of the beautiful TFF official team, people we are always overjoyed to see. As we are hugging I realise I still don’t have one of their items. I’ll have to send it later. Long time fan, former TFF member and all around awesome person, Afton is there looking like a million dollars and I’m just thrilled to see her again. Learn more about Afton (Sangster) here.
They led us down the trail to the chat which was a scene from Alice in Wonderland. There I was in my damp royal blue Japanese Kawaii coordinate entering the twists and turns like one trailing down the rabbit hole leading to this extravagant moment. It was so cool yet serene as the room in which we eventually entered looked like a grand mini ballroom with its cool furniture, deep colours and gorgeous band members relaxing like they’d just finished the most sumptuous of tea parties ever…in big chairs mind you.
Still, I wasn’t ready… After all the years of seeing them, delivering this or that…this wasn’t new for me, yet I still couldn’t believe it. Damp and dizzy with a racing heart that sent me into a cold sweat, I walk in the door ushered by the very subdued Silver Kitty. I’m greeted by the majestic presence of this band. The Good Sir in all his glory greets me with incredible and beautiful warmth. His precious hands meet mine in a respectful way. The Good Sir gives me a gentle hug depsite my forelorn and bedraggled condition and he went down the line greeting us as did others of this sacred set of musicial geniuses …The Good Man came in as well and lovingly signed merch and allowed us some nice snapshots while chatting with us about his life. It felt like family, like I was where I was supposed to be…The rest of their generous time in their presence was equal to a very spiritual encounter and will be kept in our vault. Nothing off colour or seedy occured, it was just a warm discussion and chat that for us is the closest thing to heaven. It’s a Zen gathering, it is the ultimate peace and joy. One’s soul calms when standing near them and, as usual for me, it takes about 6 months to realise that we did actually see them. Several times I find myself waking up at night thinking…was that real? It’s just such a miraculous moment.
So much fun, such a euphoric experience, all TFF concert are…
To think we were little kids watching them on TV, holding their music close like security blankets and now they stand before us providing comfort that words can’t describe. I have not found that type of peace anywhere else. There is nothing I can even compare it to because it’s like a dream. It’s a very uplifing and a soul gripping experience, it redefines Cloud 9’s eurphoria. Any odd things that happen in our daily lives are completely washed away as their energy and kindness makes a therapy session look like a cheap bandaid. Tears for Fears, whether they accept it/know it or not, are a healing experience. One look, one nod, one smile by members of this band… and one is forever changed. It’s a phenomenon.
After the unexpected and generous chat we wandered back through the cool, twisting trail and past the stage curtains which were open. I couldn’t help but take a peek at all the cool instruments. Seeing the audience from their perspective was pretty damn cool. Seeing all the eager people and happy faces just waiting for them to come out and dazzle the world as they do was exhilarating. SK was kind of enough to get us really great seats. I was happy that the stage wasn’t so high that I couldn’t see over it. I had just enough room to dance around without it pressing into my hips. Those on the first row center were literally knees-to-stage. We were first row right (Curt’s side), Lady C on first row left (Roland side) and quite comfy. We met some really lovely fans before the show and during that time I exchanged email addresses with as many of them as possible so we can stay in touch. Before long Carina Round came out and played her fantastic set. She gave a shout out to Pucifer who had played at this location some time ago and she was there with them. Curt accompanied her on the final song of her set as he’s done on so many other occasions (notably, Sunset Station Hendersonville Nevada 2012).
Annnnd of course Tears for Fears appeared not long after…and it’s all recorded. Here are some videos from the show by various fans. Big thanks to Charlton for the generosity. Huge thanks to Jamie for the drumsticks given to Bobby!! Gargantuan thanks to Roland and Curt for their TIME. Sweet gentle kisses for Carina and her beautiful voice (love her wardrobe). And special thanks to Lady T and Afton for that generous pre and post-show hug. I’m so inspired to work hard to bring forth my best self because of this band. They make me want to be a better person. It’s just something about them that makes me want to do better in every possible way. I pray, by G-d’s grace I can do it. I pray we can always enjoy their majestic presence as tour attendees and dedicated travel fans. G-d bless everyone’s contributions and efforts and the positive energy of others alongside us in sister fan groups in Manila, France and Brazil/Brasil. TFF puts the “FF’s” in “Fan Family.”
Videos and Show Highlights
*SK says to watch these in HD or the sound is completely inaudible.
