Tears for Fears sold out show -17 September Photo: (@SnapHappyPam)

I wanted to wait a bit before posting the recap of this show. It was as Carri would say, “EPIC!” I’m still not sure if that even sums up what happened that life changing evening. This concert took place on the anniversary of the TeamCS formation, which can be explained on the profile of (@papasfans) on twitter.

Waiting for the Plane

I was whisked off to the airport at 9am in the morning from the Red Rock Hotel in Vegas. Mind you, this was just 30 minutes before seeing what we have to assume was one of “the band” skidaddling into an elevator. My heart was already racing. Now, a higher power had to be watching over me as I dropped my drivers’ license, all cash, etc after checking my bags at the flight counter. Some kind soul walked up to me afterward and handed them to me. I’m not joking when I say these shows are spiritual experiences that make a believer out of you. I get to the boarding terminal to learn that the plane is late. So I take this time to turn this excitement into what I call profitable tweets.

Twitter, Tweets and RTs

Between the hours of 9:30am and 11am I sent about 50 tweets to Michael Wainwright, Curt Smith and the Tears for Fears official profile that included what I felt were profitable ideas for the band. Of course, I didn’t expect the band to take me seriously, but if they did, then more power to them. It’s just that after the Vegas show I knew there’s was no way I could possibly handle a day to day without Tears For Fears podcasts, subscription based guitar lessons, etc week after week. Call it insane but those concerts leave you on cloud 9 and eager for more. Rumour has it that these tweets nearly drove Michael Wainwright up the wall. So I’ve taken him off the list of profitable tweets to save his sanity. I’ve also scaled back to 1-2 tweets a day and fewer RTs.

The plane finally arrived. I slurped down the last of that Vinti Frappucino (the only thing I’d consume that entire day) and boarded the plane. It was a tiny thing. Crammed inside, we flew across the desert and I could see cars below. I was looking around wondering if by chance any other fans were on this flight. I didn’t recognize anyone…just a bunch of men in suits. We were all clearly in a hurry to get to point B. Getting off the plane I hit my head on the overhead cabin…numb from excitement I didn’t even feel it. Others around me seemed worried and shocked that I recovered from that ghastly cranial crash as I looked back to make sure I hadn’t left anything since I was prone to dropping items. I scuttled off the plane and met my driver at baggage claim. He dropped me off at the Wilshire Hotel and I checked in immediately. On the way there I could already see people lining up along the Wiltern’s sidewalk… at 2:30pm.

Perfect Time to Perch I get inside, I immediately clean up, again, wash my hair…the whole nine yards. I’m in OCD mode at this point. I put my DelaQ Tshirt out and my fan jacket. I put these new jeans I bought just for this show and some TEVA sandals. I phoned every fan I knew and said, “we need to meet up now…let’s just go line up.” They thought I was crazy. Pam was the only one who came right away and we walked over to the line to find ourselves numbers 7&8 behind a very organized group from L.A. inclusive of Penelope and Kim Tang. Over the next few hours the line grew and grew. People came and played cards decked out in their Tears for Fears t shirts. Most of us were in the same section (The Pit) so we got to know each other’s names and exchange Facebook profile info so we could keep in touch and share photos.

Vexed by VIP Around 5pm members of the band could be seen either driving by or coming out of the Wiltern. Gruno came out and handed Kim Tang some guitar picks. She showed them to us and then put them in her pocket so they wouldn’t get lost I imagine. Forbid she drop one of those…that would’ve been awful. Pam would leave the line and come back, go make a phone call, come back…restless she seemed. I was too afraid to move. Alexis, her friend, Traci and others came. Then about 5:30 a woman with the Wiltern comes out offering us VIP for $20. “What does VIP entail?” we asked. She said, “You get access to the VIP bathroom, can get drinks at the bar, access to the exclusive lounge and that you’ll get to go in early.” We bought it. I got one for Pam who had again walked off at this time. I figured she’d want one too. We then went over to a different line placing Penelope and I at 1^st and 2^nd. Then Carri shows up with Kai…and some hottie blond trailing with them. I told them to get a VIP pass and get in line, no time for hellos and all that, just get the pass.

A Mini-MeetUp In Line This is where the life changing moments began. It’s about 5:55pm…we did a roll call and saw that just about every fan that promised to come to the Wiltern show was there. We took turns swirling in and out of line having people save our places so we could take pictures together. It was then that Carri brings forward Sir David Esquire. “This…is David…” she says. My chin had already dropped from seeing him Moments ago. We thought he was a member of Duran Duran…because we knew he had worked with them in the past on something…and that he took some photos of Curt…long story short, a few of us assumed he was a member of some band but we knew it wasn’t Tears for Fears. Turns out he has some sort of connection with Duran Duran…and he looked the part. It was insane. He kissed our hands…who does that? We were impressed and struggling to keep from drooling like sick children every time he said anything. We met a lot of other cool people that hour but the whole Sir David Esquire encounter would then drag on for another 7 months inclusive of some online fun, wild promises, fun phone calls, cherished gift exchanges and total admiration for his work of which we still promote. We considered him our new Best Friend Forever…

VIP stands for what? Around 6:30 we were moved about 3 feet forward next to a gate. From there, Gruno shows up again followed by 3 women who were all wearing TFF lanyards. They went into the theatre. We stayed behind and waited…then about 10 minutes later were led downstairs to a very small room that was dimly lit. The line we had so carefully formed with respect to those who had been there since noon that day dispersed. I cleaned my hands and got a drink from the bar. I knew I was going to need it. I think at this point chaos broke out. There was nothing VIP about what we got to do. We paid $20 to go to the bathroom pretty much. Only a handful of people bought drinks. Penelope went back to the woman who sold us the passes and explained that we’d been waiting in line all day and now that line was ruined and we weren’t guaranteed to be first in for this general admission show anymore. Security came, reorganized the line and we stood down in that small room (over 100 of us) for another hour and then later led to the top of the stairs …where we were finally allowed to go into the theatre. I think that’s the worst VIP experience I’ve ever had. I don’t know what was VIP about it…I really don’t.

Security checked to make sure everyone was in the right place. Pam and I were slammed against the stage, our chins literally sitting on it…the photo shown is a chin shot. It was front row nonetheless and I wasn’t moving. In fact, I couldn’t. I was so oxygen deprived I began to feel light headed. I laid my head on the stage…Penelope beside me, Kim Tang beside her and some people we’d never met before who admitted they hadn’t even heard of the ELAHE album (that’s a crime in itself) next to Pam while others who didn’t buy Pit seats were on the front row of the floor section just above us.

Waiting We’d been on our feet for what felt like forever. A screen came down and allowed us to text messages to the monitor. People text how upset they were about the VIP, people text that we were waiting too long, that many of them were old now and couldn’t do this concert scene anymore if it meant standing forever…there were funny tweets, marriage proposals (fake ones and real ones). Simultaneous oohs and awes for certain tweets. We kooks got a few messages in and then finally the screen went away and Michael Wainwright came out.

Michael Wainwright opens the show

You’d have thought it was POTUS Obama cause the crowd went wild. He did his same set inclusive of the sad clown (Blue). That freaked a few people out. It was a beautiful set as was the night before and we enjoyed it thoroughly. Pam got most of it on camera either via video or picture. When Michael left the screen came down and people began texting their thoughts about his performance saying they liked it and hoped he’d turn into a happy clown one day. Some who were new to him expressed their thoughts about the clown make up more than anything. Overall he was well received and Blue seemed to be a favourite as was the award winning song “Heart Shaped Man” of which many sang along. At this point I was feeling even more light headed. My heart was racing, I was so excited but very much drained. I knew at some point I was going to pass out. I decided, “Do I want to have a heart attack thus causing severe damage to my body or do I want to go home and try again in a year or so?” I thought to myself, “I’ve gotten this far I thought I might as well die doing what I love. If I pass out and die from excitement then so be it…what better place to go than with the two men I’ve loved since I was a small child.”

The Show  When those lights went down I nearly lost my mind. Relief swept through me and the heart palpitations decreased as Curt stood above my head, his shoe was level with my chin. He laughed when he looked down at Pam and I…the proof of our dedication was right there where we stood. Roland shook his head and just stared as if he was amazed as we looked over at him. He too looked surprised that two nights in a row at a General Admission show we’d somehow made it to the front again and were staring him in the face. That moment was classic.  

The set list was the same as that which was in Vegas if I’m not mistaken and full of electric energy. I, again, sang every single song. There’s something about having these two men towering above you. It’s like looking at two magnificent statues of talent and grace. Roland had on this olive coloured button down and I had on an olive coloured jacket. It was quite a coincidence and I just couldn’t get enough of it. At times he’d look over at us (the loyal Kooks of which he may or may not be aware of, perhaps we were the loudest?) and he’d just stare…maybe because we knew every word to every. single. song. Now, mind you…I had no voice and was lip synching because no sound was coming out. I was done after Vegas. I barely had enough energy to stand there let alone belt out a song. But I put passion into it…whole heart and soul. We all did. We swayed, we danced out songs, we danced out the moves according to the videos (i.e. Roland’s dance during Change, Mad World Flying Wombat, the four leaf clover)…we fans did a complete set. We left nothing out.

During Sowing the Seeds Roland did just as we had asked the day before in a tweet. We wanted him to give Curt a brotherly kiss instead of a hug. It was charming and we all went absolutely mad. I think I started crying as expected. I can’t remember if Curt threw any Skittles. I think being that close I would’ve caught at least one. The night was just full of everything a fan could ever want. The songs sounded even better than the album recordings.

