Lael has travelled and met up with the Travel Fan Team for several shows. This year she headed off to the Wild Horse Pass Resort and Casino with SnapHappy Pam, another long time travel fan, for the Arizona stop on the tour. Here’s here experience…

Lael and Pam… long time travel fans… :)

I connected up with SnapHappy Pam, who takes great pictures and videos of bands, for the TFF show in Chandler, Arizona. She was gracious enough to pick me up at Sky Harbor International Airport. I was highly concerned about the heat that day, as it was expected to get up to 115 degrees Fahrenheit!!

Pam and I also had our work cut out for us, as we needed to find a birthday card for Curt Smith, and gifts for both Curt and Roland Orzabal. We found some nice gifts at the Arizona Mills Shopping Center, but we were still on the search for an appropriate card for Curt. Pam decided to stay in the car as I went to find a card, stating that she “trusted my judgment”. No pressure, right?!! Well, I finally found a card, and after a little issue with gift bags, we were on the way to the hotel.

After checking in at the hotel and getting ready for the concert, we made it to the venue about 5:30 p.m. It took us a little time to actually wind our way back to the Ovations Showroom. The actual theater is adorned with beautiful ornate glass door panes. We looked into the doors of the venue, and guess who we saw on stage? Roland Orzabal was working on his pedal settings while tour and venue management looked on from the back of the venue. We peered closer, and Pam pointed out Curt Smith to me; he was also monitoring the sound check at the back of venue. After a couple of minutes of viewing the sound check, and talking to other fans that were now congregating outside the venue, we went on our way to find something to eat before the show, and to try to find the band’s tour bus.

Pam held our place at the lounge, while I ventured out to locate the tour bus in heat that made me feel I must be searing my eyeballs. I found the bus after a several minute walk, and it didn’t appear there was anyone on it at the time, or maybe the crew were all sleeping? Being as discrete and respectful as possible, I quietly made my way back to the lounge.

As I still was on the search for some decent food, I was starting to feel faint at this point. I discovered that the lounge located in front of the theater didn’t serve any food, so I needed to find the take-out line for the restaurant. At this point, I was in a maze of a daze; it was very easy to get lost in this casino, because there are many interweaving lounges and restaurants, even though it’s actually a rather small complex. After finding where the casino had take-out food, and then after a decent time in line, I was finally able to place my order for a spinach salad, but was told it would take twenty minutes for my order to be ready.

Wild Horse…

Now I realized we needed to get the gifts back to the boys, as time was running short!! I was finally able to get in touch with the venue’s entertainment manager, Jason, on a tip from Andye, and he was gracious enough to run our gifts back to Curt and Roland. Meanwhile, Pam was having fun taking pictures of the beautiful artwork and ornate lighting fixtures all around the interior of the casino.

The doors opened promptly at 7:00 pm, and we were told by the ushers that we could go back and forth to get food and drinks, which I thought was so GREAT, as I still hadn’t picked up my food order.

It was now only half an hour before show time, and I was HUNGRY. Pam was smart and had grabbed something more substantial to eat while at Arizona Mills, while I was sustaining myself on the banana I’d had for a snack hours ago. I finally retrieved my salad and then preceded upstairs, as my seat was in the balcony, while Pam’s seat was downstairs. This turned out to be a pretty ideal situation, as I loved the view up top, while Pam liked the feeling of solid ground underneath her, and gave her a great vantage point to take her wonderful pictures and videos.

The Show
When I got upstairs, I was pleasantly surprised that there was a lounge up there with a beautiful view of the surrounding desert. I delved into my salad and discovered it had an eye-popping freshness with its delicate greens, sweet strawberries, and juicy pieces of chicken. While I savored the fresh cracked pepper that lingered on my tongue, I marveled at this amazing venue, the circumstances of how I got here, and the show I was about to see. I got to my seat in the very last row of the balcony and took in the view—it reminded me of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in the L.A. Music Center—and I felt as if I were floating over the stage.

Carina Round took the stage to a house that was still only over half full. Her beautiful, soulful, and rustic-tinged voice filled up the hall while people were still talking over her—argh, grumble, grumble! I was singing along with her when I realized most of the people around me didn’t know the lyrics to her songs, which made me kind of feel out of place. I went to the restroom and her voice and guitar filled up the ladies room as well. Carina’s set included a newly added song called “Backseat”. Curt Smith’s ethereal voice could be heard offstage, and then he came on stage to sing the last stanza of the song with her.

During the fifteen minute break, I went downstairs via the elevator to see if I could chat with Pam for a moment. (I think it’s marvelous that security let us go up and downstairs, allowed me to bring my almost empty gift bag with me into the theater, and surprisingly didn’t check our bags either.) I wasn’t able to locate Pam, so the security guard started to give me a hard time about being down there; he gently reminded me how much time I had left before I headed back upstairs.

Tears For Fears opened the show with Lorde’s version of EWTRTW before coming on stage, which created a heightened space for the show. It’s beyond comprehension that while this was the fifth time I’ve seen TFF perform, I felt as if I were hearing them for the first time. They sounded so tight, the separation between the parts was incredible, and it never ceases to amaze me how they stay true to the original recordings of their songs, while imparting a new energy each time they tour.

Since I was ‘hovering’ over the stage, I had a great vantage point where I could see all of the fingerings and chords for both Curt and Roland. I also saw exactly what Jamie Wollam was doing, except for his pedals, which I could hear quite well. I was standing up, singing, and dancing to all their songs. I couldn’t help thinking: unless one is not physically able, how can one NOT dance to Tears For Fear’s music? It is dance music, correct? I was trying very hard not to annoy my fellow concert goers, while cheering, screaming operatically, and waving to both Curt and Roland. It was pretty hilarious, if you ask me!

There were only a few downsides of this show from my seat in the house: the mix was heavy on the bass and drums, people talked during the entire show, and the bar ought to have cut people off earlier, as there were some pretty drunk fans by the end of the show.

