Tears for Fears Travel Fans Update Q2-25

Before we say one word, let us celebrate the Man, the Icon, the Legend. Many happy returns to Curt Smith!! He’s celebrating his birthday today! It’s such an incredible week because he also has his wedding anniversary on the 29th. We adore him to the moon and back. We appreciate him for making our lives, we dare say and we’re speaking for many, worth living! He has literally kept us alive in countless ways! Wishing him an incredible year ahead and lots of love, prosperity and joy throughout 2025 and beyond! It is a struggle to refrain from writing him everyday to tell him how much we appreciate him. Seriously! He just goes all out. Sweet children, wonderful wife, very kind brothers; the Smith family is where it’s at! When he and Roland walk out on that stage, life just reaches another level of awesome! Wishing them all a great year ahead and super happy birthday to Mr. Smith! Infinite love for him!!!

Kinda don’t need to put this here because most of our subscribers already know that Tears for Fears are returning (just like Roland said back in February) to Fontainebleau in September and October of this year.

Tears for Fears will be performing a total of 6 shows (3 in September and 3 in October). Tickets went on sale the day after the announcement with the official Artist Presale taking place on the 4th of June. Suprisingly, there were not a lot of issues grabbing seats this time. About three people reported the usual struggle with credit card companies suddenly freezing accounts expecting fraud (you’d think the system would stop flagging the purchases by now given all we do is buy concert tickets, pay healthcare/healthclub fees , plane rides and groceries). We counted three complaints on Instagram and one on Threads. Otherwise, it was a decent experience. Gargantuan thanks to Tears for Fears for making Artist Presale a very reasonbable price of $217-$500 after taxes and fees. Platinum, from what we saw on the concert map, is not part of the APS. Those prices are currently in the 700s to 1000s+. We do have one second row center seat available on the 25th of October (a Saturday) if anyone is interested. It is well under the current resale prices.

We expect that this show will feature the new music from Songs for a Nervous Planet. We have a set list floating around for those that want to be familiar with the music ahead of time…that’s a thing we do. We like to know up front so we can sing with the band and let them know we appreciate their work.

This was sent to us from the stage. Don’t mind the blur. We have copies of this if anyone needs a clear one. Before the show starts the stage area is very blue and it glows with this hue. Set lists are placed all over in strategic areas. We do not know if this is the one the band will use for the Autumn 2025 shows but this is the set that was rehearsed for the Fontainebleau 2024-2025 mini-res. Fans have begun putting in requests for David Moyer to return and play The Working Hour. There’s also hope that Quiet Ones stays on the list and perhaps Change will get slipped in there as well. Hardcore fans are also saying Tears for Fears could sit there and read the phone book and they’d be just as happy. We feel ya on that! Several can’t wait for story time.

Should You Go? Again? Yes, here’s why…

It is a straight forward opportunity to stay in an exceptionally nice venue, attend an indoor show free of the troubles of outdoor challenges such as possible rain and excessive heat. In both 2022 and 2023 we experienced some weather related issues (e.g. Texas) that left a few fans saying they would not be returning to certain venues. It’s also a chance to see Tears for Fears multiple times in one place vs. literally scrambling to get back to the hotel and rush to the airport the next morning or attempt to drive overnight to the next city to be on time. We’re so grateful that this curated event gives many a chance to really relax and play for several days. If you’re having issues with attending and need some help, reach out and let us know what your challenges are so we can work through it with you and help find a solution. Fair warning we do conduct extreme logistics to make it possible.

A note from the Moderator – Andye Mod

In our most recent update here in the archives, we were just about to board the plane to go to Las Vegas for the second part of the Tears for Fears mini-residency at Fontainebleau. Let me interject that after the long week there in February, some of us read the entire history of Fontainebleau and it’s not pronounced as one globalist might assume. It’s actually “fountain blue.” It’ll always be Fontainebleau to me but I digress…

Several of us went for pure music therapy with medical teams in tow. Boy were they needed! Soon as we touched down and got settled, text messages came in about people arriving ill. I will save you the details of their graphic sickness but whatever was going around affected a lot of people. I went forward with the dinner party (same menu as last time) minus a few key folks. We discussed our topic of the quarter which is “what is the craziest thing you’ve done to get to a show or extend your time on a Tears for Fears Tour?” Right now, Lisa and Elana take the cake!

We also discussed the music of the many musicians in the fold including Lady Lauren’s new album, the songs on which she’s been featured past and present and her fun online gatherings through the Affirmations series. Fans spent a good two hours discussing the ins and outs of the songs and goings on of Soul Twin Messiah. We took a peek at Mr. Orzabal’s pal, Julian Lennon’s, latest and Mr. Lennon’s health update. It was quite a loaded late night of fun.

Big kudos to long time fans from Tears for Fears Boston, San Francisco and Nevada for spending so much time with everyone after super long drives, 5+ hour flights and workdays. It made that incredible bed feel all the more comforting. Speaking of, Lady Diva Smith stayed at Fontainbleau with her sweet bunny in tow. We adore that beautiful bunny on the blanket!

Shoutout to all who brought their bunnies and plushies to the residency. We need to do a gallery of those!

Her mother, The Good Lady Frances – Lady FP was there as well. So cool to have them around. They are so awesome. Yes, I brought an extra pair of TB earrings for the occasion. #iykyk

31 January Show

The first night was stellar. I learned later during one of the late night chats that the band records their work. I’m not sure exactly what that means and me being the non-nosy parker will not be asking. However, they have a playback of their show and I imagine from my own experience in music and media since age 13 that it’s to listen out for any issues or things that may need correction. Either way, they sound phenomenal to me. Though Curt jokingly pointed out some snaffoos. Of course, we in the audience barely noticed the issues he noted. We were just happy to be there!!

We love these moments…they could talk all day and we’d be thrilled!
(e.g.”Tell us a story!!” – Andye Mod Atlanta/Duluth 2017)

It was a very crisp and clean show. Super smooth! They did gift us with a few stories and dear Mr. Orzabal confirmed that his good lady dear Emily is indeed expecting a child (see first video). We, in the fandom, are excited for them and look forward to any updates they wish to share but are not going to pester them nor their families (or Curt) about the status of the child. When they are good and ready they will let us know and if they don’t that’s fine too. One must remind oneself that a band offers a product of songs and that is what we pay for…anything else is a bonus. We got what we paid for…songs in a live show. To expect anything else is borderline entitlement. I’m saying this to myself as well ::turns off How to Babysit Like an Expert audiobook::

Curt was kind to let us know that he and the band were fine regarding the wildfires that broke out in their area. They were forced to evacuate one night and were able to return home the next. It was a hair raising time for us as fans because we were on the phone, Zoom and other methods of communication watching the fires creep near their houses. All kinds of fasting, prayer and a number of spiritual rituals were taking place as well as slipping in messages stating, “If you need to postpone, just do it. We’ll figure something out.” Lauren noted she felt things would be great by showtime but I personally wanted them to just wait and let things settle down. My concern was they’d be on stage only to get a note that something happened. Then they’d have to rush home to attend to it. Thankfully all went extremely well. Again, that first night was strong and beautiful. Very sorry for fans who arrived so ill they had to miss all the shows and fly right back home. Huge thanks to Fontainebleau staff who were swift to the rescue with all the medical attention needed to get people in a state well enough to even get on a plane.

