Live 1980

There's no denying that Devo was one of the greatest live bands to emerge from the "new wave era," as their quirky sense of humor translated perfectly to the stage, with a variety of props, costumes, and projection screens. For visual proof once and for all, all you have to do is check out the 2005 CD/DVD Dual Disc Live 1980. Recorded at a show at the Phoenix Theater in Petaluma, CA (just before "Whip It" and Freedom of Choice raced up the charts), this complete set, pro-shot performance features surprisingly strong sound and picture -- something that bootleg collectors will agree is becoming increasingly hard to find from the pre-MTV era. This is the Devo period right before they became perhaps a bit too obsessed with electronics (1982's Oh, No! It's Devo, 1984's Shout, etc.), as the quintet appears to be at its in-concert peak throughout. With only three albums of material to choose from at this point, there are quite a few tracks that will be of interest to hardcore fans: "S.I.B. (Swelling Itching Brain)," "Secret Agent Man," "Be Stiff." That said, all the pre-1981 Devo classics are here as well: "Whip It," "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," "Freedom of Choice," "Jocko Homo," "Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA." Out of the various live Devo DVDs out on the market, Live 1980 is by far the best yet. An essential purchase for both spuds and new wave revivalists. [The jewel case edition omits two songs from the CD portion of the original release, "Praying Hands" and "Shrivel Up."] ~ Greg Prato, AMG