“Ruling The World” – Tears For Fears – Royal Albert Hall, 27 October 2017
32 years on and this was a triumphant return to the iconic Royal Albert Hall for Tears For Fears.
From the opening bars of the instantly recognisable ‘Everybody Wants To Rule The World’ to the fervent finale of the classic anthemic ‘Shout’, the band and their adoring followers shared in a quite magical 90 minutes of nostalgia.
Indeed, such was the power, energy and freedom of the music, that they are arguably performing as well as, if not better than, they have ever done.
The early 80’s synthesiser based rhythms of their highly acclaimed debut album, The Hurting, have been enhanced by a far greater guitar input giving so much more depth and power to their music. Their earliest singles, Mad World, Pale Shelter and Change, allied to the echoing and haunting Memories Fade, were simply on a different level and blew even their most devoted followers away
Once schoolboy friends, Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, the band’s leaders, remain the most consummate of performers, seemingly now completely at ease in their surroundings and in themselves and they genuinely seemed as though they relished the occasion. It became infectious. By the end, the famous old venue was rocking, everyone was on their feet, letting it all out, and shouting for more. It was that sort of night.
Once schoolboy friends, Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, the band’s leaders, remain the most consummate of performers, seemingly now completely at ease in their surroundings and in themselves and they genuinely seemed as though they relished the occasion. It became infectious. By the end, the famous old venue was rocking, everyone was on their feet, letting it all out, and shouting for more. It was that sort of night.
Music like this, indeed a night like this, is good for the soul. It was intoxicating and left many adoring fans ‘head over heels’ once more.