Also loved Curt’s chit chat re: Las Vegas…

1 February

Early that morning after a gift of delicious gluten free bagels piled high with all the accoutrement one could wish for (Thank you Lisa and Elana), there was physical therapy for me and connect sessions for fans. Those who were trying to rearrange their schedules to get there were successful. Despite some Ticketmaster snaffoos and miscommunications we were able to transfer a lot of the extra tickets we had to fans who could finally get the time they needed to be in attendance. I’ll leave my Ticketmaster/Live Nation thoughts to myself and continue to say I really wish there was a way that we could pay the band directly. It would feel so much better. Again, for those who are always curious about the logistics and true cost of these excursions, we can have that conversation in our “financing a tour” Zoom call which is recorded for transparency. We still recommend having tour soup for a few months each year if you can stand it. *There is an improved one fortified with vitamins. We’re working on a tour soup cookbook as well. We’ll discuss it on Substack.

Fans traditionally gather in the Fontainebleau Promenade throughout the day and before shows…

That night after our ritual prayers before the show, we gathered and took photos. All around us were familiar faces (see what I did there?) and some just coming in from surgeries. It should be noted, come hell or high water, Tears for Fears fans show up! One fan in Germany dropped everything, got freshly tattooed and hopped on a plane to attend every single show saying, “I wish I had done this sooner!”

Fans flew in from Michigan, Toronto, Northern California, Florida, England, Minnesota, New York and several other far off places. These were fans who make it a point to always support Tears for Fears. A few did mention that due to the outcome of the election in November they were not interested in participating in anything in the states. They were protesting the nation regarding the historical comments made by certain members of the current administration. Those fans were missed and we hope that they’ll feel comfortable joining Tears for Fears events in the future.

Rumours & Thieves

There was rumour of one guy who allegedly waited until everyone was entering the venue then slipped in with the crowd. He had been watching an empty seat on Ticketmaster/Live Nation and allegedly was able to claim the ticket by using a screenshot on his phone? The usher allegedly didn’t scan it but just looked at it? How that is possible is beyond many of us. We can’t even walk to the front without getting checked. Again, this is hearsay. Someone told us after the fact. There were also some rather pricey seats on the front row center ($2500 resale seats) that two ladies tried to take. They had been watching the empty seats and went to the front just before the show started. A fellow fan let security know that those were not their seats and they were just hoping to get away with sitting there. The venue staff asked to see their tickets and both ladies just stared at him without saying a word. He asked again and then one of the ladies made the universal sign of “capiche” but that didn’t fly at all. They were asked to move back to their seats on the far-right side of the venue. The two front frow resale seats they attempted to take remained empty the rest of the night but you couldn’t tell because all of us on the front row were standing (except me from time to time due to this illness/injury). No one was the wiser.

My advice to resellers is to just stop. Those tickets retailed at $950 each and there were at least six that were purchased and put up for resale at over $2000 each…again, they all remained empty. Tears for Fears fans (many) literally perch like trick-or-treaters waiting on the next information snack packet to be handed out from the proverbial band candy basket. We know how much we’re going to spend and what seat we’re going to sit in long before it’s ever put on the map. Some of us have been sitting in the same section, same seat since 2012. Attempting to scam us out of hard-earned money that we use to go to these shows for our physical, emotional and mental health will not work. Try it on someone else, do not try it out on us.

A Kind Word From Roland

Roland acknowledged that many of us were attending all the shows. We learned from Curt during one of the coveted chit chats, that Jamie was so dedicated he decided to play on even after a very tough day battling an illness/bad cold. It was the heart of winter and, as mentioend, many sicknesses were going around. It’s a miracle he was even able to play at all. Again, very sorry to the fans who arrived sick after long plane rides and had to be attended to by Fontainebleau staff then eventually go right back home without even hearing one song. Thank you, Jamie for going the extra mile. That was surely difficult.

Jamie plays on! What a work ethic and a hero. Glad he got some great care so he could feel better! We were very worried about him!

While on stage, Roland told Andye that the set list would be a bit different that night. He said they were moving some things around (there’s video of that conversation somewhere). We didn’t know what that meant. He also asked Andye which of his ensembles she liked best, his dark suave jacket or the winter white that he wore in 2024.

“I think he looks absolutely smart in both but told him I love the white one. I said that so that he’d know the self-depreciating jokes he made about himself in October/November re: looking like the Ghost of Christmas Past didn’t suit him (pun intended). He looked more like a smoking hot debonair rock dude, not a “character” in any form or fashion. It was rather upsetting to hear him say that about himself although I know he’s just joking. Still, I want him to own his Righteous Rock Royalty role. He joked that he’d dropped blancmange down the front of the white jacket ::cue the dry cleaners please::. He could turn up wearing a burlap sack and still rock it like no other in my opinion! Werrrk it, Mr. O!” – Andye Mod

Carina and Lauren’s interactions remained a highlight of the event. We really love what they bring to these concerts and many of us are willing to pay whatever it takes to support having everyone currently involved to remain involved. They each put so much energy into their craft. Yes, we have heard these songs live already and yes we get a terrible tinge of sadness as soon as we hear the opening chords of Head Over Heels just before the encore because that means the concert is almost over. But my goodness, we wouldn’t give this up for much of anything.

We learned that it was an abbreviated show. A few songs were missing but it was still an excellent night. Several of us were just happy we didn’t have to go home yet. We still had several days of music therapy and a taste of what a future life with Tears for Fears will be like (*cough* TFF Music Commune of Condos *cough*).

Rock n Roll Respite

The 2nd, 3rd and 4th we were on our own to do whatever we wanted. Andye went to water and physical therapy, others went running up and down the Vegas strip taking pictures and some sat in the Promenade people watching with fans for several hours. Medical teams were still attending to fans and band fan loyalists were checking on Jamie making sure he was hydrated and healing. Our Lady Lauren had gone home to L.A. and was also resting. Other fans tried out some cool restaurants and iconic spots on the Vegas strip.

Craig and sisters Elana and Lisa – loyal fans of Tears for Fears that have been touring since 1985!

It was a much needed three days of rejuvenation and that’s what we’re hoping we see in the next “band fan wish” of a Tears for Fears retirement condo community. LOL. We have already envisioned it. Fontainebleau’s social team thought it was fun and funny. They even retweeted our idea of it back in November before we went home from the first mini-res. Why not invest in a little real estate owned by the band…we’ll be privy to random shows surely! We laugh but we do discuss the idea a lot. Some even cancelled desperately needed home repairs with the hope of the possibility to invest. Those nights knowing the band was nearby and we were just “living” in their midst was an unmatched euphoria. Bring on the forever homes! If Jimmy Buffet can maintain residential property for his fans (may his soul rest) so can Tears for Fears! Call the mortgage brokers, liquidate the retirement residential funds and let’s do this thing!

5 February Show Moderator Notes

“This was my 40th time seeing Tears for Fears in performance/attending a Tears for Fears event. It was also Jamie’s 15th anniversary with the band. I still remember seeing him in those early days…particularly 2014 just before the band played The Working Hour at The Wiltern… he came by and said a quick hello to those of us who’d been outside perched since 1pm for their 9pm show. It was gen am back in those days – we don’t miss that hard concrete or sleeping outside. Check out this photo I keep in my phone. Look at that smile. Bless him. 🙂

Drummer Genius Jamie was kind to stop and say hi (2014 throwback Los Angeles). In 2025 he celebrated 15 years with Tears for Fears!

