Wineries and gardens…hmm…there’s a theme here.Tears for Fears will perform at Idaho Botanical Garden in Boise this month. This is part of the Outlaw Field Summer Concert Series produced by CMoore Live+. There are a number of country music icons and 80s stars on this summer’s series line-up (Cyndi Lauper playes the day before TFF, if that’s not cool then we don’t know what is).
Tickets:
There are tickets available but the VIP Canopy is sold out. You can still get the VIP table for 6 for $700. Gen Am is $55. Purchase Tickets:
*Their site is pretty self sufficient. No loopholes to jump through. They straight up show you how membership has its privileges. If you didn’t get in on these deals this time around, consider a membership for future because you know TFF are known to play the same venues at times. It’s a great oppty to be ready for future shows. And kids under 2 years of age are free!! So if you have one of the many little TFF fans, you’re in luck. This is the show to which to go.
You can also buy through Ticketmaster but you know how we roll, we like to buy from the venue. The closer to the gold you can get the better. Buy from those in the know. Even their site talks about third party ticket options so …you know…
Venue address: 2355 Old Penitentiary Rd, Boise Idaho 83712 (phone – 208 343 8649)
There is parking but it’s limited. They suggest Uber or the shuttle. All of this is on their site. So take a moment to read it thoroughly. Don’t be the person running late through the gate during EWTRTW…just no. Don’t! Call and make sure the shuttle is running that day. We as travel fans suggest Uber because it’s easy and guaranteed.
Accommodations:
The venue and travel fan team suggest Springhill Suites by Marriott. Looking at about $220 a night after taxes.
Airfare – You’re looking at most $400 round trip right now on higher priced carriers. Given this late in the game, that’s good. There should be a shuttle to the hotel. But ask first before booking ground transportation.
Fan Fun + Meet and Greets – Again, due to the reschedule we’ve got some dropouts so not doing any fan fun for this one through our core team. There will be many travel fans around though… If you’re looking to meet up before the show or after for a drink, tweet us @papasfans with #TFF2016MU so we can pair you with people or let us know via email that you’re going. But remember the next show is in Vegas so many will be headed to get some rest and back on the road early in the morning to be on time in Reno. Plan to meet up beforehand (like that afternoon, 2 hours before the show).
If you’re trying to get backstage, you need to contact the venue directly and see what VIP options they have (remember the VIP Canopy seating is sold out according to the site but the VIP tables are available. See if there’s a perk with that purchase). You can also poke at Roland and Curt online and see if they can stick their heads out and say hey for a minute. They are kind people and often loving toward fans. This will be a beautiful show, it’s a lovely place! Go in good spirits!
We think Carri may have summed up our emotion best with her unique way of showing affection and appreciation.Yes, stay BAMF, Good Sir. BAMF is the way to be. Please enjoy some of the many cards sent out to Roland today.
Cheers, HaPPy B-Yay, Roland! Best Wishes to THE Dynamic, Charismatic, Amazifying Stylish, Magic vocals & helluvah Kewl artist man. A healthy n Happy all year adventurist celebration! ILYSMFM!! Stay BAMF Always, with LUV
Xx CaRRí D #TFF4EVER
Our Sweet Manami always has a creative and thoughtful way of celebrating. She starts the party every year in Japan with something special and this year did not disappoint. Here’s the Good Sir out on the courts. Cheers to all the tennis players on our travel fan team and beyond!
Lady Sylvie’s sweet confections are top of the line!
Roland Orzabal, the Rock Royal, turns a healthy 55 years of age today and still doesn’t look a day over 35. Both he and Curt are fit as a fiddle and we’re happy they share their lives with us and allow us to take part in fun things. Let’s all raise our glass to another good year ahead and in good health! Cheers all!
Travel Fan info, ticket links, etc. are available when you click on the link. Those not lit up just yet are those of which logistics (meetups, hotel reservations and discounts) have not been confirmed…but we’re working on it.