We screamed a lot. Looking back through the videos, we were just in plum TFF Manic mode… I’m so glad we remain calm during M&Gs with Curt in California and impromptu gatherings during tours because if I heard or saw people like myself in “show mode” I’d probably be afraid. One beautiful part of the madness is that the entire crowd was “roaring” with joy. It was awesome, overwhelming and everything in between. The energy in those shows is electric. We get so excited and though it’s over an hour (2+ I think) it’s never long enough, you want it to go on and on. We don’t get tired of this because every concert FEELS new, one is not like the other. Atlanta isn’t LA an LA isn’t Vegas, etc. Each concert has unique pieces and occurances that make you eager to go to another so you can enjoy the new things they say and do in each city.
Another set of treats and gifts are the conversations between songs and souvenirs tossed into the audience. We were on Curt’s side for this show and Charlton was standing over us. I loved watching him play guitar and he was all smiles, even obliged and gave me a guitar pick. I was collecting Curt’s for some time and giving them to fellow fans back in Atlanta and for those who had only gotten to see Roland or stand on his side. I find that no matter what side you’re on, it’s just fun to be near them. Roland and Curt do a lot of great shoutouts during shows as well. Here’s one for a set of twins who share The Good Sir’s birthday/bidet/bday.
Birthday Shout Outs
During Charlton’s solo intro of Closest Thing to Heaven, Curt slips some Skittles. Then he comes over to us and literally throws a handful over our head to make it rain!!
OHHH MY GAHHH, you’d have thought he was throwing money. We were so excited, catching a few in our hands and swallowing them down (or at least I did. I have a collection of his autographed Skittles so any new ones are fair game to be eaten). We couldn’t get “the rain” on video because it was unexpected but we’re hoping someone else did. Good Man you are so freakin’ cool!
courtesy of Bobby
Set List
Being so close to the stage distorts the sound sometimes so here are some clips by a fan named Aaron for a few of the songs. Carri also took some cool video close up.
Everybody Wants to Rule the World (Lorde & TFF riginal Opening)
SW, SOL, AFTYAH,
Pale Shelter & cool chat from Good Man Curt *they sound crystal clear in person, again being so close to the stage our recordings sound a bit distorted.
BIDA, ELAHE & Creep
Change, MW, MF, CTTH (Billie Jean was on the list but was not played) Badman’s Song
Head Over Heels
Head Over Heels – upclose
Woman In Chains
Shout
Shout (upclose)
After the show, like immediately after, this young lady comes out of nowhere and jumps up on the stage. She’s trying to get a set list. When a staff member gives it to someone else we start yelling, “But she jumped up on the stage! C’mon, let her have one please!!” The guy did hand one over. Roland the Sequel got one as well…which was pretty darn cool and well deserved for his amazing contributions this season.
Back at the hotel, security is walking around …we don’t know why. Maybe the band was going to their rooms or something. We stayed off to the side in the lobby and people came over to us to say hi and hang out. During that time we met these cool peeps from one of the conferences that the hotel was hosting.
Hotel Lobby
Hours later in our rooms we’re looking at videos, packing and such. We had to hop off the tour because we couldn’t do that Arizona and ABQ heat. I had a swim meet back in Atlanta, so I couldn’t go to Jack’s 10th Show. This would be it for a few months…and the thought of pausing was hard. We stretched time that morning though…
Travel Fan Brunch – from Periscope TV – replay of broadcast
A Little Pause
On the way to the airport we contemplated if we should just take some extra holiday time and just go to the next show anyway, crazy 100+ degree temps be damned. We couldn’t but thankfully other travel fans were taking good care and headed out to represent the TFF365 spirit. I tried to hold in my tears the whole of the Tulsa show and afterwards but at the airport, right there at the curb I just lost it. I just cried…horribly. The ugly cry…smh.
