Tears for Fears Tour 2016 Reschedule

THE RESCHEDULED U.S. TOUR DATES AND CITIES

See photos, videos and fans from the UK shows:
Newmarket Racecourses – 29 July & Camp Bestival 31 July

*The band will also appear at the iHeart Radio Music Festival on the 24th of September 2016 –

*Update: Concert photos and recaps from this tour are below. Just scroll down.

ROCS7

“At the end of the day, we’re glad the sick family member is apparently going to be okay? Kindly, the band will be able to do some shows vs. cancelling the entire tour.”
-Travel Fan Concensus

Note from Moderator: This has not been a good year for music. We lost a lot of amazing icons and many are still mourning them online and in various memorial ceremonies in fan clubs and events worldwide. I’m actually attending a Prince memorial event with a Middle Eastern dance community very soon. I don’t know anyone that didn’t love Prince. Our musicians are what we take with us everyday. Be it their music, souvenirs, t-shirts and so much more, they are with us in spirit. I mean who doesn’t wear their Tears for Fears t-shirt or other cool things you get from the merch table on a weekly basis? You buy two shirts so one is preserved and the other you can wear as much as you like! Their music is a big deal!

So yeah, when the band let us know someone was sick in their family a quiet chaos ensued on fan walls and Twitter. WE WERE SO WORRIED! Thankfully, many fans were very understanding vs. being upset about the festival cancellations and postponed shows. I hope you all were able to resell your festival passes so you didn’t lose the hundreds of dollars you spent on them. In some cases the costs were up to $2,000 when you factored in airfare. We are aware of several that spent upwards of $4,000 total on premium seats for several shows. If you’re still having trouble getting refunds from the sites you purchased the tickets let us know.

Which brings me to a very important subject…entertainment insurance. It is now necessary to protect your purchases; every aspect from the plane ticket to the concert ticket itself. While Roland and Curt are still quite young, none of us are spring chickens. We get sick and things happen. After 20+ years of following this band closely I have only seen ONE TFF tour get cancelled and it wasn’t even a full cancellation, just dates in the Southeast (Atlanta, Tampa, New Orleans, etc.). So there was never a need to buy ticket insurance, flight insurance, etc. We felt we didn’t need it. Times have changed. Do you know that it’s $200 to change an airline ticket without insurance on Delta? Well, I do. Because I was just demanded to pay it. Imagine having to pay $200 “flight reservation change fee” for every show you planned to attend because you didn’t buy the extra ticket insurance which is about $15- $30 per ticket. It. Adds. Up.

I, like so many, consider myself a hardcore Tears fan. I have lived in a state of “Stop, Drop Everything and Go See Tears for Fears” for the last 7 years. Because Tears for Fears are rarely in my base city Atlanta, I have travelled alongside some amazing people on the Travel Fan Team and had the time of my life EVERY time. And the band has kindly made it more than worth our (and others’) while. But understand that this is not free. The experience is priceless but it is not completely free of cost and I don’t scoff at anyone who just decides not to drop everything in their life and follow this band year after year.

#ThisIsNotARant – these are facts. All of this travel costs at minimum $550 – $1500 per show. Even the cheapest hotel (of which we do not encourage) is $25 a night per person (if you are sharing a room), add in economy plane ticket of $169 minimum/$350 to go to west coast, food at $10 per day (if you eat cheap), car rental/car service/taxi/Uber, band merch and gas. That price goes up if you are disabled, need special seats because a cramped economy seat is not going to work on a 4 hour trip across the country, decide to fly in from Europe or have food allergies. You’re paying $1,500 to $2,000 per trip and sometimes per day. Not everyone can do that. And we as fellow travel fans understand that and do not fault anyone for saying, “No thanks. I just can’t right now.”

We understand these are the choices WE made. We skipped weddings, delayed buying important things, you name it…because we wanted to be able to go on tour at a moment’s notice without interruption. For some of us, this is our one splurge in life. As noted on many posts on this blog, tickets sales were announced merely a few days before they went on sale for about two years. 2016 was the first time in a while that we actually had a little more time to plan. Sadly, tragedy struck and we had to regroup while the band rescheduled. It was a sad situation for everyone involved.

We are now scrambling to re-arrange our flights (i.e. the $200 plane reservation change fee per city). It is not looking good for quite a few and I have read your email, tweets to me and responded. We don’t know what happened to the Iowa show, New York concert dates or the two in Oklahoma. So several of us can’t really plan anything for this tour because we don’t have enough information on the missing shows. For those who have tickets to Tulsa and Thackerville please see this response to one fan from the band’s FB account.

