Monday, June 15, 2015

In Concert: Tears for Fears

Tears for Fears

Uptown Theater; Kansas City, MO

image from scmp.com (2015)


Review:

Tears for Fears has an ‘80s nostalgia vibe to them, considering they had their biggest hits in that decade (four top ten hits in the U.S., including #1’s “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” and “Shout”). Understandably, their show focused mostly on this output (4 songs from 1983’s The Hurting, 3 from 1985’s Songs from the Big Chair, and 4 from 1989’s The Seeds of Love). Still, I hoped for a few more songs from that era, especially “The Working Hour,” “I Believe,” and “Mother’s Talk” (the last two were even singles).

The “band’s” nineties output (1993’s Elemental and 1995’s Raoul and the Kings of Spain) were really Roland Orzabal solo efforts since Curt Smith had flown the coop. “Break It Down Again” was the only song they played from either album, although they did a cover of Radiohead’s “Creep,” which was a B-side from 1995. I had hoped for more – “Goodnight Song,” “Power,” and “God’s Mistake” were all minor singles from that time which would have been nice to see live.

The two reunited in 2004 for Everybody Loves a Happy Ending and again on the Ready Boy and Girls? EP in 2014, but neither appeared on anyone’s radar but the TFF faithful. They tackled three songs from the Happy Ending, but nothing from the EP. I was hoping for their cover of Arcade Fire’s “Ready to Start.”

All in all, however, it was a good show despite the brevity.

Click here to see other concerts I’ve attended.


The Set List:

1. Everybody Wants to Rule the World 2
2. Secret World 6
3. Sowing the Seeds of Love 3
4. Pale Shelter 1
5. Break It Down Again 4
6. Everbody Loves a Happy Ending 6
7. Change 1
8. Mad World 1
9. Memories Fade 1
10. Closest Thing to Heaven 6
11. Advice for the Young at Heart 3
12. Creep (Radiohead cover)
13. Badman’s Song 3
14. Head Over Heels 2

Encore:

15. Woman in Chains 3
16. Shout 2


Discography:

1 The Hurting (1983)
2 Songs from the Big Chair (1985)
3 The Seeds of Love (1989)
4 Elemental (1993)
5 Raoul and the Kings of Spain (1995)
6 Everybody Loves a Happy Ending (2004)

Resources and Related Links:


First posted 6/15/2015; last updated 8/5/2023.

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