Reflections on the Show
It seemed to me that Jamie Wollam was putting on a drum clinic, and Roland was giving a master class on opera singing at times. With Curt’s beautiful vocals and precise bass playing, Charlton Petuss’s sweet lead guitar, and Doug Petty’s wizardry on the keys, anyone that sees Tears For Fears perform live is in for a real treat.

Highlights of the show included, “Sowing the Seeds of Love” which sounded very fresh and tight to me, “Change”, showcasing their consummate technique, and when Roland’s voice opened up on that last line of “Creep”. I found myself thinking, ‘Why is this dude NOT singing opera—seriously—as he definitely has the vocal chops for it?!” The definitive highlight of the show was Roland recognizing me, making eye contact, and then flashing me the greatest smile. As Roland sang the line, “I hope we live to tell the tale” in the encore, “Shout”, I realized why I was meant to be there…I also had finally “lived to tell the tale”.

Thank you, Lael! Very sweet of you and Pam to share great photos and highlights from the Arizona show. See you next time! :)

Thanks for reading!

-Lael & AA

*videos and pictures by SnapHappy Pam

Follow: @tearsforfears @curtsmith @rolandtff @carinaround @jwdrum @dougpettyla @CharltonPettus (you can follow travel fan fun via @papasfans) Also, be sure to visit our #2015Love focus and consider a donation: http://www.standwithmaceo.com/ #StandWithMaceo

…and we sincerely hope it’s a HAPPY one!

*Animation by Manami, travel fan team animation #Japan

(From moderator)
For the first time ever I was at a real crossroads regarding what on earth to get the Good Sir for his birthday. I asked around, “What are you all getting Roland? Can you give me any ideas, anything unique and different from the norm? More skulls maybe? A real bidet perhaps? Wait, that requires assembly… ::thinks back to the thigh master::” Collectively fans have given him a ton of things over the years including some of us delivering gifts individually. I remember 2012, handing over something he could wear, something I hoped he’d love. I even consulted with one of his relatives before buying it. Once I put the gift bag in his hand (he had a wine glass in the other…ah the wine ;) If only we could host a wine tasting in his honour and learn everything he knows about vineyards and more…but I digress)… I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. “I’ve given the best I have right now,” I said to myself. Much like he treats secrets I don’t keep past birthday gifts “alive.” I’m not looking for them in his pictures or asking where they are. If someone loves what they receive then they’ll let you know just as he did on the 16th of September 2011 after the additional quilt we all worked on (led by long time fan Lady Kim) was delivered.

Whether he tires of the annual slew of “stuff” or not, he has shown a surprising amount of LOVE & KINDNESS to many post reception. What several of us have found in person from the Good Sir is that he is a VERY warm and loving-spirit despite knowing all too well he doesn’t “have” to be. Virtually he has really opened up to a crew on Twitter. It’s giving those of us watching the verbal fun unfold something to “gasp” and “hard chuckle” about almost every day. Though he is elevated in many of our eyes to something supernatural, he is also very human. I’m glad that he has gifted us the opportunity to see that side of him as well.

We thankfully, again, get to wish Sir Roland one of the BEST OF BIRTHDAYS yet to come. I pray this day is filled with genuine love from those who truly care about his well-being beyond music and tours. I hope all of his mornings, noons and nights fill him with an overload of gratitude and appreciation for the joys in his life equal to the amount of true love we have for him…far beyond his stunning tresses or other superficial admiration. I know there are many of us that truly LOVE & APPRECIATE Sir Orzabal more than he’ll ever know. We adore him for his gift of music but that’s only scratching the surface, it’s so much more than that. To all of those who literally prayed for him, his family and his friends and band mates throughout the years, this is about you as much as it is about him. There is a love for this man that surpasses anything we tweet or post on social media. Roland means a lot to us and I wish all were permitted the opportunity to show it collectively and in unison with fellow fans who feel the same way.

Here’s to another great year with Sir Orzabal and his fellow music making family. Wishing he and GoodMan Curt an incredible year ahead. I pray we ALL get to be in it with them.

Cheers!
AA

he’s human… :) #MyFavPicture #TheGoodSir

As mentioned previously on our Twitter account and the band’s, Tears for Fears will perform at Bunbury Festival this year. This takes place 3-5 June 2016, This festival is cashless. Your money is stored on a wallet wristband in order to enhance your concert experience. Pretty straight forward festival. The band will be in good company with a stellar lineup of modern musicians. They play on the Sunday the 5th of June according to the updated schedule.

Right now, single day tickets are not available. You have to buy the whole 3-day experience. VIP has not sold out. It’s $1200 and it’s worth it. Given the needs of travel fans who want to have an uber awesome time on tour this is the package you’ll want. It includes:
-Separate Entrance
-Best View of the Stage
-Private Bathrooms
-Parking for all 3 days of Festival
-Complimentary Drinks and Food (and much more)
*If you can spare it, get it.

Flight:
Delta has great deals going to Ohio quite a bit. So register for their mileage program and you’ll receive weekly notices about flights. We are suggesting Delta because they are the one airline with which we’ve had the least amount of trouble. They can also help you the day of your flight via @deltaassist on Twitter. It’s a big help.

Accommodations:
They’ve got it all taken care of…from glamping to camping. Here’s the link.

Venue Address: 705 East Pete Rose Way, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Meet & Greets and MeetUps
Fans have hinted that they want to meetup and do some fun things, gather and see other bands while there. Other fans have mentioned the festival circuit is not their thing so we “travel fans” don’t have anything planned per se. Let us know if you want to get together and do something fun during the three days. Our activities are about you and maximizing your level of fun.

Remember that the band will be back in Ohio a month later at the PromoWest Festival.

-TFF Travel Fan Team

Travel Fan info, ticket links, etc. are available when you click on the link. Those not lit up just yet are those of which logistics (meetups, hotel reservations and discounts) have not been confirmed…but we’re working on it.