I was in my 6th or 7th year committed to the travel fan life and I feel unbelievably fortunate to have made it this long. The band has seen me at my best and worst, sickness and in better health. I’ve made some good decisions and some pretty pitiful ones too. Thankfully they’ve been super gracious and patient through it all. I show up as much as I can. Huge thanks to all involved for letting me take part in all the pleasantries of fan life. Each show has been so unique it’s impossible to say which ones were better than others though there are plenty that stand out including the Hollywood Bowl, Oklahoma 2014, The Wiltern 2014, Brit Week 2012, being a part of The Tipping Point movie and these the residencies…which are a miracle and answered prayer!

Curt’s Kerfuffle of Kooks 2012 – Brit Week starring Curt Smith.
We’re all still going to shows!

I sat second row this time vs. first. I didn’t want to ‘be in their face’ like that a third night and possibly risk them getting sick of me. Craig, Lisa, Elana and many others happily persisted through as well having been there in November and for all these additional shows in February. We really gelled and it was good to see Danny, Mike, Yara, our Toronto family, Rachel and her husband, Hadleigh and her family and our dearest Christine and Shelley plus so many others in the aforementioned cities plus the Brasileira European couple that have been to every single tour since 1985. It’s a whole other world, dimension, time and space being around that kind of energy. I have yet to have seen anything compare in my few decades on this planet. I was born the year before Roland and Curt moved forward as “Tears for Fears.” I can still feel the energy of hearing their music for the first time as a child. I still get that same soaring feeling of being lifted right into the cosmos when they walk out on stage. They have elevated us to the euphoric realm of astronauts in outer space and I pray we get to stand by them for a lifetime.”

7 February Show

Craig, Joe from Toronto, Anastasia and friends from San Diego and Santa Clara were there for the final show of the February residency. Roland delighted in his third child on the way and there was a lot of support for this series which allows us to go to the band vs. them flying our way. A lot of us prefer it because it gives us more time and is easier to “go live with them” for a few days vs. trying to hop planes and follow them from city to city. We know many can’t go stay in Vegas for extended periods of time but when one looks at the cost from a travel fan perspective, this was the most economical set of shows we’ve had in a while. No, it was not cheap, most travel isn’t… but it gave us time to be together in a different way. They also nearly sold out yet again. That concert seat map filled up toward the end once the wildfires subsided and people were able to get their schedules sorted. Very sorry for the fans that couldn’t manage it due to the disasters. You were missed and we hope you’re doing better. Here are some snippets from the events…

Gargantuan thanks to the staff at Fontainebleau for the incredible hospitality. As always all our love to the band, their families and fellow fans who make life worth living…we mean that in every sense. The post show superfanitis was so intense this time, a few of us were literally doubled over in pain. Some could barely get through the day. It’s a situation.

Ending on a high note, the band did a very kind gesture of signing items for a fan who was up front. You can see that in the video. Thank you, Craig, for caputuring that. This is a rare scene so congrats to those recipients.

Deep Dives & Podcasts

There were two interviews that stood out recently. One was the conversation that Curt had back in October before we headed out to Vegas for the first part of the residency. It wasn’t published until Q1 2025. It is excellent! Here it is: Rock & Roll Highschool interview with Pete Ganbarg.

Then there was the one with Song Exploder. It was also a double deep dive with both Mr. Smith and Mr. Orzabal adding information that we do not have in the archives. The spirit of both interviews is very bright and you can sense a joy in the interaction between the three of them. Hopefully it’s still available so everyone can listen.

What we’ve noticed is these music shows and podcast hosts of late are doing their homework vs. asking the band about the same thing over and over or harping on that which is not to be spoken of… They are indeed focused on the intricate nature of the music, the deeper meaning, the behind-the-scenes production and engineering plus musical influences of their formative years. In these welcomed deeper dives we loyalists have been given so much more information on top of the incredible things that Dave Mason and Nihal Arthanayake gathered for us back in 2022-2024.

Blueberry-Pineapple Smoothie Curt

Curt attended PsychODelphia which is the Psych conference that may become an annual thing. He was reunited with his buddies James Roday and Dule Hill plus the cast and crew. Several fans went and notably History from the Big Chair was there and got some great photos. Journey to Events provided photos which are what you see below from thier IG. We hope there will be another Psych movie and can’t wait to hear about future conferences. This one was well thought out, highly accommodating from what we could see and also featured several symbols that those in the know would easily recognise and enjoy. Andye the Mod actually owned a Blueberry/Blue Yaris up until Tour 2022. That thing saw some shows (well, the parking lots of many shows)!

Songs from the Big Chair turned 40 years old on the 25th of February this past quarter. We all celebrated online and coincidence or not, thought we were the first to post a group activity, and no we’re not in competition with their social media team wherever they are, but we suggested that everyone contribute a video of themselves singing. We of course loved the video of Lady Tamara singing EWTRTW and having an excellent time at Transmissions – the incredible party hosted by the awesome DJ Jake Rudh in Minnesota. Much like the success of Richard Blade that helped bring the joy of Tears for Fears to the states, DJ Rudh has indepth parties that go above and beyond your typical 80s top 40 bash. He plays deep tracks from ALL the bands. We’re so excited our Tamara has a great relationship with their programme and continues to represent the Tears for Fears fandom at those events. Video coming soon!

Transmissions is the ultimate portal to yesteryear! Follow DJ Jake Rudh on all platforms!

The rest of us had a big slice of cake – all kinds: chocolate, gluten free cheesecake, cookies and then several sprinted out to the featured one-off of Everybody Wants to Run the World (yes run…it exists, surely you didn’t forget about this song) to burn off the excess of sugar and honour Curt’s iconic running days he used to share. Also celebrating a milestone are The Tipping Point in year 3 and the 45th year of Acting My age by Graduate. Artist Ade Beanhead Pridham created some outstanding art to match. Amanda BT has displayed a lot of it plus some other great ones.

Appearances

The Hurting was featured in the series The Last of Us – episode from 4 May. For those that know Andye’s involvement with that part of the television industry, she says she didn’t have anything to do with that. However, she does have their photo everywhere possible and is not the only fan in that area of the television industry. We’re all hoping that The Tipping Point movie does end up on a streaming service soon.

Tears for Fears’ The Hurting featured on The Last of Us on HBO MAX

There’s more…

Lady Lauren Evans has new music! She was also invited to sing the National Anthem again at the 15 May L.A. Dodgers game. That’s at least the third time she’s been their guest. Pretty darn cool.

Lauren also hosted her 4th and 5th Affirmations series – both of which included a sound bath for attendees – and will have had a 6th by the time this note goes out. These sessions are so good. She also sang on the 5th one. That was healing for several of us. If you have not attended one of her weeklong online interactions that culminates with the Afterglow Party, you should. It’s not a gender based event, it’s a harmonious session for humans and we love it! Participants get a chance to really sit down and look at their lives, their perspective and change course if needed with her guidance. We do not offload our woes to Lauren in these sessions but we do feel further guided in efforts to take better care ourselves. Lauren’s Affirmations sessions are highly recommended.

Affirmations series with Lauren Evans – follow @thereallaurenevans on IG for the next one!

She’s also opened her Pen Alchemy Academy which is suited for song writers. If you’re looking to write music, join it. You’ll be in good hands!

Carina Round

Lady Carina also has new music and hosted an online concert experience from her January 2024 shows. The package came with a lot of cool things and she signed (on camera) the vinyls. Several fans flocked online to enjoy it. It was an overwhelmingly incredible event in that she gave more than her level best. She left it all on the stage as some say.

