Review: We still need Devo in our lives

Last night, the new wave band from Akron, Ohio, proved to the crowd at the Fillmore Miami Beach why we still need politically unapologetic, artfully staged shows.

If art is a weapon, Devo sure knows how to “Whip It.” The band returned to Miami for the first time since 1982, when it played at the Olympia Theater. A lot has happened since then, as one might expect, but Devo’s core message and ethos feel more relevant than ever.

Devo is short for “de-evolution,” a concept centered on the idea that humankind has begun to regress. It was a seminal topic when brothers Gerald and Bob Casale and Mark and Bob Mothersbaugh formed the band along with a couple more friends while they were art students at Kent State University.

Upon entering the venue to experience the “Mutate, Don’t Stagnate Tour,” it was easy to identify Devo’s devoted parishioners. Many wore energy domes — the band’s iconic red plastic hats — as symbols of status and pride. (Did you know there are even foam inserts available to make the domes more comfortable?) The largely middle-aged and older crowd was sprinkled with younger devotees, likely converted by their parents, uncles or even the internet.

The quintet took the stage around 8:15 p.m. to an ovation from the crowd and the urgent melody of “Don’t Shoot (I’m a Man).” The members looked sharp in black jackets emblazoned with the words “Reverse Evolution” and matching trousers. Their voices sounded clear and strong, and their choreographed movements were remarkably sharp, especially considering that the band is touring during the Miami summer with members in their late 70s.

The sound was a little muted during the opening songs, but by the second or third track, the band was firing on all cylinders, cruising through Going Under”
“That’s Good,” and “Girl U Want.”

“In times like these, it is very important that we whip it!” Gerald Casale declared, cueing the band’s Top 40 hit and one of the peak moments of the Friday night Mass.

For “Planet Earth,” Casale grabbed the microphone. After the song, the band left the stage for an outfit change, returning in its yellow jumpsuits for “Uncontrollable Urge.” That was when things became even more rock ’n’ roll: The musicians began tearing apart their costumes and throwing pieces into the crowd.

The show was filled with details that perhaps only art-school students could have come up with, combining playful naïveté with an impact that invited deeper reflection. Those touches were also what made the performance feel so human.

During “Mongoloid,” the band announced what we already feared: “De-evolution is real.”

Even toward the end of the show, the performative details remained intact. Guitar strings snapped as the band tore through its furious melodies, and every movement still felt purposeful. The band also distributed energy domes among the audience — a generous gift, considering they can go for $200 a pop.

The evening ended with “Beautiful World,” a perfect full-circle moment that demonstrated how the predictions Devo made in 1981 have caught up with us — only in a more acute way.

The show was a breath of fresh air, reminding us of a time when music embraced radical ideas and social critique. In the semidystopian world we now inhabit, where information is spoon-fed to us, Devo continues to call for reflection while mixing its message with playfulness, humor and absurdity.

Devo set list

“Don’t Shoot (I’m a Man)”
“Peek-a-Boo!”
“Going Under”
“That’s Good”
“Girl U Want”
“Whip It”
“Planet Earth”
“Uncontrollable Urge”
“Blockhead”
“Mongoloid”
“Jocko Homo”
“Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA”
“Gates of Steel”
“Freedom of Choice”
“Gut Feeling”
“Beautiful World”