An Evening Tears for Fears

An Evening with Tears for Fears

Costa Mesa, CA - July 17, 2009: Tears for Fears are back in Orange County, California after 2 years. The duo filled the Pacific Amphitheatre with a sold out crowd of close to 9,000 people with hundreds more waiting outside hoping for a chance to get some tickets at the box office. The show started promptly at 8:00PM with an instrumental track called Listen. Minutes before the song ended, Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith entered the stage as fans welcomed the duo. They started the show with Everybody Wants to Rule the World, the familiar 1985 chart-topper that made them popular. Because the show started promptly as stated on the tickets, late comers missed the opening song of the night. It was followed by Secret World from their 2004 reunion album Everybody loves a Happy Ending. Then they platyed another big hit Sowing the Seeds of Love from their last album together before the duo split up in 1990, then followed by Call Me Mellow. Classic tracks like Mad World and Memories Fade were played and it’s been awhile that Tears for Fears haven’t played the original version of Mad World. Two years ago, Gary Jules performed his mellow version during his front act with the band and Curt sang the Night of the Prom’s version of Mad World. This time around the familiar sampled beat from the eighties started playing as the crowd stood up and cheered.

Midway through the concert, Tears for Fears paid tribute to the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. They rendered their own alternative version of Billie Jean. It was slow, classy and original and will definitely be a big hit if given the chance to be recorded and released. The song was cheered and the crowd was appreciative of their rendition and was the highlight of the concert. This song was added to the set list two concerts ago during their Northern California gig. Curt also sang from his latest solo album Halfway, Pleased called Seven of Sundays and Roland sang a duet with their back up singer, Michael Wainwright which was pretty good for a male singer to sing the female part of the song Woman in Chains.

As usual, people were standing, dancing and singing when they played Floating Down The River, Pale Shelter, Break it Down Again and Head Over Heels. Due to the venue’s curfew restrictions, Tears for Fears had to speed up their set list and finish the show at exactly 9:30PM. The group played Shout as their final song with some kids gathered around one microphone up the stage to sing the chorus. The concert was short but nonetheless fabulous and awesome.

Adobo County would like to thank Pacific Amphitheatre for the opportunity to cover the concert for our magazine. We were one of the photographers of the show and a reviewer as well. The Tears for Fears show was one of the many concert line ups of the OC Fair which is held yearly at the OC Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa every July.

Tears for Fears, Pacific Amphitheatre

Costa Mesa, July 17, 2009 Set List

Everybody Wants to Rule the World / Secret World / Sowing the Seeds of Love / Call Me Mellow / Mad World / Memories Fade / Raoul & the Kings of Spain / Quiet Ones / Floating Down the River / Everybody Loves a Happy Ending / Seven of Sundays / Billie Jean / Pale Shelter / Break It Down Again / Head Over Heels / Woman in Chains / Shout

Photos by Ken Tadena