TFF Response

So… here (and above) are the new dates. If you can make it, GREAT! If not, WE UNDERSTAND! As CD would say, we OVERSTAND! As a part of fan duties and travel fan loyalty, we have linked each city with a post about hotels and other travel info for each show date. We still wish there was a Tears for Fears VIP option through the band itself, not these venues. That is the only way to feel secure about fair seats and tickets. But they have not established that. Feel free to reach out to us on FB, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube with your comments and thoughts. We understand our fellow fans.
February 20 iHeart Radio 80s Party -Los Angeles, CA – Concert Photos
July 29 – Newmarket Racecourses – UK – Concert Photos
July 31 – Camp Bestival – UK –Concert Photos
September 17 – Maryhill Winery – Goldendale, WA – Concert Photos
September 18 – Chateau Ste. Michelle – Woodinville, WA –Concert Photos
September 20 – Red Butte Garden – Salt Lake City, UT – Concert Photos
September 22 – Idaho Botanical Garden – Boise, ID – Concert Photos
September 23 – Silver Legacy Resort and Casino – Reno, NV – Concert Photos
September 24 – iHeart Radio Music Festival – Las Vegas, NV – Concert Photos
September 26 – Meijer Gardens – Grand Rapids, MI – Concert Photos
September 27 – Murat Theatre – Indianapolis, IN – Concert Photos
September 29 – Hard Rock Live – Northfield, OH – Concert Photos
September 30 – The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor – Windsor, ON –Concert Photos
October 1 – Casino Rama Entertainment Ctr. – Orillia, ON – Concert Photos
October 3 – Red Rocks Amphitheatre– Morrison, CO – Concert Photos
October 5 – Pikes Peak Center – Colorado Springs, CO –Concert Photos
October 7 – Comerica Theatre – Phoenix, AZ – Concert Photos
October 8 – Pechanga Resort & Casino – Temecula, CA – Concert Photos
October 9 – Humphreys By the Bay – San Diego, CA

If you are able to make it, you can guarantee it will be worth it!

TFF Travel Fan Team photos

Our new friend from DC – hard core fan from 1979!

Loving Lax and his set list 🙂

#BuyTheTicketInsurance #BuyTheFlightInsurance
-AA, Travel Fan Team Member

Tears for Fears Concert Alert – New York (Port Chester)

Tears for Fears will perform at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York on Monday the 28th of September. This is another historic theatre about 1 hour outside of Manhattan by car or train. Tickets will go on sale this Friday the 31st of July at noon eastern time. Prices range from $65 to $125. You must be at least 18 years old to attend this show. Doors open at 7pm and the show begins at 8pm. Most likely Carina Round will open for the band.

Presale – One has not been mentioned.

Venue Address: 149 Westchester Ave, Port Chester, NY 10573
Suggested Hotels: Doral Arrowood Hotels closer to the area such as the Hilton were sold out due to other events happening at that time.

Meet & Greets: This is not a third party show where meet & greets are handled by a sponsor. That’s all we’ve got. Most likely we’ll arrive a day in advance, have dinner and hang out like we usually do. Some will be driving in from the Canada show so we’ll be waiting on them to get in and keep this fan train rolling.

As information comes in we’ll update this post so be sure to subscribe and follow us on Twitter (@papasfans) for “fan travel” info and shenanigans.

Get Ready for a Good Time!
AA

Tears for Fears – Absolutely Awesome in Albuquerque! June 2015

As we get ready to move into another set of Tears for Fears shows in the coming cooler months, we’re reflecting on the excitement that took place a little more than a month ago. Big thanks to our dear pal Pennie for sharing her experience!

Living in a destination city, I have been fortunate to have seen Tears for Fears locally. In the last year I’ve had the opportunity to travel to a couple of shows out of state. I decided on Albuquerque/Sandia Resort because the show was at an amphitheater which had wonderful reviews, and this would be my first show experience at an amphitheater.

I arrived mid-morning. The grounds of this resort are quite remarkable, with a beautiful golf course that seemed to be more enhanced by the stunning Sandia Mountains in the distance. In the lobby of the hotel I was greeted by a large TV screen displaying the announcement of the TFF show! I was obviously in the right place!

Show Time!
We arrived at our seats just as Tears for Fears was taking the stage. We found that people were sitting in our seats. An honest mistake, I’m sure. Luckily, an usher helped get them to their correct seat. It was near dusk with a slight breeze, and slowly the stage lighting became more colorful. The set list was very similar to previous shows on the tour. Some of my high points:

-The wonderful guitar rift on EWTRW makes me feel like I’m floating.
-I LOVE the new techno intro for Pale Shelter.
-Break it Down Again (video below)- Roland was doing his best to keep the crowd involved, encouraging everyone to get their arm up and swing it side to side. We had a pretty responsive audience.
-Memories Fade- This song is quite emotional for me. I never get tired hearing TFF play this song.
-Creep… we all know how we feel about Creep!!

I took an audio recording of Head Over Heels. I always do when my daughter isn’t with me. It’s one of her favorite TFF songs and I love to share the moment with her.

Later in the show, the wind picked up quite a bit and was blowing from all different directions. The band had a heck of a time keeping their hair from blowing across their faces… some more so than others. Roland stated joking with Curt about his hair which made the crowd laugh.

Technical difficulties always seem to turn into an amazing, impromptu masterpiece of winging it. At the beginning of Woman in Chains, I think the wind knocked one of Jamie’s drum sticks from his hand because everything stopped while someone brought him another drum stick. The wind continued to blow and I was becoming a bit nervous about the overhead speakers and lighting which were swinging back and forth over the stage. I had to tell myself to “Focus on the music Pennie.”

During the show I noticed a guy running up and down the steps several times who would turn his ear to the stage and listen as he reached a seat below us. I ran into him after the show and asked if he was working the boards because I kept seeing him running up and back? He said “Yes, how did it sound?” You could tell he was genuinely interested in my opinion. I told him it was absolutely wonderful.