“I tried to hold it together but ended up crying uncontrollably by the 42nd minute mark. Her concert was soooo good!” – Andye Mod

Hopefully she has another opportunity for fans to enjoy her music. She extended this one to the 8th of June. That gave everyone plenty of time to watch. But still hope she does another. She also has really cool merch. So for those that constantly tell us how much you like her, show her some love at the online merch table. Carina also had a birthday on the 20th of April. Hope everyone got a chance to wish her many happy returns!

Professor Doug Petty (read that again, Professor Doug Petty… mmmm dontcha just love how awesome it is to have so much education and talent in one band?), shared this cool gradutation photo. Many will remember that Doug teaches at USC Thorton School of Music. Yes, we tried to take his class but some of us are remote and we can’t seem to find that opportunity in the course options. Hoping to get into some music theory classes with him and anything else he’s involved in there …education is a magic key!

Doug Petty with family at daughter’s graduation on Father’s Day 2025

The Drummer Genius Jamie Wollam is sitting in a state of nirvana with his craft. We say that because how can one improve on blessed perfection like his? He has a lot to offer on his website and continues to be interviewed by music shows as well as share what’s new in his world. Be sure to drop some hearts on his Instagram profile and follow him there.

Jamie on drums playing Tears for Fears’ “Change.”

Charlton and Gootch share a birthday on the 13th of February. We really need to sit down to dinner with both of them and just listen to everything they have to say. We’ll have our annual reading of Charlton’s Book “Exit Strategy” in August (could do with a book signing to be honest). We’ll also be looking to visit (as a group) his additional media industry work that he completed last year.

Tears for Fears’ Band Family and Alumni

Oleta Adams celebrated her 72nd birthday on the 4th of May. We wish her many happy returns and lots of love as she continues to find joy in retirement from touring. We miss her and look forward to seeing her at other events.

Nicky Holland also had a birthday on the 20th of February. Here’s one of her solo songs that we all love so much.

The Marvelous Artists in the band’s family are sweeping and swooshing their paint brushes plus perfecting pictures with their pens. Curt Smith’s youngest daughter, Lady Wilder, recently did portraits for patrons at an establishment. They turned out absolutely super. Raoul won additional awards including RISE Emerging Artist and has been praised in the art society for his excellent and detailed work. Both Lady Wilder and Mr. Orzabal create worlds that you can get lost in for hours.

“I know I’m not the only one who has spent a significant amount of time meandering through their incredible designs and detailed work. You come out of that wishing it was something you could literally step into and maybe never come out! They create the most glorious worlds!” – Andye Mod

Lady Wilder was featured at the FineDayFair and created incredible art for the guests!

Curt’s eldest daughter, Lady Diva Smith, has released two new singles. Both are incredible and have been on repeat in Tears for Fears fan land. They each have videos that we love. She also was part of a very well conducted interview with B-sidestv. You can watch that here:

Rock n Stroll Tours Bath (in Bath UK)

Cool guy Shaun Smith and the beloved John Baker have launched their Rock n Stroll Walking Tour in the great city of Bath. As many will remember our Lady Tamara was privy to such a glorious experience that included a personal tour with the renowned Dave Mason of the media and broadcast industry. To step into history and take the path of the beloved Bath musicians we swoon over daily is certainly sacred. Fans are quickly queuing up for this opportunity. Be sure to put this on your travel list. They also were featured on Radio Bath. This interview won’t last forever, but here it is for now. If you come back in a year and it’s gone, we’re so sorry. You may want to reach out to Dave Mason and team to get a copy.

The Way You Wear It?

People are making their own Tears for Fears merch. It’s become a situation. LOL. There are rugs, bags and so much more. We do enjoy what the band has provided but we’re also diggin’ the phone cases that we’ve seen in the forum and in general. Thanks to those not selling their image and making money from it because that’s a copyright infringement and we don’t want to be rude to the band that heals us.

Musicians Among Us

Soul Twin Messiah released a really good golden nugget of a song called …Only Gold Matters Now and “It’s a Day Worth Imagining.” It’s perfect timing as the economy went bizerk at the time of the release. Not to get deeply political but good gracious it was a wild ride out there and this song was quite comforting in the midst of the angst. As mentioned, STM has a YouTube channel and they are more than just musicians, they are Tears for Fears fans and humanitarians among us. Several of us have spent many a night and early morning watching their content.

When we as fans are together in person we brainstorm and discuss how to give back and improve the society around us. After much research that began almost one year ago thanks to Sharron Foxx, another musician in the fold with great ties to legends in the industry, a few of us literally found the answer to many of the things we’ve been discussing…in STM’s recent work.

This quarter we suggest focusing on the history of how we got to where we are now. When one looks at the origins and influences of Songs from the Big Chair, a lot of people go straight to The Beatles. Roland has spoken in depth about SOL and in the recent interviews mentioned other musicians’ work that was in their ear at the time of production. Go back and revisit those interviews and you’ll “hear” songs like “Woman in Chains” in a whole new way. We certainly did! We have more of an appreciation for it now than ever before.

“What does this all have in common with our love for Tears for Fears? Counter Culture. I won’t go into the deep dive, I’ll save that for our next Substack article (oh yeah, we’ve moved off Facebook and on to Substack– details later). But take it upon yourself to understand the root of this music which can be seen in the videos that were produced by Soul Twin Messiah’s Evan G. Hirsch (The Blue Rocker). They have a library of videos regarding the origins of this change in society that no longer accepted limited roles, classifications for various ethnic groups and other things that were rooted in propaganda. Very grateful for all the work they put into their series…” – Andye Mod

In our next Zoom call we’ll be taking a moment to discuss the era, the timing, musicians and leaders who thankfully swerved society out of a chaotic future. Their efforts allowed a few generations to experience a time of enlightenment before we reached the level of absolute chaos we’ve seen of late. It’s important to remember these movements, their origins and why we still need them. Soul Twin Messiah’s core tenant is LOVE and we know Tears for Fears are all about sowing those seeds. Enjoy STM’s S.O.U.L videos and let’s have a conversation!

Also take a look at these great organizations Women’s Audio Mission (WAM) and Marin Shakespheare Theatre. They are worth learning about and will benefit from support.

Gen Alpha Adores Tears for Fears

We have a number of kids in the fifth generation of our fan team that love to get involved with Tears for Fears fan activities. Some even play music. Bobby B-blaze’s son, Keanu Russell, plays lots of Tears for Fears at home and practices their songs using one of Roland Orzabal’s guitars! Kinda helps that he has a big brother named Roland as well. Check him out!

Tamara’s nephew loves to sing “Shout,” by Tears for Fears. Look out for him in the Q3 update on Roland’s birthday!

Sending lots of hugs to all fellow fans. Thank you for keeping in touch and checking in with each other. Stay well, be healthy, follow the band on Instagram and Threads. They do have a shadow presence on Bluesky but it’s not active. We have no comment on the TikTok account because we don’t know who is managing that. Big hugs to Garbage for giving Tears for Fears a shoutout on their latest album Let All That We Imagine Be The Light. Be sure to get a copy and mix it into your Tears for Fears band – fan family musicians playlist.

Post Haste!

Get your tickets for the September and October shows directly from Ticketmaster. We do not recommend using third party vendors. A fan recently purchased from a third party and suddently couldn’t find that party to deliver their tickets. Also, a recent festival had to cancel on the 2nd day. They issued refunds to the point of sale meaning those that bought resale tickets did not get their refunds. The sellers who already collected money for the tickets (likely at a higher price) just bankrolled. The purchaser on the other hand is out of luck. A rule of thumb, buy from the original source. You don’t need to be chasing people for your tickets. Try your hardest to avoid it. If you buy from a fellow fan, they should transfer the ticket immediately, not hold it until the day of the show. Also go ahead and book your accommodations now before occupancy fills up. Remember what happened last fall…the show sold out!

