Fresh from opening for Billy Idol in Raleigh, DEVO returns to the road September 17 with The B-52s for the next run of their Cosmic De-Evolution Tour. The Live Nation–promoted extension comprises eight dates in two countries, beginning in Tinley Park before visiting Grand Rapids, Shakopee, Ridgefield, Seattle, Vancouver, Chula Vista and Palm Desert, where it concludes October 31 with DJ Cummerbund opening. The pairing continues a relationship between two bands that developed distinct approaches to American new wave during the late 1970s. In Raleigh, appearing for the first time in the city in 38 years, DEVO delivered a disciplined 15-song performance led by “Don’t Shoot (I’m a Man)” and built from “Peek-A-Boo!,” “Going Under” and “That’s Good” into an exceptional closing sequence of “Mongoloid,” “Jocko Homo,” “Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA,” “Gates of Steel” and “Freedom of Choice.” Mark Mothersbaugh, Gerald Casale and Bob Mothersbaugh performed with Josh Hager and drummer Jeff Friedl, using synchronized video, saturated red and yellow lighting, matching black clothing, red tiered domes and the familiar yellow radiation suits, which were torn away and thrown into the audience during the set. The crowd stood early, shouted the response during “Jocko Homo,” reacted immediately to “Whip It” and gave the band a sustained ovation after “Freedom of Choice.” Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerald Casale still display positive creative chemistry, trading lead vocals, gestures and comic timing without competing for attention. Bob Mothersbaugh’s guitar work and shared vocal with Casale on “Mongoloid” reinforced how collaborative the original members remain after more than five decades. Formed in Akron following the Kent State shootings, DEVO developed its theory of de-evolution through nine studio albums: Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are DEVO!, Duty Now for the Future, Freedom of Choice, New Traditionalists, Oh, No! It’s DEVO, Shout, Total Devo, Smooth Noodle Maps and Something for Everybody. Their recordings have appeared through Warner Bros., Virgin, Enigma, Rykodisc and related imprints, while Rhino currently manages major archival editions. Three Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominations, a platinum album in Freedom of Choice and lasting recognition for their early music videos confirm an influence far greater than the chart history alone suggests. The merchandise remained faithful to the established visual language, with red dome headwear, yellow-suit imagery and DEVO-logo apparel giving longtime devotees exactly what they wanted. The band’s most recent major collection is Rhino’s 50 Years of De-Evolution (1973–2023).

DEVO

Headliner Billy Idol followed with one commanding sentence of his own—opening with “Still Dancing,” moving confidently through “Cradle of Love,” “Flesh for Fantasy,” “77” and “Eyes Without a Face,” sharing the stage with founding solo-career collaborator Steve Stevens for an extended guitar feature, and satisfying a loud multigenerational Raleigh audience with “Mony Mony,” “Rebel Yell,” “Dancing With Myself,” “Hot in the City” and “White Wedding,” while adding another strong performance to a career that began with Generation X, continued through nine solo studio albums and releases on Chrysalis, BFI, BMG and Dark Horse Records, and has now brought him three Grammy nominations, a Hollywood Walk of Fame star, the 2026 American Music Awards Lifetime Achievement Award and selection for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026; his current album is the Dark Horse Records release Dream Into It.

(see Billy Idol’s full review and gallery in another post here in indramagazine.com)