I come away from this show knowing that Tears for Fears genuinely cares about their fans. We are truly fortunate to have Tears for Fears touring again!

Looking forward to the next adventure!

TFF Travel Fan Pennie K.

Fan Videos from Albuquerque:

Very energetic version of BIDA from Karla Kristina on YouTube

Johan Malone shared a great video of Shout on YouTube

Just A Little Note of Thanks! #TravelFans #TearsForFears

Dearest Fellow TFF Followers, Tears for Fears Travel Fans and friends!
It’s Andye here with a little love note to you all! I want to first thank all of the readers from around the globe. Over the summer, SK and I sat in L.A. and took a good look at the stats. We were well over 35,000 visits with people checking in from all over the world including parts of the Middle East, several nations in Africa, Italy, you name it. That is very encouraging and very helpful in our goal to provide information to all interested parties.

We get a lot of thank you notes from fans for providing the info and I appreciate each and every one. But be sure to pat yourselves on the back because none of this is possible without the slew of 70+ registered travel fans who come out to shows year after year. We can’t always go to the same show together but where one person can’t go, another will, bringing the Tears for Fears Travel Fan spirit to the forefront. Because our band fan activities have been mainly at shows, I’d personally like to take it up a notch and expand our gatherings (there’s so much more we want to do and host). Still, I’m grateful for the progress we’ve made in getting more people to concerts, sharing extra tickets and now doing larger carpools and spending more time together in person and online.

I have a list a mile long of contributors. All of the names mentioned in this blog, from Carri and Becky to Alisa and Rise, SheeShee, Lady J and Lady K, plus CH and Jenny WBDA are to be thanked. Each person has gone out of their way to make this group fun and exciting. The band has been very generous with their time, their families have been very sweet and tolerant plus we’ve experienced great responses and outreach from the venues and hotels like Loews Santa Monica who provided us an incredible 500+ sq ft suite overlooking the ocean in 2012 during Brit Week. Boy did we put on a performance out there on that patio in our Curt Smith tshirts and swimwear. Sometimes you just have to be there to see it. We’re just incredibly grateful. These are memories to last a lifetime.

There’s been a lot going on over the last 3 months, some noticable and some unnoticed. Carolyn is right, we are doing this as volunteers. We are not on anyone’s payroll and have not requested to be. We are human and have challenges like most. For example, a few of you know I’m attempting to organise fan travel and juggle local challenges. So, yeah it’s a bit much. I may not be able to do a whole lot of parties and gatherings at the moment but I trust that fellow fans will step in and help each other get to and from shows this year. Meanwhile, we’ll do what we can to get any info we receive on upcoming shows, airline deals, etc. If you are having a hard time getting to a show or just don’t know the first thing to do, feel free to send us email through our FB Travel Fan page or send us a tweet on twitter. We’ll do whatever can.

Let’s take these gatherings up a notch! #TFFIsFineWine

We are not “exclusive” so there is no initiation or crazy requirement to be a travel fan. If you show up, contribute a story/photo and have genuine love for the band you are in. Come by at shows (or if you see us in the lobby) and say hello, we are open to taking selfies/usies that can be posted to the blog to show everyone’s participation. The goal is to promote the awesome fun that Tears for Fears (Roland, Curt and Team) provide at shows; dancing and swaying in front of the fans. #ItsAllAboutTheBand!

We’re pretty laid back minus being kind of wild and always up for a party. So jump right in with friendliness and hugs! Also, thank you Lady K for the gift of the rice maker! I’ve been on the fence about buying one and now, problem solved #SushiEveryday! For those who sent the gift of macarons francaises from around the world, a separate blog was created to praise thoses delicious french desserts because they are THAT crucial. LOL!! Wishing everyone safe travels this #TFF2015 season and again, thank you tons for the love! Hugging everyone right back! #GroupHugs #TeamWork #TFFTravelFans

We are very happy that the band appreciates the fan teams. We received a tweet from Good Man Curt Smith. Thanks Marcio for capturing that awesome moment 🙂

Viva Tears for Fears Concerts in Las Vegas

The Tears for Fears Las Vegas show at the Palm was another win-win for the band and the fans. Reviews, photos and commentary about the show are stating it was fantastic and the travel fans are thrilled that Good Man Curt Smith gave a shoutout from the stage! That means the world to us as a team and band fan family. Over 56 West Coast Kooks gathered to meet up with locals and join the hundreds of people that filled the Pearl Theatre. It was EPIC and quickly named one of the best shows of #TFF2014.

~~This post is lengthy and will detail logistic notes, the good and the bad, so feel free to scroll down to “the show” if you’re looking to get just the details on the performance ~~

Great picture from lady E. (looks like Ramskull's cousin) — Great picture from Sweet E. (looks like Ramskull’s cousin)

Accommodations – Loving the Palm – Black Friday Deals! One of the plusses of this band fan excursion were the black friday deals posted by the Palm Casino and Resort. Rooms were as low as $39 on Sunday night. So if you stayed through the weekend you were looking at $150 at most for 2 days in select rooms at this swank hotel. It was quite a bonus. The staff at the Palm were very accommodating and favourited several of our Twitter posts as they were aware the team was coming in for the show. Can’t stress enough how helpful they were, absolutely awesome via phone. Also great, speedy, easy to navigate booking process online as well.