I said goodbye to all through sobbing tears. Carolyn who was flying in the same terminal as myself walked me in and I sniffled my way through check-in. It was so hard. I walked around the airport. TFF were, to our knowledge not far off, one woman said she saw two guys who looked like The Good Sir and The Good Man walking into a side door. You know they have those now where you don’t have to walk in with the public. I thought they already did but anyway, they were supposedly spotted. Roland had tweeted that they were grounded due to the storms. Carolyn’s flight was delayed for the same reason. Mine was on time but we still had about 3 hours to kill. So…like any dedicated fan we located the Airport Jukebox that plays music over the intercom system throughout the entire airport… and we changed all of the songs to Tears for Fears…like over 2 hours worth. We Periscoped it, making sure to avoid people’s faces because we weren’t sure it was legal to broadcast there. Thanks to all, especially Steven, who logged into the broadcast and showed us how to do it. #TeeHee It was awesome! People all around us were tapping their feet and dancing in their seats. Only one guy approached Carolyn later (she was wearing her TFF shirt) and asked if she was responsible for Tears for Fears being played non stop… We have no shame. She even has a t-shirt her daughter gave her that says, “Danger, Tears for Fears Fan…”
Again, very grateful to Roland and Curt, their entire team, road team, Lady T, fans on tour, Afton and all the support and kindness we got via Periscope and the entire time we were gone. So many people help make these tours possible and we’re just thrilled to be out there on the road with their energy. Really looking forward to the new album and more fun and exciting times in this life with Tears for Fears leading the way. Cheers! Thanks for reading! AA
Memories to last a lifetime!
Follow: @tearsforfears @curtsmith @rolandtff @carinaround @jwdrum @dougpettyla @CharltonPettus (you can follow travel fan fun via @papasfans) Also, be sure to visit our #2015Love focus and consider a donation: http://www.standwithmaceo.com/ #StandWithMaceo
This is dedicated to Ryan, our newest Travel Fan Team member. Ryan is based out of KCMO and helped us find all of the things we needed to make memories that will last a lifetime!
UptownTheatre
Writing these show re-caps never gets any easier because each show and each year outshine the previous ones. We go to these concerts more for healing than entertainment. Tears for Fears are a theraputic oasis for the soul. For the past week I’ve been relaying others’ photos and experiences at Tears for Fears extravaganzas. Today I’ll share mine. One of the shows I attended took place in Kansas City, Missouri. Up until I actually landed in KCMO I was referring to it as just Kansas. Weeks and months prior I had conversations via phone with Carolyn, the Travel Fan Team rep in the area, and she corrected me saying “Missouri…Andye, it’s Missouri.” I replied, “Ooops, sorry. I won’t do it again.” Then I said “Kansas…” again. She, again, corrected me and so did every person from the driver that picked me up to Carolyn’s travel pal, Ryan who showed us around the city. Later, Curt called it Kansas with clear intention of meaning “KCMO.” He later made it clear to everyone that he did indeed mean Missouri. So, lesson learned, when referring to Kansas City, you better include the state or risk being corrected (politely mind you – e.g. soft whispers in your ear) by the sweet gentle folks that live here. And gentle is an understatement…the people there are unbelievably kind and caring!
Why Kansas?
Kansas City, Missouri was named as one of the coolest cities in America…and it is! There’s a lot to do there. They have an incredible Plaza downtown that rivals the midtowns of several major cities in North America. The shoppes and prices are more than reasonable. The food is delicious and restaurants stay open pretty late, we even found a few at 4:45am in the morning on a Sunday night/Monday morning…crazy hours and awesome at the same time!
This was the city in which several decided to see a show together. One of our members is a police officer and took it upon himself to escort us to KMO as well as Tulsa, Oklahoma. We spent 4 long days together and bonded like you would never believe. None of us had really spent THAT much time with each other previously unless you count the times we were having cold ones with Captian Julian and a few band members, road crew, etc. post show at Sunset Station in Hendersonville Nevada, Thackerville’s Winstar Casino in Oklahoma, and the list goes on. Despite our limited interactions in person, we actually clicked FAST! Everyone, especially Bobby and his son Roland (yeah, he named him after Mr. Orzabal and was one the highlights of the trip) did whatever was necessary to make the midwest shows ultra fantastic and comfortable for fellow fans around them.
Gotta represent…Drummer Genius Jamie avaiators and Orzabal check plaid…
Travel Fan Fun
10am in the morning (yeah, we got about 6 hours of sleep), Carolyn and I are downstairs ready to roll and chat with whomever walked in the door of the hotel. And we did. We met all sorts of people and had numerous conversations. I should mention that the guy at the front desk saw my TFF tshirt when I checked in and just beamed as if he knew something. My goodness, were we staying in the same hotel? Then we all headed out to the Plaza where we got Bobby ready for the shows at one of the neat shoppes. I also grabbed a pair of Hello Kitty socks which had *anchors on them. The whole day we kept finding little signs of TFF that wouldn’t normally be present except during a tour. There were lots of symbolic things that happened or either we were hypervigilant. All of our adventures were broadcast via Persicope. Some have been archived on YouTube for later viewing. Thanks to all who joined in the live broadcast, we had 65+ viewers on some emissions. If you missed it, you can find them on YouTube…should be about 7 of the 12. Enjoy!
