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)

Tears for Fears Q3 Update – Happy Birthday Roland Orzabal!

Happy Birthday to Roland

Big Happy Birthday to Mr. Orzabal! We are grateful for all the things he has shared with us over the years.  We had a beautiful time watching him in his element during the 2022-2023 tours. He brings us so much joy. He also handed over several guitars to fans of recent including our Bobby B-blaze of the Tears for Fears Travel Fan team. Darren and Nicole also got one as did a dear industry friend of his. Perhaps even more. That’s a big deal! Again, we’re super grateful for his kindness and generosity. The incredibly amazing Lauren Evans joined us in singing happy birthday during one of our band chats. We of course were so mesmerised by her incredible voice we could barely get our words out to join in. Enjoy the video! Many happy returns dear Roland!

A Bouquet of Birthdays

Curt Smith’s wife, Our Dear Lady Frances’ Birthday 2024

We also want to shoutout Lady Frances Pennington (Lady FP), Curt’s dear wife who celebrated her birthday in Italia on the 18th of July. We appreciate her so much xoxo.

Bobby B-blaze (17 August) and his son, Roland – named after the main man himself (27 August), had/will have their birthdays this month as well. Bobby shares a birthday with Donnie Wahlberg of New Kids on the Block. Their fan team management also works with fan activities for Tears for Fears. At the end of the 2017 tour a few of us went up to Boston where several Tears for Fears Travel Fan team members and a member of the band have roots. That was a memorable and marvelous experience. Thank you Deb Gromack, a music therapist within the TFF Travel Fan Team, who lead the organization on that excursion.

New Music

Now, let’s put our birthday cake forks down and have a look at this recent announcement. Here are the facts: earlier this spring we had been having conversations with various people in the industry and not one venue noted there be anything happening Tears-wise in the summer. But something made us think that there would surely be an announcement in the fall regarding future plans (e.g. 2025). We put a pin in it and sure enough, Dave Mason from Radio Bath announced during his Friday 17 August Radio Bath listening hours that we should stay tuned in September for some news. Then Tears for Fears Official announced on Saturday that they had something new for us and that we’d find out on Monday the 19th.

However, late Saturday afternoon the information leaked due to a radio promotion for the long awaited and begged for mini-res – that’s what we’re calling it. The band or band management has chosen Vegas as the first rodeo for this type of thing. The last time we had anything even remotely resembling a residency was back in 2011 when Curt did a series of shows at the Whitefire Theatre. That’s all documented here in the archives. It was incredible because it was an intimate space and he gave out some really cool perks for us early bird ticket buyers. He also sent the information out pretty early so we did have time to prepare – keep that in mind. The band then sent out the confirmation on Monday that everything that had been leaked was indeed legit. They will be doing what we are recognising as a mini-residency in Vegas this year. The title, theme, etc, is Songs for a Nervous Planet. How fitting!

Tears for Fears Vegas 2024

First of all, this is a big deal to many of us because we asked for this back in 2019. Also, so many fans and their families have had healing moments with their music or from being around the band and physically following the tours from city to city. So here we are with our wish. Everything will take place in Vegas 2024 at a very nice establishment called Fontainebleau. We can put aside tshirts n’ shorts and instead get dress up for this one. Fans can go all out and actually wear the Tears for Fears hoodies for this show as it’s indoors during the cooler months. Dates are 30 October and 1 & 2 November. Doors open at 7pm and the show begins at 8pm. No opening act has been noted so that means we get a nice early show with the band. What are they playing? It’s a surprise! Again, check out the title. Songs for a Nervous Planet…ever notice how the band always releases an album just before or right around some huge global event? We have that documented too. Makes you think they know something… But the good thing is they have been here to comfort us all during some pretty scary times…and these times are absolutely frightening.

While we’re thrilled about this, there are MANY that are concerned. We had less than one day to get resources together for tickets, hotel rooms, flights, etc. The rooms at the venue are currently discounted so if you book now, you may be able to take advantage of that. There’s nothing we can do about flights. Most people book about 3-4 months out so you don’t have to pay those high last minute prices. Last minute these days is about 2 months out. We’re “just” in the final stretch before a ticket to Vegas (which is often pricey because…well, it’s a destination city) gets “silly expensive.” This is mentioned because this is not being heard or taken into consideration according to many. There are a lot of social posts that have been rather well-written to explain why this event is difficult to participate in due to the short notice. Given that so many other bands announced their Vegas residency and Vegas dates last year or 7 months out, we are concerned why Tears for Fears’ management didn’t do the same. Management doesn’t owe us any explanation of course but we’re still curious.

What we are addressing next has nothing to do with Roland, Curt nor any member on that stage…

The short turnaround resulted in anxiety for a fair number of loyal followers of all ages. It is the second time of recent we’ve had to hurry and gather the resources within 24 hours. It is a known issue. We’re curious if this is the type of notice we can expect in the future. Will it always be a 1 day notice for presale? Not even trying to discuss the general public sale – that does not apply when it comes to the hard core travelling crew of fans – some of which have never missed a tour since the 80s (i.e. Josie K) or those who up and followed the band to every show on two continents in 2022 (i.e. Tears for Fears Travel Fan Ambassador Stephen M.). It is very clear that several hundred at minimum want the presale. We have video of seats quickly vanishing within an hour of the artist presale code release.

We are not complaining as Tears for Fears are a priceless experience. We just want to get some kind of confirmation on what we need to be ready in the future. And do not tell us to just go to one show and pick a corner seat. The below is a snapshot of the typical hard core fan receipt for one ticket. It’s $800+. *We were encouraged to post the screenshot of a few fans’ tickets but for privacy purposes, we’re showing what we saw for sale online today.

Many of those who were concerned have gone ahead and bought tickets with just the hope they can get the rest of the plans together in time. We’ve got people looking to fly in from Japan, UK, etc. Tears for Fears fans want to support the band in anyway they can. However, without realistic advanced notice it is soul crushingly difficult and in some cases (we’re looking at you Nashville) it is not possible because the year is already booked solid for other things. These days, one doesn’t have much choice but to get their calendars together in advance due to fees associated with not planning ahead. We do not like to discuss money in this space but if you’d like to see the receipts from past shows and get an idea of what several have come to learn is needed for a Tears for Fears show fund, let us know. Below is what we’ve seen so far for the Vegas 2024 shows and the hotel.

Stage Level Ticket: approx $129 to $950 depending on the seat you choose and if you get the much needed ticket insurance because life happens and no one is immune to that.

Venue hotel: approx $1,750 If you arrive on the 29th and leave on Sunday morning. (Circus Circus across the street is running a deal that is a fraction of this cost, Book now before it’s sold out if you’d like to stay close to the venue. Thank you C.A. for the heads up on that. We know everyone would prefer to stay at the venue but this is where many have chosen for this mini-res.)