Fontainebleau is located on the northern most part of the Vegas Strip… it’s quiet and serene…

Word of caution for fellow fans, do not put your seat number and section plus order number on social media. It’s not safe. Just say you’re going and let people you trust know where you are sitting. Do not put a screengrab or details of your exact seat anywhere online. We’ll discuss why in our Substack deep dives.

Remember merch has been available through the app on the day of the show (both Oct/Nov and Feb). You likely will not need to stand in line but can order in advance and pick it up once the show is over. Then enjoy a seat in the promendae for the post show wind down with fellow fans.

Countdown to showtime starts now!

Safe travels and travel planning to fans from Japan returning as well as a long time fan from Sweden. Big shoutout to Becky H. for reporting seat corrections that were needed and not originally in order upon arrival during the 30 October show last year. She and a Fontainbleau staff member ensured that the sections were corrected so that everyone got the seats they picked and paid for…both are heroes!

Talk to you soon! Enjoy a slice of one of Curt’s favourites – Blum’s Coffee Crunch Cake and Get ready for Roland’s birthday in August! Thanks for reading!

Cheers,

TFF Travel Fan Team Moderators

*pardon any typos, we’re still adding a few things but wanted to make sure we got this out on Curt’s cake day! More to come on Substack!

Tears for Fears Travel Fan Quarterly Update…90+ Days of Bliss and Superfanitis

Dedicated to Penny in Canada who worked with fellow travel fans to ensure they got premium seats and then gave away an extra set of tickets. That said a lot. Thank you so much Penny! Those seats were incredible floor seating and she went out of her way to make sure true fans were able to enjoy the show. In addition, long time fans in the area were able to go because of her! It’s not the first time she’s done something super cool in the name of Tears for Fears. We salute you Penny and appreciate your presence in the fandom!

We also want to recognize the superfans that showed up and showed out for Vegas 2024. According to the Ticketmaster seating chart, there were only resale tickets available for the 3 shows by mid October. In other words, looks like Tears for Fears had 3 sold out concerts at Fontainebleau.

VIK and MVP award goes to Sujit for flying in from Japan to make sure he was there Friday and Saturday night. What a gent! Huge thanks to Shelley and Chris for going the extra mile to encourage others to give it a go. We made it and the two months of events were a sensation – Tears for Fears took it to a whole other level of love and excitement!

There were 3 main events that took place in Q4: The Tipping Point movie with the album release, the Vegas mini-residency and multiple interviews and appearances. But some fans were just hopeful the band would take a much needed rest. Some just wanted them to get some sleep. They work so hard, when do they rest?

From the moderator, “I simply wanted the band to rest in 2024. I wanted them to do something else vs. touring because that is hard on the mind and body despite the fun. In January 2024 I started making a Tears for Fears wish list and on it was “rest for the band.” A few have seen the list.  I prayed, ‘please let them do something else other than a tour.’ My hope was that they would be involved in something profitable for themselves, something we could all enjoy no matter where we were in the world and that it would give us fans a chance to save up for a residency in 2025 or future. However, I did feel like something was going to happen in the fall and thus I tweeted a snippet from a conversation I had re: ‘something will happen in the autumn months’ and it did! Yay Superfan ESP lol! Hopefully whomever is currently in charge of their schedules can let us know soon about coming events so we can prepare in advance.”

Clearly the prayer was answered beyond many of our wildest dreams. We got Despicable Me 4 featuring Tears for Fears music, The Tipping Point Movie and a beautiful mini-residency at a very nice venue. It would be remiss to say the announcement could and should have been a heck of a lot sooner than a few months out but Roland and Curt are not to blame for that. We on the travel fan side recognise that many fans almost didn’t make it and several did not stating they didn’t have time to change their already set fall schedule. We are planners so most of us already know six months in advance (at least) what we’re doing for the year. However, a miracle did happen and we collectively filled that venue for the three nights. Rick H. of the TFF Travel Fan team captured this brilliant image of a packed house!

Let’s celebrate the awesomeness of the past three months. Each event had huge fan fare and activities. Years ago, sitting around with fellow fans we talked about how we’d love to be in a Tears for Fears video. We came up with a variety of scenarios such as singing on the beach on a breezy day or forming a TFF Choir with the elegant choral attire and all. But nothing could have prepared us for the idea of actually being in a movie. In an interview earlier in 2024, we heard about a “musical.” We thought it was going to be something on Broadway. As we began looking into hotels in the Manhattan area, assuming that we’d end up flying to New York to see some guys portraying Roland and Curt in a stage production, we were beyond thrilled to see that it was something even better…we’d all be on the big screen! To quote their friends Duran Duran, instead of Girls on Film, it’s Fans on Film.

Tears for Fears Travel fans & Brit from VIP in Franklin Tennessee for the Tipping Point Live production

The Franklin Tennessee show (the one that we refer to as TFF Nash and actually had t-shirts to boot two years prior when Lady Tam turned our attention that way) was brought to all around the world. It was super cool seeing ourselves and a huge gift from the band to take it to this level. Lady Tamara attended the event and got a photo with one of the production team members from the concert. She went to both showings in her town, driving the extra miles to get to the locations where it was featured.

Huge thanks to Lady Tam and Darren for sharing all their photos from the Tipping Point Movie events. Congratulations Darren on meeting the band after all these years. We were happy to see that Pascal Orzabal, Roland’s extraordinary musical son we know as ‘Quarterboy’ was also present. Simon Skinner was able to get some incredible photos as well. There was also a Q&A opportunity the following night. Very grateful the band was kind enough to host these types of extras that are quite coveted. We hope they’ll spend some time with us in Vegas/sign a few pieces of merch as well given we have literally 3 days between shows on the 2-4th of February. Still shocked the shows are even happening given the emotional state of California re: the wildfires. Curt and family had to evacuate for a night. If anyone is travelling from L.A. and needs to talk or wants a hug, we’re here for you!

The interviews that took place between the movie and the Vegas shows were outstanding with Nihal Arthanayake. leading the way. Mr. Arthanayake conducted an indepth conversation with Roland and Curt that was just as incredible as the ones he did in 2022 and 2023. He always goes above and beyond in that he is a true fan that truly knows the band’s work. He does his research and is able to refer to things that no other interviewers do outside of their pal Dave Mason from Radio Bath. While others have the cheek to harp on the same information time and time again, Nihal prompts the band to converse about things we have never heard before. Between he and Dave Mason, we’ve learned more about the band in the last 3 years than we have in their 43+ year career. Speaking of Dave, he was the first to play a lot of the new music and he continues to play new Tears for Fears music on his Friday show that we nicknamed “The Listening Hours.” Be sure to take time and listen to Nihal’s interview and set your alarm to tune into Radio Bath on Fridays from 9am to 12pm ET (2pm BST).

Other notable and worthy interviews and articles include:

Album release (all the versions)

Chris Nichols of the TFF Fan Forum on FB among many others have each version…EACH!

The album release was 25 October. So many of us have come to see that 25 is a powerful number in the Tearsverse. (e.g. 25 Feb 1984 SFTBC, 25 Feb 2022 TTP and 25 Oct 2024 SFANP). There were SEVERAL versions/colourways of this album which soared quickly to icon status with incredible symbols. We have adopted one of the symbols and are now using that as a fan descriptor. Years ago we asked ourselves, “what shall we be called?” Many replied, “Kooks and Orzies” after all the fan activities and the coveted VIK badges we received in that beautiful bundle Curt provided for us in 2012/2013.