20 February: Los Angeles California – iHeart80s – Read Post Show Synopsis 5 June: Cincinnati, Ohio – Bunbury Festival 8 June: Northfield, Ohio – Hard Rock Live 11 June: Council Bluffs, Iowa – Stir Cover at Harrah’s Casino 15 June: Spokane Washington – INB Performing Arts Center 17 June: Woodinville, WA – Chateau Ste Michelle Winery 18 June: Goldendale, Washington – Mary Hill Winery 9 July: Thackerville Oklahoma, Winstar Casino 10 July: Tulsa, Oklahoma – Brady Theatre 11 July: Des Moines Iowa – Hoyt Sherman Theatre 13 July: Interlochen Michigan, Kresge Auditorium 14 July: Orilla, On – Casino Rama/Casino Rama Rama/ (Entertainment Center) 15/16 July: Columbus, Ohio – PromoWest Festival (UNCONFIRMED) 17 July: Ontario Canada – The Colosseum at Caeser’s Windsor 19 July: Lewiston, New York – ArtPark Amphitheatre 29 July:Newmarket UK – Newmarket Racecourses 31 July:Lulworth Castle Dorset UK – Camp Bestival
*more dates to come from what we understand…
Meetups, roll calls and other announcements will be updated on each post and tweeted as info is made available. Feel free to follow @papasfans or join us on Facebook to get quick info as it comes in…
*Animation by Manami, travel fan team animation #Japan
(From moderator) For the first time ever I was at a real crossroads regarding what on earth to get the Good Sir for his birthday. I asked around, “What are you all getting Roland? Can you give me any ideas, anything unique and different from the norm? More skulls maybe? A real bidet perhaps? Wait, that requires assembly… ::thinks back to the thigh master::” Collectively fans have given him a ton of things over the years including some of us delivering gifts individually. I remember 2012, handing over something he could wear, something I hoped he’d love. I even consulted with one of his relatives before buying it. Once I put the gift bag in his hand (he had a wine glass in the other…ah the wine 😉 If only we could host a wine tasting in his honour and learn everything he knows about vineyards and more…but I digress)… I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. “I’ve given the best I have right now,” I said to myself. Much like he treats secrets I don’t keep past birthday gifts “alive.” I’m not looking for them in his pictures or asking where they are. If someone loves what they receive then they’ll let you know just as he did on the 16th of September 2011 after the additional quilt we all worked on (led by long time fan Lady Kim) was delivered.
Whether he tires of the annual slew of “stuff” or not, he has shown a surprising amount of LOVE & KINDNESS to many post reception. What several of us have found in person from the Good Sir is that he is a VERY warm and loving-spirit despite knowing all too well he doesn’t “have” to be. Virtually he has really opened up to a crew on Twitter. It’s giving those of us watching the verbal fun unfold something to “gasp” and “hard chuckle” about almost every day. Though he is elevated in many of our eyes to something supernatural, he is also very human. I’m glad that he has gifted us the opportunity to see that side of him as well.
We thankfully, again, get to wish Sir Roland one of the BEST OF BIRTHDAYS yet to come. I pray this day is filled with genuine love from those who truly care about his well-being beyond music and tours. I hope all of his mornings, noons and nights fill him with an overload of gratitude and appreciation for the joys in his life equal to the amount of true love we have for him…far beyond his stunning tresses or other superficial admiration. I know there are many of us that truly LOVE & APPRECIATE Sir Orzabal more than he’ll ever know. We adore him for his gift of music but that’s only scratching the surface, it’s so much more than that. To all of those who literally prayed for him, his family and his friends and band mates throughout the years, this is about you as much as it is about him. There is a love for this man that surpasses anything we tweet or post on social media. Roland means a lot to us and I wish all were permitted the opportunity to show it collectively and in unison with fellow fans who feel the same way.
Here’s to another great year with Sir Orzabal and his fellow music making family. Wishing he and GoodMan Curt an incredible year ahead. I pray we ALL get to be in it with them.