If you still need a ticket to the show or are not happy with your seat location, let us know. We’ll see what we can do to help you move to the area of your choice. There is no fee to get our help. We just want everyone to arrive in a good mood and be happy with their choices. You’re flying all the way out there might as well get the seat you want. David Wild said it best…

David Wild’s post on X Twitter

Take a look at the video of the venue and the hotel…

BleauLive Theatre is where the shows are to take place

This video is worth watching…

Circus Circus Room (hotel across the street)

Tears for Fears on Film –  Despicable Me 4

Here’s a follow up to Tears for Fears in Despicable Me 4 (Minions). We got the notice earlier this summer (June/July) and Curt shared some really nice photos as noted in the previous update. If you couldn’t make it to the theatre you can purchase or rent the movie on a variety of platforms including YouTube. The band reference is toward the end and includes some iconic animated scenes that you may associate with Head over Heels plus the image from the band’s iconic performance of Everybody Wants to Rule the World on the Kenny Everett show in the 80s. The movie is hilarious, safe for children and does not include any frightening or horror scenes that need to be skipped through. It’s a worthwhile investment.

More Music!

So in addition to what’s on tap for October and November, Roland also did a duet with Sixpence None Richer singer, Leigh Nash. The song is absolutely gorgeous. You can buy it on Apple Music and fellow Tears for Fears Travel Fan, Danny Cricks, posted a YouTube link that was shared in one of the Tears for Fears groups he manages. This video link is not working for some. You can watch it on FB as well in one of the many TFF fan generated group pages.

Alumni

Oleta Adams Farewell Tour has a stop in Atlanta. We are so excited but we were not prepared for this news. Still, we respect her decision to go ahead and “call it” so to speak. We hope she’ll continue to do one-offs and special appearances. We’re not giving up on some type of TFF collab in some form or fashion with the band and all involved current day. We’re holding out for some Oleta Adams residencies or something. Good gracious, we need her voice and presence in our lives. Serenity Now! Also this Atlanta show is now SOLD OUT as expected! There’s a waiting list…but good luck with that! We were there at one of her sold outs in ATL 2019 a few weeks after Tears for Fears performed near the same venue at Shaky Knees Fest. That is also documented here in the archives. We weren’t the same for weeks on end after those shows. They were overwhelmingly beautiful. Next time she came she had to have two shows. It’s an experience to say the least. Absolutely incredible. It gets packed in that venue when she’s there so be prepared if you haven’t seen her at that specific venue and have a ticket to attend.

Oleta Adams will be at City Winery the week after Tears for Fears in Vegas

John Baker of The Korgis has a lot going on. They have a group page where you can interact and get lots of information. Be sure to pay attention. Lots of cool news and blasts from the past come out of their social pages. John is a jewel among us and you’ll appreciate all he has going on. Stay in tune with his news.

*Friendly reminder that Captain Julian and Jon Birch have their latest album out. It’s worth a buy. Grab your digital copy on Bandcamp from The Upside Down Clinic.

Monday, Monday…

Did you get the email on Monday? As mentioned, one was sent on Saturday and another on Monday. Be sure you have subscribed to the email list for Tears for Fears and the band members’ individual websites (i.e. Jamie Wollam, Lauren Evans, Carina Round, Doug Petty). They are great about sharing all that’s going on in their world. Signing up for their email lists is the best way to get the information you need in a timely manner vs. waiting on your social media newsfeed algorithm to populate it to your account. People miss out when they don’t sign up so be sure to do so this week. When their information arrives in your inbox be sure to add them to your contacts so the information does not go to spam. This is extremely important. If you didn’t get the Tears for Fears email and you are for sure you signed up, let us know.

We love this photo of Doug Petty on his website. It’s a beautiful photo.

*Tears for Fears has an account on TikTok. We do not know who manages it. We do not know the future of that platform nor that of X (formerly Twitter – the poor bird, pour one out for that blue canary), so we are not investing a lot of time on either one. However, the band is there if you’d like to follow. Of course, the band still has their Facebook account and Instagram. A few of their team are also on Threads. So you have lots of spaces where you can keep in touch.

From the Archives

August has historically been a really cool month filled with incredible music memories in TFF fan land. Many of us saw them on our social media timelines. We spent quite a few days on tour in August 2012 including their time at the Orange County Fair and Hendersonville Nevada at Sunset Station. Captain Julian had several of us in his video “Road Trip” with his band at the time DelaQ. Good times! September has also been notably fun times for us all. Thanks to all involved over the years who helped make that happen from Alisa, Rise, Captain Julian Orzabal, all the attendees at Sunset Station, The original TFF Travel Fans: Jack and Dawn Curry, Becky Boom Boom, Lady Carolyn, Silver Kitty, Kai-Kai and all the crew. You are appreciated!

Band Fan Chats

We do meet up on Zoom from time to time. Lauren joined us for a conversation about her new album. She is also hosting a 7-Day Affirmation online event in September. Be sure to check out her new website, sign up for it and sign up for her mailing list as mentioned.

Check out this neat video that Lauren was in some years ago. Love all the good energy in this!

Get Well Soon!

Several fans got sick over the summer with a variety of very serious ailments. We wish them healing. They know who they are and we are holding space for them daily. In our meditative sessions we are sending healing energy to you for your injuries and praying for a speedy recovery from surgery. We’re here for you when you’re ready. Get your rest!

Note from the Moderator:

So what has you worried right now? The short notice? How you’re going to get yourself together and find a way to get to Vegas? Same here! We’ve already had quite a few conference calls about how to work through the challenging logistics of the quick turnaround. I’ve been on the phone since Saturday night fielding calls and listening to some understandably stressed out fellow fans. Some have it all sorted out. Others have given up and said they can’t do it without knowing six months out – they already made other plans for this fall and can’t cancel. If you’re having trouble let us know. We’ll see what we can do to help you work out the logistics of fan travel. That’s what we do. There is no fee. We just try to help you work with what you have and sort it all out. If we have any extra tickets we’ll let everyone know as always.

Despite all the fear of not being able to attend, we’re still happy that one of our biggest fan wishes has coincidentally been answered. Also, this letter Curt wrote years ago stays on our minds when it comes to show planning on their side. *We have a copy on the FB TFF Travel Fan page if you have trouble downloading this one.