Sujit’s collection includes the VIK badge

Some suggested “The Seeds,” in reference to the sunflowers that decorate the Tears-space. However, after we met the astronaut in October, we were hooked on Astro-Kooks or some form of that. We’re going with Astronauts and Kooks right now and wearing little astronaut pins and such on our clothes representing the album and so much more. Again, the album itself has 4 new songs and a bonus called Landlocked that in our opinion has gone virtually unsung and ignored. That needs to change. Somebody get that song on the setlist please! Maybe Radio Bath UK will give it a spin during Dave Mason’s listening hours on Fridays.

The Target release CD has the song Landlocked on it while others do not. Correct us if we’re wrong, but we haven’t seen it on any other version. In fact, the Target website said it was out of stock as of 26 December. So check back again if you don’t have that version. However, we doubt most fans didn’t grab it in advance. The Tears for Fears fan admin team members (looking at you Danny, Darren and Brian) have more than a few versions of the album it seems. Reach out to them on the Tears for Fears Collectors page to get a comprehensive view of what was available. From the SDE Superdeluxe option to the coveted Blueberry Cream to…you name it! Thank you Adam H. of Atlanta and Evan Gary Hirsch – The Blue Rocker for sharing the unboxing of the album and merch!

Adam H. and Evan Gary Hirsch – The Blue Rocker unboxing Songs for a Nervous Planet.

As The Blue Rocker noted in the video, songs include the live versions from the Franklin Tennessee show that took place in July 2023 at the First Bank Amphitheatre venue plus the four new tracks. Making a total of 22 gems. We were there and you read about it here in the archives – 2023 section. It was overwhelming in person and sounds incredible on the recording. Shoutout to Lady Tamara for her continued promotion push for the band to do something in Nashville. Franklin was close enough and we were thrilled. Team NASH for the win!

Sadly fans in parts of North Carolina did not get to see the movie due to the hurricane that came through and ravaged everything in sight. A group of musicians on their way to their own performances created a video showing the issues they faced while there. Our dear Shelley lives in the area and it was an ordeal getting out of there. It’s a miracle she made it to Vegas at all! Shoutout to all who literally leap over all sorts of hurdles to get to Tears for Fears events. We know the band is certainly aware of our situations otherwise the album wouldn’t have been called Songs for a Nervous Planet. They see what’s going on from natural disasters to political fallouts and have said so on multiple occasions. They pay attention (e.g. Monsoon of 2012 The Philippines). Hate that we’re back in a weird situation on the planet again with so many things in disarray. Let the music bring us solace.

Track List (and their abbreviations as created by fans e.g. ELAHE)

  1. Say Goodbye to Mum and Dad (SGtMaD)
  2. The Girl That I Call Home (TGTICH)
  3. Emily Said (ES)
  4. Astronaut
  5. No Small Thing (NST)
  6. The Tipping Point (TTP)
  7. Everybody Wants to Rule the World (EWTRTW)
  8. Secret World (SW)
  9. Sowing the Seeds (STS)
  10. Long, Long, Long Time (LLLT)
  11. Break the Man (BTM)
  12. My Demons (MD)
  13. Rivers of Mercy (ROM)
  14. Mad World (MW)
  15. Suffer the Children (STC)
  16. Woman in Chains (WIC)
  17. Badman’s Song (Badman’s)
  18. Pale Shelter (PS)
  19. Break It Down Again (BIDA)
  20. Head over Heels (HOH)
  21. Change
  22. Shout

The vinyl is gorgeous and even if you don’t have a record player or turntable at home, it’s still nice to have. Again, shoutout to Adam and Lisa who are proud owners of a signed copy from the SuperVinyl event in Los Angeles. We love you both!! The artist that designed the SFANP cover is a super cool chap by the name of Surrealisty. He’s on most social platforms and is very interactive. I think we have an exchange nearly every day. His work combines AI and a variety of other art mediums to produce almost Salvadore Dali level delights that will make you stop and stare.  

*We’d love to hear from those who bought theirs from Amazon. One fan reported that the cd didn’t have but one in the cd package – the other was missing.

As mentioned, to honour the album release significant things took place in addition to the Vegas mini-residency. There was the aforementioned vinyl signing at SuperVinyl and also an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel. Big thanks to the fans that did a detour and rushed over to L.A. in advance of the Vegas shows to be there to support the band’s event at SuperVinyl.

Fans at SuperVinyl with Tears for Fears before the Vegas shows at Fontainebleau ^^

Seeing the band on Jimmy Kimmel Live was so much fun. We were screaming when we saw both Lauren and Carina on stage. Our phones were blowing up as excited fans called and texted that they were happy to see them singing together. We are all hoping this power move is the norm moving forward. Something about those two voices and how they interact and collab during the live shows is something to behold.

Speaking of something to behold… We were not ready for what we witnessed that week in Vegas. Those shows took us into another dimension!

Fontainebleau is an incredible hotel! If you’re going to Vegas 2025, take advantage of their great discounts and stay there!

The Vegas Shows at Fontainebleau

Fontainebleau itself is majestic. Perhaps because it’s so new and less than two years old (opened in December 2023)? It’s super swank and that makes a huge difference. It’s also pronounced “fountain-blue” and not the traditional French pronunciation that many of us were giving it the whole time and still today. Andye is not switching, so if you hear her say “Fontainebleau” you know…

Enjoy this reel of the fun everyone had while there ^^ with Tears for Fears… It’s 45 mins of featuring the day many fans left their homes to the end of the 3rd show.

Read the Show Details

30 Oct

Each show was different from the next. Yes, same set list but there were nuances that made them feel like a different event each night. We planned to meet up at 4pm the day of the first show to spend time together as a fandom but actually met at 6pm and waited by the doors of the BleauLive theatre instead. Several fans alerted each other that there was a new merch opportunity where we could use a QR code to buy everything we wanted versus standing in a line that wrapped around in all kinds of ways. The line was organised but still quite long as expected so we used the QR code option.

The merch for SFANP is gorgeous and comfortable. You can see it in the online store. The hoodie and the white t-shirt (lovingly rebranded as the new SFTBC) is a favourite and a few of us wore it excessively. Andye had a hard time forcing herself to take it off and even slept in it. Not to get too off on a tangent, one fan noted that the hoodie that they purchased in person is different from the ones online. She took a photo and compared them (photo is further down in this update).

The venue staff was lovely! They were super in helping us to our seats, had a warm demeanor and did not harass us about gathering near the stage to take photos prior. They even let Pierre from Mexico hand over his posters to be signed. Now that’s rare!! Congrats Pierre!

The show began about 8:17pm. Not to be petty but we noticed the exact time because the interlude music was still playing at 8pm. We started praying at 8:15pm because we thought maybe something was off. You know we can be prone to panic in our concern for their well-being.

When they entered the stage it was like watching the heavens open and several earth angels walk out. Roland was dressed to the nines in that gorgeous winter white with his stunning tresses. Curt was mega handsome and sharp as ever looking súper suave. Charlton was warm and immaculate while Jamie was cool in his drummer genius way. Doug was dapper and “The Girls” as they have been nicknamed endearingly were fierce and fashionable as ever! The energy they brought to that stage was 50 to 100 times higher than tours past. We are accustomed to a beautiful stoicism with grace, excitable and energetic peace if you know what we mean – super soulful and mindful. This show, however, was like watching supernatural sparks flying all over the place in perfect union. We were gobsmacked!