Looking at other logistics – OMG, are we even gonna make it?!
Our planning for this excursion started the very day that the concert was confirmed. Again, there was a hint that Vegas was on the TFF 2014 list but after reading in September/October that the tour was “done for the year” (or something to that nature) many assumed that this meant no more shows. Suddenly Jimmy Kimmel Live was confirmed and shortly after, the Vegas show at the Palm and KROQ. This meant fans had just over a month to prepare for more travel. To top that off, Lady K discovered the BellyUp show some time after that and was one of few who managed to grab a ticket before it was too late. That venue holds approx 500 people (according to fellow fans) and those tickets sold out “within minutes” from what we understand.

With the additional shows announced, multiple East Coast Travel Fans checked their calendars, got time off from work and begged babysitters to watch the little ones so they could be there to enjoy the GoodMan, the Good Sir and team for the holidays. But after looking at the plane tickets, several saw that prices on most carriers were DOUBLE the usual amount. Even the ‘Black Friday’ sales were quite high – some carriers were listing East Coast to LAS as $450-$1000 (Atlanta rate) in November and by the time we got to the week of, the tickets were $905 to $1100+. Trying to get tickets for oneself, not to mention a spouse became questionable. Many fans from the East Coast stated this was one of the reasons they would not be there. $2000 is quite a bit to spend when it’s usually $290-$350 round trip. So, in short, getting to these final shows of the year was not easy. Kudos to the 2 East Coasters that reported they would be in for the show and those that checked-in during the arrival roll call.

After conducting a survey for travel fans and also speaking to loyals who have a reputuation for going anywhere the band goes, we see that “some” communication between those who release show info and those who need it (i.e. Travel Fans and TFF loyals on both coasts) is greatly lacking. We certainly will need more than a month’s notice, preferably 60 days. We don’t feel 87+ x $97 is a bad profit for the venue to gain…but those 87 were not there, so that’s ticket dollars lost. Hello to whom it may concern!!! This band is special!! It has a travelling fan club much like Duran Duran’s and we need advanced notices, not a week before tickets go on sale!! Thanks!! <– A formal system has been set up to address this. We’ll see what happens…

Shipmates and their Captain, Julian Orzabal, ruler of the high seas, Wonky Woo & lead singer of the band DelaQ. Boom, SK & the Captain — Shipmates and their Captain, Julian Orzabal, ruler of the high seas, creator of The Wonky Woo childrens book series and lead singer w/DelaQ. Boom Boom, SK & the Captain

The SS DelaQ Rolled In…
One of the major highliights of the trip was Captain Julian Orzabal being on hand as well as Lady Rise. Friday night’s drinks and fan fun featured shipmates Silver Kitty, Becky Boom Boom, Lady Rise and the Captain himself. We’re always thrilled to have him around. He is an integral part of fan life!

Fan MeetUp
The next night, long time fan Alfredo, who was also with us back in 2012 at Sunset Station and countless shows before that, hosted the Travel Fan meetup for this occasion. Fans met up in front of the Pearl Theatre at 3:30pm for a drinks and convos. Anxious as we are, several got in line soon after. Pictures and check-ins from the West Coast Kooks poured in. A few East Coast Kook/Travel Fans also made it in (some last minute). “We’re in skirts” Becky Boom Boom texted when asked “what’s tonight’s attire?” Fans looked incredible in their fashionable #TourCouture. Pennie K with the purple sharpie, Silver Kitty swankin’ in silver and gray, Becks in blue, Lady K had a stylish sway as did Cams with her cool hair colour. High five for Haute Couture on tour!

Tears for Fears loyalists and travel fans ready for ROCS! #ItsMagic

Big shoutout to #DrummerGenius Jamie Wollam who gave some hugs and hellos to familiar faces! We’re always glad to know he’s around. Beatifully bearded Bill was seen the night before…that’s always a plus. “Bill!!! Bill!!!”

Another shoutout to the Good Man Curt Smith for his #TravelFan team shoutout on stage and a big high five to Sweet E and her daughter Audrey for making the trip from the midwest to Vegas. Let’s add a ‘Big hug and kiss’ to Rosalie, maraming salamat ya kapatid!! She went around and hugged everyone, delivering love from Manila. And a cool virtual hug to Lady Wzzy for getting a picture for Patricia who stayed up late in France.

Roland rockin' it w/the team! Courtesy of Cams — Roland rockin’ it w/the team! Courtesy of Cams

The Show
Twitter, Instagram and FB lit up with videos and photos of the band. Text messages filled phones with photos and video of the dynamic duo dancing and doin’ their thing on stage. It was a circular raised theatre platform so the band seemed spread out but fans on the front row managed some great shots and cool footage inlcuding this one taken by Cams.