20 February: Los Angeles California – iHeart80s – Read Post Show Synopsis
5 June: Cincinnati, Ohio – Bunbury Festival
8 June: Northfield, Ohio – Hard Rock Live
11 June: Council Bluffs, Iowa – Stir Cover at Harrah’s Casino
15 June: Spokane Washington – INB Performing Arts Center
17 June: Woodinville, WA – Chateau Ste Michelle Winery
18 June: Goldendale, Washington – Mary Hill Winery
9 July: Thackerville Oklahoma, Winstar Casino
10 July: Tulsa, Oklahoma – Brady Theatre
11 July: Des Moines Iowa – Hoyt Sherman Theatre
13 July: Interlochen Michigan, Kresge Auditorium
14 July: Orilla, On – Casino Rama/Casino Rama Rama/ (Entertainment Center)
15/16 July: Columbus, Ohio – PromoWest Festival (UNCONFIRMED)
17 July: Ontario Canada – The Colosseum at Caeser’s Windsor
19 July: Lewiston, New York – ArtPark Amphitheatre
29 July: Newmarket UK – Newmarket Racecourses
31 July: Lulworth Castle Dorset UK – Camp Bestival
*more dates to come from what we understand…

Meetups, roll calls and other announcements will be updated on each post and tweeted as info is made available. Feel free to follow @papasfans or join us on Facebook to get quick info as it comes in…

-Tears for Fears Travel Fan Team

THE RESCHEDULED TOUR DATES AND CITIES

http://www.tearsforfears.com

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

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

So yeah, when the band let us know someone was sick in their family a quiet chaos ensued on fan walls and Twitter. WE WERE SO WORRIED! Thankfully, many fans were very understanding vs.being upset about the festival cancellations and postponed shows. I hope you all were able to resell your festival passes so you didn’t lose the hundreds of dollars you spent on them. In some cases the costs were up to $2000 when you factored in airfare. We are aware of several that spent upwards of $4000 total on premium seats for several shows. If you’re still having trouble getting refunds from the sites you purchased the tickets let us know.

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

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

#ThisIsNotARant – these are facts. All of this travel costs at minimum $550 – $1500 per show. Even the cheapest hotel (of which we do not encourage) is $25 a night per person (if you are sharing a room), add in economy plane ticket of $169 minimum/$350 to go to west coast, food at $10 per day (if you eat cheap), car rental/car service/taxi/Uber, band merch and gas. That price goes up if you are disabled, need special seats because a cramped economy seat is not going to work on a 4 hour trip across the country, decide to fly in from Europe or have food allergies. You’re paying $1500 to $2000 per trip and sometimes per day. Not everyone can do that. And we as fellow travel fans understand that and do not fault anyone for saying, “No thanks. I just can’t right now.”

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

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

So… here (and above) are the new dates. If you can make it, GREAT! If not, WE UNDERSTAND! As CD would say, we OVERSTAND! As a part of fan duties and travel fan loyalty, we’ll do our best to link each city with a post about hotels and other travel info for each show date in the coming two weeks. We still wish there was a Tears for Fears VIP option through the band itself, not these venues. That is the only way to feel secure about fair seats and tickets. But they have not established that. Feel free to reach out to us on FB, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube with your comments and thoughts. We understand our fellow fans.

September 17 – Maryhill Winery – Goldendale, WA
September 18 – Chateau Ste. Michelle – Woodinville, WA
September 20 – Red Butte Garden – Salt Lake City, UT
September 22 – Idaho Botanical Garden – Boise, ID
September 23 – Silver Legacy Resort and Casino – Reno, NV
September 26 – Meijer Gardens – Grand Rapids, MI
September 27 – Murat Theatre – Indianapolis, IN
September 29 – Hard Rock Live – Northfield, OH
September 30 – The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor – Windsor, ON
October 1 – Casino Rama Entertainment Ctr. – Orillia, ON
October 3 – Red Rocks Amphitheatre- Morrison, CO
October 5 – Pikes Peak Center – Colorado Springs, CO
October 7 – Comerica Theatre – Phoenix, AZ
October 8 – Pechanga Resort & Casino – Temecula, CA
October 9 – Humphrey’s – San Diego, CA

Our good friend Lax and cool musician Bob Ramos at TFF Rebank show 2015 – Amazing night!

#BuyTheTicketInsurance #BuyTheFlightInsurance
AA, Travel Fan Team Member

The fun started early. Fans were eager for rehearsal information, opportunities to just shake hands with the band. We’re all so grateful they are back in the area. Looking amazing too…check out these pictures. Many thanks to Rob Waller who was on the ground for a quick hey to Good Man Curt Smith. Nice photos! #TravelFanTeam

Additional thanks to those on IG who shared their photos with everyone! Be sure to log on and like their pictures. Connect with fellow Tears for Fears fans.

Video Teaser that was released in February to promote the show

Set List by Travel Fan and new friend Rob Waller

Video Links from the Tears for Fears concert by fans on the ground…
Everybody Wants to Rule the World (angle 2)
MadWorld
Creep
Sowing the Seeds of Love
Head Over Heels and Head Over Heels
Shout

Full Videos
Everybody Wants to Rule the World

Advice For the Young at Heart

Woman In Chains

Shout

And that’s a wrap for show #2 – Camp Bestival is next! Your Tears for Fears Travel Fan Ambassadors Angie and Kath will be on the ground capturing and savouring the moment.

Thanks for reading!
-AA, TFF Travel Fan Team

*Dedicated to Angie and Kath, Tears for Fears Travel Fan Ambassadors based in Bath, England. Their outstanding service and support to the band that rules our hearts and minds is unmatched!