Freedom is No Small Thing…

For those that have issue with musicians who have long stood up for their political beliefs, remember to listen to the lyrics of their songs. The words have meaning. If you don’t like their pick for candidates, stay calm…you’ll manage. As mentioned by Curt, please check on your voter registration. Be sure to participate in the election this year. Some of you will be travelling back from Vegas at that time. You’ll want to complete an absentee ballot if you know you will not be near your home polling station. It is crucial that you vote this year. There’s some wild political plans that clearly don’t benefit the greater good of society and we need to make our voices heard at the ballot box. Remember the lyrics of Shout. Let that be your mantra. Wishing a final end to these damn wars and conflicts. Let the politicians fight each other, leave the rest of us out of it.

“Let the children boogie…” David Bowie – a dear and heavily missed connection in the Tears for Fears fan world.

Big shoutout to Ms. Vee’s sweet child representing the Tears for Fears Toddler Brigade – remember when we were singing this at this sweet dear’s age? Singing it so much better than most of us did! Thank you!

Big thanks to all who take a moment to read the notes we send out quarterly. Huge thanks to all who participate in the fan chats on various platforms, the travel fans that quickly hop on our Zoom calls to sort things out and all the admins keeping the bootleg t-shirt spammers out of groups.

Follow the band @tearsforfearsmusic (IG), @tearsforfears (TW/X) and Facebook, @curtsmith (TW/X) and (IG)

IG and FB @carinaround @thereallevans @jameswollam @dougpettykeys – Charlton has accounts as well but not sure he’s using them. @papasfans for specific fan travel information

Going Into Q1 with Gratitude for Tears for Fears

Dedicated to The Curry Family and David Bowie’s team of musicians and friends

This week is a memorial honouring David Bowie. Hardcore fans of Tears for Fears understand why that is important to us. Many of those fans are ones who keep Ashes to Ashes, a song the band covered some years ago originally written by David Bowie, on repeat. It’s one of the best parts of Saturnine Martial & Lunatic. Over time, we’ve come to find Bowie fans at concerts, interacting with us online and virtually swaying alongside us during the recent memorial shows. One of those great musicians interacting is icon Kitten Kuroi, who is coincidentally a friend of the award-winning Lady Lauren Evans, Tears for Fears’ most recent band family singer. Kuroi was featured in the 2022 Bowie celebration curated by the honourable Mike Garson. Bowie teams make up one of the many beautiful mosaic roots of our fandom. They are strong foundations that have influenced us, bringing unity to our team in our quest to collectively and respectfully promote and celebrate the work of amazing musicians. Huge thanks to each of them for the ongoing interactions and online friendships.

We’re also grateful for Jack and Dawn Curry who went above and beyond to ensure that fans actually made it to shows in 2022.They helped ensure each one had spectacular seats. When we looked at our meticulous archives and documents, we saw that collectively, the travel fan team mod and in-kind supporters Jack and Momma D, purchased well over 32 VIP ticket packages for fans. They assisted with travel expenses, accommodations, dinners and hosted several warm gatherings throughout the tour. The comfort and ease of the 2022 tour season was due to these aforementioned contributors and their efforts will not be forgotten.

The list of really cool moments in 2022 is long and some of the favourites that we’ve seen include not just concert moments but extra special experiences that happened between shows. Given that we already have documented highlights through last October, let’s focus on the fun from Q4.

Curt Was Healed!

If Curt’s ribs breaking wasn’t the scariest thing that happened all year, we don’t know what was. Curt gave details of his injury during an interview on the BBC one morning. Learning that his injuries originated on the tour bus where he was literally sent flying after a false stop, was devastating to hear. The fact that he even tried to sally forth and keep going despite being in pain was a sacrifice we’re glad he discontinued. The wait and worry was fairly intense o\n the fan forum and in numerous Tears for Fears dedicated groups on Facebook (which now equal over 45 individual ones…). We’re so happy that this is behind us and that he was able to go to the UK and Europe to participate in additional interviews and appearances including the Deutsch Press awards as discussed in the previous update.

Holiday Song

Nearly every year Curt has released a holiday song. This year we got something quite special during Hanukkah. As mentioned in a previous post, Mad World has been used by at least two synagogues in the states during Shabbat service. Most recently, it was featured at IKAR LA, where well-known artist, Hillel Tigay, is the Chazan/Cantor and music director. The video of their Havdalah service featured the song and Curt loved it. He was invited to join them and did so on the 16th of December for Kabbalat Shabbat. For many observant Jews in the fan team, this was extra special and several noted that the occasion officially solidifies Tears for Fears’ music as a perfect accompaniment to prayers. Andye is contemplating writing a book about how much the band’s music has been important in spiritual journeys and healing for so many fans. But let’s let her get through the mini-documentary first.

The Mini-Doc

So, we took every photo given to us, those we collected and captured on tour plus videos and sandwiched them all together in chronological order. We have nearly an hour of photo slides so far if not more. It’s a lot. Next steps include a lot of fonting and finding licensed music to add to it. We had hoped to have it sent out by the 28th of December, but the task is huge and there are just a few people that actually have the time to maneuver through the technicalities of the project. We do not have an ETA on the completion, but it’s been a lot of fun going through all the memories from every show during the 2022 tour season. We’ll be sure to start sharing more BTS photos on Facebook and Instagram.

The World Cup

At the start of the quarter, we learned that the band would be featured in the Budweiser Beer sponsored World Cup Song collaboration with Lil’ Baby. It was a surprise song. As with anything Tears for Fears touches, the song was pretty darn cool and had a lot of new listeners and positive reaction videos from some who were completely new to the band. This, in turn, brought new people into the fold. Gen Z was already on board but now there are even more. Is that why it seems the band is more active on TikTok than Twitter now?

New EWTRTW Video

The band released a new version of Everybody Wants to Rule the World. It’s a compilation of clips from the history of the band on the road (looks like clips from a previous documentary). The video has an emphasis on imagery from the ‘Rule the World’ – Greatest Hits album that was released in 2017. However, we’re wondering why this was created when the band already has an EWTRTW video. Perhaps we missed a memo. Either way, it’s awesome and we love it. Nice to see all the concert footage again.

The Mystery Box of Merch (now sold out?)

Just as the year closed, the band’s U.S. store offered a mystery box of merch that includes three items. The box could be purchased by anyone regardless of location it seemed. If anyone had issues ordering it, let us know. But if you’re in the U.K. you should have been able to get a hold of one regardless of it being from the US. store. It was $35 plus shipping and a limited time only offer so no clue when and if such a thing will be available again. We know a few people that have already purchased two. Danny, let us know when it arrives!

The Tipping Point is #1

Classic Pop Magazine released a list of their top favourites for 2022 and yes, agreeably so, The Tipping Point is number one! We were told the band was flattered and thanked the magazine. Let us also say thank you Classic Pop Mag, from a fan perspective, for taking time to recognise that superlative album – very likely their best yet – and that says a lot because we all know they have produced so many hits that are timeless. They have the Midas touch in music! *Thank you, Martin Slade and Danny Cricks, for sharing the photo from the magazine.