Curt and Roland really haven’t changed that much. I feel they are stronger in so many ways musicially as a group. Roland looks amazing. Curt is fit as a fiddle and looking mighty fine. The fan base has grown to include the children of the earlier fans and those of us who were too tiny to get into shows as toddlers are now front and center at most if not all shows. We follow them around like puppies or as Curt calls us a “Kerfuffle of Kooks.” As a band, they are crystal clear and nothing is out of place. Everything looks and sounds stellar and the reviews that went out the next day by various magazines, bloggers and music critics all sang their praises. This was a sold out show so the confidence by fans for this band isn’t going anywhere…it’s set in stone. Tears for Fears are truly a timeless band with a classic sound that remains “ahead of their time.” Their lyrics, topics, thought provoking phrases and general “tone” are a force!

Encore The encore was twice as exciting as the night before. Those who didn’t know Michael Wainwright was covering for Oleta Adams got the shock of their lives when he belted out “Calls the man the great whiiitte hope!” Like clockwork the crowd goes nuts! And rightly so…it was absolutely beautiful…

The set ended with Shout (and me singing on Roland’s microphone, no I didn’t jump on stage, just keep reading or click on the blue link above)…[and what was so beautiful was that the song was the full version with the extended instrumental opening…ohhh, if you’ve never heard it check it out in your Tears for Fears collection. It’s worth opening the box set to hear it. I know many like myself buy their music and don’t open it these days because it’s worth it’s weight in gold so you preserve it in the plastic package, etc. So, if you can’t bring yourself to opening it then at least find it on YouTube] Okay, so the band starts singing…Curt’s youngest daughter is out to the left of the stage with Michael and she’s singing ”Shout…Shout…let it all out….” and they go into the chorus and something happened…Roland pulled the microphone out of the stand and it separated from the cord. So Curt had to cover for him on the second verse I believe (by this time I’m just a live wire, too excited to believe that I’m still on the front row, jacket all awry and my DelaQ tshirt showing…yes, Roland saw it ). The song goes on and Curt fills in while Gruno fixes the microphone. Our attention is on Curt and we’re singing along and then Roland joins in with the repaired microphone and heads toward our area…next thing I know that gorgeous hair of his is in my face and his microphone is right at my chin and I’m singing the chorus with the 10% of voice I have left. Somehow I get out the rest of the chorus in a lower pitch thank G-d so as not to hurt Roland’s ears. Something must have gone right cause he gave me a thumbs up and Curt said, “Go Andye…” …all I could think was…”My family is gonna go bananas when I tell them what happened, I hope someone got that on video.” Poor Pam was so in shock she didn’t even record it (though many others did, see here). She asked me some weeks later, “Andye did you sing?” We were both in a daze of disbelief and awe that night I couldn’t blame her for not remembering cause had someone not gotten that on camera, the details wouldn’t have been what they were just now.

Rosaline and Rochelle flew in for the show… Canada, The Philippines

I owe Roland a kidney if he ever needs it. I’d gladly hand over a lung to Curt if it was necessary. They made, not just my day but my life right then and there…and I thought the Vegas show was awesome…my goodness, they just get better and better with every show!! Whaaaaat!? Ohhh mannnn…I’m still speechless nearly a year later. I think about that moment and I have to sit down…and just thank G-d because that was more than anything I’ve ever wanted in the realm of the band. Just to see them singing together was enough for me…now, front row and a sing-a-long opportunity..ohh mannn, somebody form the clap section, I’ve got choir outfits, we can take this fandom on the road!

The After Party Well, there wasn’t one…just a lot of us hanging out on the street corner after the show. I got swept away by Carri, Sir David Esquire and their pal Kai of whom I’d really not had the opportunity to hang with before. We went out…and we rehashed that show til 4am in the morning. I remember being nervous as Sir David sat next to me…I kept thinking, “Do I really deserve everything that happened tonight? Why am I receiveing all of these blessings…am I about to die? Do I have cancer?” And I don’t blame myself for asking because it was just overwhelming good stuff. My hearing was completely gone, David’s voice was merely a whisper. He had that awesome camera and showed it to me with all the pictures from the show, every single moment caught on camera…They were all so very nice…Still, I was more worried if I sang the song correctly. If I ever get the chance again, I’ll show Roland that I not only took singing lessons but used sign language to help me get the lyrics to every song just right. 

I didn’t sleep that night/early morning. I phoned my relatives around the world, didn’t care what time zone they were in…they had to hear this. I wrote to one of Roland’s brothers and told him what happened. I knew he’d be up, it was 9am BST, so why not? Then, I called the drivers to come get me as early as possible and take me out to the Hills. Not far from “their homes”

I sat quietly in ultra gratitude, talking to Carri, thanking Sir David for showing such mercy and adding Kai to my facebook friends list. And sending tweets…It took me a long time to get all of this out. Almost a year… It was beyond a blessing. I’m so thankful and overwhelmed that I’ve not ever been the same. I’m sure there are parts I left out. I hope others will find a way to get their speechless sentiment into a phrase or two to recap the whole event. There’s no way my 1 review could sum up what was the ultimate majestic night with the band that continues to rule not just our lives but a huge chunk of the music world.

Other Highlights: I know of recent we’ve been discussing mentioning Roland’s whereabouts. As of July 2012 he was in Los Angeles, for a fact. He joked at the show that he was surprised at his lack of stalkers with this statement: Responding to “I love you Roland…” He said, “No you don’t. If you did you’d find out where I live and drive by a few times…” or something to that nature. There was a review that stated his exact words. I have no idea where that is right now. If anyone has it please post it in the response section, the full link please, so everyone can read the entire review.

After the show, people stood around getting their picture taken with Michael Wainwright. There was also merch available. I got a totebag for $25 and I use it to bring my lunch to work every week so that I’m not tempted to buy out and thus spend any extra cash that I can use toward future tours. It usually hold’s some sort of soup, we call it “Tour Soup” as that’s what many of us eat in order to save up enough to attend more than 1 show.

Again, I’ll add more memories as they surface, I never really “recovered” from that 2011 tour. It was overwhelming. We’re in a our 3rd year of talking about something Tears for Fears related each and everyday. Rekindling the sparks that united the fan club years ago…

Thanks for reading.

We had an incredible time attending this year’s tour. We spent over a week on the West Coast, going from city to city and attending the shows, meetups plus (and certainly a highlight-bonus) spending time with relatives of the band. Most travelling fans went to at least 2 shows. During these travels, we made a new friend, a professional photoragpher and fellow media maniac. His name is Jason DeBord and he shared his experience at the San Francisco show. Enjoy!

Click here for the full review: Jason DeBord 

Brief Summary: Obviously, the duo have reunited and produced new work, and are in the midst of what appears to be a very successful tour. I definitely have my own associations with the music of the band – a lot of great memories to be sure, and some that simply make me laugh today in retrospect (like going to school dances in middle school and standing along the outskirts of the dance floor like the geeks in Sixteen Candles).

In any event, the concert performance by Tears for Fears tonight was amazing.  Also performing with the band was Charlton Pettus (lead guitar), CJ Vanston (keyboards), and Jamie Wollam (drums). It was such an experience to hear all of this wonderful music played live on stage.

I loved the way the full set was played tonight.  I’ve heard some different renditions of some of the songs from other live performances, and I really feel this performance totally nailed all of them, and would love to see a live Blu-Ray of this set and tour produced some day – it was really that spectacular.  Also, Carina Round really added a tremendous amount to the song “Woman In Chains” with her added vocals – truly incredible rendition.

It was really just a fun night, and it was a privilege to have such a great seat from which to enjoy it (the benefit of F5ing Ticketmaster as they went on sale, buying just one ticket, and the front rows being composed of three seats – and a little luck).  The guys were really funny with some comments and stories in-between songs, and the audience was great and enthusiastic and genuine (and a little odd in a funny way – booing when Mr. Orzabal said that they were in Burbank the night before).

Really, I’m not sure what else to say about this one… it was such a thrill and joy to see them, and it’s another one of those shows where you immediately want to see it all again.  I can’t recommend enough catching this tour if you have the chance – just fantastic music by a talented band.  Even if you aren’t familiar with all of their work, it is all great music and framed throughout by their many hits.  Truly a fantastic night.

Enjoy these videos on HD video from the concert. 

Jason, we thank you so much for your kindness and hard work. It is greatly appreciated by fans all over the world. We love this band with so much of our mind, body and soul and can’t imagine life without them. It’s great to share that passion with other media professionals who have the ability to capture it so well. See you next time we trust.

*All pictures are the property of Jason DeBord. Please do not download, copy and repost/retweet without alerting Jason and getting a response. If the ethics&fairness team see his photos reposted you will be contacted and questioned. Thanks for understanding.

Andye (Nigeria/Atlanta), Cammie (New York), Captain Julian (UK) and Yvette (Armenia/Los Angeles)

Our membership has grown to include so many from all around the United States, Asia & Europe. In addition to the enormous crowd of ticket holders, we, the travelling fans, had 165+ active road trippers that met up at each Tears For Fears show; travelling great distances to see the band on the sunny west coast. We even had the ultra cool Captain Julian Orzabal of DelaQ. What a blessing that was! It is a great joy to begin profiling some of our lovely Tears For Fears Travellers who are dedicating themselves to fan touring and celebrating the band.

Cammie (@BxBourgie) joined us this year and tells her story.  

I was born, raised and currently reside in Curt Smith’s favorite U.S. city. I can’t speak for any other New Yorker, but me? I’m spoiled, especially when it comes to bands, concerts and tours. I always expect that if my favorite band is doing shows somewhere in the U.S, they will more than likely make their way to NYC at some point. Why should I have to take a bus, train or plane somewhere else to hear my favorite band play? I’m in NYC! Everyone comes here! They’ll make it here eventually. So I’ll just wait.