Set List
Everybody Wants to Rule the World
Secret World
Sowing the Seeds of Love
Change
Mad World
Memories Fade
Closest Thing to Heaven
Ready to Start*
Creep*
Advice for the Young at Heart
Badman’s Song
Pale Shelter
Head Over Heels
Break It Down Again
Woman In Chains
Shout
(order may be a bit off)

*Covers
Ready to Start by Arcade Fire
Creep by Radiohead

Everybody Wants to Rule the World from Jason

Break It Down Again – from Richard B

Click here for video by Alan T Call Me Mellow

More Videos & Quick clips from fans
(Click on title to view)
Cool Charlton Moments on Stage

Mad World

Head Over Heels

Curt's tweet from home... — Curt’s tweet from home…

Not too long after the show, Curt noted that he got home safe and sound into the warm loving arms of his wife and family. Captain Julian stated the show was rockin’ and the Good Sir had a tearful goodbye to Vegas and new friends in his twitter feed.

Really cool decor featuring the band was everywhere! photo courtesy BB & SK

Tears for Fears’ Vegas shows have a long history of being some of the most fun ones on record. Fans fly in from ALL OVER THE WORLD to be there, including those from outside the states. The fan family continues to grow and we’re all gearing up for another amazing year with the band leading the way. Many thanks to all of the travel fans who worked tirelessly around the clock to scan the internet for ticket deals. Thanks to Becky’s daughter, Lady Rise, Lady K, Pennie K, Silver Kitty, Becky for their contributions to the travel team from day one and a roaring number of others who were determined to be there. Huge thanks to those who stayed up all night long watching, RT-ing and those on deck who provided photos and more for all to enjoy. Another EPIC online party and show!

Many thanks to the band for their personal TIME!

Cheers! Thanks for reading!
AA

Loving Tears for Fears’ Music: Why so much passion, why do we care?

From the Moderator: Some weeks ago, the fantastic show Tell Me More, which ran on NPR for several years, featured a segment titled “In Your Ear.” This particular episode from the 20th of February was replayed this summer and wow did it touch a nerve.

Over the past few months, at media conferences I’ve gotten into deep meaningful conversations about Tears for Fears with various attendees and media industry pals. Each person has told me amazing stories of where they were when they first heard them. Just this past Sunday, over dinner, an operations director told me she was 14 years old when she first saw TFF on MTV around 1983, the video for the song “Change” came on. “MTV was still very new at the time, ” she said. “It was the opening sound of the xylophone that drew me in. I was mesmerized by that song.” She also reminisced about enjoying Pale Shelter and couldn’t wait for Songs from the Big Chair. What an impact that album made…and on so many people including Bunji Garlin, a soca artist from Trinidad and Tabago.

(paraphrase) “There are so many things about that song. It just lifts my spirit. There’s serious nostalgia when I hear that song. My childhood days come back into play. I remember when my parents were still together, we were in the same household, whole atmosphere becomes something like dreamlike, I like to dream a lot so I constantly play that song.” ::Click here to listen to his words::

I can truly relate to this. Hearing Mr. Garlin speak so passionately about EWTRTW with the same visions that I have, of being a child with family, many new to the USA, still by my side, long before any of life’s realities challenged hopes and dreams. Everybody Wants to Rule the World, was my first introduction to Tears for Fears at age 5/6 (had just turned a year older, wasn’t even a month into it, a cold winter day on the way to school in my blue English pea coat with red lining listening to the car radio). When I heard Mr. Garlin speak with the same soul stirring memories, I fought back tears because that’s the story of so many in our huge fan circle. So many fans write, tweet, post and share their “why I love Tears for Fears” stories. A number of the reports sound like those of Mr. Garlin. When I speak to people, their recollection is reiterated with the same passion…that soul stirring vision. Gives me happy chills. So many say the band’s music “saved” them from very difficult times in their lives…even preventing some from taking their own lives.

Tears for Fears have countless extraordinary songs. From the chart toppers to the B-sides of Saturnine Martial Lunatic, not to mention both Roland and Curt’s solo work, all of this music gets “replay” time in excess. It’s not just on our digital devices but in our hearts and minds. It comforts us during the wildest times in our lives…the good moments, the bad, the hopeful.

Now, here we go happily again, by popular demand, a new Tears for Fears album to change our lives. It’s a grand addition to our life’s soundtrack. We will remember this moment for years to come. We will talk for years about how we were bracing for it, asking for it and all the interactions and days that led up to it. Hold on and hug each other tight because the magic of their music is about to flood us with new memories and excitement. So, “cheers” to the great mini-tour which starts next week, warm wishes for safe TSO anniversary and sincere hopes for everyone to have a chance to live in the majestic marvelousness that is Tears for Fears Live. Your soul will soar, that’s a promise!

Thanks for reading!

AA/@andyeisthenews

Big thanks to Michel Martin for her amazing show. It is certainly missed.

Follow @tearsforfears, @curtsmith, @rolandtff

Online FanFun & Fan Travel Resources: @papasfans

The Hurting on Vinyl…and a TFF CONCERT!!

Well, it’s showtime! About a year earlier than we expected too! Tears for Fears will be in concert on the 20th of September in …wait for it… Thackerville, Oklahoma (@ the Global Event Center)!! Why are we exicted? It’s in the middle of the United States. That means it’s roughly a 3 hour flight max for just about anyone and should be no more than $200 – $300 dollars round trip per fan. Tickets went on sale on Friday and VIP was snatched up not only by fans but also ended up in the hands of third party ticket sellers like ‘Box Office’ (original price $88 per ticket on TM, Box Office total after tax, etc. = $700+ for VIP and $300 for premium). It’s on their site.