About those NFTs

So, the tour packages included an NFT. In the rush and fit of all, we didn’t bother to look at the tax laws around NFTs at the time. So, those of us, as mentioned, who purchased quite a few, in hindsight panicked thinking we were clueless to how much tax we owe on these. However, there is no price tag on the NFTs in the Ticketmaster and LiveNation account. So likely we don’t owe anything. But you’ll want to refer to your tax advisor. From what we can see, one does not owe taxes on the NFTs according to a few tax documents we read.

Band Family & Alumni

Wilder Smith, Curt’s youngest daughter turned a lovely 21 on the 27th of December. Curt also published the URL to her new website. Not sure if she’s taking commissions but we’ll wait it out cause we’ve got some things we’d love to get a quote on and in production for the future.

Little Lady Genevieve (Vivi) Orzabal also had a birthday on the 28th. We wish her a great turn around the sun and lots of love.

Jamie’s daughter Bayley had a birthday on the 20th of December and it’s noteworthy that a lot of longtime fans also had birthdays this month. It was truly a band family and fan birthday extravaganza! Many happy returns to Eileen I, Sheila SheShe, Andye the Moderator and so many more.

Libre Stone sent out a loving note of thanks to fans who supported them this year. That was super sweet!

Supporting singer Lauren’s song “This Could Be” got a lot of air play in December and was trending. Congrats to her on that! Her voice is also featured in New Amsterdam’s Season 2 Episode 6 singing a rendition of “His Eye is on the Sparrow.” It is quite moving! Be sure to check that out on Netflix.

The Smith household got a new puppy named Twiggy. Twiggy looks a lot like sister Ivy Smith and the late Bella Smith of their Vizsla family of dogs reportedly of Hungarian hunter dog descent. That’s admirable. It’s a beautiful dog and Wilder has posted several photos of herself with the sweet new baby. Curt also mentioned sweet Twiggy in his New Year holiday message on the 31st of December.

Oleta Adams wrapped up her 2022 tour in December, but has more shows scheduled for March and April. She’s so loved and sought after, rightly so! Very grateful that many of us got to see her again this past year.

We’ll wrap this up with a shout out to those who took the Tears for Fears Pilgrimage. It does exist. Many fans go to the city of Bath every year and take a photo at several iconic spots including Moles where the band had their first show and brother Shaun Smith did the lighting. They go by Roland’s old home above the pizza parlour and take a walk near Snow Hill. Our lady Tamara got a great extra tour stop this year.  She spent some time with Libre Stone, Radio Bath’s Dave Mason and the fan family stars like Stephen Marshall. Tamara is an amazing Tears for Fears Super Fan and we’re beyond grateful for all of her contributions in 2022!

To say we are grateful for all the amazing things that took place in Tears for Fears’ fan land last year would be an understatement. Despite illness, surgery, treating cancer and dodging Covid, the fan family showed up and showed out! Tears for Fears fans bought a record number of seats at the sold-out show at the Forum in Los Angeles and showed up in droves for every show on the tour…even the ones that got cancelled! Fan family gathered together at local pubs and sang together at nearly every event. Tears for Fears fans are some of THE MOST loyal and dedicated individuals. Let’s keep it going!

Thanks for reading!

TFF Travel Fan Team

Follow the band @tearsforfearsmusic IG, @tearsforfears FB & TW, @curtsmithofficial on FB, @curtsmith TW, @tearsforfears TikTok @thereallaurenevens, @realoletaadams, @jameswollam IG, and @papasfans (travel fan team information)

Some Cool Stuff Featuring Curt

This post is dedicated to James Colah, who is featured next to Roland and Curt in the photo above. We’re happy to welcome him back to the world of Tears for Fears. Read more about him and his music below…you’ll want to check him out! He’s pretty cool!

Yesterday, Curt was featured on SiriusXM’s 1st Wave sharing his amazing playlist with stories and commentary. Big thanks to Richard Blade for notifying all fans about the amazing song filled weekend featuring incredible artists that we’ve loved most of our lives! Big shoutout to a fan on the Tears for Fears Fan Forum hosted by Darren Hull. That fan (we didn’t catch her name) started the conversation about it and we shared the link.

Richard Blade Curt Smith Schedule 1st Wave

Why 1st Wave/SiriusXM is Important for TFF Fans
We understand that some fans had issues accessing the spectacular. While it’s too late now to catch the live-ish set on the livestream, we want to give you information for the future. First of all, Richard Blade is the reason these great things happen. He is a well-known DJ and host of 1st Wave programming. Richard Blade was important and instrumental in featuring Tears for Fears on air since the early 80s. Please follow him, read his book and learn about his influence. We wouldn’t have the amazing bands we follow today if it weren’t for Richard Blade. He helped keep them in the public eye. He still does. Richard Blade provided the link we shared the night before the show. When you select the link, three stations appear and the first one is 1st Wave. From there, you select the 1st Wave icon and it will stream for you. If you do not have a SiriusXM account it’s free through 31 May. Curt was featured right at 12pm ET on the dot. His amazing voice soothed us through the airwaves like a peaceful stream. You can hear just a snippet of it here:

Curt took us on a journey through his childhood with stories of why these selections are important to him. There was a lot of really cool information that he shared and we’d like to hear that again. Some of the bands (and songs) on his list are below. Please note these are not all in the order as they aired:

-The Sex Pistols’  The God Save the Queen 
-The Jam Going Underground

-Madness One Step Beyond
-Adam and the Ants Ant Music
-Gary Numan’s Cars
-Blondie’s Atomic
-Peter Gabriel’s (with Kate Bush) Don’t Give Up
-David Bowie’s Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)
-Talking Heads’ I Zimbra
-Elvis Costello’s Everyday I Write the Book
-Julian Cope’s World Shut Your Mouth
-The Stranglers’ Golden Brown
and to our double delight the Mad World Duet featuring Curt and his daughter, the incredible, Diva Smith

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEpfvTdR5-U 

(From Andye) I’m very sorry I couldn’t list every single song or the specific songs not listed next to the band name. I was just so into the music, only got so many of them written down.

If you missed it, Curt will be a host for Tim Burgess’ “Tim’s Twitter Listening Party” (Alison Moyet was just on) in just a few weeks – 14 June to be exact. You can find Tim on Twitter @Tim_Burgess.

MORE MUSIC

Jamie Wollam has new music that he released on his recent big birthday celebration. The amazing drummer genius turned 50 years old earlier this month! Give his music a listen and let him know your thoughts.