Photo from Jason DeBord -a concert reviewer & videographer

In 2011, one of my absolute favorite bands ever, Tears For Fears, were doing a few shows on the West Coast, and I decided to sit and wait here in NYC, for them to announce a date or two here. Yeah… didn’t happen! (“Its not that we don’t love you…”) I missed them when they were here in 2010 because I was on a cruise, but when they didn’t come back the next year, I decided to stalk Curt’s Twitter ( Roland does not do the social media thing right now), and wait for an announcement of Tears For Fears tour dates. I waited almost a year. Then I began to see tweets. From Curt. About show dates. Curt answered my tweet to him, confirming the San Francisco date among others, but I knew better than to ask about NYC; I know that Curt likes to stay close to his family in L.A. I had a decision to make. Let another year pass without seeing Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal right in front of my very eyes sing the songs that I’ve loved since I got cable television and MTV when I was 14, saw the video for Head Over Heels for the first time and fell in LOVE… or was I gonna sit around and wait. I’m a travel junkie, it’s what I love to do, so this was an easy decision!

Fan Travel Tshirts

I bought a ticket to the San Fran show as soon as they went on sale, a flight and a hotel. And then met some fabulous Tears for Fears fans on Twitter, changed my flights around, booked ANOTHER hotel, got ANOTHER ticket to the Vegas show from a generous fan who was unable to attend, and had one of the most awesome experiences of my life. Not only did I get to sing along to EVERY song, almost close enough to touch the ever youthful Curt Smith and the beautifully elusive Roland Orzabal, I had great time meeting many other Tears For Fears fans – some for hours, others only briefly – as well as someone I never expected to meet who was also one of the most charming men I’ve ever encountered.

Roland & Curt in San Francisco by Jason DeBord

I know many people ask Curt on Twitter and Facebook why Tears For Fears doesn’t do shows in their town… but I will say that IF you can do it, TRAVEL to see this band, wherever they happen to be. GO GO GO! THIS from a spoiled NYC girl who expects all bands to come to NY when they do shows. I flew across the U.S. to see Tears for Fears, and would do it again it a heartbeat. Around the world, whatever! They looked fantastic, and sounded even better. Shoes and jacket off at the San Francisco show, I jumped, swayed, sang and swooned from the first note to the last. I felt like I was floating! I needed a minute to collect myself after it was over, only to do it again in Vegas two nights later. Wonderful to meet Carri, Becky, Becky’s daughter Rihana, Yvette, Andye, Janice, Colleen, and Julian O. in person, and the many others I’ve “met” from other parts of the world via Twitter. (Much love to Margaret for sending me her ticket to the Vegas show!) As I am able, I hope this is the first of many. In the meantime? As Andye says… perching.

Cammie, we appreciate you coming all the way from New York to join us and have a great time. Other New Yorkers include Jeanie P who began her TFF Fan travels last year. We look forward to highlighting all of the fan fun in the weeks to come including a ton of pictures with the band, fan gatherings, mega-tour fan bloopers & funny moments!Thanks for reading!

Cheers!

Enjoy this video of Mad World by Jason DeBord, one of our friendly media pals we met on during the Tears For Fears Fan Travel 2012: 

Memories Fade by Nourset who travelled from France 

from wiki

The Initial Release
On this day 11 years ago (11 September 2001), the beloved Roland Orzabal’s solo album Tomcats Screaming Outside was released. This was also a horrific day in world history as a force (origins still truly unknown) that brought destruction to the United States overshadowed a number of fantastic accomplishments that took place around this time.  The world was unable to focus on anything else, many completely missed this release. May those who lost someone during the senseless game of politics find peace quickly…

Tears for Fears Everywhere We Go

Coincidently, this album’s lyrics and sentiment cushioned the signs of the times. Tears For Fears as a whole have remained not only in touch with “the people” but also ahead of their time. Carrying the band’s name alone, Roland’s impeccable esp slipped into later works. The albums were not only damn good but miraculously comforting for the events that were to come. Pop culture, technology and media in general began putting bits of Elemental in their productions i.e. The Real World on MTV -Boston & New Star in the movie Threesome…the list goes on. Roland was very much engaged and intertwined in society.  Though subtle, “we saw him” and remained connected as much as possible…even through his supposed love of mucking around the kitchen. 

From the Moderator -Andye’s notes:
I’m still unsure how on earth I missed the original release. I believe it was due to a distraction I had at the time, I was about to leave the country and had become quite focused on musicians from my immediate relatives’ culture –Cheb Mami, Cheb Khaled & Rachid Taha. I always wondered if any of these guys would collaborate with TFF the way Cheb Mami had with Sting. Anyway, I found the album 1 year and 1 month to the day of the initial release…at Best Buy on Cumberland Parkway in Smyrna Georgia just minutes from Atlanta. Every time I go into a music store I have to see if they’ve stocked Tears For Fears. I just have to. As always, I slowly scanned the O-P-Q-R-S-T aisle…and then…I saw it!! There was Roland Orzabal blurred out on the cover of a CD. I gasped loudly, snatched the album ( the last one mind you) and pressed it close to me, hiding it even… as if someone was going to knock me down and kill me for it. That was it for that afternoon. The rest of my day was spent listening to that album and trying to find out where on earth the fanclub had moved (I would live in a fan club HQ if I could). It was almost like finding a long lost friend at random and taking them out for tea. All I wanted to do was “catch up.”

It didn’t take me long to become attached to each song…and it brought me back to the TFF research table, eager to know the background of the songs, what sparked the one titled “Hey Andy” and what was next? 11 years later I’m still in awe of this album’s sound. It’s still way ahead of its time. Of every solo album produced by members of the band past and present, fans voted a year ago, on FB, that Tomcats Screaming Outside is by far the strongest of them all. “Leaps and bounds…” a few fans said.

Tomcats Appreciation Society
There is a Facebook Tomcats Screaming Outside group page made up of TFF fans (people who are supportive of both Roland & CURT). It discusses the lyrics and the album as if it were Shakespeare (because it is the next best thing, hands down). The group is moderated by Alisa of Wild World who collabs with Roland’s youngest brother Julian (aka **The Captain**). It is one of the many TFF topical discussion pages that truly focuses on the music of the band vs. how good they look physically. You won’t find gaggling-giggling girls and guys competing to post the next “hot photo of Roland & Curt” but instead an educated group of “thinkers” who hear more than just a song…they see a genius.

picture from wordpress

Release of TSO
Requests for this album to be re-released are not uncommon. Fans have agreed that they are willing to contribute money to the costs and a just under $300 was quickly collected 2 days before the start of the TFF 2012 tour. However, according to Traci Smith who is a member of the Tears for Fears Travelling Fan Team, $15,000 USD is the estimated cost of producing an album so we have a long way to go. The money that has been collected is held in an online banking account until the total funds have been raised. If anyone is serious about raising this money and presenting it to him, then, by all means speak up.

Ordering your copy
The album is available in what seems to be extremely limited quantities on Amazon and a few other places (note the profile associated with the Amazon page…) The album cost ranges from $10.99-$17.00 plus shipping, tax, etc. So, expect to pay $20 and it’s worth it…priceless even…so, don’t sell it!

TSO Videos
There is a video from the album. Some say it is difficult to understand (even Roland himself admits he wasn’t sure the video had anything to do with the song); others “get it.” We recommend listening to the album 2-3 times, tattoo it on your soul then dive into the video. Doing it in reverse order will only cause confusion. It’s a powerful album, be careful with it…

Listen to the video below to get Mr. O’s perspective.

Fans worldwide LOVE & ADORE this album as if it were human…and in many ways it is. It is the extraordinary work of a genius. There’s no questioning that. Every year, on the anniversary of its initial release, Tears for Fears fans spend a moment or two listening to it in all its glory. There are no words to truly describe it…it’s just outstanding…a brilliant creation that can be enjoyed from start to finish. The fan appreciation continues this year with statements like the below coming in.

“The album represents what all albums aspire to, one complete listen from beginning to end. Brilliant.” -Robert M.

“This album is a true masterpiece. Every song creeps into my inner core. Thank you so much Roland for giving us some of the best music the human ear can absorb. Our hearts absorb it even more. Here’s to Tomcats Screaming Outside!” -Brandi Anne H.

“Pure Genius” -Carolyn H.

“I thank Roland for creating this wonderful album. He is a true gift from God.” -Sheila S.

from S&Bs online TFF archives

On the Album: 

Ticket to the World, LowLife, Hypnoculture/ 2nd Option with a theme, Bullets for Brains, For the Love of Cain, Under Ether, Day by Day by Day by Day by Day, Dandelion, Hey Andy!, Kill Love, Snowdrop, Maybe Our Days Are Numbered

**Videos are linked to fans’ YouTube pages and those who have been so gracious to promote this album on YouTube over the past few years. Special thanks to Brigitte for the outstanding contributions and montages to match the music.

Now, GO BUY THE ALBUM!! NOTHING LIKE REAL INTERE$T TO GET A RE-RELEASE!!!

Saturnine Martial & Lunatic

Please Cutie Curt & Ravishing Rollie Sunshine, can we have another B-sides? Deep down we’re grateful they are singing “together” and prefer it that way…The solo works have been beyond enjoyable and TSO has certainly won its place with a gold medal in music. Our hope is that the band will release some if not all the b-sides from all of these albums (those that perhaps didn’t make it to SML) and just title it Our Hodgepodge Genius …and let us buy it. The amount of unheard tracks stashed away here and there is excruciating. 

Let’s hope and pray for the best…if push comes to shove we’ll dress in various shades of blue, march peacefully to Bath and LA with money bags, occupying their local tea houses til they let us have it. 