The Show
After visiting the venue earlier and making sure we knew where to park (coincidentally chatting with staff etc. wink wink) we went back to the hotel, changed quickly and rushed back to the venue. The parking lot, which had been completely empty 90 minutes prior was now completely filled with only one space open facing the backstage door. We took it! We sat in the car as it drizzled and watched crew working and doing last minute things while fans lined up the sidewalk, shifting around the local radio station’s live broadcast booth. Just like L.A. there was a guy on the corner beating a plastic bucket with a pair of drumsticks. Others were seeking tickets…and we were one of those people as we had just enough for the Travel Fans and not our newest inductee, Roland. A kind man handed over a ticket to him 20 minutes before showtime for free!! Whomever you are, HUGE THANKS!
Shared by a fan (someone send us her name) w/the Good Sir – the effects in the theatre were beautiful!
The Uptown Theatre is a gorgeous venue that looks a little bit like the Fox Theatre in Atlanta with its intricate architecture. It’s hard to tell if you’re in a cathedral or a music hall. I’d happily go to more shows at this place. All of the seats are pretty good. There’s space so you’re not really bumping up against your neighbour and that’s crucial at TFF shows because just about everybody is dancing. As mentioned I was in my little tiara representing TFF’s Rock Royals title that many of us (and a couple of music industry peeps) have placed upon them and unexpectedly received so many compliments. In ATL where I spend most of my time, tiaras are not uncommon. I was shocked people even paid attention. I used that opportunity to make new friends and get email addresses so we can exchange photos, etc. Then I got seated as I was too excited to stand around. I just wanted to get to the front where we were close enough (6 rows back) to the stage that the band could see us and interact with their returned peace signs and such. It was awesome! We also met a few travel fans who had seats on our row. :waving at Lady M:
Carina Round looked and sounded like a powerful angel…there are no other words to describe it. She outdid herself. It was unreal.. we made sure to show her a ton of love, from the time she walked out to the striking solo parts of Woman in Chains and BadMan’s song. She got a lot of love not only from those of us who follow her, but from the new fans in the audience…they adored her and showed it! She deserved it! Amazing job!
The band just stirred souls left and right. People were crying, people were picking each other up (no matter what their contrasting size) and hugging mid-song. They were having solo moments of their own by adding little supportive lines to the various songs. One guy just lost it and looked around singing at people with great force. Attendees did not mind the aisles, they flooded them where possible and rushed the stage. It was chaotic to a degree but still felt safe. Most notably, people. were. crying. I don’t mean a little tear, but instead that crippling cry where you can’t talk. Wives were holding husbands, husbands were holding wives and friends had their arms around each other. People just “had a moment” at the show. One person was local journalist Holly E. She blogged about her experience as well. She begins with…
“Concert footage in which fans are crying. I never understood it. Sure, the music is great and the band members are (sometimes) good looking, but weeping at a concert?
Last night I wept at the Tears for Fears concert in Kansas City. On and off, from the first strains of “Everybody Wants To Rule The World,” through the encore “Woman in Chains” and “Shout.” Read More Here
*Holly is also a really cool person, one of those people you’ll just enjoy on many levels through her writing. Follow her @HollyEdgell.
And she wasn’t alone, again…Carolyn cried, strangers cried, the guy behind me could barely get the words to the songs out due to his emotion. I turned around and smiled at him, he was all verklempt with his daughter snuggled up beside him. It was a very emotional show and the energy in the theatre was different from past concerts. Kansas City, Missouri got more than a performance, they received a big ol’ Tears for Fears Concert Hug.
Pale Shelter – Curt sounds really good, listen and enjoy…
The Set List was similar to last year’s with a few songs switching places. I’ve abbreviated it as we do… Everybody Wants to Rule the World (Lorde intro then the majestic mesh into the original), SW, STSOL, PS, BIDA, ELAHE, Change, MW, MF, CTTH, AFTYAH, Creep – (Radiohead cover) BMS, HOH – Encore WIC and Shout
Drummer Genius Jamie’s drum solo was excellent and the crowd just lost their minds through the power of his talent. During Shout the crowd sang “the long version” intro loud and clear. Roland was sweet again and dropped the mic down so various individuals could sing into it. You know we all love that. I’ll never forget when he did that to me back in 2011. I’m still in complete awe. There were just all sorts of extras at this show, Skittles included. I think Curt threw a few.
