Devo at SXSW

[Frau_Blucher]

I had to post this as a separate thread, because there was one act at this year's SXSW festival that far exceeded all expectations - Devo! I went in just looking for a good show and hoping they wouldn't put on a pastiche of new wave cliche's. What we got were absolutely brilliant reimaginings of their visuals and a thoroughly modern and thumping update of their sound. Yet it was all completely true to classic classic classic freaking Devo as well. The stage show was a Kraftwerk-esque tour de force. I am not exaggerating one bit, and I wouldn't be surprised if they had indeed consulted with their old collaborators.

Musically, they played absolutely no filler whatsoever and covered just about every single classic you could have wanted from "Satisfaction" to "Beautiful World" and gratifyingly stuck mostly to their first couple of LPs. I just about crapped my pants when it appeared they'd end their set with "Gates of Steel". I would have been totally happy if they played nothing else, but their encore blew me away even more. Coop and I were there with a group of four acquaintances that were more of the electro-rave type crowd...but they were just left agape at the awesomeness of the Devo show! The setlist:

Main Set:
“Don’t Shoot, I’m A Man” (new)
“Peek-A-Boo”
“What We Do” (new)
“Going Under”
“Fresh” (new)
“That’s Good”
“Girl U Want”
“Whip It”
“Secret Agent Man”
“(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”
“Uncontrollable Urge”
“Mongoloid”
“Smart Patrol”/”Mr. DNA”
“Gates Of Steel”

Encore:
“Devo Corporate Anthem”
“Freedom Of Choice”
“Jocko Homo”
“Gut Feeling”
“Beautiful World”

Some pictures below. They started offstage with a video montage of old clips as the audience anticipation built and built. They came on to a new song "Don't Shoot Me, I'm a Man", which was oddly very classic devo. Great visuals on their giant LED panel throughout the show, starting with caricatured human silhouettes de-evolving back to monkeys and later urban jungle type street scenes:

<img src="http://www.pbase.com/myirwin/image/110504765.jpg">

They did a quick costume change for "Whip It", a necessary nod I suppose to their big commercial hit, but I'm glad they got that out of the way fairly early. They flung their hats into the audience afterwards, and they seemed to travel unnaturally far. Obviously some sort of supernatural ziggurat power at work:

<img src="http://www.pbase.com/myirwin/image/110504769.jpg">

I thought the end of the main set had a more disquieting, de-evolutionary tone. It wasn't overtly so, but it had just a subtly darker and dissonant edge to it. Think classic Devo subversion with a dash of David Lynch for good measure:

<img src="http://www.pbase.com/myirwin/image/110504772.jpg">

That's also when they really poured it on with the visuals, a lot of it rebroadcasting themselves from a bunch of tiny cameras set around the stage. Lots of disorienting angles and unflattering closeups - really cool:

<img src="http://www.pbase.com/myirwin/image/110504774.jpg">

Lots of homage to the geekedness of the keyboard as well:

<img src="http://www.pbase.com/myirwin/image/110504776.jpg">

During their break, they broadcast this classic old Devo image while the crowd went nuts for them to come back. Encores are very rare for SXSW, but this gig was very special in every way:

<img src="http://www.pbase.com/myirwin/image/110504778.jpg">

They came back in these fairly ridiculous shorts outfits with kneepads. The crowd loved the "Devo Corporate Anthem" and raucously joined in:

<img src="http://www.pbase.com/myirwin/image/110504779.jpg">

The grand finale had Gerald introducing a "rarely-seen guest", Spudboy!:

<img src="http://www.pbase.com/myirwin/image/110504781.jpg">

Mothersbaugh was totally wild in the get-up, and the crowd absolutely freakin' loved both it and the "Beatiful World" finale, which is as dead bang-on relevant today as it was then:

<img src="http://www.pbase.com/myirwin/image/110504782.jpg">

If you get the chance to see this iteration of Devo, I would say not to miss it for anything. [:p][:p][:p]

[rsgonzalez]

[quote]Originally posted by Blir
“Don’t Shoot, I’m A Man” (new)
[/quote]
They still think this line is funny, eh? Hmm.