Bobby hanging out with the Captain J. Orzabal, they look cool don't they...ahh yeah.. (pls do not repost) — Bobby hanging out with the Captain, they look cool don’t they…ahh yeah.. (pls do not repost)

Remaining Tickets
Thanks to Bobby R of the Travel Fan Team who got in touch with us very early. Because of Bobby’s efforts we were able to get several dedicated fans in the first few rows of the VIP section. THAT IS HUGE given that so many had issues with the Ticketmaster online service. In some cases, fans had row AA which is third row for this show (the first 3 rows RA-RC are Artist Reserve/Casino according to the establishment and are unavailable for purchase to the general public) but when one clicked “okay” on the ticketmaster site, the site simply froze. It was as if one needed to start all over again. One had to literally try again because the site seemed to auto-release the tickets so you couldn’t get what was originally available. It was extremely frustrating. We do not understand why this happened and we will reach out to Ticketmaster with a formal inquiry. Who knows if it will make a positive difference in the future but hopefully it will help other fans get the seats they need. Several decided, this time around, they probably wouldn’t be going to the concert out of frustration with the ticket situation. It’s quite understandable.

Why Such Short Notice?!!?
We can’t overlook the fact that most of us who follow the band daily were under the impression that there wouldn’t be any shows until 2015. We received comments such as, “Out of the blue, we had less than a week to find extra cash during this challenging economy for tickets!!” For those that experienced a tough time coming up with the cash – so many tweeted us about it – please remember our past discussions on having a Superfan savings account for tickets. If everyone puts aside just enough for 1 (approx $100) ticket that might be the solution in cases where we get surprises like these.

Who Is Going?
Ticketmaster shows that 187 people pre-reserved their attendance by Thursday. After the initial ticket sales, over 350 seats were purchased and following that, more and more. There will also be lots of fans from the 80s (those that are catching up after losing contact for a few years), new faces/their kids and, of course, the die-hards…the long time fans who have made a professional career of following TFF. Some decided to cancel previously scheduled events and late summer holiday/vacations in order to attend. The others…well, quite a few regulars said they just aren’t going. They can’t cancel everything this late in the game and go. So our usual TFF fan Cabana Club will probably not be in session as it wouldn’t be the same without them. We’ve got some other plans on file and we’ll discuss that once we complete a roll call; to be sure everyone has their tickets and the seats of their choice.

From a Kelly Clarkston fan... photos of a 2012 concert set up, 2013/14 shows black chairs that are much wider than these. — From a Kelly Clarkston fan… photos of a 2012 concert set up, 2013/14 shows black chairs that are much wider than these.

I WANT VIP!!
There are still a few VIP seats available at ticketmaster rates. Row AA (third row) is available through third party vendors. VIP North (Curt’s usual side) and South (Roland’s usual side) are still available through ticketmaster. We, the Travel Fan Team, have 3 VIP seats for sale at the ticketmaster price (there is no profit, these are tickets we obtained after seat changes and are the same as what was paid thru ticketmaster).
-1 VIP center (Roland’s side)
-2 VIP South (Roland’s side)
-2 premium seating (center section A)
Inquire via email to ‘Tears for Fears & Kooks’ on FB.

What Does the Venue Look Like?
–Click here for seating chart & info on the area plus facts about the casino from a K. Clarkston fan. Look at the video for seat placement reference, it’s very helpful. Goes back 7 rows. RA to VIP Center DD.

-Click here to see a standard room at the Casino (We’ve been informed that suites are only available Sun-Thurs, call the Casino directly to get confirmation)

Flight & Accommodation Suggestions:
This really depends on what your ‘TFF Fan on Tour Budget’ looks like… Visit this page to see what options are available. If you can stay at the Casino, then do so. The venue is at the Casino, so you wouldn’t have to worry about traffic coming in from the Dallas/Fort Worth area. You can take a rental car from the airport to the venue or reserve a limo service for the 1.5 hour ride. Uber is most likely available as well. The event center suggests ‘Limo Joe.’ In the past, driving into the venue at this distance cost about $150 by chauffeur/in towncar that seats 4 (each way).

Curt Smith and his Phil Kooks in The Philippines — Curt Smith and his Phils Kooks in The Philippines

Meet & Greets
Rumours are flying around that there is a meet & greet for VIP ticket holders but we don’t have any such confirmations. Perhaps it’s for those in rows RA – RC but again, that is not a confirmation and in order to keep blood pressures and superfanitis down, the thought should not even be entertained unless a member of the band or management says it’s so.

*Will There Be Any Other Shows? (updated)
Yes, one at Austin Music Hall and 3 @ #ProjectPabst but no other shows have officially been announced at this time. Keep up with the official page so you can be on top of show dates.