“The guys were charming and friendly on stage and the fans were brilliant. It was a really good turnout. The crowd loved them. It was all just so good. I’ll never forget it.” – Kath

“What a fab night! The band were great and they both have brilliant voices and Carina sounds fantastic.” -Angela

Dear Tears for Fears UK, you f*cking ROCK!!!! OMG!!! You really went above and beyond! What an incredible amount of team work! Big high fives to Angie and Kath who were positioned two rows from the stage gate on Roland and Carina’s side. These darling soldiers of sound from Bath are some of the original TFF Fans from day one! They captured video and photos promptly, helping us stay right on track in our passion to archive some of the bands best moments in performance as well as chit chat and fun extras that the guys and lady Carina provide.

Photos and videos were sent out in real time throughout the show

Arrested Development and Tears for Fears Reunited Again In Spirit at Camp Bestival

*note from moderator Andye
26 August 2010, a day that is still celebrated, AD and TFF shared a stage in Atlanta. That’s very significant because both were the first musicians featured on media and music assignments in my media/music career. It was backstage on student news sets that I happily researched TFF’s contributions to the industry. The band that had been playing on radios and televisions all around me since childhood was now a part of my education and work. AD, being one of best politically conscious bands on the scene at the time (I was merely 11 years old working as a volunteer in student news) was an instrumental tool in my early dedication to news and music. So seeing them on the Camp Bestival ticket (alongside Tears for Fears again) excited me beyond belief. @ADtheBand is also quite popular in the UK.

I coincidentally live in their same city and chat about politics and conscious fashion with their female vocalist, Ms Tasha LaRae, from time to time. During a follow up convo on the line-up, I learned that they would not be at Camp Bestival due to someone in the band not feeling well (we are certainly sympathetic because we know what it’s like when our bands/band’s family fall ill). Their absence didn’t stop loyal fans from buying Arrested Development’s album anyway. Upon learning this, our ambassadors sent over a few words of encouragement and healing. I will send the note to AD this week. Hopefully, next time we’ll have our AD/TFF supernova style amazement in 3D at a future show. -Andye

Kath and Angie’s Tears for Fears Travel Fan Team Experience
K & A reached out early on when the UK shows were announced. They wanted to make sure everyone travelling to Dorset would be in good hands. They quickly let us know they’d be there to get the video and photos. K &A made good on their promise and have for every single thing we’ve ever done. They were the ones behind the Longacre Hall project and so many other amazing group efforts. We’re thrilled to have them leading as ambassadors of this great legion of TFF soldiers of sound. Below are pictures from their golden music stash. Enjoy the videos and photos.

Huge thanks to all the fans that contributed over the weekend! Seeing everyone near and far make sure that those who wanted tickets had them was overwhelming and demonstrated outstanding team spirit. One person in L.A. was offering up a premium seat to the Newmarket show and others were clamouring over themselves to get to Camp Bestival as they ditched their previously scheduled plans at the last minute, dropping everything to be there and support the band. The crowd was enormous and electric. It was clear that they knew the songs and all the pomp and circumstance that goes with “Break It Down Again (BIDA).” To say it was a great show is a gross understatement…it was  historic! Music reviews, music news sites and the like are all noting how amazing it was and how absolutely crystal clear their voices were. It was a solid and tight show, the entire band went above and beyond their best!

More Videos from Fans on the Ground at Camp Bestival
Everybody Wants to Rule the World (angle 1)
Everybody Wants to Rule the World (angle 2)
Sowing the Seeds of Love
Billie Jean

More reviews on the night’s event from attendees, writers and photographers…
This Is Not Retro
Cambridge News

*Info on upcoming stateside shows will be surfacing soon. Schedule is on the front page of the blog and also at tearsforfears.com. Subscribe, connect and join in the fun!

Thanks for reading!
-TFF Travel Fan Team

We think Carri may have summed up our emotion best with her unique way of showing affection and appreciation.Yes, stay BAMF, Good Sir. BAMF is the way to be. Please enjoy some of the many cards sent out to Roland today.

Cheers, HaPPy B-Yay, Roland! Best Wishes to THE Dynamic, Charismatic, Amazifying Stylish, Magic vocals & helluvah Kewl artist man. A healthy n Happy all year adventurist celebration! ILYSMFM!! Stay BAMF Always, with LUV
Xx CaRRí D #TFF4EVER

Our Sweet Manami always has a creative and thoughtful way of celebrating. She starts the party every year in Japan with something special and this year did not disappoint. Here’s the Good Sir out on the courts. Cheers to all the tennis players on our travel fan team and beyond!

Lady Sylvie’s sweet confections are top of the line!

Roland Orzabal, the Rock Royal, turns a healthy 55 years of age today and still doesn’t look a day over 35. Both he and Curt are fit as a fiddle and we’re happy they share their lives with us and allow us to take part in fun things. Let’s all raise our glass to another good year ahead and in good health! Cheers all!

On the 17th of September, another amazing show is scheduled for Tears for Fears. This is a really special date for fans. One of the greatest TFF shows ever happened on this date in Los Angeles at the Wiltern. It’s now Washington state’s turn. According to reviews, this venue is the place for a concert. So, thank you Tears for Fears for agreeing to do the show here. Maryhill Winery is a 5-star facility located in Washington state and is owned and operated by Craig and Vicky Leuthold. Several fans re-purchased tickets for this show and it will be divine. The Zipper Club will open for the band.

Tickets: Tickets can be purchased through the venue. Buy tickets. Market value starts at $45 and goes up to $102. Third party tickets are also available for much higher. if you choose that route, be certain to  get the insurance.

Venue: Mary Hill Winery, 9774 Highway 14, Goldendale, Washington, 98620

Time: Doors/Gates open at 5pm, show starts at 7pm. All ages are welcome.

Airfare: Delta is offering some amazing deals right now. Direct flights from the east coast to this area of Washington state start at $390 and go up to $598. Even first class is low price. Saw a round trip ticket for $980+ – so take advantage of that.

Accommodations: The winery has several suggested places that are nearby. Pick the one that suits your fancy from this list. These have shuttles going to and from the winery on concert nights according to the winery’s site. Other hotels on the list are within 6 miles, others further away.