Play Jamie’s new music here

Play Carina’s new music here

Shaun Smith (Curt’s brother) is also a musician and had a band called RAKA – they are quite a sleek and sophisticated group from the 1990s. Shaun shared it with Andye and Andye asked to post it in a few places. Shaun gave permission and the response from fans was very nice! Have a listen and spot Shaun throughout the video on guitar (e.g. 03:09-03:11).

After we all enjoyed it, Darren suggested that Shaun join the TFF Fan Discussion Forum. Andye asked him and Shaun joined within the hour. We were all ecstatic! Shaun has some great stories from as far back as the Graduate band. He also helped us out with our band fun facts (enjoy those at the end of the post).

MORE COOL PEOPLE FROM THE BAND’S LIFE AND TIMES ON TOUR

Speaking of cool people joining the conversations, this month we are joined by James Colah, who is now in two Tears for Fears fan groups including the fan forum. James was with an opening band called The Adventures. James writes:

“I was the keyboard player in a band called, ‘The Adventures’ that opened up for TFF throughout America and Canada. It was probably the biggest tour of that year and we did around 32 shows and basically lived with TFF staying in all the same hotels.”

James was often stopped for autographs because people thought he was Roland! We can see that. He’s super nice, has a production company and is noted as the UK’s #1 indie Smooth Jazz artist! Get his music here and subscribe to his YouTube channel!

James Colah

TFF Tuesdays – the Next Level
So many have been sharing creative photos of themselves posed like members of the band – a sort of tribute photo or recreation of their album covers and iconic pictures. Tears for Fears Tuesdays featuring the t-shirts are still encouraged but if you’d like to go a bit further and recreate your favourite photo by grabbing your favourite salmon coloured polo and circle specs to salute EWTRTW that’s cool too. We’re giving away a prize (cash to use in the TFF store) to one person for their cool photo of the album or band photo of their choice. Continue tagging your photos #TFFTuesday on Facebook, Instagram and or Twitter. We’ll find you and add you to the drawing!

Pam Roden

We appreciate everyone who has helped make the quarantine bearable with your amazing weekly photos and check-ins! This was a hard time for so many and we were thankfully able to focus on the band and fun in fanland!

Thanks everyone for taking the time to read and stay updated on fun band and fan news! See you shortly on Tears for Fears Tuesday!

-Tears for Fears’ Travel Fan Team
Moderator Andye
Follow the band @tearsforfears @curtsmith @jameswollam @chartonpettus @dougpetty @carinaround

For fan and concert travel updates follow Tears for Fears Travel Fans @papasfans on Twitter and Kerfuffle of Kooks on Facebook

SHAUN’S FUN FACTS

Did you know Curt’s beloved mother is in the Mad World video? May her sweet soul rest. Shaun also noted that he would have been in it as well but he was headed off to college that day. Shaun also directed the lighting for Tears for Fears’ first show at Moles. He only had one lighting rehearsal which is significant because that is super important to get correct! Way to go Shaun! We appreciate your band facts! Cheers all!

Quarantined with the Coolest Fans – TFF Travel Fan Q2 Updates

We imagined, by now, we’d be out of quarantine completely. It’s surely temporary, right? Either way, we’re getting on by focusing on one of the main sources of healing for many of us which is Tears for Fears’ music. This update is dedicated to Superfan Shelly who let us know she’s getting through her battle with the COVID19 virus – a virus which makes any other ailment twice as complicated. We wish her continued healing! Here’s a message she recently shared…

Shelly Healed

Another way we are staying focused on the music that heals all ails is #TFFTuesdays. How did this come about? It happened during a conversation between moderator Andye and Superfan Lady Tamara. Tamara lit the fire by deciding that we should all wear our merch on Tuesdays during the lockdown. Andye originally called it  “Tour Couture Tuesdays” because Roland liked the term “tour couture” which was coined back in 2013 but Tamara had an even better idea of calling it #TFFTuesdays because it allows everyone to mention Tears for Fears. So, there you have it! And yes Curt approves! We’ve been participating in TFF Tuesdays since the second week of the quarantine and we’re still going strong. We imagine we’ll be dressing up every week until the end of June or right up to Curt’s birthday which comes to us by the Grace on a Wear it Wednesday – have two shirts ready for that week if you can. But we’re not just wearing t-shirts, we’re in everything from earrings and pins to a field of sunflowers. Take a look at a few of Tears for Fears’ soldiers of sound in uniform!

You name it, we’re wearing it and sharing it while enjoying great conversations online –  some of which include band members! One really meaningful conversation was sparked when fan, Rodney W., decided to gently nudge Curt that someone wanted to ask him a question. Curt kindly decided to spend what was initially to be 15 minutes (it  joyfully turned into well over an hour – thank you, Jon Cryer “Duckie” from Pretty in Pink and many other great productions) with fans, chatting and discussing all sorts of fun topics. One of the questions asked was when could we expect a virtual show like so many other musicians have been doing with their fans. Curt mentioned that when he starts scratching at the walls, sharing a song was likely to happen. Well…boy did it! World renowned designer Tory Burch and dear friend of the blessed Smith family, got a video of Curt and Diva singing Mad World.

Over 3 million have viewed it in a month! We knew within the first few days that it was going to go big and it was. Ended up on KTLA where an extraordinary interview took place. Lady Tamara grabbed her phone and recorded it for us and Curt sent this link from KTLA.

While on camera, the pups (yes, we know Bella and Ivy are no longer small dogs, but they’ll always be pups to those of us that watched them grow up virtually) sat quietly in the background as the interview took place. KTLA was really respectful (you know what we’re talking about) and focused on the band’s bright future as well as Diva’s current career in music.

Tory Burch also shared some cool pieces from Curt’s second daughter, Ms. Wilder and we love it! While we don’t and won’t focus too much on their children as we like to respect their privacy,  we can’t help but shout our joy in seeing that Lady Wilder has chosen a career in graphic design and perhaps more. We hope to get some things commissioned and designed for our future events. Again, HUGE THANKS to Tory Burch and to KTLA. Be sure to check out Lady Wilder’s work and designs. Here’s one tweeted by Tory Burch.

Wilder's photos

The buzz around that video, the interaction with Good Man Curt Smith and his delightful daughter Diva (she put on a show for @music2meals later on that day after the interview) were some of the most exciting parts of the quarter thus far. We appreciate getting to spend time with Curt and his family especially during this time of COVID19 madness. Speaking of spending time, Curt mentioned he’s down for the fan conference which is a green light for us to continue with the plans and pray that we can move forward with it. Dawn and Jack have agreed to be there too! They’ve been travelling to shows for years and helping create amazing fan experiences – they are part of the original Travel Fans from the 80s. So much respect for these two and how they make sure everyone get to Tears for Fears events!

