Tears for Fears, the English musical duo composed of Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, was supposed to be finished after their 2004 album, Everybody Loves a Happy Ending. It took tragedy to bring them back together.
Orzabal’s wife, Caroline, passed away in 2017 because of alcoholism-related dementia. Orzabal, fighting loss and grief, asked Smith to return to the recording studio after 13 years. On Feb. 25, 2022, Tears for Fears released The Tipping Point, an album with repeating motifs to death and mourning.
Their Tipping Point Tour came to Ball Arena on Thursday, and it effortlessly connected modern and throwback music.
The opener, alternative indie band Cold War Kids, played hits including “What You Say” and “So Tied Up.” The band formed in 2004, but many of their biggest hits have come in the past decade. They contrasted perfectly with the headliner, who held most of their fame in the 80s and 90s. But even Tears for Fears’ setlist was a mix of, as Orzabal said, “old favorites, new favorites, and obscure songs.”
One of those obscure songs I especially appreciated was “Secret World,” off of Everybody Loves a Happy Ending. I didn’t expect them to play it, as it’s not a single, but it added so much to the set. Tears for Fears has a long track record of dystopian, dreary songs, but “Secret World” adds a bit of lightheartedness, with happy chords and optimistic lyrics.
The duo combine like a jigsaw. Orzabal leads with main vocals, while Smith provides guitar and a lower-register backup voice.
The main goal of the tour is to promote and celebrate their new album, but it also served as nostalgic throwback for their fans. Along with album tracks, they laced in old hits like “Mad World,” “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” and “Pale Shelter.”
Before “Mad World,” Orzabal told the story about the invention of the synthesizer and the impact it had on the band. While the song played, they projected the original music video behind them, providing a historical supplement to the performance. Contrary to “Secret World,” “Mad World” is a gloomy commentary on the fate of the world. I thought it made the song hit harder.
Orzabal and Smith were accompanied by Carina Round, the backup singer who soloed beautifully in “Suffer the Children” and worked perfectly in “Woman in Chains.”
Their new hit title track, “The Tipping Point,” blends in with their 80s classics because they used a similar style, and it’s the exact reason why their show worked so well. It was almost as if they were chronicling a fantastic story of triumph, tragedy, and regrowth.
When a band has such a vibrant, roller-coaster history, they pick up a devoted fanbase. Ball Arena was electric, and when popular songs came on, everyone knew it immediately.
Possibly the most unforgettable moment was the encore. The first of two songs was “Creep” by Radiohead, which Orzabal has covered in concert since the Elemental Tour in 1993.
Capping off a legendary set could only be done with “Shout,” the high-energy hit, supercharged with rage and passion. It’s always been their encore song of choice, and as usual, it gave a remarkable sendoff.
This was a band who revolutionized pop rock and the use of the synthesizer. Their impact is still felt: “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” is a popular TikTok song. And with this tour might come the final time Tears for Fears ever performs in Colorado, but I’m so happy I got to be there to witness the spectacular final chapter in the history of a legendary group.