Meet and Greets: Speak to the venue directly to inquire about VIP packages. We do not have any travel fan activities scheduled for this show as of now. We will tweet about it if anything changes. Look for #RollCall on Twitter or Facebook

That’s all the info we’ve got for now. We tried to hold out and see if anyone wanted to do a little party at the winery but with the reschedule some just can’t go at all.

Cheers all!

-TFF Travel Fan Team

If you’re going to see Tears for Fears at Maryhill Winery, you may want to stick around and head over to Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville, Washington. It’s a 3 hour drive so that’s pretty close in our opinion. You can also take advantage of the wine tastings and other cool things going on at this location because the next show isn’t until the 20th. This is the show at which to do a fun meetup.

Time: Show starts at 7:00 pm Gates will open approximately 2 hours before scheduled start. General Admission: $51.50 Reserve Seating: $79.50 Buy Tickets.

Accomodations: This one isn’t not cheap. It’s market rate pricing but it’s close to the venue. It’s called Willow’s Lodge Address: 14580 NE 145th St, Woodinville, WA 98072
Phone:(425) 424-3900 – It’s got a great set of holiday packages so you can relax and enjoy yourself. If you’re going to go this far go all out.

Our second choice: Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Bothell, WA which is about $170 a night after taxes.

Airfare: As mentioned before for this leg of the tour, Delta.com is offering really great rates in the mid to high $300 round trip. Enjoy that!

Meet and Greets: We do not have any travel fan plans for this location though we did at one time. Sadly due to the reschedule of this show, many of our core travel fan team members had to bail. Those tickets were sold to locals from what we understand. This show is also close to sold out on Ticketmaster. Third party tickets are available but make sure you can return them/buy the show insurance as we instructed during the reschedule notice. If anything changes in regards to  hanging out and partying we’ll tweet about it using the hashtag #RollCall.

Outlaw Field Stage – look at that sky!

Wineries and gardens…hmm…there’s a theme here. Tears for Fears will perform at Idaho Botanical Garden in Boise this month. This is part of the Outlaw Field Summer Concert Series produced by CMoore Live+. There are a number of country music icons and 80s stars on this summer’s series line-up (Cyndi Lauper playes the day before TFF, if that’s not cool then we don’t know what is).

Tickets:
There are tickets available but the VIP Canopy is sold out. You can still get the VIP table for 6 for $700. Gen Am is $55.
Purchase Tickets:
*Their site is pretty self sufficient. No loopholes to jump through. They straight up show you how membership has its privileges. If you didn’t get in on these deals this time around, consider a membership for future because you know TFF are known to play the same venues at times. It’s a great oppty to be ready for future shows. And kids under 2 years of age are free!! So if you have one of the many little TFF fans, you’re in luck. This is the show to which to go.

You can also buy through Ticketmaster but you know how we roll, we like to buy from the venue. The closer to the gold you can get the better. Buy from those in the know. Even their site talks about third party ticket options so …you know…

Venue address: 2355 Old Penitentiary Rd, Boise Idaho 83712 (phone – 208 343 8649)
There is parking but it’s limited. They suggest Uber or the shuttle. All of this is on their site. So take a moment to read it thoroughly. Don’t be the person running late through the gate during EWTRTW…just no. Don’t! Call and make sure the shuttle is running that day. We as travel fans suggest Uber because it’s easy and guaranteed.

Accommodations:
The venue and travel fan team suggest Springhill Suites by Marriott. Looking at about $220 a night after taxes.

Airfare – You’re looking at most $400 round trip right now on higher priced carriers. Given this late in the game, that’s good. There should be a shuttle to the hotel. But ask first before booking ground transportation.

Fan Fun + Meet and Greets – Again, due to the reschedule we’ve got some dropouts so not doing any fan fun for this one through our core team. There will be many travel fans around though… If you’re looking to meet up before the show or after for a drink, tweet us @papasfans with #TFF2016MU so we can pair you with people or let us know via email that you’re going. But remember the next show is in Vegas so many will be headed to get some rest and back on the road early in the morning to be on time in Reno. Plan to meet up beforehand (like that afternoon, 2 hours before the show).

If you’re trying to get backstage, you need to contact the venue directly and see what VIP options they have (remember the VIP Canopy seating is sold out according to the site but the VIP tables are available. See if there’s a perk with that purchase). You can also poke at Roland and Curt online and see if they can stick their heads out and say hey for a minute. They are kind people and often loving toward fans. This will be a beautiful show, it’s a lovely place! Go in good spirits!

-TFF Travel Fan Team

Another show that looks to be sold out. Tears for Fears will be in concert at the Silver Legacy Casino on the 23rd of September. Ticketmaster is not pulling up any extra tickets. If you plan to go to this concert, phone Ticketmaster first and make sure they are really out of tickets before heading to the more expensive third party sites. You can also call 1.888.687.8733 for more info and direct booking according to the site. Please see additional number below in case you can’t get through on the above. We’re making sure you have as many options as possible. Market rate for this concert is $60 – $75 USD. Don’t forget to get the show insurance.

Venue: 407 N Virginia St, Reno, NV 89501 Phone: (775) 329-4777
The concert is to take place at the Silver Legacy Casino’s Grande Exposition Hall. Bands like the Psychedelic Furs (PFurs) are playing there as well.

Accommodations: Stay on site. Make a reservation now if you’re pretty sure you’re going. The rooms are filling up and selling out. Waste no time. This hotel has excellent reviews on various sites including the mother of all review sites, Trip Advisor. We haven’t had a bad hotel stay in Nevada in 6 years so this is an investment worth making. You’re looking at about $315 minimum a night after taxes on the standard rooms. Also note room holds for this area are often $100 a day but it are returned if you don’t have any incidentals or in-room dining (which is  hard to resist because it’s so convenient to eat in the room, don’t do it though. There are more band and fan sightings when foraging for food than can be counted. Hang out, be seen, be visible). Call the hotel to confirm the rates, they may have something better. The King Suites for the date of the show are sold out from what we learned. But, again, call the hotel and make sure because guests cancel all of the time.