If you have any other questions about “fan travel” send us an email to the ‘TFF & Kooks’ FB page. We’ll gladly give the best advice and any permissible info! We understand that you’ve invested a part of your life and cash into this band, we as fellow fans want you to have a smooth flight, a beautiful stay and a great time at the show!

~~~~

Hurting comes out on Vinyl 28 July, 2014 -pre order your copy!

Just as the Good Man Curt Smith said, Tears for Fears are indeed back on the 28th of July. The Hurting Vinyl will be released that day. It is said to be a part of the ‘Back to Black’ series according to the UK TFF Fans’ discussion group. You can pre-order yours right now by clicking that highlighted area above.

Again, don’t forget to join us in conversation on Twitter (@papasfans). As always follow the band on their official social pages for up-to-date information!
http://www.tearsforfears.com
@curtsmith
@rolandtff
@tearsforfears
*Try to be courteous and tag them in convos only when necessary Lol! We don’t want to wear them out.

Thanks for reading!
-AA
Here’s a little treat for us all from our Japan Travel Fan Team Artist, Manami Doll.

Curt, Roland (running to enjoy the waves) and the infamous Mr. Ramskull ;) — Curt, Roland (running to enjoy the waves) and the infamous Mr. Ramskull 😉

Follow @rolandtff (verified) for some Twitter fun. It's a riot of wacky daily musings you don't want to miss! — Follow @rolandtff (verified) for some Twitter fun. It’s a riot of wacky daily musings you don’t want to miss!

New Music from Tears & Kooks in Band Land

Marcio Campos, Team Lead Brasil, is one of 5 archivist in the Americas. His collection of music is well organised. — Marcio Campos, Team Lead Brasil & TFF Music Archivist’s collection part I

Tweets, updates and “other news” have let us know that new music, a new album and maybe more are not out of the question for Tears For Fears. We are grateful that they are active and members are in the studio …again, pay attention, read those tweets, the answers are right there…and that’s all we’ll say on that.

While we wait, patiently and lovingly as noted on Curt’s wall by followers of the band we’re going to explore the new material that is already out.

Curt did a collaboration with Junkie_XL this past year. His song “When is Enough Not Enough” got quite a bit of attention from fans and the industry. The impressive sound was addictive and many couldn’t get enough of it. It was unreal how we reacted to this piece of music. You can simply click through that link on his name, follow him and visit his site to buy a copy of that magnificent song and the entire album.

Here’s a Youtube clip:

In the Orzabal Family one can find the band DelaQ. At this point, they need no introduction. Their Album Into the Blue was released in 2012. We reviewed it thoroughly and fell head over heels for just about every track.

We purchased several copies. At one point it became extremely hard to turn it off. All of this music came out around the same time…one right after the other…it was a feast for superfans everywhere.

Wild World Members in 2011 -Tears For Fears Superfan Alisa McCathern is lead vocalist

From DelaQ we met Wild World. Fellow Tears for Fears Travel Superfan Alisa is the lead singer. They released an album in 2011 and another last month (Jan 2013). The most recent, titled, “Campaign of Angels” is yet another piece of magnificent work. Very strong and heavily accented with instruments. It’s a journey for your mind and spirit.

Purchase_Info:http://wildworld.bandcamp.com/album/where-have-you-been

In the sea of fans, we were introduced to Robert O. on the night of the Brasil 2012 show. It was incredible…this guy has put together a ton of tribute songs and remixes of the bands work using his own voice for every layer on each track. He even wrote a tribute song to fellow fans. All of this can be found on soundcloud. Superfan RJO. has been encouraged to keep writing, keep pushing himself to the next level…we say the same. Thank you Robert!

WildWorldCollection — First Trivia Prize is a set of lyrics autographed by Wild World Lead Singer Alisa, Wild World’s 1st Album on CD “Where Have You Been” & 2nd album “Campaign of Angels.”

All this new music…so much to dive into and enjoy… Thanks to several members of DelaQ and WildWorld and approval from the Good Man Mr. Smith we’re going to give away some of this music through our Tears For Fears Fan Trivia. Answer 12 questions correctly and be the first to submit them to the Tears For Fears and Kooks Fan Page message button. The first person with the correct answers to their list of questions wins a prize. We have four to give away this spring.

Rules: Follow @papasfans on twitter or like the fan page for trivia question publication prompts. Winners can only win twice in a season. When a second set of trivia and the prize associated with it are ready, it will be highlighted in blue.

Trivia Question Set I: Prize -Autographed Wild World CD & Lyrics set (password: Wild) -No Winner, prize roll over
Trivia Question Set II: DelaQ CD -Into the Blue (password: BlueHot)
Triva Question Set III: Curt Smith solo CD and Kook coffee mug
Trivia Question Set IV: Roland Orzabal’s Tomcats Screaming Outside or The Graduate (pre-TFF)

Carri, Travel Fan Team’s Sherlock of Risk Management

Carri poses for a photo before the show... taken by Andye A. — Carri poses for a photo before the show… taken by Andye A.

We met Carri through Curt Smith’s official fan page in 2010. Carri participated in the TeamCurtSmith Twitchange via Shaun King of HopeMob. Carri is known for her quick to contribute character…often the first to donate to causes that we’ve looked into at Curt Smith’s mention. She was also the highest contributor to Longacre Hall in our #25DaysOfLovingBathUK

Carri’s Travel Fan Story goes back to 1983.