Digging the Solo Works?? There’s more…

Curt Smith also has solo albums and you can buy them plus merchandise to match! Check them out on his website as well as Amazon.com.

If you are hard-core TFF superfanatic that appreciates everything that comes from that family, their friends and relatives…and you’re wishful for new music, be sure to check out DelaQ (just do it, you’ll be pleased). Cheers!

Happy Anniversary to the TeamCS group who 2 years ago today began a commitment to helping others alongside Curt Smith. This project began through TwitChange and now continues separately through the Tears For Fears Fan Travel Team.

It was decided in 2012 to give to two or more projects -one stateside and one abroad. Outside the U.S. we’ll give to the establishment Curt recommended earlier this year Friends of Longacre Hall. Stateside, it has also been suggested we give to the Tory Burch foundation who has helped raise money in the past for projects. Learn more about these organizations by clicking on the links below:

Tory Burch Foundation: http://www.toryburchfoundation.org/about-us-mission/aboutus-mission,default,sc.html

Friends of Longacre Hall: http://www.baka.co.uk/longacre/index.html

Members are encouraged to give $25 each. You can always give the amount you choose individually  in lieu of putting it with that of the TeamCS members. If you wish to be a part of the 2012 fan generated group donation please contact papasfans at gmail dot com or send us a tweet (@papasfans) on or before 1 November 2012.

How does this work? Group donation is collected and recorded. Donation is sent electronically through the charity’s site in early December. In the case of Longacre Hall, we’ll contact those in charge and ask them their preferred method of accepting donations. A screen shot of the transaction is made available as proof the cash was sent. Charity gets the money to help assist those in need.

Again , 2012′s team gifts are a fan generated charity project originating from 2010…this is our way to keep the continuous giving alive and honour Curt (and Roland as well) for the kindness they’ve shown to us over the years. Curt befriending us on Twitter, interacting all year long, keeping us in the know of his music, TFF tours and reviving the spirit of the band with our beloved Roland right with him is always a blessing. Many thanks to both Roland and Curt, plus all involved …and especially those who travel excruciating distances to be a part of the team activities.

Past Projects:
2010 participants w/TwitChange w/CurtSmith -Haiti
2011 members donated gifts and gift card to Angel Tree Program

Thank You!

The infamous tickets that “caused quite a stir.”

(Andye, Carri and shipmate experiences, narrated by Andye)

While in transit to Sunset Station where the next set of meetups and show were to be  (Carri and the team headed on over to the SF show) I got a distressed phone call. It was Carri…in transit to San Francisco. She explained that she couldn’t find her show tickets. I had feared this being the case since the day she got the tickets. We bought several sets for the team and now ours were in jeopardy. I had extra tickets but I knew others wanted to buy some of them and I knew our show experience should match that of Orange County…and that meant we needed her particular seats. I told her she would most likely have to fly back to LA and help Kai search her home for the tickets. We hung up the phone. I felt sick.

Then I remembered Curt sending me a message that I left my tickets with them. I told him those were just receipts and I was so sorry that such debris was left in the box (good heavens, what else had I left behind? A tear soaked tissue? I dreaded to think). But at that moment, I realised he was talking about Carri’s tickets. I began to shake and tremble dialing Carri’s number…I’d have to explain to her that Curt had the tickets and she didn’t leave them in LA. I braced myself because I knew she was gonna freak out…and she did. I warned the driver that it was about to get loud in the backsteat. Speaking loudly, with long drawn out OMGs, Carri said she kept telling herself to be careful with the tickets but must have forgotten to separate them from her stuff and the band.  I replied to Curt re-confirming that he was right (egg all over on my face, spilling onto my lap). I said something like, “Good man, I’m sorry, those are Carri’s tickets. She got nervous…blahh blaah…” even the driver (who is also a fan) was shakng his head in shame for me. Wow, how embarrassing… :/

I checked into the hotel and casino and started setting up electronics, working remotely on media assignments and juggled fan logistics for those who were coming in early. I was stressed but I knew I had to stay focused. Captain Julian and Alisa (Scurvy Dawg) of WildWorld  were coming in and I (Alice, the Salty Dawg) wanted to be ready to roll for whatever was needed. I took a long walk through the hotel and checked out the pool area. I couldn’t tell if the tiny white chairs were set up for the show or something else. The set up didn’t look the same.

Relieved and embarrassed, Carri was able to retrieve the tickets from the TFF  team later that night (I know lady Tanya was uber helpful in that…and I heard Janice Whaley was too? Thanks!!) Apparently, it had become quite a conversation piece among the band. We were mortified and came to an agreement that “I” will handle all logistics under all circumstances going forward

TFF Drummer JW handed this right over, bless his heart!

With that taken care, I went to bed in my new Turquoise Peacock blue TFF shirt and drumstick (I couldn’t find the Captain and didn’t think it was appropriate to hunt for him). Just before that, I lept in the bathtub, swim suit and all (it was new, the pool was closed and I wanted to try it out) then fell asleep with band merch all around me. Silly? Ridiculous? Pft, ain’t no shame in my game, I’ll do whatever it takes to get to sleep after a stressful day like that.

Friday-Monday -The Orzabal Ship comes to life w/Kooks &Shipmates in tow

Tears For Fear Sign in Vegas 2012

Friday…
I got up at like 8am, ran downstairs checking every social media platform, my phone, everything… Fans friends had sent me a ton of material and pictures from San Fran. I was clicking this and saving that. Still Josh Debord’s material won out over all and Jeanie Paloma was spot on it making sure we got his contact info.

Concert Set Up, the chairs were linked together.

I went to the pool area and the concert venue to see how everything was set up for the show. The tiny white chairs from the night before were still there. I did not like this. It looked uncomfy and I was sure we’d be miserable and too close together in the blazing heat of the day.

It got hotter as I stood there. I went over to the staff and got a Cabana because I knew we’d never manage in that heat. Traci showed up, then SheeShee and Mark…and many others…I started drinking…slowly floating into this sleepy state of no-man’s land. I realised, Andye and heat don’t mix…When Mark and SheeShee left I started to pass out…I laid down…and Traci was talking…I heard only 10% of it…and then the next thing I knew I was having a reaction… Not causing a scene I get up…and I ask Traci to follow me in case I need to be rolled to the door. It’s about 2:30pm. I’m headed back upstairs to get benadryl…cause Im looking like a balloon. Then Traci stops talking…I think I hear my name…I’m thinking what the hell is the hold up? I turn around…and I see… CAPTAIN JULIAN ORZABAL… and there I was looking…like…a balloon. Soaked and unhealthy…I start to gasp…

Now we adopted a no scream policy two years ago and I’ve been good if not damn near perfect at not passing out or superfan screaming when I see the band or their families close by. In fact my blood pressure drops and I’m quite civil and cheery when they are around. But not this time. I let out a loud gassppppp and went slowly to the ground. In my head I’m screaming, It’s Hiiiiimmmmmmm. But sanity kicked in and I quickly stood up and shook his hand as if we were about to have a business meeting. It was a lovely encounter.

Mortified and angry with myself for drinking in the heat, I contemplated going to the hospital because I was THAT sick and looking pregnant from reaction…not pretty, not looking like my online photos past or present. But I scooped myself together and went back for what turned into Cabana nights…

We hung out all afternoon. IT WAS AWESOME!!!! More people arrived…Carri and the San Fran crew made it safely to the hotel and the SS DelaQ party began. I don’t know what more to say. I was fairly speechless…(there’s a video of all the hugging going on at the lower end of the page). We stayed until the pool closed and then it was time for the night time shenanigans.

Carri and the Captain…

We went upstairs to get ready for dinner. I told Carri to just please bear with me because at some point I knew I was gonna cry from gratitude. Didn’t take long, I fell on the bed and wailed…and wailed..and wailed some more. I have admired Captain since I was 14yrs old. Why? That’s between me and G-d. To finally see him…was more than I could bear…I had to cry and get it over with. My ultimate wishes had been fulfilled. Just as KMK asked us back in 2004 on the official TFF fan site, “What would you do with 24 hours and the band…” I said…a resort and a show.. and there I was…living the dream.

Then we went to dinner with Deb and team in tow. Captain went with Rise, Alisa and other pirates to sweet Lady Liz’. We tried to stay up late but I was still sick. Back in the room Carri and I sat in bed looking at each other, Jamie’s drum stick in my hand. Hers in the suitcase. We could barely speak…just staring at videos from San Francisco, watching Pale Shelter and all the songs from Josh and other fans…anticipating the next 24 hours.

Tears For Fears Fan Club Cabana Days 8am and waiting…

Day of the show. I’m nervous. Where are Roland and Curt? Are they already in the hotel? I get a note from the Captain asking what’s on the agenda for the day. I say, “drinking and cabana time” to be funny. I seriously needed to be as relaxed as possible before that evening. I did my usual, a boatload of eggs and protein. Then headed downstairs to camp out in the cabanas and swimming pool. And that’s exactly what we did. The Cabana teams brought us drinks til 3pm (instead of strait shots mine were mixed with various berries of this, that and the other to prevent any repeats). Then Carri and I headed upstairs and started getting ready. Poor Carri didn’t eat a thing. She couldn’t find her contacts and accidently ate my previously chewed bagels because she couldn’t see hers. I felt bad because I didn’t want her to think I offered her my half eaten breakfast instead of new bagel. She couldn’t see which one was hers Gaaah,what did she think of me? A bad fan team sister perhaps. I let her deal with her blindness while I pulled out my jewelry and turned on “Floating Down a River” so I wouldn’t get verclemped and forget the words. Cause, remember Curt caught me slip up in Orange County… I was determined to keep that from happening again.

