Rating: 
Summary: D-E-V-O!
Review: It was 1977 when I first saw the magic and aura that is Devo in a video for "Come Back Jonee" that had just aired on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert. (Anybody remember him?). From that point on, I was hooked. Devo was, and are, unlike anything before or after them. Their quirky, revolutionary sounds and visuals influenced many bands that followed, and being a "Devotee" you always felt like you were a part of some secret loyal underground club who shunned the conventions of the rest of world, whether or not you fully understood the messages (sometimes I think even Devo wasn't sure what they were spouting off about). Nobody married avante garde electronica and subversive humor with a uniquely identifiable sound and concept better than Devo. They were 100% original, and you'd be hard pressed to pinpoint their musical influences (perhaps Bowie, The Residents, or Kraftwerk, but Devo was clearly defined). They perhaps lost their way after departing Warner for the smaller Enigma label, running out of fresh ideas and no longer as immediately relevant in an ever-changing fickle world of flash-in-the-pan artists and music. Happily, this performance drives the point home as to just how cool and radical they really were. I was hesitant at first to buy this, as the thought of my heroes becoming some fat, bloated 40-somethings who got together for pure nostalgia would sadly dillute the impact of the band and it's history, but thankfully I was dead wrong. This is no Motown review reunion, Devo rocks! They sound raw and inspired, and best of all: wonderfully strange and out of touch with the rest of the world (for the better). Their music still sounds as bizarre and off-kilter as ever, proving that little has changed in 20+ years of music evolution. Duty Now for the Future!
Rating:
Summary: D-E-V-O!
Review: It was 1977 when I first saw the magic and aura that is Devo in a video for "Come Back Jonee" that had just aired on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert. (Anybody remember him?). From that point on, I was hooked. Devo was, and are, unlike anything before or after them. Their quirky, revolutionary sounds and visuals influenced many bands that followed, and being a "Devotee" you always felt like you were a part of some secret loyal underground club who shunned the conventions of the rest of world, whether or not you fully understood the messages (sometimes I think even Devo wasn't sure what they were spouting off about). Nobody married avante garde electronica and subversive humor with a uniquely identifiable sound and concept better than Devo. They were 100% original, and you'd be hard pressed to pinpoint their musical influences (perhaps Bowie, The Residents, or Kraftwerk, but Devo was clearly defined). They perhaps lost their way after departing Warner for the smaller Enigma label, running out of fresh ideas and no longer as immediately relevant in an ever-changing fickle world of flash-in-the-pan artists and music. Happily, this performance drives the point home as to just how cool and radical they really were. I was hesitant at first to buy this, as the thought of my heroes becoming some fat, bloated 40-somethings who got together for pure nostalgia would sadly dillute the impact of the band and it's history, but thankfully I was dead wrong. This is no Motown review reunion, Devo rocks! They sound raw and inspired, and best of all: wonderfully strange and out of touch with the rest of the world (for the better). Their music still sounds as bizarre and off-kilter as ever, proving that little has changed in 20+ years of music evolution. Duty Now for the Future!
Rating:
Summary: DEVO DELIVERS THE GOODS LIVE
Review: It's a good time to be a Devo fan. April '03 saw the release of the "Are We Not Men? We Are Devo!" book (by Dellinger and Giffels) and "The Complete Truth About De-Evolution" DVD in November '03. This past February the spuds followed that up by dropping their "Devo Live" DVD. Even though this concert is from '96, the band (with Josh Freese on drums) powers through an awesome 11 song set (55 minutes) that leans heavily on their early material. While most of the band were approaching 50 at the time of the show, Devo delivers the goods (to a Metallica/Lollapalooza crowd no less!!!). Did I mention it's a good time to be a Devo fan?
Rating:
Summary: DEVO DELIVERS THE GOODS LIVE
Review: It's a good time to be a Devo fan. April '03 saw the release of the "Are We Not Men? We Are Devo!" book (by Dellinger and Giffels) and "The Complete Truth About De-Evolution" DVD in November '03. This past February the spuds followed that up by dropping their "Devo Live" DVD. Even though this concert is from '96, the band (with Josh Freese on drums) powers through an awesome 11 song set (55 minutes) that leans heavily on their early material. While most of the band were approaching 50 at the time of the show, Devo delivers the goods (to a Metallica/Lollapalooza crowd no less!!!). Did I mention it's a good time to be a Devo fan?
Rating: 
Summary: It's good to be Devo
Review: Low priced, well recorded, what more could you ask for? If you're a fan, this is a MUST. Just for the crazed version of "Smart patrol/Mr DNA," should everyone be made to watch this once. DEVO pogos like it's the late seventies, before domes, treadmills and syncro-screens were a part of the act. This is DEVO stripped to an electric essence, with a sweaty midday sun bearing down on them. And they rock as if they are out to win over a crowd of newbies. That they were playing for a crowd that was more likely there to see Metallica doesn't seem to matter one whit, and there are more than a few faithful in the crowd ready to shout back "WE ARE DEVO!" If this sounds like a good way to spend under 15 bills and get a solid (almost) hour of DEVO's best, you can't go wrong here.