Doc Martens Shout Outs
Another great moment that happened before the show was when Ryan talked about his own pair of Doc Martens of which he was wearing. We snapped a photo of them and then sometime later (not neccessarily related to our tweet) Curt sends his Docs tweet.
Then during the show Curt motioned toward his feet to reveal these saying, “Because I’m not in Kansas anymore.” It was clever and got a lot of laughs Very cute! During an earlier Periscope Travel Fan broadcast I talked about how I asked the gentleman that brought me to the hotel if this was Dorothy’s Kansas. I enjoyed hearing Curt referrencing The Wizard of Oz as well. It was also cool to have Manila Kooks like JW in the mix.
Eventhough I managed to write a bit about the show, so many parts of this particular part of the tour left me speechless and I don’t even know where to begin in detailing them. As always it’s just cool to hear from the band throughout the tour/talk to them via social and see Roland so animated and involved with Twitter (something of which for years we thought he’d never do until he surprised us back in March 2014). It was very important to us. At one point I was messaging with the Good Man Curt Smith as Carolyn was so worried as to why he hadn’t said “Kansas City, Missouri we are in you…” and he mentioned they were just getting in. I think I’m responding to Carolyn, but I was accidentally responding to Curt and told him to “…go on and get dressed everything is going to be fine…” or something. It was rather embarassing but funny in hindsight. Glitches will happen…
The above may seem like “little things” to other people but if you’ve been following this band for at least a year at mininum (though for most of us it’s been 90% of our lives) you “get it.” You know why the Docs tweet is important, you understand and even cherish the tears of your fellow fans. We just mesh…that’s one thing about the fans…most of us just “mix and gel” quickly. In the cases where meshing didn’t take place or is struggling to gel, societal ills are present and have nothing to do with the band. If you come to this fan world with a pure heart, you will meet your soulmates. Not necessarily your future spouse (although that isn’t uncommon) you will, however, make friends that will become family. That’s what happened on this tour. Friends became relatives, souls were stirred and combined. I could go on. But I’ll conclude with this; nothing, not Periscope, not YouTube or any streaming media compares to being PRESENT. This is why, even if it is for one show or all of them, fans travel all over the states, to and from various parts of the world to see this band and experience something so overwhelmingly majestic that it brings a crowd to tears…
Shoutout to the loyal people who waited outside the venue post show with hope in their grasp…
Big thanks to the people we met in Kansas City, Missouri! I have never been to a place so friendly…and I thought Toronto had the world beat! All of our loyalty and dedication is to the band and many hugs to the new travel fans that flew in from all over to be there. There’s no way any of this would work if love didn’t show up in the form of attendance!
Cheers!
-AA
*Nautical Anchors are a constant symbol in so much of TFF, CurtSmithOfficial and DelaQ.
More on the Kansas City, Missouri show from Timothy Finn
The amazing Terri Nunn of Berlin snags a photo w/the Good Sir Orzabal backstage. We’ve been sharing the thoughts of many different writers and fans of Tears For Fears these past 3 days. Below is a short compilation of thoughts and images on the “Kool Koncert” featuring Berlin plus The B52s and Tears for Fears. The latter being two bands that we have had the pleasure of following closely for many years (especially now). As mentioned, AA now lives not too far from Cindy of the B52s and it’s just exciting to see them and be near. Several fans from the East Coast (NYC, NC, Atlanta, etc) attended this show and boy oh boy were fans overwhelmed at how animated, beautiful and overall outstanding the band performed. Special attention was paid to Curt and Roland’s liveliness on stage as well as Roland’s dancing around. Fans uploaded many videos from various angles to YouTube and the response was electric.
Denver’s Live Music Meetup Made this show one of their featured events. That’s always cool. If you’re looking for Tears for Fears fans in your area that may want to join the travel fan fun, meetup.com is a good place to find them in your city.
