Copyright 1993 St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Inc.    
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
July 1, 1993, THURSDAY, FIVE STAR Edition
SECTION: EVERYDAY MAGAZINE; Pg. 5G
LENGTH: 536 words
HEADLINE: JELLYFISH'S CLOTHES, MUSIC ARE THROWBACK TO '70S
BYLINE: Steve Pick
BODY:

     THE Jellyfish concert Monday night at Mississippi Nights
managed to bring back a lot of memories, which was a pretty neat
trick for a band whose first album came out less than three years
ago. But considering how much of this group's musical sensibility 
was formed during the 1970s, this should not have come as much of
a surprise.  So much scorn was heaped by musical pundits upon the
decade of the '70s that even a band like Jellyfish, whose members
grew up during that time and couldn't help absorbing many
 of its more popular ideas, has to bury its head in irony just to
acknowledge the influence.  So the four members of the band arrived
on stage dressed in outfits, most likely culled from trips to
thrift shops, that mixed and matched tacky trends from the 
'70s. The glittering, form-fitting shirts, brightly colored vests
and bell-bottoms combined with the various retro-styled haircuts -
one guitarist looked remarkably like Peter Frampton - into a sort
of live-action rock band fashion collage.  This was a pe
rfect reflection of the group's music, which pulled sounds and
ideas from a wide variety of '70s icons. We'd hear a little bit of
Queen, a dose of Supertramp, a slice of Nilsson and a rip of Cheap
Trick. Now, there's a conceptual quagmire, because Cheap T
rick was doing the same thing in the '70s that Jellyfish is doing
now - creating a pastiche of musical influences from a preceding
decade.   The Cheap Trick comparisons extend beyond the obvious
fact that lead vocalist and drummer Andy Sturmer was clearly
 singing like Robin Zander on "The Ghost at Number One." Because,
in addition to nicking ideas from bands heard in their youth,
Jellyfish made sure the originators got a little credit.  Like
Cheap Trick did with "California Man," Jellyfish performed a son
g originally done by the Move, "I Can Hear the Grass Grow." And in
addition, they did a bang-up job on Badfinger's "No Matter What,"
which brought memories to my mind of the great version once
performed in this town by the early '80s legends, the Zanti Mi
sfits. But enough of comparisons.  Jellyfish put on a perfectly
acceptable, at times highly exciting, show of their own. Strangely
enough, the material from "Belly Button," the group's first album,
came off better live than the songs from "Spilt Milk," th
e new record that showed great improvement in songwriting and
arrangement.  Perhaps the heavily layered work in the studio -
another throwback to the '70s, a time when four-piece rock bands
routinely overdubbed and augmented their basic lineup far beyond 
the capability of live reproduction - left less room for pushing
the live excitement buttons. Or it could have been the fact that,
despite little or no radio play for "Bellybutton" in 1990, the
audience reacted immediately and with great intensity to the 
older songs.  At any rate, the show ended with a battle of wills
and skills, as St.  Louis' dancing superstar, Beatle Bob, wound up
on stage to match his feet against the speed of the band's
instrumental mania. The race was on, with Bob keeping step easil
y, and achieving a perfectly timed leap just as the last drum beat
came crashing down. I'd have to score it a tie, and the audience
went crazy.

GRAPHIC: Color Photo Headshot of Richard Hayman - St. Louis
Symphony: 8 p.m. July 6-7 and 8, Greensfelder Recreation Center,
Queeny Park, 550 Weidman Road, Manchester. Principal Pops Conductor
Richard Hayman displays his prowess on the mouth organ when he
 conducts "Harmonica Holiday" featuring the Gateway Harmonica Club.
Refreshments: All kinds of beverages, finger food, light snacks.
Table service available. Also: Participants may bring a picnic
dinner to eat prior to the concert. Dress: Casual. $9-$28. 
 (534-1700).