Airfare: You’re looking at $500 round trip if you haven’t bought a ticket by now. This is the average for the major carriers. Last year and the year before it was near $1000 for some strange reason so bask in these good deals.

Fan Fun and Meet & Greets:
Lots of fans are going to this show. Lael, the Nevada TFF Travel Fan team lead, may be hosting a fan get together (the band is not scheduled to attend this so do not consider it a meet & greet. Those types of things happen at random and are usually not announced until the night before. #RollCall). As the date approaches we’ll let you know if she’s gathering anywhere early for a drink or afterwards…most likely it will be afterwards in the casino bar. *Note that this is close enough to L.A. that the Good Man Curt will probably go home and be with his angels so be mindful and kind to perhaps not pester or expect him to come shake a tail feather/dance around in the lounge after the show. We’re pretty sure he’ll be missing his family by this point and ready to hug his sweet dolls. We respect that.

Wearing our loyalty on our wrists…

Tweet us or FB-email us with any questions! @papasfans

-TFF Travel Fan Team

Tears for Fears will play Meijer Gardens in Michigan as part of the reschedule. The show will be the 26th of September. This will be a Gen Am show, meaning, no assigned seats. Tickets are a very reasonable $85.25 and can be purchased on their site. Those with memberships please note there is member pricing you need your passcode to purchase.

Venue: Frederick Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park 1000 East Beltline Ave NE Grand Rapids, MI 49525 (phone: (888) 957-1580 & (616) 957-1580

Accommodations: The closest and the least expensive is The Knights Inn at $75 after taxes. We’re going to suggest one a little bit further down the road which is the JW Marriott. It is not cheap but it is comfortable especially if you’re driving in from a long distance. You can also use their site to find hotels on your own.

Airfare: is a cool $300 max on major carriers from Eastern most coast to Grand Rapids

Meet & Greets/Fan Fun
Lots of fans headed to this show however, this is a Gen Am show. Because of the traditional GA lining duties we don’t schedule anything beforehand. Due to the fact that many are hopping a plane to get ready for the TFF Indiana concert a few hours after the concert, we’re merely counting on having fun chatting with each other in the line. So, we do not have anything planned through our team due to the tight turnaround. Let us know if you want to host something for those not in a rush.

Let us know if you have any questions via @papasfans or FB email. This will perhaps be the easiest and cheapest show to attend on the whole schedule.

-TFF Travel Fan Team

View from the stage – courtesy of theatre

Wow, a show with fairly decent seats left? It’s amazing. Tears for Fears will be rockin’ it out at the Murat Theatre in a few weeks, the 27th of this month to be exact. The show takes place in the great state of Indiana in the town of Indianapolis. Carina Round will open for this show. It is advised to be there by 7:30pm no later than that. Tickets are as low as $35 and go up to $125. However, third party ticket sellers are adding on much more than that plus fees. So take your pick wisely and make sure you …say it all together…get the insurance!

Venue is located at: 502 N. New Jersey St., Indianapolis, IN 46204. It’s also referred to as the Old National Centre. So if you get lost, ask for Old National Centre Murat Theatre so you can get there with ease.

Accommodations: You have several options from LaQuinta Inn (approx $120) to Hilton Garden Inn and Westin which has in-room dining and extra amenities often needed by those who travel and don’t carry a refrigerator in their carry-on luggage. If you’re driving and can go out to eat and grab things needed for the road and sustaining life, then pick LaQuinta. If you’re going to the show and getting dropped off by a car service, you’ll probably want Westin or Hilton for so many reasons.

Airfare: You’re looking at $250 roundtrip from either coast to this midwest area of the states. This is the average for most carriers. You can certainly get a deal on Southwest. We suggest Delta but you pick what you feel most comfortable with flying.

Fan share – Instagram

Fan Fun, Gatherings and MeetUps – It’s funny that this show’s seats are filled up to a point. There’s a lot of empty space in the back and a few seats on the fourth row…which is unusual this late in the game. That is partly why we have no plans in regards to fan activities with our core group for this show. We just didn’t hear from anyone saying they were going or even looking for tickets. This is a great opportunity to do something because you’ve got a day between shows and can hang out a bit. If anything changes/people decide to do some kind of TFF fans on tour party we’ll certainly be tweeting about it using the hashtag #RollCall.

Let us know if you have any questions via @papasfans or you can FB email us on Facebook.
-TFF Travel Fan Team

This is a show many wish we could all attend together. The venue is pretty cool as you can see from the videos below. The Hardrock Rocksino Northfield is the official title of this venue. It’s in Northfield Ohio. Tickets start at about $65 and go up to $95, market rate. There’s a set of 4 seats on the second row available. They are about $400+ a piece after fees, etc. Might be a little more than that. There are also third party sales …and well, you can imagine. Either way, get the insurance.

Venue: 10777 Northfield Road, Northfield Ohio 44067 (phone: 330.908.7625) It’s open 24 hours too. That’s a plus!

Accommodations: The venue has about 10 hotel partners and we agree that all of them are perfect. Pick from any of these and you should have a very comfortable and enjoyable stay. Top choice is Hyatt Place and Country Inn and Suites. Note that, last we checked, Hyatt Place does not have a microwave in the room if you’re looking to bring in food, heat it up and all that. That’s kind of important for those who like to rush off to the airport with no stops in the morning or heat up leftovers from the night before. Saving food from the night before saves you money. May sound cheap but more money means more concerts.

Airfare: Major carriers including Delta are quoting about $217+ for a economy seat. Upgrade for a bit more to something for those who have been travelling for a while. The next show is in Ontario, Canada so you’re going to want a bit of comfort before having to stand in line at immigration. The process is not as quick as it used to be just so you know.

