Devo hits Warehouse Live on March 25, the band's first Houston date since a 2006 appearance with the Psychedelic Furs - who, coincidentally enough, are also coming to Warehouse (April 23) to do all of 1981's Talk Talk Talk ("Pretty In Pink," "Into You Like a Train"), plus "Love My Way" and all the other favorites - and When In Rome at Reliant Arena.
The closest Devo has gotten to Houston since then was at SXSW in 2009 (above); the group canceled its scheduled performance at Fun Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin last November after Bob Mothersbaugh cut his hand days before the show.
The extremely influential band had a run of LPs in the late '70s to early '80s of albums that are still adored and revered for helping usher in a previously unheard-of pop sensibility. Devo's expert mix of punk rock, electronics, and wry social commentary would taint millions of teens for years to come.
No doubt before the band hits town in March we will be shoving even more gigabytes of Devo knowledge down your throats, so for now we will refrain from telling you how we wore out our Freedom of Choice cassette in freshmen and sophomore year of high school. For now, if you were at Devo's Houston gig that was busted by HPD in 1982 or so, or know someone who was, we'd sure like to hear about it.
Besides us geeks who use "spud boy" as a derogatory term, the band is probably known best for the "Whip It" video and the band's flowerpot hats in the video. Devo has worn matching uniforms onstage since the beginning, which harkens back to their faceless, workmanlike-view of music inherited from spiritual forebears Kraftwerk.
Here's a list of other bands that have donned matching outfits to get their point across, sell merch, or just scare the ever-loving shit out of square parents.
Devo: Jumpsuits, the hats, the blank stares, there was some nerdy magic in Devo that separated them from everyone else.