WERE WE NOT MEN? WE WERE DEVO: Devo pics/video/words


Mikala with Devo pants

Vancouver’s Vogue Theatre was electric on September 18, and not just ‘cos of all the blue energy domes in the audience. Akron’s biggest import, DEVO, were about to pop and lock on stage, and cycle through five album-oriented/ridiculous costume changes, throw out bouncy balls, call us Spuds, bring out Booji Boy to wax poetic about hanging out with Michael Jackson, jog on the spot, Whip It good and spin through a ton of their greatest new wave hits.

It was stupid, awesome fun punctuated by the fact that Mark Mothersbaugh seemed to like my camera and my side of the stage – stretching out over me many a time to either shake pom poms in our faces, stick mics in front of us during “Jocko Homo” (Q: ARE WE NOT MEN? A: WE ARE DEVO) or sing above us. Also brilliant? “Girl U Want” of course, “Planet Earth” and “Secret Agent Man”. Opener “Don’t Shoot (I’m a Man)” also contained goodness as well as grey shell suits with matching Devo shoes (holy merch cross-promo). Extra points awarded for the truly driving “Uncontrollable Urge” and “Mongoloid”.

But the best and most punk rock moments of the night? Has to go to them four guys (plus drummer) who ripped off their yellow shell suits and chucked them in the audience. One pair landed on my head, and when I looked up, what did I see besides the crotch of some yellow pants that contained ACTUAL DEVO? Four old guys (plus drummer) in t-shirts and shorts, knee pads, and knee-high old man socks. *Shudder**Squeal*

Devo, you are patently absurd but you are all kinds of shades of fun. Satisfaction…achieved. \m/

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