Copyright 1993 Plain Dealer Publishing Co.    
The Plain Dealer
August 23, 1993 Monday, FINAL / ALL
SECTION: ARTS & LIVING; Pg. 8D
LENGTH: 505 words
HEADLINE: ALL THINGS OLD ARE NEW AGAIN AT SHOW
BYLINE: By ROBERTO SANTIAGO; PLAIN DEALER REPORTER
BODY:

     The fragmentation of rock music in recent years is a
serendipitous career break for '80s stars Tears For Fears - the
group best known for "Shout" and "Everybody Wants to Rule the
World."
     Somehow, what was known as light rock and New Wave in 1982
managed to transmogrify into "modern" music 11 years later,
breathing life into bands that otherwise would have met a Frankie
Goes to Hollywood demise.  
     Tears For Fears is such a band.
     As with British stepsisters Duran Duran, the group's previous
and current compositions remain artistic enigmas - too postured to
be meaningful, too melodic to be dismissed.
     It is the latter that gives Tears For Fears Lazarus-like
staying power.
     The group, powered by the dazzling vocals of front man Roland
Orzabel and bass player Gail Ann Dorsey, has a polished, tight and
entertaining sound.
     Their technique is why Tears For Fears' performance at
Saturday's "Endfest II" at Blossom Music Center was a rousing
success.
     Tears For Fears knows "modern" music 101: as long as you sound
good, nobody will notice that your music is standard pop fare with
a pretentious quirk dashed in for flavor.
     Orzabel, who performed on the eve of his 33rd birthday, was
greeted by young blondes and brunettes who tossed flowers and cards
and held signs heralding the anniversary of his birth.
     Orzabel warmed up the night with "Cold," a song that enabled
him to show off his fine vocal technique, particularly with the
final lyrics of the song.
     Caught up in the atmosphere of the night, Orzabel strutted
along the edge of the stage, accepting gifts from his adoring
female fans.
     It was a coolness spoiled only when he stumbled against a
prop.
     Orzabel followed up with "Fish Out of Water" and "Power" but
only got the crowd to its hand-clapping feet when he pumped out
"Everybody Wants to Rule the World."
     He followed through with the funky "Break It Down Again" and
with one of the best numbers of the night, "Woman in Chains," which
flaunted how well Orzabel and Dorsey work together.
     Wisely enough, they closed the show with "Shout," which
inspired the crowd to demand an encore.
     Thank goodness for the encore.
     The last song, "Badmans Song," is where Orzabel emits a
spellbinding falsetto screech that made the show with its melodic
power.
     Preceding Tears For Fears were six other bands that were
appreciated by the crowd - Shaggy, the Odds, Sun 60, the Ocean Blue
and Jellyfish.
     While this lineup of standard-sounding bands may have
prevented headliner Tears For Fears from being upstaged, it also
affected ticket sales.
     Blossom attracted a peak crowd of only 7,000 in the pavilion
and lawn - most of them 18- to 34-year-olds, reflective of the
demographics of sponsor radio station WENZ-FM/107.9.
     Most notable among the bands was Jellyfish, which boasts
frontman-percussionist Andy Sturmer, who gives the band a Jefferson
Airplane-meets-the-Beatles rhythm.
     Its best numbers were "Ghost at No. 1," "The King is Half
Undressed" and "All I Want is Everything."