The feature-length documentary about the groundbreaking New Wave band DEVO is now available worldwide as a Netflix Original. Premiering at Sundance 2024 to widespread critical and audience acclaim, the film offers an in-depth look at the band’s innovative legacy.
Critical Praise:
- “A zippy, zany, whip-it-smart documentary” — INDIEWIRE
- “Chris Smith’s retrospective on DEVO combines commentary, irony, kitschy collages, and quirky optimism — in other words, pure DEVO” — ROLLING STONE
- “For DEVO fans, it’s 90 minutes of captivating pop history and visually dazzling surrealist audio-visual treats” — VARIETY
Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Chris Smith (known for Wham!, Fyre, 100 Foot Wave, and Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond), the film captures DEVO’s fiercely radical spirit—a band born from a philosophy, a Dada-inspired experiment blending high art with low culture, aiming to infiltrate American pop culture. Through rare archival footage and interviews with band members Mark Mothersbaugh, Bob Mothersbaugh, and Jerry Casale, the documentary chronicles DEVO’s highs, lows, surreal moments, and electrifying performances spanning over 50 years—from their lo-fi origins to their pioneering role in early MTV music videos.
The band members candidly share their memories and archives, tracing their roots as arts students at Kent State University influenced by the late 1960s activism. Following the tragic 1970 Kent State massacre, DEVO’s concept of “cultural De-Evolution” evolved from satirical humor into urgent social commentary. What started as rebellious art at a 1973 campus arts festival became a warning and reflection of the absurdities of late 20th-century society. Achieving mainstream success during the 1980s consumerist boom, DEVO’s music captured the era’s de-evolution—shaping and influencing a 21st century they could never have anticipated.
Produced by Library Films and VICE Studios in partnership with Mutato Entertainment, with support from BMG, Undeniable (a Fremantle label), and Warner Music Group, DEVO is now streaming exclusively on Netflix. Listen to the official DEVO playlist here: Netflix Music Playlist.
Complementing the documentary, a companion album titled Energy Dome Frequencies: Songs From The DEVO Documentary will be released on October 31 as a 1LP and CD. Pre-order now [HERE]. The collection features iconic tracks like “Girl U Want,” “Uncontrollable Urge,” and the platinum-certified hit, “Whip It.”
Track Listing for Energy Dome Frequencies:
Side One
- Mongoloid (Warner Version)
- Jocko Homo (Warner Version)
- (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
- Uncontrollable Urge
- Girl U Want
- Freedom Of Choice
Side Two
- Whip It
- Gates Of Steel
- Working In The Coal Mine
- Beautiful World
- Through Being Cool
- That’s Good
Upcoming Tour Announcement
Looking ahead, DEVO will join The B-52’s for the 2025 “Cosmic De-Evolution Tour,” a 12-date co-headlining farewell tour. Lene Lovich will open the shows, which kick off on September 24th in Toronto and conclude on November 2nd in Houston. Tickets are available now at LiveNation.com.
Tour Dates:
- 9/24 – Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage
- 9/25 – Clarkston, MI @ Pine Knob Music Theatre
- 10/2 – Mansfield, MA @ Xfinity Center
- 10/4 – Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center
- 10/5 – Wantagh, NY @ Northwell at Jones Beach Theater
- 10/16 – Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre
- 10/18 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl
- 10/19 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl
- 10/24 – Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion
- 10/25 – Alpharetta, GA @ Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
- 11/1 – Austin, TX @ Germania Insurance Amphitheater
- 11/2 – Houston, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Stay updated on DEVO’s latest projects and news by visiting https://clubdevo.com/.
- Email: neill@outloudculture.com
- Socials: @frazer.live
- @neill.outloud
