As a person who has been going to Summerfest for five decades – including June of 1970 when I was one month old – I often get asked about my all-time favorite concert. This is a tough one to answer, because there have been so many. I usually say Tom Petty's "Full Moon Fever" show is a deeply cherished memory, and Public Enemy blew me away in 2010.
But as of last night, I have a new favorite that will remain in the top 5, I'm quite certain, for life. The one and only Devo played a perfect set on the Uline Warehouse Stage at Summerfest.
As they're known for doing, Devo intersected their music, videos and costumes with science fiction, satirical commentary and deadpan humor. The band – still headed by founder Mark Mothersbaugh – was delightfully energetic, engaged, theatrical and robotic. The sound was spectacular.
Devo whipped through (couldn't help myself there) 19 songs in just under 90 minutes, including "Don't Shoot (I'm A Man)," "Jocko Homo," "Uncontrollable Urge," "Secret Agen Man," "Peek-A-Boo!," "Girl U Want," "Gates of Steel," "Can't Get No Satisfaction," "Mongoloid," and, of course, "Whip It."
Prior to singing "Whip It," Devo bassist and co-vocalist Gerald Casale said, “Given the world we’re living in. It’s more important than ever to whip it.” After the bleak-but-true statement, Mothersbaugh tossed the band's circular, tiered red hats into the audience.
The famous hats are sometimes referred to as upside-down flower pots, but the official term is "energy domes." And energy domes of all kinds were atop the heads of Devo fans – who are people of all kinds – last night. The plastic caps were selling for $60 at the merch booth, but many Spuds (the nickname for Devo devotees) showed up in DIY versions made from cardboard, duct tape, spray paint and styrofoam.
Although currently on their farewell tour, the Devo dudes have a lot of life left in them, and it will be exciting to see what's next for them. Although the Devo name comes from the concept of "de-evolution," which suggests that the human race is not evolving, the band and its timeless songs continue to stay relevant with three generations of fans.
I can't speak for most of the world, but last night, on the far north end of Summerfest, there was a portion of the population that is definitely evolving and has no plans to stop.
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