Other than that, awesome report and it sounds like they are definitely worth checking out! I was a little disappointed when I caught them live a few years ago, but it sounds like they are back in the groove.

[coop41]

Without a doubt, the best concert I have seen in a long,long time.

Unbelievable! I was looking foward to this and it so far exceeded my expectations it wasn't funny.
Extremely solid, they just blew me away. "Don't Shoot I'm A Man" was a major surprise, I hope it sounds half as good on CD as it did during the show. The new stuff all fit so well. "Booji Boy" singing Beautiful World was cool, he bounced out hundreds of rubber balls that just seemed so crucial to catch. As Blir mentioned, everyone was raving about them after the show.

<a href="http://s46.photobucket.com/albums/f122/pjsaturno/?action=view¤t=100_1608.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f122/pjsaturno/100_1608.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

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I didn't get a picture of it unfortunately but special props to the couple who showed up in full matching costumes complete with , hers saying Girl U Want on the back and his saying I Put The Pole In The Hole.

Truly a classic night.

[Frau_Blucher]

Hah! I forgot about that couple as well as those happy face superballs. I'm tempted to say that I caught one...but it'd be a stretch to call being hit right in the forehead with one, getting stunned for a second, and picking it up off the floor as "caught". Love the extra pics.

[DonGately]

After your report on SXSW last year, I told myself I'd find a way to get out there this year. Goddamn, I missed the boat on this one. Sounds like it was a great show.

[Frau_Blucher]

[quote][i]Originally posted by DonGately[/i]
<br>After your report on SXSW last year, I told myself I'd find a way to get out there this year. Goddamn, I missed the boat on this one. Sounds like it was a great show.
[/quote]
You never miss the boat on SXSW DG. The beauty is that every year, there's been some amazing event. Morrissey and Goldfrapp back-to-back. The Buzzcocks knocking my socks off. Seeing the Plimsouls after 25 years. Hanging with Marc Burgess. Being completely captivated by Shout Out Louds. SOMETHING outstanding seems to happen every year. Just go next time!

[tileboy]

Wow! Sounds like they changed up the show quite a bit from the one I saw last summer. I'm sure they revamped it for the new cd. When I saw them last June I had the same reaction you guys did , not expecting much , but got my favorite show of the year.

[Frau_Blucher]

Interesting side note...

I mentioned the gig to an acquaintance in England and that they'd be coming there in May. He not only says he's already aware of it, but he also informs me that the London Forum show will have Devo playing their entire first LP in it's entirety for the first time. Holy crap! Then he really blows my mind by saying "Of course, having seen them back at the Free Trade Hall in 1978..."

<img src="http://www.huboon.com/images/1978-03-11_01.jpg">

Fucker! [:p]

[Spudboy]

I was there??? SWEEEEEEEETTTT!!!!!

Still looking for my girl with auburn hair and tawny eyes...

[bigwavedave]

Wow,great reviews Blir and coop41! I had the same surprise reaction when I saw them about two years ago...these guys own the stage.

[Berserker]

I'm sorry..."Spudboy"?! ::shakes head::

[coop41]

[quote][i]Originally posted by Berserker[/i]
<br>I'm sorry..."Spudboy"?! ::shakes head::
[/quote]


I had Booji Boy![:D]

[Frau_Blucher]

Doh. Like I implied, never a big fan before.

[glokstadt]

Great to hear the Spudboys still have it...[:p]

[Devo-Obsesso]

Hi, everyone

I work for DEVO, and wanted to let you all know about the DEVO Live In Texas Show Report online at Devo-obsesso.com. Over 200 photos from their shows in Dallas and Austin in March 2009...plus links to reviews, etc.

Direct link: http://www.devo-obsesso.com/html/news_p ... rch09.html


Duty Now,


-Michael Pilmer
for Devo, Inc.

www.clubdevo.com