Despite the cold, rain, thunder and lightning, New Wave fans endured the hour or so’s delay of the co-headlining Devo and B-52s show this past Saturday, November 1, at Germania Insurance Amphitheater. While opener Lene Lovich’s set got cut completely, the B-52s brought the grooves at 9:00 p.m., and an enthusiastic Devo followed at around 10:30 p.m.
Fans were dressed to the nines for the long-awaited return of Devo, whose last time in Austin was in 2014. Additionally, the B-52s have been on a continuing farewell tour since 2022 – including a Las Vegas residency soon after – and many fans were thankful they got to see them one last time, if they do indeed retire.
DEVOtees flooded the crowd with their signature energy domes, while B-52s fans rocked their lobster hats.
Both bands thanked the crowd profusely for braving the rain and storms. They both brought the energy, playing about an hour’s set each; many fans raved about the show on social media soon after.
Singer Fred Schneider of the B-52s even showed his appreciation for Latin and Texas culture by wearing a Dia De Los Muertos skull t-shirt onstage. He also played many interesting and unusual instruments, further exemplifying why people love the band so much.
“The B-52s brought the beach to Austin with the rain!” exclaimed concertgoer Liz Boatright of Austin, TX. She particularly enjoyed the visuals, costume changes, and fan interaction, even from the lawn.
“I was very impressed with Kate Pierson’s vocal performance on the song, ‘Planet Claire,’” said new wave fan Lucio Aguilar, 28, from San Antonio, TX. “I heard she prefers live performances of the song, and I absolutely see why. It truly lets her vocal prowess shine through.”
Devo were just as lively as they’ve ever been, even being in their mid-70s. There were several costume changes, and singer Mark Mothersbaugh even threw a few energy dome hats into the crowd for lucky Devo fans to catch. Playing hits from their early albums and more recent fan favorites, there was never a lull in this arguably brief set.
“Devo performs with such vibrancy and eccentricity,” Aguilar added. “If people walked in not knowing who they were, I guarantee they walked out as fans.”
Photo of Mark Mothersbaugh at top of article by Serenity Bogert.