Little Carri D and her BFF Kai-Kai spent their grade school years perched in Kai’s bedroom after school and on weekends. They were addicted to the idea of seeing their mega favourite music artist on this new thing called MTV. This was before DVRs and all the great technology we have today…you too may remember having to perch in front of MTV just waiting on your favourite bands to appear. In our case, it was of course Tears For Fears, Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, and Michael Jackson –The King of Pop. This pattern of perching and waiting has not ended. These two still sit (now on social media) on twitter, facebook and other media platforms chatting with their favourite bands.

Curt Smith/Tears For Fears San Francisco 2012

Carri said she was eager to see her favourite, Curt Smith and Kai waited for Stewart Copeland of The Police (for our dancer friends in the fan club yes, that’s Miles’ brother). We have a picture of him somewhere in our archives hanging out with us at a show. Anytime Curt, Stewart or Michael Jackson appeared on the TV, these two were fixed…glued. Then, there was Roland Orzabal…Kai couldn’t get enough of his mega dance moves. She soon learned his moves and can, now, do them with perfection and ease. We’ve witnessed this.

Carri&CurtLaughing — Curt and Superfan Carri in Santa Monica California

Carri has always been fan of the song Pale Shelter as it was filmed in Los Angeles and had its debut in March…which is the month in which she was born. While adoring other bands like Adam and the Ants, she found herself shivering with excitement from Tears For Fears and their outstanding talent. From Madworld to the Working Hour the two friends spent 20 years enjoying the band, nicknaming each other “Tears” (Carri) and “Fears” (Kai-Kai).

Carri moved away but the two reunited in Los Angeles and the two were able to attend both a Curt Smith solo show and a Tears for Fears concert on a birthday weekend. As Carri stared into the microphone she could not believe it had been so long since she had seen him…first time since 1985’s sold out show in Hollywood. Now, there she was with this LEGEND…Later on at a Tears’ show, she became mesmerized as soon as he sang Pale Shelter. She just fell into a myriad of memories and tears. Her soul soared to heights unknown. She mentions time and time again, then and now, how Roland’s voice was so clear and magnificent…he has a timeless energy…he has such a powerful sound you could listen to it infinitely.

Curt Smith and Fan Carri 2012 Orange County California

Upon hearing Curt’s heavenly divine, sultry voice…she couldn’t control herself. She just cried…completely out of control. She didn’t know if she was about die or what…memories of the past, overcoming traumatic events…his voice was healing…just pure mega good energy. Roland was intoxicatingly beautiful…hips swaying…and that voice…that amazing voice! It was outstanding! She says that is hands down one of the BEST DAYS of her life. She says she had the best birthday vacation because of this. She has been going full force ever since with Kai-Kai in tow to as many TFF shows as the good L-rd allows them to go.

Tears For Fears Superfans at the OC Show... Photo by Kai G. — Tears For Fears Superfans at the OC Show… Photo by Kai G.

Carri has a way of making special photos dazzle even more.

Carri is also one to discuss risks of this, that and the other. She keeps us well informed of what risks we may be taking before engaging in different topics. We call her our risk management specialists 😉 Thank you Carri for keeping our best interest at heart.

Caring Kooks inspired by Tears for Fears’ Curt Smith

In the past few years, the very generous Curt Smith has jumped aboard some awesome causes. His involvement with groups like TwitChange inspired and encouraged several Tears for Fears fans to get involved with worthy causes. TeamCurtSmith (TeamCS) was created around one of these early charity projects as mentioned in previous blog posts. And together this group continues to donate money and resources to causes that Curt has either mentioned, been apart of or things they feel he might appreciate. Some of their recent donations have gone to GoodWill, The Angel Tree Program and most recently they’ve put forth plans to donate to the Friends of Longacre Hall.

The team isn’t raising millions just yet but they are donating just under 1,000 as a group for several causes. TeamCS is made up of about 6-7 fans, most of whom travel to California for Curt Solo Shows as well as anything related to their beloved band Tears For Fears as a whole. Coming from diverse backgrounds, including a Native American, a Nigerian, Americans from various ethnic groups and most recently a fan from France; the team’s goal is simply to show support and give back as Curt has given to them and to the world. This group is certainly special with big hearts and loyalty to anything Roland and Curt related…like none other…

Their involvement with Twitchange earned them a follow from Curt Smith on 17 September 2010. This date has remained special to them and on their 1st anniversary they spent it front and center at the Wiltern for Tears for Fears’ sold out concert. More on that show is to come as they approach their 2nd anniversary.

Just after that extraordinary event the team gathered together to buy gifts for Angel Tree recipients. An 18 year old young man named Stephen received gifts as well as a young girl picked by TeamCS member Lisa.

And now they are looking to donate a portion of their March resources to Friends of Longacre Hall ( a project Curt Smith donated £10,000 to recently). The group is open to others from various regional Tears for Fears fan groups joining the pool of donations so if you or another fan are interested in pitching in for this project send your inquiry to PapaSFans@gmail.com or go to the Friends of Longacre Hall on your own and get involved.

From birthday gifts, joining in on the Roland & Curt Quilt project and tons of other TFF inspired giving opportunities and volunteering, these Kooks are certainly a loving bunch with nothing but admiration for one of the world’s top music groups ever. Be inspired, give back to the communities and groups that have influenced you! And let us know about it! Cheers!

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