AN INTRODUCTION |
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DEVO toured Europe in 2007 for the first time in over 15 years. Fans from across the globe made the trek to Spain, UK, Scotland, Ireland, and Italy to see Akron's Finest in action.
I traveled with the band as part of the crew, and documented everything I could along the way.
My duties on this tour included:
- Merchandise Management - counting the tees & domes before & after the show, settling up with the venues, etc.
- Preparing DEVO's wardrobe & props before each show - labeling their yellow suits with the D-E-V-O lettering, etc.
- Managing the band's guest lists, photographers, press appointments, and fan relations.
It was a whirlwind tour, exhausting, but incredibly fun & interesting along the way.
I noticed that many of the fans in Europe were ultra-DEVOted and very excited to see the band live. So many spuds attended the shows dressed in their own DEVO gear, which was often vintage or custom-made.
Thanks to everyone who sent in their own photos & stories for this report! Hope you enjoy reliving the DEVO Europe Tour 2007.
-Michael Pilmer
Webmaster & Archivist for Devo, Inc. |
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JUNE 16 - Barcelona, SPAIN - Sonar Festival |
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We arrive in Spain a couple days before the show, only to find most of the band/crew's luggage has been lost in transit. Most of us are without luggage, clean clothes, etc. for 2 or 3 days. Not something you want to deal with after the long flight from the US. The good news was that I got to meet Sezrah Shockwave in person, finally (aka De-Veaux on MySpace). Luckily she brought me a De-Veaux tee and some new socks, which meant I had at least a few clean clothes. Thanks, Sez!
The luggage did arrive just before we had to leave Spain for the next show, so we were all quite relieved.
DEVO rehearsed at a rented venue on the day prior to their SONAR show, where me and a few helpful spuds prepared DEVO's merch & wardrobe for the rest of the tour.
SONAR offered a wide variety of bands over the span of a few days, and DEVO's performance was great, in spite of a technical disaster with the lighting gear.
Booji Boy was unable to perform at this show because of time constraints, but the crowd seemed to love DEVO's set regardless. |
JUNE 18 - Brighton, UK - Brighton Dome |
Our visit to Brighton started out on a bad note - Mark Mothersbaugh's laptop computer was stolen from his hotel room shortly after check-in...while he was taking a quick nap in the room! Someone entered his room and took his laptop from the foot of his bed...and he even attempted to chase them, but couldn't keep up. The door to his hotel apparently didn't lock correctly (possibly due to a rigged or worn door frame)...but I think it was an inside job.
When we
arrived at the venue, there were signs everywhere backstage warning about thefts that have occurred there in the past. Backstage thefts? That's the first time I've ever seen that.
To top it off, a stack of Energy Domes were stolen from the merch booth after doors to the venue were closed to the public.
Do all the thieves live in Brighton?
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JUNE 19 - London, UK - Meltdown - Royal Festival Hall |
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Having been a fan since he was a child, Jarvis Cocker featured DEVO in his Meltdown Fest at The Royal Festival Hall in London.
The wide variety of acts featured at the multi-day event included greats like Motorhead, Iggy & The Stooges, and Jesus & The Mary Chain among others.
DJ Scotch Egg opened the show for DEVO, and pummeled the crowd with fantastic noise composed partially by a Gameboy device.
The Royal Festival Hall was very accommodating and provided the band & fans with a place to hang out after the show, complete with complimentary drinks! Thank you, RFH! Much appreciated. |
JUNE 21 - Dublin, Ireland- Vicar St. |
After a pleasant ferry ride from the UK, the crew bus arrived on the 20th with a day off to explore Dublin. I went shopping with Mark Mothersbaugh and found a souvenir Ireland cap for Booji to wear onstage the following night.
DEVO concert posters lined the streets of Dublin, which was nice to see.
A few hardcore DEVO fans met up at The Clock, a pub across the street from the Vicar St. venue. It was great to hang out with Jane & Paul, who were traveling around Europe for a few of the DEVO shows. I met Eric Stover for the first time face-to-face, who sports a fantastic DEVO tattoo, and who wore his vintage yellow suit to the gig.
The fans in Dublin were absolutely MAD...and certainly drank a lot of beer before, during, and after the show. |
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JUNE 22 - Birmingham, UK - Symphony Hall |
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I was very glad that my good friend Sezrah Shockwave (aka De-Veaux) was able to meet up with me again in Birmingham!
Fans ranging in age from pre-teens to post-40's showed their DEVOtion by wearing vintage and/or custom-made gear...which is always nice to see.
Although the venue was set up for assigned seating, fans eventually left their seats and ran to the front row. Security must have noticed that DEVO fans are a well-behaved bunch and let them do as they pleased.
After the concert, loads of DEVOtees made their way to Sunflower Lounge for the After Party. The party went on until very late, and ended with the DJ playing General Boy's speech from Pioneers Who Got Scalped as Jerry Casale toasted the crowd with his mixed drink. |
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