Tears For Fears Fan MeetUp #7 Sunset Station 2012

We made plans to do a group picture that night around 5pm. People trickled in off and on and the location changed about 4 times. Some came upstairs like Becky (Texas) Candra (New York) Yyvette (Armenia) and her husband. I wasn’t much of a host as I was sidetracked when Curt posted a picture of himself in the Keep Calm and Carry On shirt, a slogan I had been tweeting all day to remedy the confusion and panic of the ticket situation.

Sheila/SheeShee was sweet and kept a group together so at 7pm and we all got crazy shots with Captain Julian. Then we rushed off to the show. Rushing and forgetting my infamous yellow fan, the incredible Captain J comes running over to me and gives it to me. Weeks after that you could see pictures of Julian floating around the internet with that fan in his hand. It’s mine. LOL.

Tears for Fears Merch of Andye’s

Merch table was sweet. More items and brightly coloured tshirts. More waterbottles and Carina Round souveniers. You name it, they had it, we bought it…there are very few items left.

!!!The Show!!!
Carina Round didn’t get upset at the audience and was well received. Curt joined her on that now infamous song she expects us to sing and fortunately she showed us how to sing it. I still hadn’t had a moment to try and learn the words …but I did that night when she told us the words…and it was beautiful. We sat extremely warm and snug in those seats connected together… so if you moved too much you really pissed off the person next to you. I think my arse fit just perfect which was a relief.

It’s Showtime! Photo by Carri D.

The show started big and bold, Curt right in our faces, Roland to his left just as gorgeous as the day is long and the supporting team of talented guys Charlton, Jamie and CJV blaring on their instruments. Life rarely gets any better than this. EWTRTW and the whole set from before was played… and like clockwork we danced, moved, sang and hit the notes right on time with the band. There were jokes…about dolls. Now, anyone that follows me on Facebook knows I love dolls and have wanted some Tears for Fears dolls since I began collecting in my youth. Roland said that one fortunate person would find a set of dolls and could go backstage afterwards. Now, I believed it. I looked under my chair but Roland then said, “wait, looks like we have a winner in the back…see us after the show.” I didn’t cry but I was effin pissed. I wanted a doll and I wanted to see Roland again. Just for a few minutes.

The Girls of Vegas…”Gorgeous”

More songs played and then afterwards Roland talked about his brother being there and we all screamed “We love you Julian.” Then he said he too had a doll under the seat…that’s when I realised it was the Orzabal humour, the same humour that let me know there would be no garage sale on the lawn of the guys ‘homes and I couldn’t purchase the toaster, kitchen wear or socks…yeah, that was me. Now you know. I’m so gullilble.

The wind blew a little but Curt’s shirt was wet as was my salwar kameez. I fanned Carri so she wouldn’t pass out, we sipped water between songs as if we were onstage with the band. (we need to work on that, come on guys, let us sing along onstage one day in a clap section on Head Over Heels. We’ll clean up good! we’ll practice). I couldn’t get enough of that night despite the heat. Who cares how hot it was…we were with Tears for Fears baby!! Gold!!! It was Gold!!!

After the show we interviewed an gentleman named Graham (originally from Birmingham England) who was escorting his family on the tour. He has been in the US for 33years. He said he played Tears For Fears latest ELAHE for his neighbourhood and his family. They became obsessed with it and travelled from Ohio to the show. We have video of some of the conversation and will try to get it online soon.

TFF’s Charlton after the show with Liz, Brigitte and Judi

That night we hung out in the lobby til the wee hours of the night. I think we drank and planned future meetups, fan conferences, etc til Julian went to bed…then we followed…not with him but to our own beds…although I’m sure many of us were up for a big slumber party and I’d have gladly hosted the whole crew in my suite…blankets and a shot of baileys for everyone!!

Sunday was recovery day…back to the Cabana, more drinks, snuggling with each other til we nearly cried. Roland and Curt came downstairs and were on their way out. Then Alisa comes walking out to the Cabana and tells me to shake her hand. She smells lovely and I’m trying to figure out what it is she’s wearing. She says, “I just shook Roland’s hand.” Ahhh so that’s what it was, Roland’s Cologne!! The Cologne of which we’ve been trying to get the name of for over 3 years!! I start wiping it on me. Then she tells me the story of how she nearly knocked him down because she ran in the door to go get her children. She was scanning the room in a rush and almost ran right past him til she caught herself just before twisting into an upright angle to shake his hand unconsciously. Again, we try not to bother him so not even a handshake is gonna be initiated from us and that’s an order. He shook her hand and she gave up the chase for the kids who by chance came out with me. Alisa can tell the story better than I can. Go on and ask her.

Captain J, Alisa and Charlton, photo taken by Judi

I swear from 10am til 4pm we just hugged and sat in the Cabana and drank. Carolyn drank the Captain’s beer (by accident she says). Deb and I started crying (not necessarily b/c Captain’s beer got nabbed -we made sure he got replacement…poor Lady Carolyn has been deemed the mead nabber since the day). Deb had a great excuse for our tears; she claimed we had a case of the vapors! Then we sang EWTRTW together. I messed it up and we had to start all over again. Mercy! Captain corrected it thankfully. I’d like to blame the heat but that’s insane.

Then it got too hot. Pizza party in my suite. Then off to the strip totake care of business…yes, the shipmates running around down theboulevard making it do what it do…hilarious…and hot. I was of no help (I seriously felt useless), melting but majestic running around with the team. We got done late in the night and headed back to the casino to get ready for Monday plane rides. I wanted to die. Why did this have to end?

Hanging out with the Captain and these fine ladies. We had a blast.

I scored a cool Hello Kitty doll while walking with Julian. I cherish it. It’s a band cat. And that cat and I curled up in our cushy Delta seats. When I got back, I gave myself a week to unpack slowly, then donated everything to charity as it was Eid and I perched, sitting ready for the next one…which I trust is in 2014. Plenty of time for us to get ourselves together.

We all sat online with Japan and The Philippines. We slowly got back to eating normal and buying luxuries like nail polish. And we’re just waiting patiently cause nothing else matters but G-d and the band right? This is our family and we’re sticking with it.

Liz, Linda, Brigitte…superfans for life!

The Coolest Meetup Memories… For the full concert videos please visit our good pal Brigitte’s YouTube page:

ShipShenanigans …everyone’s grabbing hugs from the Captain…SheeShee shure got hers! high five!

One of our absolute favourite pictures! Captain Julian and shimmering shipmate Lisa!

Captain Julian makes a hot night cool! #VegasBaby

Posing with the peeps…we were so calm and behaved…

Then it just got all out of hand… Shipmate Shenanigans… Becky makes a bold move and sits on the Captain’s Lap. ::giggles:: now we’re having too much fun.

Band Fashion

International superfans and shipmates with the Captain

And we all lived happily ever after…

(snippet from Pale Shelter, Cheers Carri! &Thanks!)

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.

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.

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.

We barely know how to act on this day…it comes every year and we go absolutely nuts with excitement and joy that knows no bounds. The traditions continue with birthday cards, artwork, video compilations and more. This is the day that feels as though the whole world is Head Over Heels for Roland Orzabal. Cumpleanos Feliz to the Honourable Earl of “Everything That Is Right In the World.”

Our team members Carri and Manami lead this year’s 2013 Jour d’Orzabal with the following. 2nd Card by Manami from the Japanese branch of the Tears for Fears Fan Travel Team.

Designed by Carri -Sherlock, the Silver Kitty

Want to send a VERY special SHOUTout 2 thee illustrious Roland Orzabal!! A MEGA talented MOST ILLUMINATING and UNFORGETTABLE *Fascinating* artist, genius of a mystic man. CHEERS & HAPPY 52nd B-day, Roland Orzabal !! We are so Proud of you. Lookin’ hella AMAZINGLY!! Sultry strong voice of the heavens…and beyond…sigh* *still* 2 this Day & Age, you’re My Ultimate SOUL enraptured captivatingly singer of All-time. Cheers to infinity to have My #1 FAVE BAND TFF 2 conquer and Rule Our world, again! Much, Luvs. Have a FAB Celebration! xx CaRRi xx

Designed by Manami of the Tears for Fears Travel Fan Team Japan Branch

(From Andye)
It’s impossible to forget the kindness that the Honourable Sir Orzabal has shown to me, they are memories that last a lifetime. From the fun singing opportunity to fast-chats backstage. It’s been lifechanging and encouraging. I’m very appreciative and I celebrate this day with my fellow fans, filled with gratitude and awe. Bonne Anniversaire, Kol Sana ya Rollie Sunshine & Many Happy Returns. Our appreciation for you and Curt (plus team) has no ending. So hashtag that! -AA

*Be sure to sign one of the many online cards. Click here!

*Hear TFF cover something truly special “Ready to Start” by Arcade Fire

*Reserve a limited Edition box set of The Hurting now

Thanks for reading, Band FAQs to come!
-AA

Book cover

The anticipation, fans sitting on the edge of their seats, glaring into computers and mobile devices, watching the calendar, making conjectures as to what adventure Mr. Soloman will get himself into… and what a name… Soloman. A noble name meaning, “peaceful, perfect and one who recompenses.” Will we see that type of character in Roland’s fictional literary friend? Will his adventures with Dr. Sparks make him a new person? It’ll all be answered in ‘Sex Drugs & Opera: There’s Life After Rock N’ Roll by the Good Sir Orzabal himself.