We reblogged this one earlier
“…they were meant to walk this earth at the same time…” Progarchy
This is another show that has fans buzzing and more than excited. Tears for Fears will return to Canada (Casino Rama just north of Toronto) this September for 2 days (25th and 26th). This will be immediately following the Michigan show (24th). The venue has a variety of seating options. Most of the front row seats are gone. Reviews on this venue are mixed. Some say it’s just not their favourite place to see a band in Ontario, Canada. However, many are going anyway. Looks fine to us as all the floor seats seem to be in clear view of the stage. See ticket links below for both shows and examine the seating chart carefully. Yes, you have to be at least 19 years old to attend. This is not an all ages show or one where you can bring your teens, tweens and toddlers.
VIP & Meet/Greet Inquiries
We’ve had several slightly aggressive requests for meet & greets plus “demands” for tickets. Please know we don’t have much power in those areas. It’s been a miraculous coincidence that we’ve been able to get the extra seats we had and so we decided to share those tickets. We always share or offer anything we can including any meetup opptys. We just don’t have them this time. Very sorry.
Accommodations
Stay at the casino… period. That’s our suggestion. Click here to reserve. We’ve stayed at a number of casinos during our travel fan years and thankfully all of them have been very nice. We feel this one will live up to our standards as it offers quite a bit just like Sunset Station and Red Rock Casino in Vegas.
Passports
If you are not a Canadian citizen, you need to get a passport. Not having a passport is not an excuse for not attending the show. You can get a rush passport. You can get the snailmail passport. The way we did it years ago was as follows: Download the application/pick one up from the post office. Passport photos were taken at a local Walgreens for a small fee. We filled out the passport info and submitted it. It was returned to us in 2 months. Passport prices vary depending on how fast you need it. A renewal is cheaper than a new one. You can also get a rush passport at most major airports. One girl forgot hers at home and had to get one on the spot in order not to miss the flight. I think she paid about $300 because it cost more to get one post-haste. This is not something you can leave behind. As you can see in the link. Gotta make a checklist before you get to the airport. Do a double check before you get to the airport or begin your drive into Canada. There have been too many issues where someone can’t find their tickets, travel wallet or passports. Put them in your Tears for Fears Travel Bag (made available in 2011 in Los Angeles). Do your best to keep up with your travel documents, pictures, etc.
That heart is for both, it just generated on Mr. Orzabal’s leg.
How many people are going?
A lot! A lot…that’s all we can say… the show has not sold out but tickets have been on sale for quite some time. We tweeted about it prior to the announcement by the venue and we tweeted about it the day the venue put the tickets on sale. We are also talking/blogging about it right now. Few can say they just didn’t know. Anyone that reached out to us at shows or in the hotel was told about the blog. Again, just no excuse here. If you really want to go to this show and have the resources and time to travel then it can be done.
If there’s anything we have forgotten let us know.
Well, as expected, TFF proved they are a force, a powerhouse of pleasure, serenity for the soul and simultaneously “f*cking” awesome! Reviews from around the music writing world, words from those peeping in via Periscope and tons of praise on Twitter support the posts about this band’s popularity. Roland and Curt are more than well-respected, they are Rock Royalty.
Last night’s show at @Bonnaroo was streamed live thanks to @RedBullTV. Not only did fans attend in person, but also on their way to upcoming shows, crouched in airports or riding to the next destination in their cars. Hundreds tuned-in to hear a fantastic set that included many of the band’s greatest hits. The show was beyond exceptional and the crowd and fan reaction online stood out among the Bonnaroo praise. Roland was even pleased with the crowd. He shared a tweet from his personal account about their enthusiasm. That kind of crowd spirit is what we as travel fans hope for (and try to bring) at every show.
Tears for Fears Bonnaroo show
This is just the beginning. We’re only on show #2. Show #3 is tomorrow night in Denver Colorado. It’s another festival and an opportunity to go mad during Mad World, scream and sing for Shout and let the world know who really rules the throne of Rock and Roll. As one young fan said, “It’s Tears for f*cking Fears baby! They rule this world. F*ck yeah!”
@nerdist (TFF plane pal)’s followers joined in the Periscope love
Congrats to the band on their success. Wishing all fans very safe travels. We still have a few tickets left for the Tulsa show. Contact us on Facebook, follow on twitter (@papasfans) and be sure to follow @curtsmith @rolandtff & @tearsforfears.
***This post has been updated, please scroll to the end for the line up info in the graphic. Thanks! Single day tickets are also available.
