8/11/05 DEVO

Last night I went to see DEVO at the Hammerstein Ballroom. Although they’re pretty old looking guys they put on an energetic performance. They focused on their pre-Whip It material. Their message that humanity is de-evolving into mechanized half robots due to corporate brainwashing seems more appropriate now than it did when they originally arrived on the scene. At one point they said “Do you believe in de-evolution now”

“Yes” The audience roared.

“You don’t have to look far to see proof. I’m sorry. I hoped we’d be wrong,’ They continued before breaking into “Are We Not Men.”

As roadies in gorilla suits danced onstage Mark Mothersbaugh sang, “God made a man, but he used a monkey to do it.”

‘Why is it that the entire evolution VS creationism debate isn’t solved with that single line?’ Why do fundamentalists have to insist that God just wiggled his nose and the universe instantly came into existence? Why can’t god have a method for creation?

Overall it was a very political show. Between songs the bass player made a speech about ‘fundamentalists off all denominations trying to control your life.”

It’s too bad DEVO had a hit with Whip It. It really made a great band something of a joke. People underestimate their musical abilities and the complexity of their music. The drummer is fantastic. Near the end of the show he hurt his left hand. They stopped to apply first-aid and he played the last four songs with one hand.