Photo by H. Wong

Meet & Greets/Fan Plans and Activities: When we hear back from others going to this show then we can try to connect with various people to see what is on the agenda. For those trying to meet up with Roland, Curt, Carina, Jamie, Charlton and all you’ll need to reach out to the venue and see what VIP options are available. You can always hang around the venue to see them as well. That’s how most of us run into them. It’s by chance. Jamie is really cool as is Curt. Roland does speak to people as does Charlton. They’re a pretty nice team so stay calm and just wave.

Let us know if you have any questions. Tweet us @papasfans or email us on FB.

-TFF Travel Fan Team

Tears for Fears will have two concerts in Canada. This time two different venues. First show is the 30th of September and the next one is 1st of October. Tears for Fears Travel Fans are no strangers to Ontario. This is very familiar ground. You already know, passport is needed. You can no longer drive over the border with just a license. If you’re taking a plane, again, you need a passport. And the lines are long so you’ll want to get a stay on site at the venue hotels for maximum comfort after being on your feet. Let’s go ahead and get into all of that. But first tickets…

The Colosseum at Ceasars Windsor
Tickets: are available but there are very few left at market value – $80 plus fees. There are less than maybe 25 floor seats left but they do exist. Tickets further from the stage are as low as $33.50 before taxes and fees (and insurance). This show does not list a meet & greet opportunity through the venue. Both of these shows have age requirements 18+ however the site does state that they may make exceptions for some shows. From memory I think you had to be 21+ to get into the casino but that didn’t apply to the show. Call them and ask in advance. Address:  377 Riverside Drive EastWindsor, ON, CA N9A 7H7

Casino Rama
Tickets are reportedly sold out. You’ll need to contact Ticketmaster first and then attempt from 3rd party sites. *Age requirement for this show. Call the venue to confirm. Address: 5899 Rama Road,  Rama,  ON  L0K 1T0

Accommodations: Both of these places have hotels. Book on site. That’s our advice. It’s worth it to stay there. There is a 5 -7 hour drive with traffic between both venues. If you’re going to the Windsor show, get a good night’s rest for the drive to the next show.
Book Windsor
Book Casino Rama

Hanging out in the hallway before the show

Fan Fun/Meet & Greets: You’ll have a great time whether you meet the band or not. Sadly we do not have anything scheduled through the travel fan team at this time. The venues for either of these are not listing VIP for this show. If you are looking to meet the band, you’ll have to call the casinos directly. However, from what we remember from reports by other fans, going backstage was not an option at Casino Rama unless you contacted the hotel re: VIP. Casinos are known to give members VIP experiences so do not hesitate to let them know if you are one. Each time we’ve joined a casino or event facility they’ve given us the time of our lives in some form or fashion, from room upgrades to other awesome perks. So consider joining.

Email us with any questions or tweet us @papasfans

-TFF Travel Fan Team

Tears for Fears’ February appearance at an iHeart event was over the top amazing. You can read and watch our recap of the show here on the blog. iHeart put on an outstanding event thanks to all those who performed and it’s about to happen again. If you were one of the fortunate ones to get a ticket for the show taking place next week (24 Sept) but did not get your room, plane, etc sorted out…you are late! Life got in the way? Well read along dear fellow travel fan, we’re happy to help you. Really quick, the short and sweet of it:

Venue Address: 3780 South Las Vegas Blvd. Las Vegas Nevada 89158

Suggested Hotel: Vdara Hotel and Spa 2600 W Harmon Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89158
This hotel is a 5-star but a reasonable price, well under $220 after taxes as they are doing deals right now and accept road club memberships like AAA. It is in the area of the venue.

Airfare: $500+ on major carriers, you’re going to have to shop around to get a better deal. Remember, do it online, use credit card points, etc. Be creative and find something for $350 roundtrip. This is one of those drop everything and go see TFF events. If you’re going to the TFF Silver Legacy Casino show in Reno the night before then this is going to be amazing otherwise, it might feel pricey. Let us know if you need help with a list of tickets lower than what you’re finding online and we’ll break out plan B.

Line-up for Saturday’s festival

We have several travel fans and locals on the ground for this event. It will most likely be streamed live. You can still win tickets to the event if you’d like to try. More info to come as this gets closer. It will be on our FB page and Twitter account.
-TFF Travel Fan Team

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

Tears for Fears will be at Pechanga Casino and Resort on the 8th of October. Tickets for this show were available through Ticketmaster and some say through the venue (they may have a Ticketmaster box office on site like some – we’ve purchased tickets like that before and got great seats). However, as of right now, it looks like this show is sold out! Great for the band, not so cool for any fans that didn’t have time to get seats earlier. We are seeing a bit of chatter about the prices being higher than the $100 max market rate. Yeah, third party sellers…that’s the ugly part of it. If you can tolerate it for now, tickets are available via third party sites. You can email directly for info on how to navigate those.

Venue: The show will take place on site meaning the concert hall is inside. The entertainment center is adjacent to the comedy club on the northmost side of the building. If you have trouble walking, you may want to drive around to the north casino entrance door and that way you’re not so far from the venue. Some may snicker at that but if you have anxiety, show excitement nerves or any other situation that makes walking difficult (sometimes people come straight from a mere week of recovery after surgery to these shows) you’ll want to know how to do this in the most relaxing way. Your fellow travel fans are thinking of you.
Address: 45000 Pechanga Parkway, Temecula, CA 92592

Accommodations: The venue’s resort notes that rooms are sold out during the show date range. Please call to make sure before booking elsewhere. You can check-in on the 7th but that’s the night of the TFF in AZ show. Checking in on the 8th just isn’t an option online. So, phone them (1-888-PECHANGA). Or, in order to save a little cash, we suggest staying at the Ramada Temecula and maybe set up a spa date there at the casino so you can enjoy the amazing things they have to offer and be nice a relaxed before the show. Expect to pay about $110 after taxes per night at the Ramada. In this case it’s good if travel fans are staying on site. We try to get a Cabana. If you are staying at the resort, get a Cabana if you’d like,  reserve one in advance. Some of our best memories have been hanging out by the pool in one until a few hours before showtime.