Dawn and Jack

Right now, all but a few band members and Tears for Fears alumni are spending time with fans in the “Tears for Fears Fan Forum (without the drama)” which can be found on Facebook. This specific group is filled with fans who like to focus on the non-superficial side of being a fan. It’s all about the music, savouring those cool moments of the band’s past and present and talking about how things came to be. Members of the Graduate band (pre-Tears for Fears) are present there and making friends with all in a wholesome, deep and thoroughly outstanding thread of insights into their music. They regularly share photos and video clips. Jamie Wollam just joined as well and participated in a Q&A. And today is his birthday!! Happy Birthday Jamie! Check out the drummer cake on the Tears for Fears Travel Fan social media channels.

To join the group, come with a focus on the band. No band family photos are allowed including the public ones that Roland’s fiancée, Emily, shares. It’s all about music. No long ballads of “Dear Charlton Pettus how I love thee, let me detail the ways in this long post and 40 photos of you in cute jeans.” Nope. That will get you warned and removed as it should. Both the Travel Fan Team and The TFF Fan Forum are strict about content and purpose. We stick to our mission statement: “it’s about the music.” If you truly love the lyrics, the shows, videos and the fun that comes with being present alongside fellow fans and the band, then you’ll love these teams and can link up with them via the connect tab on the header. Again, no one is allowed to rule the world except the band members in the forum and we’re super happy about that. These two groups are also where the majority of the #TFFTuesday photos are being shared in addition to Twitter and Instagram. You can find those when you search #TFFfanFamily and #TFFTuesday. Focusing on the band’s music been a great way to stay healthy and this dear fan hopes you’ll stay home and help flatten the curve so she can make it to some shows when this is all over.

Covid Response

Has “The Tipping Point” tipped?
Not yet. That teapot of tunes hasn’t steeped thoroughly. We did try to wait on that musical brew before going into the Q2 updates but we’re still excited about the new Music that was released from Roland’s son Pascal and Blessed Queen Oleta Adams.

Pascal Orzabal_Andye Find_IG

Pascal Orzabal released two songs this year – two singles that are absolutely incredible. We by no means want to compare him to his father. But the music is as powerful as several pieces on The Hurting. We’re in absolute LOVE with the work he put into his music. Yes, we’re also begging for merch so we can wear our fandom. The best way to support Pascal is to follow him on Spotify, YouTube, Instagram (search @Quarterboy ) and on Bandcamp. Now, when you use Bandcamp, it’s important to make a profile for yourself. Once registered you can listen for free a few times and then you get cut off. So, we suggest you buy the music at the equivalent of $2USD per song. Just for disclosure we paid about $10 for one track and $15 for another because it was THAT good and worth more than $2USD. No matter what donation, you can listen to it without restrictions when you pay for it. That’s how Bandcamp works. Make sure you get registered and enjoy. We look forward to hopefully a full album and some appearances by Pascal/Quarterboy. As much as we don’t encourage lusting and expressing “desire” (Lady K in Atlanta, we’re looking at you and your undie flashing friend from 2010), if somebody drools or passes out over him we’re gonna look the other way and understand because Quarterboy and his music are 100% fine as…(af)! 

Trope band did a cover of SHOUT! Many feel they made it their own and rightly so as it was not the exact same but a glorious tribute. We’re happy to see such a band with special history (and legends assisting with their production and success) find the same joy we do in the song. You can watch the video below and follow them online @tropeband. They’ve been very responsive and we’re happy to have them in the fold. Trusting they’ll be at shows in the future.

Our Queen, Oleta Adams has also released new music (complete with Spotify interview ) and has shows scheduled for summer 2020. We’re praying the July ones will be saved because we’re so ready to see her again and plan to meetup in Atlanta like last year. Be sure to download the song, follow her at @realoletaadams on Twitter and Facebook. Continue to support her and yes, we’ll always pray she shows up on this side of bandland  just like she showed up for interviews in that Tears for Fears BBC documentary. That was so cool! She also celebrated a birthday this quarter – 4 May!

Oleta Adams

Click here for another preview with a link to Apple Music where the release can be purchased

WonkyWoo

Here’s a release you can read – it’s from Captain Julian! His Wonky Woo series published a new book “The Wonky Woo & Friends Lockdown Adventure” and it’s ready for purchase. It was illustrated by his team member and fellow Tears for Fears fan Lady Rise of California. We love that all proceeds go to help great groups like the NHS. You can follow the Wonky Woo on Twitter @thewonkywoo and also follow the incredible @antonyedensays – the voice of the Woo family series. Buy your copy here.

How about that app?!
The Fan App is going through the complications of copyright laws. Our hope is that we will have a clickable prototype to play with this year. Much like the album, we’re not giving an exact release date. So many things to refine and get just right. Quality over speed and quantity in this case. We’re not asking for it to be implemented immediately but instead it will be a “a nice to have,” or something extra in the pocket of the band that they can use when they see fit.

We’ll pause for now with this great piece from the Cello Covid Project sent to us by Rob Bethel and shared by Curt Smith. Thanks for reading! Cheers!

-Tears for Fears’ Travel Fan Team
Follow: @CurtSmith @jameswollam @charltonpettus @dougpettyla @TearsForFears @carinaround on Facebook and Twitter

Moderator: Andye Andinha

P.S. If your superfanitis is flaring up, watch this video and visualise a healthy 2021 with fellow fans and the band. Ms. Diva Smith made it.

TFF Travel Fans’ Quarterly Update

It’s been kind of quiet in band land. Aside from the continuous 365 chatter on various fan boards and group pages, there really hasn’t been a lot of news. Big shoutout to Curt for being so near and to Ms. Emily, Roland’s fiancée, who drops a share or two of she and Roland out and about. Big salute to Charlton for giving us a deep peep into what it’s like to tour from their perspective. We as travel fans spend so much time behind the bus or in the air, we really don’t know much about the comfort (or discomforts) that they may experience. This article made us feel it’s best that we start going to them. It’s not going to be easy for everyone but we did visit Curt during that residency of 2011 at the Whitefire Theatre. That was fun. We should consider carrying part of the load and give them a bit of a break with all that hardcore travel.

So FAN WISH 2020 – travel to L.A. or maybe NYC and watch the band at one venue for a couple of days (back to back shows at the same venue). Several of us have come to agree that this is best for their health. 3-4 shows back to back in one location, we fly to them, they stay in a nice hotel, relax, no early flights. It’s a win-win for us all.