Sacramento get ready! Tears for Fears are at the city’s doors as are a slew of other bands scheduled to appear at the TBD Festival. The line-up isn’t final so even more bands are going to be announced. (please see update below, the line up is now ready). This, like several other shows this summer at iconic venues, is a big deal. It’s more than a 3-day music festival, it’s an artists’ hangout that welcomes foodies, shopaholics and wine lovers from far and wide.
This festival has a VIP option that will most likely sell out. It’s currently $275 (after fees, etc) and includes air conditioned WC/Loo (No clue if they have a bidet), preferred viewing and drinks…and a few other things if we’re not mistaken. The price goes up after the 31st. Regular ticket price is a cool $159 right now …so again, if you’re going you need to buy fast. There are no refunds…once you buy you do not have 3 days to return your tickets the way you can w/other box offices.
This festival has been in the news for its amazing and diverse opportunities that it provides attendees. Reviews note it as really exciting with an upscale village appeal that attracts a number of festival attendees in a way that other festivals do not. It’s also undergoing the mindful eye of those concerned with money and the financial side of hosting such big events as these.
Fork to Table – TBD Fest
It’s still rather early to know how many travel fans plan to attend and we only know a few people committed to attending this particular show. There’s no word or hint yet whether or not the band will do additional dates in the area. Many are hoping for San Francisco, Fresno and L.A. featuring Mr. Moyer. If you’re in the area we suggest going to this and one more additional show if announced.
Festival Dates – 18, 19 & 20 September 2015
Buy Tickets – click here –
Hotels -click here-
Flights – right now it’s about $400 round trip from the East Coast on the major carriers. Of course SouthWest has some awesome deals as well at a much lower price.
Subscribe and return for updates. We’ll be tweeting about it as the date approaches.
Cheers!
AA
Update:
Tears for Fears play on Sunday, single day tickets are available.
Tears for Fears in Kansas – Summer of TFF –This dream come true announcement nearly sent our Travel Fan Team member Carolyn (Kansas/Midwest Travel Team Rep) swirving off the road a week or so ago. Tears for Fears are scheduled to be in concert on the 15th of June 2015 at the Uptown Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri. Fans in the area were have made it clear that they are absolutely excited about this and so are we. Tickets go on sale on Saturday morning (28 March) via Ticketmaster. Click here to buy.
About the Venue
It has a lot of history! It opened in the 20s and looks to be well maintained with several different rooms for various types of events. We’re assuming that the concert will be in the Theater Room which has a luxurious red decor and folding seats for concerts it seems. While there is an open floor section in front of the stage, we imagine that for the show there will be seats in its place as seen in other on site concert pictures.
Address: The Uptown Theater 3700 Broadway Suite 300 Kansas City Missouri, 64111
Carolyn is our Travel Fan team contact for KansasTFF Travel Fan Team Contact for Kansas is Carolyn as mentioned. Note that this isn’t her first TFF rodeo, all travel fan team members have been doing this for quite a while and that does mean since the 90s latest. Many since their pre-teens in the early 80s (sneaking into shows or begging parents to take us). Carolyn is a pro at the Travel Fan come and go so reach out to her via the Travel Fan Page or Twitter (@Truman555).
Fun Stuff/MeetUps
We always try to have dinner together and trade pictures, fun stories and all that jazz 🙂 – Slip on your concert t-shirts and come have a drink the night before and after the show. Tentative hangouts spots will be provided by Carolyn. This particular page will update once we solidify the schedule and addresses of these cool Kansas City hotspots.
Airlines: Southwest Delta and United are quoting low fares right now. Don’t forget to use credit card points or miles toward your purchase as you can already see it’s a week of flying and hotel stays. That can add up to a few thousand dollars and we’ve got the receipts to prove it. No need to go broke for a show, as much as it is that crucial it’s not smart or safe. Find savings where you can. If you’re not a member of these hotel chains we suggest you need to be. Most memberships are free. Even the basic entry level for a hotel membership allows you to get a few upgrades or free nights on your third or fourth stay. So keep that in mind. It takes about 10 minutes to sign up, you get a couple of emails throughout the week. It’s not much to bear given you get deals. We also suggest pairing up with a great pal and splitting the costs. We usually pair off in the Travel Fan Team and save upwards of $400 per excursion. If you have any questions, reach out to us on the Travel Fan Facebook page or Twitter.
Thanks so much for reading! We hope you found this information helpful!
Andye has always wanted an excuse to use this song, we think this is the perfect time. Enjoy! Kansas City here we come!
Tears for Fears Travel Fans 