"Are we not men? We are Devo!"
So states one of the goofiest bands ever to make it in mainstream music, Devo, from their song "Jocko Home". I'll admit to never being a big fan of these pop/new wave/punk/electronic/rock "whatever you want to call them" players, but there was a certain novelty (or maybe call it nostalgia) feeling I got when watching this DVD, that took me back in time to the early 80's when cheese was all the rage, whether it be in the pop, new wave, or metal genres. Devo were certainly making a name for themselves back in 1980, and their hit "Whip It" was all over the radio and MTV. Basically Devo were a very poppy punk band who sort of morphed into what became new age in the early 80's, and their music featured loads of synthesizers, catchy yet quirky vocal melodies, and an overall geeky yet energetic attitude. If you can look past the goofy hats, multitude of futuristic costume changes, and sometimes silly lyrics, Devo were actually a fun band, and this DVD of a full concert from The Pheonix Theater in Petaluma in 1980 will attest to that. Keyboard lovers should get a kick out of the plethora of neat yet dated synth noodlings that these guys used in all their songs, especially on such ditties as "Planet Earth", "Pink Pussycat", "Girl U Want", and "Be Stiff". It's also interesting to see the band fire off some powerful guitar rock on "Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA" and get ever so slightly progressive on "Tunnel of Life".
For the true fan there is also some rare black & white live footage also from 1980 at The M-80 Concert, where the band is all dressed up in Buddy Holly type attire performing as Dove: The Band of Love, their sort of alter ego. Overall, the sound and video of the DVD is pretty good, not quite up to the standards of today, but a decent if unspectacular presentation of what is an important and fun live document of the band Devo in their prime. As a bonus, flip over the DVD and you get the Petaluma show on CD as well in Dual Disc format, which makes for quite the nice package for the Devo fan.
Track Listing
- Whip It
- Snowball
- It's Not Right
- Girl U Want
- Planet Earth
- S.I.B. (Swelling Itching Brain)
- Secret Agent Man
- Pink Pussycat
- Blockhead
- (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
- Uncontrollable Urge
- Mogoloid
- Be Stiff
- Gates of Steel
- Freedom of Choice
- Jocko Homo
- Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA
- Gut Feeling/Slap Your Mammy
- Come Back Jonee
- Tunnel of Life
- Devo Corporate Anthem
- Praying Hands-bonus
- Shrivel Up-bonus
Printer Friendly Page
Send to a Friend