In other news:
This past summer, we got the word that DD Horns’ Mr. Moyer is now teaching at the Herb Alpert Music Center. He’s now faculty. We first met him in 2014 at the Wiltern when he wow’d the crowd accompanying Tears for Fears on The Working Hour. We’re grateful that Roland helped us get to know him and now we’ve stayed in touch. He’s a great guy and we’re excited about his band and his teaching. If you’re a Tears for Fears fan in the area, checkout his band and register for a class through Los Angeles City College. Here’s a link to his biography.

Another A+ moment was this great award won by Roland Orzabal’s son, Raoul. He has been gracious to share with the world his incredible artwork that makes you want to crawl into the picture and walk around. Many of us have been absolutely smitten with his online showcases and are thrilled to know he was the co-winner of a $15,000 award or his work “Carbon Deck” featuring an amazing city scene that takes the image of urban stillness to a whole other level. See it here:

The Smith Family Angels have some things to sing about…Lady D and Lady W are both heavily involved it the art and design scene. Lady D’s music has been shared on Instagram and Lady W attended a great design program this summer in the northeast, USA. Both seem to be doing really well and that makes us feel good too as we want the best for them and their family.

Today, being Black Friday, the band’s merch team participated in the global sale with up to 50% off on merch from the store. It wasn’t clear if all the items were on sale but the hoodies were and some of us were finally able to get one in our size! If you click on the link provided by the band during the tweet you’ll see just a select few items but click on apparel and you’ll see even more.

We were going to add a nice montage of photos from the past quarter but Charlton took care of that in his article so we’ll just reshare this lovely tweet of Curt’s amazing Thanksgiving dinner with his friends and family (angels at the head of the table). 🙂

Thanks for reading!
Don’t forget to follow the band @tearsforfears @curtsmith
Chat with us online and plan band travel via @papasfans (Twitter) and Tears for Fears and Kooks (Facebook)

Rock Royalty Playing the Palaces & Canterbury

*Dedicated to Gwen, Darren, Wendy, Tamara, Bobo and the amazing fans who did everything they could to be present at each UK show! Also a big shoutout to those who joined in online to celebrate Curt’s birthday!

Carris Birthday Card
Thanks Carri for creating the 2019 card.

The past 6 days have been filled with celebration as Tears for Fears’ fans in the UK and those who flew in from the Americas came together to enjoy shows at pristine, immaculate venues. People who’d never met before shared accommodations and cars to make sure they arrived present and accounted for visible to the band. Tamara even got a shout out from Good Man Curt after flying in from Minnesota. Poor baby, despite losing her dog to illness, she’s been literally flying around the world supporting them. She finds the shows very healing and comforting to say the least. This was her 5th or sixth show this year in 3 different countries. Gwen and Wendy are breaking records as well by going to 16 shows and Darren got the guys together for group hugs and hanging out. Members of the band joined in as you can see in the photo. Big thanks to Reverend Charlton Pettus, Ms. Carina Round and Drummer Genius Jamie Wollam for taking a moment out of your packed schedules for some fan hellos and handshakes. We live for this!

*It should be noted that Curt Smith came down with a TERRIBLE cold that he referred to as just a flesh wound. He sacrificed his health so he could perform for everyone. We owe him! He enjoyed a lovely birthday with his family on the 24th and we were happy to celebrate it virtually as a group.

Curt and Sparklers.jpg
Photo from Good Man Curt Smith – 24 June, 2019

For several fans this set of shows meant the world. Another hug fest broke out and people were loving on each other, their eyes filled with tears of joy – the band does that to people you know. They evoke emotions that are so strong and powerful, it’s difficult to write these synopsis and keep a dry eye. Tamara sums it up well.

Tamara3

Words from Tamara:
It’s been a short, eventful, educational, entertaining, emotional, healing and unforgettable experience! I am forever grateful and thankful to have had this opportunity to come over on such short notice. It was a pleasure to meet so many of you I see online often and put a face with a name. Also so wonderful to spend the past few days with two fabulous fans who take this stuff seriously! I have no idea how I am going to function on the little sleep with all the traveling and running around from city to city, standing in lines for hours and doing it all over again. I managed for 3 shows in a row. My travel mates are going to 16 of these and have already been to 13 so far. Wow! That’s dedication! We shared a lot of laughs and other shenanigans. Those I probably best not mention 😂 I will never forget the kindness by so many like I’ve known you forever. Many of us already share one commonality with our love and appreciation of Tears For Fears music, but I find with every person I meet and talk to, I have a deeper connection with them on some other level which just validates another sign that I was meant to come here. There were many signs on this trip for me. Some of you may or may not believe in that sort of thing. I was moved to the words of Woman in Chains as I expected I would be. This trip was booked only a week before I had to make the decision about my BoBo. So again thank you Gwen, Wendy, Curt, Roland, Jamie, Charlton, Doug, Carina, Bill, Gooch, Andy and crew and Andye. Also my work for giving me the time off short notice and my husband for understanding why I needed to go. And so nice to meet all of you at the shows and I’m sorry if I leave anyone out as I’m a bit teary eyed being Ms Sensitive Pants that I am 😳Darren, Paula, Dion, Paula’s mom, Liz from New Zealand, Martin, Martin’s lady friend and all of the others. Someday I hope to come back to visit again. Until next time…#bunnylousadventures #tearsforfearssummertour2019 #tearsforfears #tffff@bunnylous_adventures @tfftravelfans

Trip Highlights from Derik Robins

Highlights from the TFF Travel Fans & Soldiers of Sound

(few more videos from the Hampton Court Palace shows)

Delamere Forest

Click here for Delamere Forest Show Review written by Chester Standard UK

Clip from Blenheim Palace

Gwen drove the official Tears for Fears Travel Car everywhere with fans in tow. This was day 6 with Paula S.

Gwen

Canterbury – The Spitfire Grounds *ABC Opened For TFF – follow @ABCFry

*We’re especially grateful to you the readers. You support the band by being present online and in person. You are appreciated! Adam H in Atlanta, we’re thinking of you and Lisa! Thank you both for being amazing! See you soon!

-Tears for Fears Travel Fan Team #ThankfulAF

Having A Blast with Tears for Fears at Hampton Court Palace

**Dedicated to Tamara, Gwen, Wendy, The Coopers and Shaun Smith.

The first two shows of the Tears for Fears Rule the World tour part II – sizzling summer edition left fans quite satisfied, to say the least. More like…THRILLED TO BITS! Roland brought back the Flying Wombat and family members in the UK, like Curt’s brother Shaun, were also in the audience. The venue is quite fitting for our Rock Royalty. It was an impeccable two days. Big thanks to Gwen, Wendy, Darren, Simon and many others who shared their entire experience from start to finish.