The conversations, chats and backstories were welcomingly plentiful and the shoutouts to fans who flew in were a MAJOR BONUS! My goodness Curt! That was worth the whole drive across country! To top it off even more, Roland, Curt and Charlton were so close to the fans. We on the front row got a real treat when they came forward together and played guitar. It didn’t feel like earth at all. It was a whole other dimension.

Roland and Curt – Tears for Fears up close and rockin’ out for fans! ^^

They spent TIME with us at that concert. It literally felt like a MeetUp or a intimate event similar to the ones Curt hosted in the past. Words are not enough. This was a total immersion in peace, love, understanding and ultimate joy! They brought it ALL!!!!

A Shocker After the First Show

So, we sat around trying to come down from the astrological experience. We were practically gasping for air. Not sure at what point this occurred but we got a note that they were coming back to Vegas in Feb 2025. We freaked out! A 5-hour emergency meeting took place on the 31st. We did all we could to work out the logistics. We, again, had less than a week to come up with the resources to repeat the experience. That’s a whole other conversation for another time. The consensus was “We’ll try.”

1 & 2 November, 2024 Shows

The next two nights were just as fantastic with, again, incredible energy! They were dancing from one end of the stage to the other! Toward the end, Lauren was singing between Curt and Charlton. Carina came over to the center right and sang. They were bouncing around and partying in perfect pitch. We were ogling at Roland’s guitar stickers too. They are so cool! Way to decorate all the new guitars you told us about in Palm Springs, Mr. Orzabal! Curt made it clear that we were in for a rocky ride for this event because they hadn’t gotten all the songs “down” yet but none of us could tell really. They performed perfectly and we were on cloud nine!

He also noted we were in for a politically wild situation. We see he was right. No matter who you like or don’t, we see the in-fighting with the new stateside administration. Curt’s thoughts on the matter are valid but some very obnoxious people showed their arses further demonstrating the craziness of it all. Those people have been identified due to hateful comments they made during the event and online. Those who harassed innocent fans online – fans who hadn’t even engaged with them prior – have been blocked and banned from mingling with us specifically as they clearly don’t actually listen to the lyrics of TFF but want to request all the backstage passes they can get. Unacceptable.

Another bonus was learning the meaning behind the songs and becoming more familiar with, and sealed to, the astronaut theme. Our appreciation for Emily Said grows more and more daily. As mentioned, Curt gave some lovely shoutouts. He recognised a fan who was at the very first Tears for Fears show in the United States back in the 80s and he said hi to Andye who was there celebrating her 37th TFF event/show attendance. Fans who flew in from around the world were noted and the band was generous with souvenirs as always.

Bobby B-blaze wore Roland’s jacket from the Elemental tour and it was noticed. He also got a guitar pick to give to his son who is currently working on music and playing Tears for Fears songs. From one row to another the fans were interacted with and getting some quality face time with the band. It was a blessing, a gift and we love that the venue is arranged in such a way that we can be that close without encroaching on their personal space. It’s very well set-up.

Tears for Fears Super fans gathered at Fontainebleau for the 2 November 2024 concert…^^

From the moderator:

“The dimension that Tears for Fears led us into was supernatural. No one will ever change my mind. They are always over the top incredible but this time it was even more than the gargantuan phenomenal extravaganzas they’ve done before! How is this possible?

The love that Carina and Lauren received was welcomed. They deserve so much praise for what they brought to the stage! We’re obsessed with the both of them! We’re just trying to behave and not do some frightening superfan scream i.e. Beatle mania (also pray for Julian Lennon please – he’s had a health scare.)

When I say, I did not want leave. I was ready to see about a transfer to Vegas or just move back to the west coast immediately. Their joy permeated the hotel. Everybody in there from the in-room dining team to the bellmen were singing their songs when they saw our t-shirts. My superfanitis was more intense than it ever has been. I was emotionally distraught on Monday when we headed home – I still am. Trying to “go home cause you can’t stay here” was impossible to accept. Not even counseling has helped. I was turnt!! These shows were like none other. They did that!”

But there were some odd moments – no fault of the band…just things that can be fixed (and in two case have been) for future by the venue.

The first night, the sides got switched and people thinking they were on Curt’s side were actually on Roland’s. Shoutout to the lady that yelled for that to be rectified. The thing is, many fans have a view they have become accustomed to these decades and while we adore the whole band, we know people who literally like to stand facing Carina/Lauren and others who like to be at a certain angle in front of Charlton with a good view of Jamie. Getting the seating chart matched with what one paid for is crucial. Was quite shocked the venue goofed on that but again, very grateful it was fixed!

The third night (Saturday) a woman tried to “buy people out of their seats.” Now we understand why some venues don’t let anyone that does not have a seat on the front row even go past the second! The lady kept asking two particular travel fans if she could give them a couple hundred dollars and the offer increased at one point. These hard core fans rightfully said, “No!” We don’t go through the discomfort of logistics to sell ourselves out for a seat in a section far from fellow fans.

There was also a drunk man on the front row who made it clear he didn’t know where he was. His lady friend was just …well…we don’t know if she was a fan or just there making a scene with her arms all over the place. Her male companion literally pushed the front row seats back a few inches causing even further tightness in the audience.

The proximity of the seats made it feel like we were packed like sardines. Not sure what happened. Also, some told us they couldn’t see the band because there was literally a wall in front of their seats despite being front row. Andye gave out some extra tickets for center seats hoping to remedy the surprisingly bad views of the stage that some said they had. The venue has modified the seating chart for Vegas 2025 so we imagine it will be much more comfortable.

Merch issue:

As noted in the video, we used a QR code to avoid the line and buy merch that we were able to pick up after the show. We saw a fee of over $4 dollars per item on one receipt afterwards. It was a service fee. So it looks as though about $4+ is being added to each item? Be mindful of that. Not sure if there’s a fee if you stand in the merch line but we used the QR code option and paid a total of $9+ extra for two shirts.

Post Show & 2025 Planning

We spent the rest of the time in the hotel blissfully recovering from the incredible experience. But Blue Monday hit us like a hammer…that morning we got up early and engaged with Ticketmaster as a group to get tickets. It was a hair raising time filled with adrenaline because the mobile app required double authentication while the web did not. Internet connectivity that morning was not great. Andye’s laptop connection literally shut down and out of anger and frustration she said she wasn’t going. Many of us were slowed down and with all of us trying to get our preferred seats it became frustrating and very unpleasant. The thought of not getting to repeat that other worldly experience was gut wrenching and made several of us very upset.

The saddest part was the prices looked as if they increased about $200 for platinum seats making it impossible for us to attend all four days because it “felt like” the ticketing system was taking advantage of us. Several called saying they were not paying $1200+ for a ticket that was under $1000 just a few days ago. While the shows are worth $5,000, it’s the principle. A seat that was $800 in November was suddenly $1250 for February 2025. Price gouging felt very real. No fault of the band. They can’t regulate TM. Shoutout to Robert Smith of The Cure – IYKYK.

We’re going to stop here re: tickets. We just wish there was a better way to support Tears for Fears free of certain ticketing systems and people unrelated to the band and their business that take advantage of fans and events. This doesn’t happen to just Tears for Fears fans, it happens to MANY live music lovers.

*If you need tickets to the Vegas 2025 event, we surprisingly have several second row seats and a few other center seats for the entire week at original price.