Writing a Book is Tough!
I remember writing my first book. The inspiration for it came during a short residency in California (of course). I had just finished listening to a media leader who was involved with creating one of the most popular music based TV programs at the time. I wondered if he’d ever collab with Roland and Curt. That next season Tears For Fears’ music was indeed featured in one of his shows. I was further inspired and took it as a sign to complete the book at all costs. The painstaking process of writing the book was the most bittersweet agony I’ve ever gone through. Knowing what it takes to get a book published, to put one’s heart and soul into a piece of literature makes me more than eager to read Roland’s work. This is a huge moment for fans…many of whom knew he was writing one (I think we first heard about it post ELAHE tour) but we didn’t want to be pests and beg for a sneak peek or too much info. “Let him finish it…leave him alone…” was the mantra among us for quite a while. Then more tours surfaced …but no mention of the book.

Autographed set lists made into art (Brasil Fan Team). Contact Marcio for info.

We questioned it, what was he writing about? Did he scrap it altogether? What else did he just toss away? Are there pages of music and songs too? It’s a known fact among fans that Tears for Fears b-sides are often (if not more) as outstanding as the works that are published on each album. I mean look at Saturnine Martial Lunatic, if that’s not gold then what is? Not to mention the beloved ‘Tomcats Screaming Outside.’ Listening to either one is a very moving and euphoric experience to say the least. So imagine what we’re about to get in a BOOK! It’s Roland’s mind, his thoughts, his imagination…we’re gonna “go there” with him and sink ourselves into “his world.” It’s the rock literature for which we’ve been waiting…it’s almost here!

Sneak peek?! Seriously? Yes, we’re asking for this to get activated on Amazon.

In honour of this wonderful occasion our Tears and Kooks Intl Fan Club is giving away an amazon download to one of the @papasfans Twitter followers or one who is following @tearsforfears. Our fan account focuses on all aspects of the band’s published work, from tweets to anything they tell us that’s allowed to be put in writing. Originating from a charity project that Good Man Curt Smith was involved in to help the nation of Haiti, we continued with gratitude to create a comfortable hub of ‘band fan info.’ We love to tweet about Tears for Fears and related material, connect with other fans and conduct meetups and other things with the band’s approval. They’ve been exceptionally kind about our activities. We’re always about giving back and that’s why we’re offering a #SexDrugsOperaOrzabal kindle download to a fortunate follower of either account.

Rules:
Tweet us (@papasfans) the hashtag #SexDrugsOperaOrzabal (along with any short, fun message or memory of your Tears for Fears fandom)
We’ll assign a number to each tweet, then pick a number at random on Tuesday night. The winner will be tweeted on Wednesday – the 26th of March.
An amazon code will be emailed to the winner so that they may complete their download.
*You must be following @tearsforfears or @papasfans on Twitter in order to qualify; it’s only fair as there are many interactive fans and we want to honour those who thoroughly support the band (and are kind to fellow fans) to the best of their ability.
*Please actually own a kindle device. We’ll have other prizes (we trust) so you can possibly win again if you don’t have one.

That’s all from band fan land today… Even if you’ve already pre-ordered a copy know that the Good Sir seems mighty happy with the hashtag #SexDrugsOperaOrzabal so tweet it proud, tweet it now!

Cheers!
(AA)

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 peacoat 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

One of the awesome things about travelling to see this band is meeting up with fellow dedicated fans. The group is very diverse with writers, photographers, up & coming artists, award-winning musicians and families, sometimes third and fourth generation…and all from different cultures and walks of life. We all make great efforts to get to the shows with one common goal; Celebrate Tears for Fears.

This year we were happy to find out in advance that our honourary Travel Fan Pal, Jason DeBord, would be in attendance. He mentioned he’d aim to join the crowd for two shows, L.A. and Oakland. Here’s his review of the L.A. Wiltern sold out show that took place last month.

But first, check this out from Sherlock SK – RADIO INTERVIEW WITH CURT SMITH http://www.kost1035.com/onair/mark-wallengren-46198/interview-curt-smith-from-tears-for-12791939/ (A Listening Experience)

Photo by Jason DeBord

Review – Tears for Fears – Los Angeles – Venue – The Wiltern
“Is that the new iPhone 6?” Roland Orzabal, early on in the show, as he and Curt Smith looked out over the sea of cell phones in the air, held by an exuberant sold out crowd at the historic Wiltern in Los Angeles last night. Tears for Fears, best known for their collection of timeless and classic New Wave hits from the 80s, do not tour very often, and when they do, the tours are usually not too many dates and cities. So there was a bit of an “event” feeling in the air, and based on some of their comments later in the show, they both seem to have quite an affinity for the City of Angels. Click here to read more.
Follow @Rocksubculture on Twitter

Also see: Paul Stamat’s Review & Photos (very touching)
Click here

photo by Josh DeBord – after 7pm at the Wiltern

Please read on to see the photos and videos from other professional writers and media team members and fans. Many thanks to everyone who contributed links, recordings and show photos. We’ve been sharing them for over a week and the excitement from this tour hasn’t left us…it lingers throughout the day and night, well into our dreams.

Tears for Fears – Oakland California – Fox Theatre

Where you goin’ Roland? Rolaannd?

Head Over Heels (crowd sing-a-long) posted by JeremyKirkf

Billy Jean posted by JeremyKirkf

Shout (Listen to the crowd’s excitement, it’s electric) posted by Flowen Production

photo provided by KLF Barrett

Tears for Fears Portland’s Project Pabst
First off, big thanks to KLF Barret for sharing photos throughout the evening, tweeting her show experience & filling our macaron dreams. Our travel fan team member Lael was too ill to attend the show but others stepped in and reported back with magnificent pictures and more.

Creep by Radiohead covered by Tears for Fears uploaded by Teresa Cook
(chose this particular upload as the others recorded the technical difficulties that were happening – check those out though, TFF handle everything like pros and are so crowd inclusive)

Sowing the Seeds of Love recorded by Bobby Digital

Ready to Start by AF covered by Tears for Fears
(there are so many great vidoes of this floating around, some featuring some eye-catching close-ups of Mr. Orzabal’s beautiful face. It’s breathtaking…so brace yourself.)

What a nice tweet from the band! Great picture! Lovely wrap up of 2014!

Pros and Cons of 2014 – Let’s Be Real + Live Tweets & Instagram Posts

5. We’ve already agreed the tour was short notice. But we learned it was not the band’s intention (nor did we assume it was). They aren’t a team of arses so let’s move on from this.

4. It wasn’t East Coast as everyone assumed the next tour would be. But let’s rejoice that the midwest was once again included…and we had a damn good time in Texas and Oklahoma! Big thanks to Becky for helping make that happen.

Don’t be jealous, saddle up and ride the travel fan train. #GoToShows

3. 4 out 5 shows were general admission – Booo! Many fans reported to me that their bodies just can’t handle sitting on the ground outside or standing against a wall for long periods of time anymore. That is very understandable! As Carri would say, “We OVERstand your pain.” For those that mustered through the agony, thank you w/a virtual heating pad for those legs and ankles! We had a great time waiting in line and meeting new people! High Five to Katie and Snap Happy Pam…and to Jamie Wollum Drummer Genius for making it worth everyone’s while.

2. This was expensive! Actually, it was the same price as the last two tours with respect to hotel prices, food, merch, show tickets and airfare combined. The kicker was if you didn’t rent a car from the airport, it was easily $250-$333 each way from Dallas into Thackerville…adding an extra $500-$600.

BUT!!! Enter the Travel Fan Team —> ; We worked together. So, for those who carpooled or offered it, thank you! Huge thanks to Becky for clocking over 1,000 miles to get fans from point A to B and back again in time to catch their flights.

1. Missing Info & People… yeah. What was up with the lack of email newsletters from the offical tears for fears website? The official twitter handle was still only posting throwback thursday photos vs. show announcements. But that seems to be changing, so…let’s not be hard on band management, there are a lot of great folks behind that team. We owe them a lot.

**But can I just add that personally I missed Stand or Fall in the pre-show music series, like, maaaan, we were waitin’ on that track. Cool to have Seal but The Fixx, you know, that used to come on just before TFF on radio hit countdowns and…let me stop. I won’t kick up a stink over it. I should be happy in the pink.

See, somebody didn’t get the memo and missed a show! Not cool! Not cool!!

Annnd…a lot of people just couldn’t make it…but you know, it worked in the end for those that could. We were really worried if we could pull this off and by the Grace we did and were able to share the experience with the teams and families.

Shout out to fans who celebrated from home and a big congrats to Travel Fans Mark & SheeShee who got married the weekend of the Thackerville show! They of course played Tears for Fears at their wedding! As it should be done…

Mark and Sheila (Shee Shee is our DelaQ shipmate nickname for her) have been travelling the Travel Fan train for years, so loyal to the band and each other :)

Pros

5. Beautiful Accommodations – Minus the indoor smoking in the Thackerville casino, it was a cute place. Huge too! You got your money’s worth! We also found some new places to hang out in Los Angeles – even after having spent several summers there we always discover something cool on each visit.

4. Great time of year to tour – We like the September dates, not too hot, not too cold, just right. Breezy, beautiful weather in every location

3. The setlists were FANTASTIC! No, it wasn’t a new album, but the show selections had a whole new feel. Songs were re-arranged, Lorde’s cover of EWTRTW was a great intro with all due respect to Dance of the Knights of which we enjoyed immensely for two tours. Adding Ready to Start was ultra refreshing coupled with Roland’s dancing and the band really getting into it…and of course the Working Hour stole our souls…unforgettable! #LegendaryHistoricMoment!

Shows are full of surprises!

2. Okay, Roland and Curt were very generous in more ways than one. They were extremely obliging where permissible at their own will. THAT is more than any fan can ask for! Still overwhelmed from that.

