Email to a Friend

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

all words: Cale
all photos: Dakota Fine

The casual listener may think of DEVO as that one hit wonder golden era of MTV videos silly hat wearing “Whip It” group.  BUT! did you know it was David Bowie and Iggy Pop who got them their first record contract?  That they collaborated with Neil Young in 1977?  That Brian Eno produced their first record?  That front man Mark Mothersbaugh has scored almost all of Wes Anderson’s movies?  That Henry Rollins’ Infinite Zero record label re-released a number of their later albums?  That they covered NIN’s Head Like a Hole for the soundtrack to Jackie Chan’s Supercop?  Wait… I think that might be hurting the point I’m making… no whatever, that’s sweet.  That the Justice song Stress samples DEVO?  That when asked to open for Sun Ra they just played Jocko Homo for 30 min straight just to piss off the crowd for no apparent reason? That they were a bunch of art school student weirdos that developed the DEVO manifesto based on their vitriolic hatred for the status quo? So yeah, they’re the shit. But, ok, they’re still the one hit wonder golden era of MTV videos silly hat wearing Whip It group too.

A new DEVO album has been promised for a couple years now, which will be their first since 1990’s flop Smooth Noodle Maps.  And if the early single Watch Us Work It (avail on iTunes and eMusic) is any indication, it might actually be decent.  In the mean time though, their two strongest albums; 1978’s Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! and 1980’s Freedom of Choice have been remastered and re-released with the band doing two night runs in 7 cities playing each album in it’s entirety. Luckily 9:30 Club was on the list.  It was a tough decision though, and at the pretty ridiculous $45 ticket price I was only planning on seeing one. Freedom of Choice contains top notch cuts like Girl U Want, Whip It, Freedom Of Choice, and Gates Of Steel, buuuut their debut is the artsy post punk masterpiece that contains my fav Devo song of all time Gut Feeling > (Slap Your Mammy) so I had to go with that.

I arrived at the club relatively early and it was already half full (oh, old people!).  I counted 6 official red energy dome hats and one bucket (?).  The woman next to me told me she was old enough to be my mother.

Reggie Watts, who melted minds and changed lives at the Bentzen Ball last month, opened for DEVO on some of the earlier dates.  He was swapped out for ex-Pleaseeasaur front man JP Hasson as JP, Inc., I’m guessing because DEVO couldn’t handle following Reggie.  I don’t blame them, it would have to be a Talking Heads reunion consolation prize opener to get me excited.  But JP, Inc. was pretty entertaining nonetheless.  He donned a suit and terrible fake beard to sing nonsensical theme songs and commercials for a made up TV station in the style of Tim & Eric.  The crowd freakin hated it, practically booing him off the stage, which was surprising considering this seems to be right up their alley:

But yeah, obviously not for everyone.

After a short break they played The Truth About De-Evolution, the 1974 extended music video containing performances of Secret Agent Man and the DEVO theme Jocko Homo. The crowd loved it, but I felt that they should have cut it short cause we all knew we’d get hit with Jock Homo again soon and it felt a little like a blown load (I was right). Then the band took to the stage wearing the yellow DEVO jumpsuits. They were old. I believe it was original members Mark Mothersbaugh, Bob 1 and 2, and Gerald Casale, with session drummer Josh Freese. But any hardcore fans out there are welcome to correct me.

They immediately burst into Uncontrollable Urge with synchronized dance moves. Mark started to rip holes in all the jump suits. The simple but effective light show flashed away. The sold out crowd went bananas. This show was totally rock and roll. Loud and aggressive. These guys still had it. Plus I mean, I’m sure they were just this awkward 30 years ago, only on more drugs. Their infamous cover of the Rolling Stones Satisfaction brought even more cheers. Mongoloid had Mark leading the crowd with cheerleader pom poms. By the time they got to Jocko Homo they were stripped down to t-shirts, shorts, and knee pads, their alternating flabby and skinny old man white legs bouncing around the stage. Mark pulled his hair up into a mohawk which made him look even more like a mental patient. Gut Feeling was as epic as I had hoped. And who knew Bob 1 was such a good guitar player?

Someone got in a fight in the front row. Who gets in a fight at a Devo show?

Shrivel Up was a perfect set ender, and the crowd immediately went into chants for them to get back onstage. They obliged with a killer encore of Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA and Gates of Steel, two of my personal favs. It was nice to get a little more synth after an entire guitar driven show. The band left the stage, the house music came on, and the lights brightened. The crowd kept chanting for more. After a few minutes though most of us gave up and left, but by no means unsatisfied. After I got in the car a text came from Dakota – they came back on to play Beautiful World. Damn.

It never felt like a cashed-in reunion show. These guys were loving it, and playing their balls off. They’re obviously just as weird as they used to be, there was never a dull moment. They’ll be playing their Freedom of Choice show tonight at 9:30 Club. I can’t recommend it enough, it will be worth every penny. I hope I’m that cool when I’m old.

Email to a Friend

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
•