Lael has travelled and met up with the Travel Fan Team for several shows. This year she headed off to the Wild Horse Pass Resort and Casino with SnapHappy Pam, another long time travel fan, for the Arizona stop on the tour. Here’s her experience…
Lael and Pam… long time travel fans… 🙂
I connected up with SnapHappy Pam, who takes great pictures and videos of bands, for the TFF show in Chandler, Arizona. She was gracious enough to pick me up at Sky Harbor International Airport. I was highly concerned about the heat that day, as it was expected to get up to 115 degrees Fahrenheit!!
Pam and I also had our work cut out for us, as we needed to find a birthday card for Curt Smith, and gifts for both Curt and Roland Orzabal. We found some nice gifts at the Arizona Mills Shopping Center, but we were still on the search for an appropriate card for Curt. Pam decided to stay in the car as I went to find a card, stating that she “trusted my judgment”. No pressure, right?!! Well, I finally found a card, and after a little issue with gift bags, we were on the way to the hotel.
After checking in at the hotel and getting ready for the concert, we made it to the venue about 5:30 p.m. It took us a little time to actually wind our way back to the Ovations Showroom. The actual theater is adorned with beautiful ornate glass door panes. We looked into the doors of the venue, and guess who we saw on stage? Roland Orzabal was working on his pedal settings while tour and venue management looked on from the back of the venue. We peered closer, and Pam pointed out Curt Smith to me; he was also monitoring the sound check at the back of venue. After a couple of minutes of viewing the sound check, and talking to other fans that were now congregating outside the venue, we went on our way to find something to eat before the show, and to try to find the band’s tour bus.
Pam held our place at the lounge, while I ventured out to locate the tour bus in heat that made me feel like I must be searing my eyeballs. I found the bus after a several minute walk, and it didn’t appear there was anyone on it at the time, or maybe the crew were all sleeping? Being as discrete and respectful as possible, I quietly made my way back to the lounge.
As I still was on the search for some decent food, I was starting to feel faint at this point. I discovered that the lounge located in front of the theater didn’t serve any food, so I needed to find the take-out line for the restaurant. At this point, I was in a maze of a daze; it was very easy to get lost in this casino, because there are many interweaving lounges and restaurants, even though it’s actually a rather small complex. After finding where the casino had take-out food, and then after a decent time in line, I was finally able to place my order for a spinach salad, but was told it would take twenty minutes for my order to be ready.
Wild Horse…
Now I realized we needed to get the gifts back to the boys, as time was running short!! I was finally able to get in touch with the venue’s entertainment manager, Jason, on a tip from Andye, and he was gracious enough to run our gifts back to Curt and Roland. Meanwhile, Pam was having fun taking pictures of the beautiful artwork and ornate lighting fixtures all around the interior of the casino.
The doors opened promptly at 7:00 pm, and we were told by the ushers that we could go back and forth to get food and drinks, which I thought was so GREAT, as I still hadn’t picked up my food order.
It was now only half an hour before show time, and I was HUNGRY. Pam was smart and had grabbed something more substantial to eat while at Arizona Mills, while I was sustaining myself on the banana I’d had for a snack hours ago. I finally retrieved my salad and then preceded upstairs, as my seat was in the balcony, while Pam’s seat was downstairs. This turned out to be a pretty ideal situation, as I loved the view up top, while Pam liked the feeling of solid ground underneath her, and it gave her a great vantage point to take her wonderful pictures and videos.
The Show
When I got upstairs, I was pleasantly surprised that there was a lounge up there with a beautiful view of the surrounding desert. I delved into my salad and discovered it had an eye-popping freshness with its delicate greens, sweet strawberries, and juicy pieces of chicken. While I savored the fresh cracked pepper that lingered on my tongue, I marveled at this amazing venue, the circumstances of how I got here, and the show I was about to see. I got to my seat in the very last row of the balcony and took in the view—it reminded me of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in the L.A. Music Center—and I felt as if I were floating over the stage.