So many people incredibly excited to see Roland, Curt + team! Makes our heart beam! :)

1. Curt and Roland look great! The entire team is fit as a fiddle and in tip top shape. They were interactive, full of smiles, great fashion and stage presence, birthday shoutouts…and they did a mini-roll call with shout outs to the Kooks and those that travelled a long way to see them. Most of all…they are celebrating over 30 of music. 30 Years…And they still rule the world like a bunch of smokin’ hot badasses! BOOM! They ARE all that! Peace! :drops mic and walks away:

Thanks for reading ;)
(AA)

Follow @tearsforfears for official band news
Follow @papasfans for travel fan info and resources
Follow @CurtSmith and @Rolandtff because it’s good for your health

Roland during ‘Ready to Start’ – “If I was yours…”

#LoveForLadyT

Shoutout to all those who brought their SDO books on tour and waved them around. Big thanks to Roland for signing several!

Curt during Mad World #CoolBandFashion #CoolAsEver #KookMeister #LoveForTheLegend #AllOurLoveForROCS

It’s a very nice resort!

Curt Smith had mentioned during a chat (can’t remember if it was offline – pardon if this is sharing too much) something about Vegas. Well, as he is known to do, he made good on his word! This is technically not a tour, so…we’re legit on the fact that the band has committed to everything they said they’d do (i.e. that’s it for 2014). This is a bonus and  oooohh how lovely it is!

On Saturday, the 13th of December, Tears for Fears will have a concert at Palms Casino Resort. Pre-sale for these tickets is the 11th of November (next Tuesday). Password is BIGCHAIR. Click here to buy tickets.

We suggest you stay at the resort. Buy your plane tickets now not later as some of us have been burned by the high prices to Los Angeles. If you have questions about the airport, how it works, etc. Email us, respond, etc. We’ve done that route many times. The later you wait, the higher the ticket price. So, if you think you can make it, book no later than Tuesday (after you have secured your concert ticket of course). Yes, this is near the holidays…it could touch into gift funds, etc. Think of this as a gift to yourself!

*Bonus News from Silver Kitty* Tears for Fears will appear on the annual KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas.  If you are going to the Vegas show you may want to stick around the west coast and head over to L.A. the next day. Tickets for the show will be announced soon. We’ll update here.
*Update* – the KROQ show is now sold out but a few local radio shows associated with KROQ were giving away tickets in various contests and sweepstakes.

- UPDATE -
Let’s MeetUp!
So, one of our dear travel fans, Alfredo, has been so kind to scope out some great cool spots in the Palm. The plan is to meetup for drinks on Saturday afternoon well in advance of the show. It looks like more fans will be arriving on Saturday morning/midmorning than Friday so no Friday night dinner this time but instead hanging out from 12pm-3pm at the Casino bar.

To RSVP – send an FB email to the ‘Tears for Fears & Kooks’ fan generated page with an email and or phone number where you can be reached. Your name will be placed on a list (for the purpose of having a headcount). You will be contacted the week of the event by one of your fellow travel fans and again that Friday evening and Saturday morning as a reminder and with any updates or changes.

Location: Palm Casino
Cost: no charge- everyone can buy drinks from the bar at their leisure
Time: 3:30pm-5:30pm
RSVP by FB email
What to expect: Opportunity to make new friends and mingle.

Enjoy!
Thanks for reading!
-AA

We wait for this moment…it is EVERYTHING!

We were there in person, remotely, in spirit and every other way possible that a fan can partake in the joyous festival that is a Tears for Fears show. Our travel fan friends, Jaynie, Lady K and several others were on the ground getting photos and relaying them to fans worldwide. With viewing confirmation updates from the UK, France and of course stateside, many took part in this event pre and post show. We are so happy for opportunities like these and fellow travel fans like those from around the globe!

Looking like royals, Curt and Roland, accompanied by the Tears for Fears team: Charlton, Carina, Doug and Mr. Nick, treated attendees to several favourites and it’s all on video. Let these archives speak for themselves! We’re all absolutely thrilled that everything went well.

Before we let it roll, shoutout to Sherlock Silver Kitty CD, Cams and others who went out of their way to try and make it to the show. From those who dared trying to catch last minute flights and then turn around and get back to the East Coast by morning (Andye & a couple of others who just “had a fan moment”) to the teams’ members on the ground in L.A. holding the extra tickets, MANY WORKED HARD (i.e. Joyce A of the Philippines) to contribute to this excursion and all are to be commended. THANK YOU!

Thank you supportive husbands and wives!

Lady K’s experience:
We walked to the studio from our hotel and saw Charlton strolling down Hollywood Blvd. I said, “hi and good luck.” We arrived an hour early and heard soundcheck from outside. I met a girl who apparently met RO and CS a few hours earlier as they were pulling in. She had a photo with them. Why do I always miss these opportunities? Hehe. I was so excited because I heard Badman’s Song and Creep. You know how much we love Badman’s Song live! RO had on a leather coat hence the “leather” reference on twitter. The band hung side stage for awhile as they were directed to go on live. This is when I snuck a wave to RO from side stage. They sounded beautiful. It was nice not to be allowed to take videos for the first few songs because I could just soak in the music. I didn’t take many videos because I just wanted to enjoy the music. My husband and I were right in front of Roland. They played EWTRW, SSOL, Secret World, Pale Shelter, HOH. The crowd screamed for an encore but since this wasn’t a normal concert they didn’t do one. We were super excited though because apparently other bands are gone after two songs. TFF were cool enough to play 5!

Thanks Lady K for your recap! We’re all about the fan experiences~!!

Well worth the wait, …getting sneak peeks before the show!

Here’s Lady J’s experience ~ Dedicated to Kim T & Sheila “SheeShee”
So to start off as I got to the line to get in I saw a Kimmel staff (I thought) standing off to the side and asked her if it was the start of the line (as it was quite disorganized). I then realized that she was waiting in line like the rest of us and she introduced herself. I instantly knew she was a friendly and warm fan unlike some who were cordial but mostly kept to themselves. There wasn’t anyone that I recognized from Facebook/Twitter-doms so went back to talk to the lady I had met and was thrilled to find we knew a mutual friend – Andye! I was so shocked that I finally found someone from social media there that I was speechless for a bit. I was so elated to meet her! I told her “you’re Lady K!” We commiserated about how we missed Andye being there and wished she could have made it (she was at the airport, unable to get the flight she needed to make it in time). We hung out together with her husband (what a patient and supportive man) and caught many sneak peeks in between the fence (see picture) while they did their sound check!

It was pure bliss while we heard them go through their songs! After they opened the gates, we split up ~ Katie in front of Roland and me in front of Curt. We were told we were in for a treat as they played a total of 5 songs (as Katie described above) whereas the majority of bands who play there play only 2 songs and leave. I’m very appreciative that TFF were so considerate to their fans by playing so many songs for us even though the main point was to be there to film the Kimmel show. We relished the evening so much and the fans showed them much love! Was thrilled to meet new fan friends and hope to one day meet all of them who are on social media near and far!

Lady K and Lady J! Thank you for your TFF Travel Fan contributions!

Yay, Roland had a good time!

Everyone, enjoy!

1st up, “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears – Jimmy Kimmel Live (Courtesy JKL Production)

“Sowing the Seeds of Love” by Tears for Fears – Jimmy Kimmel Live (Courtesy JKL Production)

“Pale Shelter” by Tears for Fears – Jimmy Kimmel Live (courtesy – Angelolugo77)

“Secret World” by Tears for Fears – Jimmy Kimmel Live (courtesy – Angelolugo77)

also included that night…
Head Over Heels (snippet from Tears for Fears Brasil) Be sure to check out the Tears for Fears Brasil page for a few more video snippets and photos! Muito obrigada a equipe la pra seus partagems! Also, Big Shoutout to Lady K’s husband who is very tolerant of our fan habits. Gotta love a supportive spouse!

Tears for Fears – Jimmy Kimmel Live 2014 -Making Dreams Come True

Thanks for reading!
AA

We’ll add additional photos here… starting with the Good Man Curt Smith by Lady J.

Curt Smith (courtesy Lady J)

Roland (by Lady J)

Archive of Bespoke, Popular and Informative Interviews with Tears for Fears, Curt Smith, Roland Orzabal…from 2010 forward

2014:

Interview with Tess Vigeland of Marketplace fame
Click here to watch & listen

Spotify Project – Village Studios Los Angeles (??)
Shared by: Bada$$ in the heels

Creep Audio from session shared by Sherlock Silver Kitty –  Click here to listen/read

Comedy Bang Bang -Hilarious Interview featuring @reggiewatts @rolandtff & @curtsmith along with the #PieMinister and spectacular host of the show.
Shared by: Silver Kitty, later by the show itself
Online Twitter Party hashtag: #CBB http://www.earwolf.com/episode/pie-quiz-with-tears-for-fears/
Click Here To Listen

Kevin and Bean Show -Radio, Los Angeles
Shared by: Silver Kitty and later by @kevinandbean
Subject: KROQ & more
Click Here to Listen:

Roland on the BBC speaking about his novel ‘Sex Drugs & Opera: There’s Life After Rock N’ Roll’
Shared by network
Online Twitter convos: #SDO
Click Here to Listen

2013
Curt Smith on Kevin Pollak’s Chat Show

How Tears for Fears made ‘Mad World’
Click Here To Read

2012:
Curt Smith Post Gravity Summit
Posted by: JW Najarian

2010
Curt Smith – One of the most highly followed musicians on Twitter
Mentions: Zoe Keating – @zoecello

Wear it with pride! TFF Swag

Reference, Extras: For those catching up with the band, be aware that the band released ELAHE ’04

2004
Everybody Loves a Happy Ending (ELAHE)
Featuring: Adam Weissler

This is what some of us will have to do given the show sold out before many even knew about it.

