The B‑52’s + DEVO = One Glorious Retro Party
What began as a cold, soggy Austin evening morphed into a neon‑bright carnival on the penultimate stop of the Cosmic De‑Evolution Tour. The B‑52’s and DEVO — twin titans of New Wave eccentricity — delivered exactly what you’d expect: energy, spectacle, and enough quirky charm to power a mall arcade circa 1983.
Weather Delay: The Pre‑Show Drama
Our first visit to Germania Insurance Amphitheater (tucked inside the Circuit of the Americas) started with a misfire. Of course, the forecast promised the rain would quit by evening. Spoiler: it didn’t. We drove through showers, parked easily, and joined the crowd outside — only to learn lightning in the area had put the gates on lockdown.
Shuttles kept unloading more fans, swelling the soggy mob. It was a “Big Mess”, I mean a really big mess. After an hour of waiting in the drizzle, “boom,” the thunder finally rolled in, and the show was officially delayed. Cue 80’s montage retreat to straightaway to the car to wait out the storm. While waiting on trying to dry off, we watched the lightning create a “Strobe Light” from the safety of our car. At this point I was soaked like Michael Douglas in Romancing the Stone.
At last, the word came: gates open at 8, show starts at 9. Translation: goodbye, Lene Lovich – apparently today her “Lucky Number“ was wrong. Ah-ooh! Ah-oh! Hello, two more hours of anticipation.
Merch Madness
Once inside, the rain mostly gone, we bee‑lined to the merch tent. People were cued up like we were waiting for the next shipment of Cabbage Patch Dolls.
Lobster shirts with energy domes? Sold. A B‑52’s hoodie for my wife? Done. Nothing says “family bonding” like matching crustacean couture as we also bought my son the energy dome rock lobster shirt. Indeed, there was enough variety of merch there to make it feel like a trip to Spencer’s Gift at the galleria back in 1984. Shirts, posters (some signed), energy domes and much more. What variety! This is why we won the cold war. Wolverines!
The B‑52’s: America’s Favorite Party Band
A pre‑show video montage warmed up the crowd. The video spliced snippets of “Legal Tender,” “Whammy Kiss,” and more with vintage clips of the band from Athens, GA. Then Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson, and Cindy Wilson hit the stage with “Cosmic Thing”. Cindy’s outfit was definitely an homage to “Rock Lobster” with flowing red sleeves and red hat.
Next came “Mesopotamia”, after which Fred quipped, “We’re here to make Austin weirder!” — as if Austin needed the help. Afterward, Cindy flexed her vocals on “Give Me Back My Man” and reminisced about Hippie Hollow, the local nude beach back in the day.
The set bounced from “Private Idaho” to “Deadbeat Club” and “Roam,” with Fred swapping instruments for each song like a kid loose in a Radio Shack. Specifically, Fred played the xylophone, cow bell, slide whistle and some sort of electronic buzzer.
Furthermore, “Party Out of Bounds” and “Dance This Mess Around” added to the party atmosphere. With all three members of the band dancing around the stage, I finally learned how to do the mashed potato.
The inevitable “Love Shack” came with its vintage video, while “Planet Claire” brought retro sci‑fi vibes straight out of Mars Attacks. Who knew that was Kate Pierson making those alien sounding noises in the beginning, I always thought that was a synthesizer! Of course, flashbacks of Police Academy on VHS with Officer Larvell Jones came to mind.
Crustacean Conga Line
Of course, the finale was “Rock Lobster,” complete with a dancing lobster and Lene Lovich’s band and crew joining the on‑stage conga line, reminiscent of the parade scene in Ferris Beuller’s Day Off. Pure kitsch heaven! Thus, the Cosmic part of the Cosmic De-Evolution tour was now complete. Overall, a very fun colorful blast back to the 80’s full of “Good Stuff”.
DEVO: Energy Domes Unite
By 10:30, the crowd was buzzing, many wearing red domes atop their heads. A new Rod Rooter (a DEVO record executive nemesis from the past) video set the tone, and then DEVO stormed out with their manic energy dressed in black, opening with “Don’t Shoot (I’m A Man).” During the opening notes Gerald Casale was skanking like he was in a Two-Tone Ska band. BTW, did I mention that I love the English Beat! After a few moments, Mark Mothersbaugh came to the center of the stage and raised his arms like a televangelist of weirdness.
Next, the band ripped through “Peek‑A‑Boo!,” “Going Under,” and “That’s Good.” De-Evolution was in progress! At one point, Mark tossed Energy Domes into the crowd much to crowd’s delight.
Then came the holy trinity from Freedom of Choice: “Girl U Want,” “Whip It” (with its iconic video), and “Planet Earth.” Childhood memories of wearing out that album came flooding back. Freedom of Choice was this kid’s first New Wave album and set up 45 years of love for this music and all things 80’s. As a Valley Dude by birth, I can officially say it was “Totally Awesome!”
DEVO Has Got an Uncontrollable Urge
After a Carl Sagan cameo video, DEVO re‑emerged in their famous bright yellow suits for “Uncontrollable Urge,” with Mark dismantling his bandmate’s suits, shredding sleeves and pant legs into the crowd. They dove into early classics — “Blockhead,” “Mongoloid,” “Jocko Homo,” “Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA.” You could feel the electricity during “Jocko Home” as Mark sang “Are We Not Men?” and the crowd replied, “We Are DEVO!” “Mongoloid” was a favorite of mine during this run of songs, the live version just has more, kind of like an Extra Value Meal.
On several songs, Mark Mothersbaugh ran back and forth from the center front of the stage where he would sing and then run to the back right of the stage to play his synthesizer. Dude definitely got his steps in.
DEVO then went back to Freedom of Choice for the last two songs, closing with main set with “Gates of Steel.” The encore? “Freedom of Choice,” naturally, preceded by the “Devo Corporate Anthem.” Certainly, everyone’s energy domes were fully charged by this time. It was indeed a “Beautiful World”.
Final Verdict – A Totally Radical Evening With Spudboys and Bouffant Hairdos
Two legendary bands, five decades deep, still throwing down with wild energy. My wife checked The B‑52’s off her bucket list; I reunited with The B-52’s after nearly 35 years since I last saw them live. Finally, we saw a full show from DEVO (we saw the end of their show at a festival over 20 years ago) and together we lived a night that felt equal parts concert and time machine. Damn, where did I park my DeLorean? Despite the rain delay, it was a blast — like stepping into a neon‑lit roller rink where the soundtrack never stopped being weird and wonderful.
This was such a fun and vivid recap from start to finish. You captured everything! The weather chaos, the anticipation, the nostalgia, and the pure joy once the show finally got going. I loved the way you wove in the song references and visual details, especially Cindy’s Rock Lobster–inspired outfit and Fred’s ever-rotating collection of instruments. The merch section made me laugh because it really did feel like a trip back to an ’80s mall. Reading this felt like reliving the night all over again — thanks for such a great write-up.