Carina Round took the stage to a house that was still only over half full. Her beautiful, soulful, and rustic-tinged voice filled up the hall while people were still talking over her—argh, grumble, grumble! I was singing along with her when I realized most of the people around me didn’t know the lyrics to her songs, which made me kind of feel out of place. I went to the restroom and her voice and guitar filled up the ladies room as well. Carina’s set included a newly added song called “Backseat”. Curt Smith’s ethereal voice could be heard offstage, and then he came on stage to sing the last stanza of the song with her.
During the fifteen minute break, I went downstairs via the elevator to see if I could chat with Pam for a moment. (I think it’s marvelous that security let us go up and downstairs, allowed me to bring my almost empty gift bag with me into the theater, and surprisingly didn’t check our bags either.) I wasn’t able to locate Pam, so the security guard started to give me a hard time about being down there; he gently reminded me how much time I had left before I headed back upstairs.
Tears For Fears opened the show with Lorde’s version of EWTRTW before coming on stage, which created a heightened space for the show. It’s beyond comprehension that while this was the fifth time I’ve seen TFF perform, I felt as if I were hearing them for the first time. They sounded so tight, the separation between the parts was incredible, and it never ceases to amaze me how they stay true to the original recordings of their songs, while imparting a new energy each time they tour.
Since I was ‘hovering’ over the stage, I had a great vantage point where I could see all of the fingerings and chords for both Curt and Roland. I also saw exactly what Jamie Wollam was doing, except for his pedals, which I could hear quite well. I was standing up, singing, and dancing to all their songs. I couldn’t help thinking: unless one is not physically able, how can one NOT dance to Tears For Fear’s music? It is dance music, correct? I was trying very hard not to annoy my fellow concert goers, while cheering, screaming operatically, and waving to both Curt and Roland. It was pretty hilarious, if you ask me!
There were only a few downsides of this show from my seat in the house: the mix was heavy on the bass and drums, people talked during the entire show, and the bar ought to have cut people off earlier, as there were some pretty drunk fans by the end of the concert.
Reflections on the Show
It seemed to me that Jamie Wollam was putting on a drum clinic, and Roland was giving a master class on opera singing at times. With Curt’s beautiful vocals and precise bass playing, Charlton Petuss’s sweet lead guitar, and Doug Petty’s wizardry on the keys, anyone that sees Tears For Fears perform live is in for a real treat.
Highlights of the show included, “Sowing the Seeds of Love” which sounded very fresh and tight to me, “Change”, showcasing their consummate technique, and when Roland’s voice opened up on that last line of “Creep”. I found myself thinking, ‘Why is this dude NOT singing opera—seriously—as he definitely has the vocal chops for it?!” The definitive highlight of the show was Roland recognizing me, making eye contact, and then flashing me the greatest smile. As Roland sang the line, “I hope we live to tell the tale” in the encore, “Shout”, I realized why I was meant to be there…I also had finally “lived to tell the tale”.
Thank you, Lael! Very sweet of you and Pam to share great photos and highlights from the Arizona show. See you next time! 🙂
Thanks for reading!
-Lael & AA
*videos and pictures by SnapHappy Pam
Follow: @tearsforfears @curtsmith @rolandtff @carinaround @jwdrum @dougpettyla @CharltonPettus (you can follow travel fan fun via @papasfans) Also, be sure to visit our #2015Love focus and consider a donation: http://www.standwithmaceo.com/ #StandWithMaceo
This is another show that has fans buzzing and more than excited. Tears for Fears will return to Canada (Casino Rama just north of Toronto) this September for 2 days (25th and 26th). This will be immediately following the Michigan show (24th). The venue has a variety of seating options. Most of the front row seats are gone. Reviews on this venue are mixed. Some say it’s just not their favourite place to see a band in Ontario, Canada. However, many are going anyway. Looks fine to us as all the floor seats seem to be in clear view of the stage. See ticket links below for both shows and examine the seating chart carefully. Yes, you have to be at least 19 years old to attend. This is not an all ages show or one where you can bring your teens, tweens and toddlers.