One fan said it best, the email went out from the venue and with lightening speed the tickets were gone. The show SOLD OUT. There is a rumor that third party ticket holders on sites like Craig’s List may have tickets. As impossible as it will be for many, let’s try to focus on the positives here.

-Venue by the beach
-Reasonably priced tickets
-This show is in walking distance from several travel fans (Yay Lady K)

The negatives for others are the same…no advanced notice…again. We’ll address these concerns in late December. We are hoping to find out why there is such a short turnaround this year…after several successful years of advanced notices. Many thanks to SK and Lady K for the heads up. This show is legit. It is happening. Chin up!

About The Venue
BellyUp – has other branches of restaurants and sister locations. It is located at Solano Beach and is described as very intimate with not a bad seat in the house. For those with tickets, arrive on time.

Suggested Accomodations

Accommodations – We suggest Courtyard Marriott. Click here to book. If you need other suggestions or have special circumstances please reach out to us via FB email.

Fan MeetUps & Party -TBD
Roland joked the after party was at Lady K’s, but please do not follow her home Lol. One of our travel fan team will be in touch if anything ‘fan official’ or fan generated will take place. It’s always fun to hang out with fellow TFF fans pre and post show. That’s how this family started and the band is thankfully amused.

Enjoy the show,
AA

What the heck do you mean it’s sold out? Arrgghh!

Tears for Fears – Roland (L) Curt Smith (R) #RockLegends #TheBeautifulPeople

Tears for Fears are noted on the Free Press Summer Festival 2015 Line-Up. This festival has several positive reviews. The event will take place on the 6th and 7th of June. Tickets are for both days. Whatever you pay, you get access to both days.

Location: Houston, Texas USA at Elanor Tinsley Park in the Fourth Ward
Type: Festival (standing)
Doors open at 11am each day
Click here for a slew of #FPSF reviews on Venue:
Suggested Lodging: After all that festival frolicking you’re going to want a nice place to sleep. We highly suggest Hyatt Houston. Should be about $159 + tax per night if arriving on a Friday evening and choosing a standard room (which should be sufficient for most but other options are available including suites…and they are worth it). You’re going to want to get your pre-festival rest and Hyatt has some of the best beds of the hotel chains we frequent.
Prices – Gen Am – $158 + admin fees,
2nd Tier/Fancy Pants is $223.50 + admin fees
Ultra Experience is the Silk Pajamas Package/The Ultimate Experience, it’s a little over $1000 USD after admin fees.

Online Review Sites such as Yelp rate FPSF fairly high – photo by Mark G. See his review.

Early concerns… Believe it or not we’re getting feedback less than a few minutes after this event was posted. Many are VERY excited that TFF is going to be out and about. However, some just aren’t fans of festivals because they only want to see TFF and have no sincere interest in other bands. “Paying one huge ticket price for one show is worth it but not practical in these slow to go grow economic times,” one follower stated. Our suggestion is to please consider the area and all of the fun tourist sites and activities available. Houston is a pretty cool city with lots to do. There had been some low line chatter aka “convos on the DL” about 2 years back that this beloved band would be doing some festivals. And as we loyalists know, they make good on their word and often at just the right time.

Fan Activities – Once we hear back on who is going and what everyone wants to do we’ll post it here. If you plan to go do not delay on buying tickets. Contrary to popular belief, Festivals DO sell out. Don’t end up having to buy one off Ebay. Just a warning. xoxox

Thanks for reading!
AA

*Updates to this post will be tweeted and posted to FB.

Compliments from Carolyn, thank you!

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.

Thank you from Alisa. Big Hugs to her!

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 my home (aka the itsy bitsy treeflat in the Wilderness) of 12 years is being torn down due to needed upgrades.  I’m attempting to organise fan travel and juggle an urgent need for housing, not to mention the other things that come with living. 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 :)

This is where the magic starts to happen, the lights lower and your soul soars…Tears for Fears are approaching the stage!

As discussed on social, Tears for Fears will be featured at the Kool 105 Kool Concert 2015 alongside two other great bands, The B52s and Berlin. The concert takes place at Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre and is an all ages show. A few fans have expressed their joy in being able to create new memories at this venue. One fan warns that the Denver weather is tricky in the summer so be sure to bring a poncho. The venue features assigned seats and also a pit. The pit tickets, as many have seen, are about $80 and you enter on a first come first serve basis…aka you’ll need to line up early to get the spot of your choice. The show there is early and it seems that the concert and festivities wrap up about 10pm? Give them a call and find out for sure but this is an early show so it may be a bit warm when you arrive in the June weather and then cooler temps at night. If you have lawn seats, try to upgrade to something closer. The pictures we have of past shows make the lawn seem as if it’s rather far from the stage. If you’re travelling quite a distance, you don’t want to just “listen”  you want to “see” Tears for Fears in all their gorgeous glory…so, try again and get a closer seat.

Accommodations
We suggest Hyatt Place at Denver Tech Centre. Right now you can get a standard room at about $130 a night after fees and taxes. The Hyatt Place is different from the other Hyatt hotels in that the rooms are a bit smaller but each has a sitting area with a fairly large couch. If you plan to share a room that’s not a bad option. It may fit up to three people fairly comfortably. But we suggest just getting double beds if you have up to three in your travel party. This hotel also offers breakfast and had plenty of foods at fair prices throughout the day on our most recent visit. If you’re not into festival food, you may want to eat there before you go and take some snacks with you in a small carryall bag. Again, check to see what types of items you can take into the venue with you. Most don’t allow backpacks anymore. One thing you can guarantee is that you’ll sleep well after standing on your feet all day.

Direct flights going into Denver are about $300 right now from either coast (one way) on major airlines (not including low cost carriers, you can perhaps get pretty darn good deal on Southwest so just check). For those headed straight to the next TFF show, flights from Denver into Kansas City are about the same. So enjoy these low fares while you can.

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

Set Lists – Because the new album isn’t out yet we imagine you’re going to get a lot of great classics from Tears for Fears and some of the stellar selections from ELAHE. You may even get a few more oldies as the other bands are doing some mega classic pieces including “6060-842” by The B52s. That’s a real throw back. Keith Strickland may not be with the band at the show because he mentioned he’d stop touring after 2012. He’s still a B52 but isn’t touring as far as Andye knows (she coincidentally lives near one of the members and follows their news closely- she learned this from a press release after a tour). “It’s a real shame because he adds so much to the group. Still they are absolutely amazing in show and gave me the drum sticks once, I’ll not ever forget it…I’m pretty sure that made me a loyalist and I’ve been following them ever since. They are truly the ‘party band’,” she says. Expect really good classics from this band as well new selections from their most recent album. They’ll most likely close with Planet Claire and Rock Lobster…and yes, “Love Shack” is on their list…ever notice how the video starts with a Sunflower? oh yeaaah baby… ;)

Same for Berlin…expect “The Metro” and “Take My Breath Away” plus other classics…

Extra Advice
Sip your water slowly, don’t guzzle so you’re not having to run to the loo excessively. Keep snacks with you and pain killers for your legs or heat headaches. We know outdoor concerts are not everyone’s favourites but that doesn’t mean you have to suffer til the band gets to the stage. Have a good time, use the hashtag #TFF2015 and tweet the hell out of this show! We’ll RT you.

Address:
6350 Greenwood Plaza Blvd. Greenwood Village, CO 80111
Doors open at 4:30pm, show starts around 6pm
Still need tickets? Click Here

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Tears for Fears have announced more shows and one will be in Irvine California at the Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre (formerly Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre) alongside several other bands (i.e. Bush, Everclear and Cake). This is all a part of Jack’s 10th Show. It takes place Saturday June 20th at 3pm. This show is not general admission and tickets can be purchased via live nation right now. However, the better seats have been snatched up by third party ticket sellers. Good thing about this is that $1 from official ticket sales goes to TACA (Talk About Curing Autism).

Travel Accommodations
Lodging and hotels for this show are a breeze because it’s California and not a remote spot so you, the fan, decide. There’s so much to do in this area from dining to just hanging out we’re not going to bog you down with a list of “must sees” …it’s California, go see everything!

We do suggest taking Uber to the show just because it’s easier and you can drink w/o designating a DD. If you are not familiar with the area and are just going because of the band vs summer travel we suggest the Irvine Marriott. You can dine on site and focus solely on the concert. We do not have the official list of who goes on first. But that line up is intense, those are some major bands and many of us have seen them all including Andye who, as a teen, was carried out on stretcher during one of the other band’s shows in 1996. Thankfully moshing is not all the rage anymore so we’re expecting good behaviour from most and no emergency response teams needed.

Show Day
Will call is open 2 hours prior to the show. Arrive early, bring valid ID. We have about a handful of travel fans committed to going to this show. These are mostly the local folks from LA who are driving over (please see the link for parking details on the radio station’s event page if you are not taking Uber).

M&G + Other FAQs
Write us directly on FB or in the comments box with any questions. Contact Jack’s 10th show directly for info on meet & greets (none of which have been announced yet…because this show is sponsored, the radio station with which it is associated may be able to confirm whether or not they are giving away backstage passes, etc. If they are you need to ask the radio station if you get to pick which band you want to meet. Rules change for different events so you have to ask the station as we won’t have that info in our info parcel. That’s usually arranged by a third party when it comes to radio hosted events.

Official Venue Address: 8808 Irvine Center Dr. Irvine CA. 92618

Pardon the brevity…got to keep it moving as another show was announced and that info needs to be posted. Scroll up in about 24 hours for that concert note.
Thanks for reading!
Sincerely,
Team ROCS’ Fans/Travel Fan Bloggers

Stu watched from the UK

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.

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