Casino fun…after a day by the pool, tanned and ready to rock!

Airfare: Delta has flights starting in the high 300s and going well up into 700s for LAX. It’s right in between L.A. and San Diego so, take your pick. Price will even out when you consider ground transportation. If you’re coming from the East Coast, fly into LAX because it’s easier to get a flight out of there to just about anywhere than it is to leave out of San Diego. That’s just personal experience. However, if you’re going to do Humphreys TFF show, then maybe San Diego is best. You can do a round trip ticket at a lower fee vs. leaving from two different airports. So, if you’re doing just one, i.e. Temecula, do LAX, if you’re doing both shows fly into San Diego. There are lots of combinations and ways to do this without spending too much but the safe bet is the above. Again, this is from experience. Geri mentioned using Ontario California’s airport for these shows. That’s something to seriously consider.

Such beautiful hearts here… lady Liz, good guy Charlton of TFF, awesome Alisa and dearest Brigitte from France – hanging out after the show

Meet and Greets/Fan Fun: No word on Meet and Greets. As you can see from the photo above, these things often happen at random. As far as fans hanging out, we’ve got about 10 travel fans confirmed in this area but several more are flying in because they like Humphreys’ venue and plan to attend that show as well. So, it’s a great opportunity to really live it up on these last few days of the tour. There’s something about the last few shows of Tears for Fears’ tours, there’s a magic that fills the air and anything can happen. Make it good!

-TFF Travel Fan Team

So, the fun will pause here. Last TFF show of Tour 2016 (for now – you know there are often surprises) is at good ol Humphreys By the Bay. The band has played there before (2011). According to Ticketmaster, this show is also sold out. Those who have tickets and have told us so already know everything about this place. It’s really cute. Sadly the Inn is supposedly booked solid too at this point.

Still need a room? You can find additional hotels suggested on their site. In this case, we suggest you do exactly that. Get one of their suggested rooms. They are close to the venue.

Airfare: Flights to San Diego from the east coast are pushing into the 500s roundtrip at this late stage. Try Delta, Southwest first just to see if there are any changes before going on lower cost carriers. We say this because this a flight across country and you want to find airlines that can give you a direct flight, not stopping too much. Bags get lost, etc. If you are flying from within the area, Southwest is your best choice.

Ground Transportation: Because Uber is so readily available in most states, we didn’t really talk about it. It’s a given you can get a taxi or Uber from the airport to your hotel. However, for this particular trip, if you’re going to the last two shows, taking Uber isn’t practical. You’ll want a car service with a flat fee or to rent a car. Most already know you can rent a car from the airport. However, if you’re just not in the mood, Summit Limo service does have fairly decent deals. They are not the cheapest but they are reliable and we’ve used their service more than once in the past. You can email us directly to learn how to navigate that, we won’t bore you about it on the blog. Our goal is to keep you from going back to LAX and hopping a plane to San Diego, wasting time and money. You can use that extra cash toward souvenirs and you’re going to want to get the lot of what’s left because next year the new album is scheduled to be released. That means new merch. What you see on this tour may not be available any longer. So, buy and save it for bragging rights years from now

Fan Fun: We don’t have anything scheduled as of right now. Most people we spoke to are travelling with their spouses for this last show so we’ll not push or expect anyone to gather up and shimmy down. Just have a good time with whomever you are with. Take lots of pictures and use the hashtag #TFF2016 on social media.

Cheers and safe travels! Thanks for sticking with us, your fellow travellers, through this reschedule. Very sorry to fans who were left out of this leg of the tour due to certain shows not being rescheduled and financial loss from the numerous plane change fees at $200 each. Again, we understand and know how that is. Hoping you can recoup your losses in some form or fashion. Feel free to reach out to us online via FB if you want to talk in depth about it. Be at peace and have a great rest of the week. Hope to speak to all on Saturday night!

-TFF Travel Fan Team

Follow the band: @tearsforfears @curtsmith @rolandtff @jwdrum @carinaround

Follow fan adventures: TFfTravelFanTeam @papasfans – lots of RTs and original posts from shows, action on the ground & elsewhere

This blog post is dedicated to Molly P.M. who went out in all kinds of weather to be that dedicated fan in Idaho. Many of these are her photos. Thank you Molly!

Heck yes!

The band played despite the rain. From what we and others saw, the stage got a little wet despite it being covered. We were hoping this would not be a repeat of something that happened in Brasil with the wet cords on stage, etc. Tears for Fears did a fine job despite the downpour. Fans took as many pictures and videos as possible. There were some issues. Be sure to like the clips and make a new friend in Travel Fan land with a thank you on their YT page

Michael Wainwright, Doug Petty, Roland Orzabal (center) & Jamie Wollam (drums)

More Videos:

EWTRTW
BreakItDownAgain
Head Over Heels
Shout

Be sure to follow afternoondlight on Instagram, great photos. Beautiful picture of Curt!

Here’s some band’s stuff… Jamie and team are to credit for these.

This was during World Peace Day in Idaho. We got a phone shot with the hearts. You see Jamie? Look at all those awesome fans!

As always the Good Man Curt Smith is out and about taking great shots of amazing historical places. Be sure to follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

Iconic words and yes faith can move mountains and it has…

Follow @tearsforfearsmusic on Instagram and see videos on your phone. Your screen should look like this…

Many of you said you couldn’t see the video on Instagram, this is what it should look like in the top part of your account. Click on the circle that says Tears for Fears

Be on the look out tonight and tomorrow night. Big show in Reno and iHeart  Music Festival is tomorrow as scheduled! Enjoy!
-TFF Travel Fan Team