VIP & Meet/Greet Inquiries
We’ve had several slightly aggressive requests for meet & greets plus “demands” for tickets. Please know we don’t have much power in those areas. It’s been a miraculous coincidence that we’ve been able to get the extra seats we had and so we decided to share those tickets. We always share or offer anything we can including any meetup opptys. We just don’t have them this time. Very sorry.
Accommodations
Stay at the casino… period. That’s our suggestion. Click here to reserve. We’ve stayed at a number of casinos during our travel fan years and thankfully all of them have been very nice. We feel this one will live up to our standards as it offers quite a bit just like Sunset Station and Red Rock Casino in Vegas.
Passports
If you are not a Canadian citizen, you need to get a passport. Not having a passport is not an excuse for not attending the show. You can get a rush passport. You can get the snailmail passport. The way we did it years ago was as follows: Download the application/pick one up from the post office. Passport photos were taken at a local Walgreens for a small fee. We filled out the passport info and submitted it. It was returned to us in 2 months. Passport prices vary depending on how fast you need it. A renewal is cheaper than a new one. You can also get a rush passport at most major airports. One girl forgot hers at home and had to get one on the spot in order not to miss the flight. I think she paid about $300 because it cost more to get one post-haste. This is not something you can leave behind. As you can see in the link. Gotta make a checklist before you get to the airport. Do a double check before you get to the airport or begin your drive into Canada. There have been too many issues where someone can’t find their tickets, travel wallet or passports. Put them in your Tears for Fears Travel Bag (made available in 2011 in Los Angeles). Do your best to keep up with your travel documents, pictures, etc.
That heart is for both, it just generated on Mr. Orzabal’s leg.
How many people are going?
A lot! A lot…that’s all we can say… the show has not sold out but tickets have been on sale for quite some time. We tweeted about it prior to the announcement by the venue and we tweeted about it the day the venue put the tickets on sale. We are also talking/blogging about it right now. Few can say they just didn’t know. Anyone that reached out to us at shows or in the hotel was told about the blog. Again, just no excuse here. If you really want to go to this show and have the resources and time to travel then it can be done.
If there’s anything we have forgotten let us know.
Well, as expected, TFF proved they are a force, a powerhouse of pleasure, serenity for the soul and simultaneously “f*cking” awesome! Reviews from around the music writing world, words from those peeping in via Periscope and tons of praise on Twitter support the posts about this band’s popularity. Roland and Curt are more than well-respected, they are Rock Royalty.
Last night’s show at @Bonnaroo was streamed live thanks to @RedBullTV. Not only did fans attend in person, but also on their way to upcoming shows, crouched in airports or riding to the next destination in their cars. Hundreds tuned-in to hear a fantastic set that included many of the band’s greatest hits. The show was beyond exceptional and the crowd and fan reaction online stood out among the Bonnaroo praise. Roland was even pleased with the crowd. He shared a tweet from his personal account about their enthusiasm. That kind of crowd spirit is what we as travel fans hope for (and try to bring) at every show.
Tears for Fears Bonnaroo show
This is just the beginning. We’re only on show #2. Show #3 is tomorrow night in Denver Colorado. It’s another festival and an opportunity to go mad during Mad World, scream and sing for Shout and let the world know who really rules the throne of Rock and Roll. As one young fan said, “It’s Tears for f*cking Fears baby! They rule this world. F*ck yeah!”
@nerdist (TFF plane pal)’s followers joined in the Periscope love
Congrats to the band on their success. Wishing all fans very safe travels. We still have a few tickets left for the Tulsa show. Contact us on Facebook, follow on twitter (@papasfans) and be sure to follow @curtsmith @rolandtff & @tearsforfears.