Rating:
Summary: It's good to be Devo
Review: Low priced, well recorded, what more could you ask for? If you're a fan, this is a MUST. Just for the crazed version of "Smart patrol/Mr DNA," should everyone be made to watch this once. DEVO pogos like it's the late seventies, before domes, treadmills and syncro-screens were a part of the act. This is DEVO stripped to an electric essence, with a sweaty midday sun bearing down on them. And they rock as if they are out to win over a crowd of newbies. That they were playing for a crowd that was more likely there to see Metallica doesn't seem to matter one whit, and there are more than a few faithful in the crowd ready to shout back "WE ARE DEVO!" If this sounds like a good way to spend under 15 bills and get a solid (almost) hour of DEVO's best, you can't go wrong here.
Rating:
Summary: DEVO: Live DVD
Review: My comments will be only about this particular DVD (DEVO: Live). Nothing about DEVO's politics or spuds! The concert is from a DEVO show that was part of the Lallapalooza Festival. The year is 1996, the place is Irivne, CA. The set list is as follows: Whip It
Girl U Want
Satisfaction
Uncontrollable Urge
BlockHead
Mongoloid
Jocko Homo
Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA
Gut Feeling/Slap Yer Mammy
Gates of Steel
Come Back Jonee I really like this DVD. The sound is Dolby Digital 5.1. The audio is perfect! The drumming by Josh Freese is absolutely excellent. He simply drives this band through the entire performance. I personally liked DEVOs earlier stuff (before Freedom of Choice) so the DVD was prefect for my tastes. Lots of good guitar work and of course the cool keyboards. Every song is excellent, although my favorite is Jocko Homo, and I've never really liked Satisfaction. Now to the video portion of the DVD. I was a little disappointed that the band was on stage (outdoors) at what appears to be early in the afternoon. So there is no lighting (other than the sun). That kind of takes away a little of the show for me. Gerald Casale(Bass, Vocals) does make a remark in the interview portion of the DVD stating that the "other bands" would not allow DEVO to use the lights! Anyway you will quickly get used to the lack of lighting. The camera shots are excellent, although they may switch frames a little to quickly for my liking. Kind of get dizzy after a while of watching closely. This DVD also provides multiple angle viewing on most of the tracks. Usually the other angles are a fixed camera on Mark Mothersbaugh (vocals, keyboards) and another on Gerald Casale. Not really a big deal, but it is kind of fun to watch Mark throughout a song. Overall this is an excellent DVD if you're a DEVO fan, especially if you liked the older tunes. I give the Dolby 5.1 sound an A+, camera work A+, overall production B (frames
switch to quickly for my liking)
Rating:
Summary: Almost GREAT!
Review: OK, several(or many) other reviewers nix this one, but for a DEVO fan, there ain't much out there these days. I was real happy to get something on a DVD to show my post-pubescent rap-hop infected de-evolutionized sons what REAL music is all about. I would have liked to have the Saturday Night Live gig(s), especially the one with the plastic RonRaygun hairdoos and the treadmills. I forget the name of the tune.
But I bought two for the shear fun of seeing DEVO. And I too say, BOOO Hendix holdbackers, that "experience" was as much a tribute as you will find anywhere, and the world needs more appreciation and TOLERENCE. D - E - V - O
Rating:
Summary: Be happy or not. It's another DEVO DVD. I'm happy myself
Review: Rhino records, will you marry me?
Given the proliferation of DEVO goods generated by them, I'd say I'm not alone amongst other spuds in that marriage proposal. Great things come to those who wait and eight years after their Lollapalooza "reunion" shows (two sets of brothers who still work together at Mutato with the Vandals' drummer in tow is a reunion? Ah, why quibble?) here's the latest live DEVO in DVD format. In an almost note for note recreation of an outdoor show from early in the band's career (Mark and Jerry's words), DEVO stole the show amidst the death throes of the grunge era, an era that ended up as tedious and boring as the decade DEVO first emerged in. Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA is the most gloriously sloppy version this side of The Mongoloid Years (on Ryko) and Bob Mothersbaugh's guitacrobatics demonstrate that clean and sober ain't so boring after all. Way to go Bob. The overall energy level is phenomenal, esp. the brothers Mothersbaugh. The only downside is Jerry looks like a complete prat doing the poot dance with 3/5 of the band at the opposite of the stage. I only hope I can see them in concert in person some day.
Rating:
Summary: It's 12 bucks. Just buy it.
Review: The live version of "Mr. DNA" that appears on this dvd was once broadcast on a PBS TV show called "On Tour" in, like, 1997. When I saw that episode of the show, I immediately became a Devo finatic. The unfortunate thing about this dvd is that it's a little bit late. In 1996-97, I was a teenager and really into the whole Tool, Ministry, NIN, etc. music seen. To see the real thing for the first time made my hair stand on end. Here, Devo pumps out music that would make the bands mentioned above pee their pants. To see them confidently strutting about and rubbing the stupidity of themselves and their audience right in everybody's face, like only Devo (and maybe Alice Cooper)can do, is something that was so damn beautiful in the industrial music crappiness year of 1996. Now, it's still a great set, but it has lost a bit of its lustre. Probably just because now I've heard it all a million times. A good set, great quality. Get it.
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