One of the highlights of the fan experience were fans, Gwen and Wendy’s, cool AirBNB that was right next to the venue. They were able to hear soundcheck loud and clear. Little Lulu was dancing along and is carrying the torch for Toddlers for Tears for Fears – and there are many. For the Millennials of the group (Gen Y) do you remember when that was us?!!

Little Lulu – Toddlers for TFF team lead

Roland’s jokes were fantastic and funny! It was great to see him in such great form. Curt was kind to pause for some pictures with fans and kept us on his own stroll as he arrived with daughter, Lady Diva last week. Enjoy all the highlights and moments from this magical show. Connect with fellow fans and be good to each other. This is a fan family motto! We’re soldiers of sound, loving Tears for Fears as we sally forth through this life.

https://www.instagram.com/p/By6DM0an0Yn/

Mini Montage

https://www.instagram.com/p/By5_4b2HriK/

https://www.instagram.com/p/By6DlSVI_aW/

https://www.instagram.com/p/By6E3O_jUIp/

https://www.instagram.com/p/By6DOQsHkXM/

https://www.instagram.com/p/By6FB0rBbeB/

Lady Tamara is on her way. We wish her safe flight!!

Thanks for enjoying!
-Tears for Fears Travel Fan Team

Tears for Fears at the Shaky Knees Festival in Atlanta #Shooketh

*Dedicated to Angel Dawn of Louisiana who went out of her way to get fans to this specific show! Big hugs to Bobby R in Oklahoma and all his efforts as well!

Wow! What an awesome show, performed with perfection and all the cool things you dream of when it comes to Tears for Fears. The crowd was mixed with all ages. The VIP section where many long time fans stood faithful, singing every word, was filled with the sweetest fans a band could ask for…Dardy, Ms. Wooten, Kendaly, Adam H, Lisa and Patty…just phenomenal people that many of us, as fellow fans, love to have right next to us. We were also graced by some serious icons that work globally but are based in Atlanta – Model Cairo and singer/songwriter Michael Roland Magno. We were thrilled to be with some of our favourite friends and family. We missed those who were not able to make it including some of the core travellers – you know who you are! May the love train fly again with you all included! Happy Anniversary to Jim S and his wife! Thank you for being so loyal!

Tears for Fears Michael Magno
Michael Magno and his wife Meg

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VIP Platinum and Tier 1
We’d been thinking a lot about this show since it was announced. After the Jan UK & EU extravaganza we had time to really sit down and think about the logistics. After countless email back and forth with Shaky Knees Festival staff, we were convinced that going all out for VIP Platinum just for one day at $750 or 3 days at $1600 after tax and shipping – was the best option for fans to have a really wonderful experience. We also suggested VIP Tier 1. We were under the impression that Tears for Fears would be on the main stage. The app showed the band to be on a sponsored stage of which several of us thought was a main stage. The main stage allowed fans to stand there on the side of the stage at the band’s discretion and watch the show. However, the Piedmont stage was not a main stage and their VIP Tier 1 and Platinum area did not have the comfortable chairs, shade or the perks of the Platinum area like the main stage which was called Peachtree. So if you followed our suggestion and hung out in the Piedmont VIP you probably got a bad sunburn and your legs hurt! Great music but…we expected all VIP lounges to be the same and they were not.

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So, some fans went to the VIP lounge at Peachtree to relax and others, our dear Adam, made sure he was perched and ready in VIP Piedmont. He literally held down the fort for a few hours and we’re super grateful. An hour or more before the show, he was there with several other amazing friendly beloved fans. Shoutout to Adam for taking care of business and looking out for others. We were all able to bunch up together to the left of the stage (Roland’s side – that’s the only place VIP viewing was set up for this stage). No, we didn’t get to stand side stage because, again, this was not the main stage, but the band saw us and knew their hard core soldiers were there…some of us with our books so Charlton would know we support his work as well.

Patty Adam Lisa

Prior to the start of the show, Bill was out working. Andye grabbed this photo and shared it with him. We really like him and have always appreciated his kindness. There was a moment in the show where Curt’s guitar cord or something was falling out and there was Bill, like a vigilant angel, to hurry and get it reconnected. He did it with a smile and it was beautiful.

And big thanks to Jamie for taking a nice photo with Patty!

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The Show
Let the photos and videos speak for themselves… still speechless. These are from awesome fellow fans. In some cases you can hear a chorus of people of a variety of ages singing along. *Note that Roland did say he would have been happy if Weezer was there too. We’re okay with a Weezer – TFF show. So…next year?!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BxDBOtsAxS-/

Professional Capture

https://www.instagram.com/p/BxDjjoepMc-/

After the show, fans didn’t move from the area. They stood there and chanted, “One more song, one more song!” It wasn’t a small group, it was like…the whole crowd that got into it. It was wild and one of the most loving gestures. These were people of all ages just chanting in unison with energy and fervor the likes we’ve not seen since Duluth 2017. Fans at other venues stick around but this was like an army or what you’d see at a protest. It was intense, that was strong love. People were crying, one larger group stayed until every set list had been distributed. We finally left after taking some photos of Lisa and Adam with the set list.

Huge thanks to all who showed up and went that extra mile. That was an investment and one of the most expensive shows we’ve paid for in years. It was super glamping and I think we’ll be better prepared in the future. I don’t know if this is a precursor to Coachella or what but this all happened for a reason. We loved spending time with EVERYONE. It was incredible…just incredible and unforgettable. A few of us are going to need some time to really let this sink in because this was just…very spiritual and overwhelmingly beautiful.

One of our goals was to help create that sense of community and fun along with drinks and food. However, VIP at Shaky Knees was a little hard to navigate…and sometimes things just didn’t have a lot of clarity. Several of us are still in absolute shock at what felt like lack of consistency for the Piedmont stage. We understand that people work hard for their money and for some of us this is our only holiday time. We want to encourage fans to enjoy these deluxe packages and it just didn’t feel like a Platinum experience at the Piedmont stage. The band’s performance made up for a lot of discomfort in the earlier part of the day. We were able to overlook some of the things we were expecting to a degree but consistency is crucial when a festival is asking for hundreds or over $1000 per person for these experiences. We’re happy the band was there and that matters most but some of us will need some additional assistance for future in order for things to go smooth.

Lots of love to all who were there and your beautiful faces! You all are such beautiful people! Adam, Patty, Lisa, Dardy, Cairo, Kendaly, Michael and Meg, Joe and Katie – the energy was a blessing in itself!

Cheers!!
Follow @tearsforfears @curtsmith (@papasfans for travel info and unique details)

P.S. we’re going to check on the TuneIn app to see what on earth happened. The festival noted that they’d live stream but in hindsight, if it’s just one radio station they can’t do every stage. So, we’re checking to see if it was archived. Hugs to all!

*written by Andye