***This post has been updated, please scroll to the end for the line up info in the graphic. Thanks! Single day tickets are also available.
Sacramento get ready! Tears for Fears are at the city’s doors as are a slew of other bands scheduled to appear at the TBD Festival. The line-up isn’t final so even more bands are going to be announced. (please see update below, the line up is now ready). This, like several other shows this summer at iconic venues, is a big deal. It’s more than a 3-day music festival, it’s an artists’ hangout that welcomes foodies, shopaholics and wine lovers from far and wide.
This festival has a VIP option that will most likely sell out. It’s currently $275 (after fees, etc) and includes air conditioned WC/Loo (No clue if they have a bidet), preferred viewing and drinks…and a few other things if we’re not mistaken. The price goes up after the 31st. Regular ticket price is a cool $159 right now …so again, if you’re going you need to buy fast. There are no refunds…once you buy you do not have 3 days to return your tickets the way you can w/other box offices.
This festival has been in the news for its amazing and diverse opportunities that it provides attendees. Reviews note it as really exciting with an upscale village appeal that attracts a number of festival attendees in a way that other festivals do not. It’s also undergoing the mindful eye of those concerned with money and the financial side of hosting such big events as these.
Fork to Table – TBD Fest
It’s still rather early to know how many travel fans plan to attend and we only know a few people committed to attending this particular show. There’s no word or hint yet whether or not the band will do additional dates in the area. Many are hoping for San Francisco, Fresno and L.A. featuring Mr. Moyer. If you’re in the area we suggest going to this and one more additional show if announced.
Festival Dates – 18, 19 & 20 September 2015
Buy Tickets – click here –
Hotels -click here-
Flights – right now it’s about $400 round trip from the East Coast on the major carriers. Of course SouthWest has some awesome deals as well at a much lower price.
Subscribe and return for updates. We’ll be tweeting about it as the date approaches.
Cheers!
AA
Update:
Tears for Fears play on Sunday, single day tickets are available.
Lael of ArizonaLael has been so loving and kind over the years in her fan following of Tears for Fears. This year she is contributing to the Arizona fan fun by assisting fans with any questions about their travel plans. Read more about Lael and be sure to look her up before the upcoming TFF Arizona show to participate in the fan fun!
A Soft Place to Land
Tears For Fears has always been a soft place to land for me. I first heard of them in October of 1983 when their hit “Change” became a college radio hit here in the U.S. I was very drawn to them, as they appealed to my quirky, nerdy side. I was blown away by their ability to express childhood trauma in such an universal manner, at such a young age. It was intriguing that their harmony followed a classical idiom, which was not common for popular music at the time. I was raised on classical music, especially opera, so I loved Roland Orzabal’s operatic voice. Combined with Curt’s quintessential pop voice, they created a sound that was inviting, soothing, and timeless.
Their music has always been there for me during the worst of times: The passing of my mother, my highly dysfunctional upbringing, and my divorce. Due to the amazing strangeness that is Social Media, I was able to sing a duet with Michael Wainwright when he was the opening act / backup singer for Tears For Fears. This experience was life changing, as I discovered that there were people truly like me in this world. I finally learned that it was okay to express my creative side, and with insight from the band regarding songwriting, I am now able to write poems and sing much more freely.
I have met many other intelligent, talented, and compassionate people through my involvement with Tears For Fears; fans that understand the legacy of this band, and the overall importance of art and its relationship to our humanity. I look forward to this continued journey of self-discovery, self – actualization, and cultivation of enduring friendships.
We want to thank Lael for organising on two occasions fun things for fans to do and riding out through the desert to Curt Smith Solo shows in Santa Monica. Speaks volumes when people go above and beyond in the manner she has. Cheers Lael! Let the good times roll!
Travel Fan info, ticket links, etc. are available when you click on the link. Those not lit up just yet are those of which logistics (meetups, hotel reservations and discounts) have not been confirmed…but we’re working on it.
Tears for Fears Travel Fans 