Electronic art house evangelists Devo kicked off a Europe wide tour by headlining the Sonar 2007 Festival in Barcelona.
Sporting their trademark yellow jumpsuits and flowerpot helmets the band tore through a blinding set of early hits like Jocko Homo, Mongaloid, Whip It and Beautiful World.
Mark Mothersbaugh’s distinctive high register vocal aerobics were matched by energetic and effortless instrumentation belying the band’s advancing years.

Sonic caught up with them at Brighton’s Dome Theatre where they discussed Sonar Festival, Brian Eno, their musical influences, The Mini Moog, their broken Arp Odyssey, Mark’s stolen laptop and what it’s like to be back in Europe after 15 years.

<The remaining 2007 European Tour Invasion dates are as follows:

Friday June 22 - Birmingham Symphony Hall
Saturday June 23 - Manchester Apollo
Sunday June 24 - Glasgow Carling Academy
Tuesday June 26 - London Shepherds Bush Empire
Friday June 29 - Summer Sound Festival @ Lazzaretto
Saturday June 30 - Azzano Decimo @ Pordenone, Italy

For tickets phone the 24 hr. ticket hotline on: 0870 735 5000 <From Sonic’s 'They Are Devo' article (11/05/07)

Although slightly portlier than you may remember them, Devo’s influence on electronic music is undeniable. Their Eno produced album, Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo, came as a novel interlude against a backdrop of late 70’s New Wave and they were quickly snapped up by the legendary Stiff Records in the UK.

Their acutely stylised dress sense and videos caught the attention of the fledgling MTV and singles like Jocko Homo, Mongoloid and Whip It secured their position as a band with an eccentric and slightly dark agenda. Their jerky robotic cover of the Stones’ Satisfaction is a genre defining stroke of genius.

Links

• Online booking details
• More tour info & Devo archive video player
• Devo memorabelia & news
• clubdevo.com
• Devo on Wikipedia
  
  
  

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