These were the only negatives re: 2024 Vegas. We’re grateful that we got to experience such an incredible week together in the presence of Tears for Fears! It was priceless and nothing can compare to the healing energy they provide. It’s just out of this world!

Tears for Fears on NBC’s The Voice

Tears for Fears were also featured on the finale of NBC’s The Voice. If you had the opportunity to watch it on cable you saw the whole show on the same night. Those with the Peacock streaming service had to wait until Wednesday to see the band. Thankfully fellow fans were on hand recording it and got it posted to the fan forums and more so the loyal die-hards didn’t have to wait. We don’t see the NBC official recording from The Voice YouTube account so here’s the one from Retro Hits.

There were so many other awesome things that occurred days after the Vegas shows including Curt getting to hold the falcon at the football game. It’s a beautiful photo. Deb in Boston noted that her aunt is the first falconer in the USA. That’s really cool.

Curt Smith at the game with a new feathered friend – Mr. Falcon

Spotify Wrapped

If you looked at the unboxing video above you saw the Spotify Wrapped gift from the band to fans who were top listeners this year. If you love showing that off, you likely are showing off the merch too in your everyday lives. We had an issue where some pasta sauce fell on the new TFF Astronaut jacket and thankfully the band obliged us and got the merch online by that afternoon. New jacket immediately secured. However, it is a bit different from the ones we bought in Vegas. Vegas’ jackets have the blue astronaut and the ones in the merch store that arrived pretty quick after ordering, have a white astronaut and black drawstring. They are also a bit heavier. The Vegas one is great for spring and cooler temps while the merch store one will keep you from freezing in the cold. Think of “Green Mad World Hoodie” from 2023. *The 2025 Vegas merch includes the white astronaut.

Thank you P. Golding for sharing a photo of the difference.

Other news in band land…

Oleta Adams has officially retired from touring. There’s even a rumour she isn’t living in Kansas City anymore? But she’ll always love The Kansas City Chiefs – Go Chiefs! Here’s a great video of our dear Queen Oleta that we’re enjoying. Be sure to continue to follow her online in all the spaces she shares music and news. She’ll always be Queen Oleta to us!

Raoul, Roland’s eldest son, is finishing some of his artwork and sharing about it. Upside Down Clinic is now on Spotify. You can stream their music there. The Korgis FB page is active as John Baker who is now featured in a fan group Titled Roland, Curt and John Baker – too darn cute! Love that! Lady Wilder posted a new piece of art and it is awesome! Follow her on IG for the latest in her world. We’re trying to catch up with Lady Diva Carina has new merch and you can find it on her website. Pretty cool things! Check it out! Lauren is still healing people with her work and assisting everyone emotionally as they get through these horrible wildfires in the L.A. area and beyond.

Lauren and Carina with Tears for Fears in Vegas 2024 ^^

Soul Twin Messiah

There are lots of bands in the TFF space. There’s Quarterboy, Diva Smith, Lauren and Carina have their own music and collaborations. Fans of the band have music. For goodness sake, we even have Julian Lennon in the fold. What an honour it was to see him at Hollywood Bowl. Superfan Sharron Foxx spent over a decade with the Pink Floyd cover band Wish You Were Here and took us backstage for a virtual tour. Then on the 4th of July Sharron slid something into Andye’s DM’s.

“Honestly I almost ignored it. I was irritated that day and feeling fussy. I opened the IG inbox and there was a video with a super high vibration. I’m ultra sensitive to various energies and this one had a pull like none other. We talk about this kind of thing often in the corners of the Tearsverse. I looked at the video, knew it had some kind of power and just said, “I’m not ready for this. Noooo. Not getting caught up in this. That’s another one of those groups dwelling in another dimension. The Tearsverse is overwhelming as is. I’m not sure we can handle another band. Months later I’m glad I ignored my intuition. Soul Twin Messiah is an excellent addition to our world.” – Andye

Here’s why we’re glad that intuition was ignored… One of the messages that we have been given from TFF over the years is to “THINK” and not follow blindly. That’s why it was so absolutely mind blowing to see the Cabaret style hatred in the response in response to Curt’s observations from several men on a particular row on the second night of the Vegas shows. The lyrics of Tears for Fears’ music asks and prompts listeners to pay attention to everything in the political space and beyond.

Encountering the band Soul Twin Messiah, with their very human experience focused catalog of music that has roots in the sacred Haight-Ashbury district gives us a call to action for the very thing that Tears for Fears has been telling us for 43 years. Moving forward we in the TFF Travel Fan group are going to explore, listen and plan a new route into actionable service to help honour the legacy of Tears for Fears. We’re going down into the rabbit warrens of San Francisco and the counterculture movement. Soul Twin Messiah (who are long time fans of Tears for Fears) have laid out a clear path with their brilliant work, their documentary, and S.O.U.L. YouTube videos. In them we found numerous solutions for a better world that were well written, documented on camera with interviews and advice from visionaries. From legends like Jacque Fresco to those running institutions featuring the greats from the 60s and modern day, it’s all there. We don’t have to live in chaos and disarray. While none of this is based on “religion,” we agree with Rabbi Brous (the head of IKAR – the open minded shul), who has repeatedly said in regards to the way this world is going, “There is a better way.”

Very grateful to all of the teams in California for staying the course and aiming for a cleaner, kinder and loving way of living. Super thankful to Oshallah and The Blue Rocker who practice what they promote and are not joking around. We see it and we “get it.” The time is now.

We can sit here and bop along contributing nothing to society or we can take meaningful action by listening and collaborating with each other to make the most of what we’ve got. Look at how many of us FLOCK to shows annually – literally spending days clinging to each other in love and harmony – imagine what we can build with great guidance from those who have been successful before us. We’re already talking about a TFF condo community. Let’s move forward and get on the path to promote endless joy and kindness. It’s the “Tears for Fears thing” to do!

“High time we made a stand and shook up the views of the common man …and the love train riding coast to coast…” Sowing the Seeds, TFF 1989

Join in when you’re ready.

Speaking of Actions…

You may have noticed that Curt is no longer on Twitter (X) and neither are we. In the early days of November we left him a note stating we’re okay with leaving that platform. It didn’t feel like a healthy place any longer among other things. You can find him and Tears for Fears official on Facebook, IG, Threads and Bluesky. We as a fan team will be decreasing our time on questionable platforms and instead posting here on our subscription site and Bluesky until further notice.

Healthy Fans are Happy Fans

Therapain Plus is available for those who have been in pain (e.g. knees, back, shoulders). We’re discussing this because many in conversation have noted some aches and issues (of all ages). This is what has been useful to Andye who suffers from Lymphedema making it impossible for her to walk. This product plus physical and music therapy have helped her regain mobility. You may have noticed she can once again make her way to her seat without the medical team and get around a bit more without her wheelchair. Again, part of our future is to promote good health habits and how to be amazing global citizens. You gotta feel good, folks! It’s your right. Talk to your doctor about TherapainPlus. We’re not making money from this. We’re genuinely looking out for fellow fans.

Thank you so much for reading our long update! Took a while to get this one out as things continued to come up and we didn’t want to publish before all the news was ready to be seen. Enjoy the latest Tears for Fears videos and we hope to see you at the next event!

Follow the band on Facebook @tearsforfears and Instagram/Threads @tearsforfearsmusic, @curtsmith and @curtsmithofficial (FB), @thereallaurenevans @carinaround @jameswollam @dougpettykeys – There are also inactive accounts on Bluesky.

For Travel Fan information subscribe to this site for updates and follow us on Bluesky (overtime we’ll be inactive on IG and FB)