Devo and The B-52s brought their co-headlining “Cosmic De-Evolution Tour” to the Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, New York, on Sunday, October 5th. The two legendary bands were joined by pioneering new wave artist Lene Lovich as the opening act.
In the midst of an unseasonably warm stretch of weather, it was a beautiful night on Long Island as Lovich kicked off the outdoor concert at 7 p.m. sharp. Dressed in gothic garb from head to toe, the 76-year-old singer performed a 35-minute set of her classic songs, including her signature tune “Lucky Number.”
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For this tour, Devo and The B-52s are alternating slots, meaning on some nights Devo will close out the evening, while on others The B-52s will perform last. For the Jones Beach show, The B-52s were up next, taking the stage at 7:55 p.m.
Still featuring founding members Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson, and Cindy Wilson, The B-52s launched their set with “Cosmic Thing,” the title track from their four-times platinum 1989 album.
Nearly 50 years after they formed, The B-52s remain the ultimate party band. In front of a giant video screen displaying classic music videos and vintage live footage, they performed a 12-song set highlighted by favorites like “Roam,” “Love Shack,” “Planet Claire,” and the set-closer “Rock Lobster” (complete with a dancer in a lobster costume).
Devo, as mentioned, had the honor of closing out this particular show. Following a hilarious video introduction from fictional music exec Rod Rooter (played by actor Michael W Schwartz), the band launched its set at 9:20 p.m. with “Don’t Shoot (I’m a Man).”
Like B-52s, Devo feature three classic members in their lineup: Gerald Casale, Mark Mothersbaugh, and Bob Mothersbaugh. While all are in their mid to late 70s, you’d never guess it by the energy they brought onstage — and this was even before they donned their energy domes midway through the set.
Mark Mothersbaugh is like the Energizer Bunny, darting back and forth from singing lead vocals center stage to playing his keyboard stage left. And Casale, the eldest at 77, hasn’t lost a step, bopping around while playing bass, keyboards, and singing occasional lead vocals.
The career-spanning 14-song setlist focused largely on the band’s 1980’s Freedom of Choice (“Girl You Want,” “Whip It,” “Planet Earth,” “Gates of Steel,” and the set-closing title track) and their 1978 debut Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! (“Uncontrollable Urge,” “Mongoloid” and “Jocko Homo.”), along with favorites from other albums.
Of course, “Whip It” (complete with Mark tossing energy domes into the crowd) and “Uncontrollable Urge” (known to the younger generation as the theme song to MTV’s Ridiculousness) were both received with massive enthusiasm from the audience. That said, the entire set was a nonstop thrill, featuring stunning background video for each song, costume changes, and a spirited performance from an iconic band.
The Jones Beach show closed out the East Coast portion of the “Cosmic De-Evolution Tour,” but after a short break it’s resuming with a West Coast leg beginning October 16th in Mountain View, California. The tour will then continue through a November 2nd gig in The Woodlands, Texas, with tickets to the remaining shows available via Ticketmaster or StubHub.
See photos, video, and the setlists from the Jones Beach concert below.
Devo Setlist:
Don’t Shoot (I’m a Man)
Peek-A-Boo!
Going Under
That’s Good
Girl U Want
Whip It
Planet Earth
Carl Sagan Video
Uncontrollable Urge
Blockhead
Mongoloid
Jocko Homo
Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA
Gates of Steel
DEVO Corporate Anthem
Freedom of Choice
The B-52s Setlist:
Cosmic Thing
Mesopotamia
Give Me Back My Man
Strobe Light
52 Girls
Roam
Party Out of Bounds
Dance This Mess Around
Private Idaho
Love Shack
Planet Claire
Rock Lobster
