Just after announcing the news that they will release their first new album later this fall (their first in nearly 2 decades) DEVO returned to Texas for two beta performances of their new live show, including 3 brand new songs, new stage costuming, and new video backdrops.
A documentary film crew, who were shooting for an official DEVO documentary film, followed the band and crew during these dates in Texas...gathering some great footage along the way.
Read the text in this large middle column first, then go to the first thumbnail image at the top left, and click through the pages for a chronological journey through the photos.
-Michael Pilmer for DEVO, Inc.
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3.18.09: Dallas, TX / The Palladium
This was an important show for DEVO, and would be the debut of their newly crafted live set...including new songs, costumes, and video. Very exciting for me especially, since I hadn't yet heard the newest versions of the songs, or seen any of the new video elements. After seeing basically the same DEVO live show for the last decade, I was more than ready to see what DEVO had to offer in 2009....and I was not disappointed.
The band soundchecked at the venue from around 1pm until 3pm or 4pm, and everything went very smoothly. I saw the new video graphics for the first time, and they immediately resonated as classic DEVO aesthetics - similar to what they did in the early 80's during their "Oh No, It's DEVO" tour, but updated with current pop culture references. Don't Shoot (I'm A Man) struck me as the perfect opening song for the show, and I was all smiles during the soundcheck.
Dallas spuds started showing up at the venue in the early afternoon...lining up outside for their chance to get front & center when the doors opened. Signs of DEVOtion were everywhere, as seen in some of the photos below.
After the show, we were able to allow a plethora of spuds & spudesses backstage to meet the band. Spirits were high as DEVO signed autographs & posed for photos with DEVOtees, and the festivities eventually moved to The Fallout Lounge, who hosted a fantastic afterparty for the band & crew. Gerald Casale was the only band member to show up, but he had a great time hanging out with fans at the party. Special thanks to Cameron Brand for setting it all up!
3.19.09: Austin, TX - PRESS DAY
The day started with an enjoyable 4-hour bus ride from Dallas. We arrived in Austin in the early afternoon on March 19th, just in time for DEVO to get in costume for their long day of press interviews and photo shoots.
After attending a couple of the biggest press meetings, a few of us went out on the town to discover what SXSW was all about. It was me and the video crew (Dave Foss, aka TV Sherriff, and his pal, Vello). We met up with a couple spuds from Los Angeles (Josh FartBarf & Eric), and were fortunate to witness EAR PWR live that night (a band from NC who I adore).
3.20.09: Austin, TX / SXSW / Austin Music Hall
We rose early to prepare for DEVO's very important soundcheck at The Austin Music Hall. After wrestling with a few technical difficulties, the crew was able to get everything dialed in by 3pm...and DEVO was ready to unleash their new material at SXSW.
DEVO performed their new set to an absolutely packed crowd at The Music Hall. Metallica performed a secret show at SXSW just a couple hours before DEVO, which left time for any headbanging DEVO fans to make their way over for the spudboys' show at midnight. As with the Dallas show a couple nights prior, DEVO's new material went over with flying colors in Austin.
