The rescheduled show — and final Meijer Gardens volley of 2016 — started just as raindrops fell, but the capacity crowd stayed “Head Over Heels” and on its feet for the entire concert. (Review, photo galleryy)
Lighting Up Their Debut: Tears for Fears played the final amphitheater show of the season on Monday. (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
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Do not mock God in his own country.
That is the lesson learned — the hard way, and with much collateral damage — Monday evening by Curt Smith, co-lead singer of Tears for Fears.
Dodging Rain: The weather didn’t faze fans or the band on Monday. (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
Six songs into the British New Wave/synth-pop band’s 90-minute sold-out show at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Smith invoked nature’s wrath, impishly boasting that he’d “asked God” for the (until-then) pleasant fall weather.
No sooner had the words left his mouth, than did Smith acknowledge his error: “God is pissed.”
What started as mostly scattered (but manageable) showers on a cool late September night spiraled almost immediately into Nor’easter-like squalls.
Concert-goers scrambled and shivered under any available cover: blankets, hoods, hot dog wrappers, etc.
Not to be upstaged by the elements, Smith and co-lead Roland Orzabal — with the help of a four-piece backing band — forged ahead and delivered an evening of inspired nostalgia.
NO DEBATE: THEY PLAYED THE FAVORITES
While originally scheduled in early June as the opening act for Meijer Gardens’ summer concert series, the band — which gained prominence in the ’80s and still sounds mostly strong as ever — was forced to postpone its sold-out West Michigan appearance until late September, extending the venue’s regular season by several weeks.
While the re-scheduled date resulted in some refunds, Monday night’s season-ending show eventually also packed the outdoor amphitheater.
Dynamic Duo: Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith led the band through a career-spanning set. (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
Whether moved by the damp ground or the dance-y radio hits, it was refreshing to see a whole Meijer Gardens audience on its feet for the entirety of a show. From my vantage point, this was not a fussy crowd. People seemed less concerned with their wine and cheese spreads and more interested in embracing the minor discomfort and dancing and singing to the likes of “Head Over Heels,” “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” and “Sowing the Seeds of Love.”
“Thank you for coming out on a cold, wet Monday night, when some really good TV is on,” said Orzabal, referring to Monday’s presidential debate. The band would go on to playfully reference the debate throughout the evening, including at the close of a cover of Radiohead’s ‘”Creep.”
And on the topic of set list: If you’re wondering whether Tears for Fears played your favorite Tears For Fears song, the answer is, probably.
From a particularly rain-drenched (but still awesome) version of “Mad World” to a full-length rendition of the proggy/bluesy/jam-band-y “Badman’s Song” (and even the somewhat deep cut “Memories Fade”), the band traversed a good chunk of its most celebrated ground.
That aforementioned cover of Radiohead’s “Creep” was a fun surprise, giving Orzabal’s still-got-it falsetto an opportunity to shine. A layered take on “Shout” closed the show (naturally) and sounded fantastic, making the nearly four-month concert delay well worth the wait.
Canadian singer-songwriter Michael Wainwright opened the show with a succinct set clocking in at less than 30 minutes, the singer no doubt saving time and his voice for his role as backing musician for the main act.
PHOTO GALLERY: Tears for Fears at Meijer Gardens
Photos by Anthony Norkus
