Disco de Devo: “Live 1980”

There are plenty of unofficial live recordings of Devo out there, but not many visual recordings. Lately that has changed with the release of several excellent DVD's.

This one however takes you right back to their most successful stage in their career with a recently discovered live taping of their live show. The picture quality is acceptable - not perfect - considering it's been around since 1980. The sound quality is also good, but what is the biggest attraction to this DVD is the high level of energy that oozes from the band, who whip through a great set of songs with great character.

The entire set is on the DVD, with a couple of extras, which makes it a worthwhile addition to ANY Devo collection. From the first notes, it is impossible not to tap along, and if you know the words to many of their songs - like I do - you'll find yourself singing along as well. On the other side of this DVD is the audio of the show (so a normal CD) so you basically get 2 for the price of 1... excellent!!!

Buy it now and you won't regret it.

I can see the comment from the person who said it was out of sync - there are a few moments when the camera is far from stage where the sound is not equal to the movements, but the close up during the same son are, so this is not a big issue at all.

Enjoy!

In response to the first review, there is no problem with the synch. He has a bad player or a defective disc. I read a review on another site from someone complaining that the camera shots are blurry. Only the far shots are blurred but it doesn't take anything away from the performance because the editing is so quick, the far shots are only a few seconds at a time. The picture is excellent for footage that is 25 years old. The close-up footage is clear. The sound is incredible, especially if you have a multi-speaker system. For $10-$12, this dvd is a steal and a must for any Devo fan. You will NOT be disappointed and unlike some live dvds, this one begs for repeat viewings. An amazing document, I can't recommend it enough.

before buying the disc i noted [in earlier reviews] the mention of the star wars style screen crawler at the beginning, and the comments about "age of reagan". i've bought the disc and watched that screen crawler. it mentions the date of the concert [august 17, 1980] and "in the age of reagan" and actually mentions that he was president at the time.

this is incorrect as reagan was elected in november 1980 and started serving in office in january 1981.

maybe it sounds like i'm splitting hairs - it's just that i'm a long-time devo fan. those devo guys always get their facts right. kind of amusing that no one checked - it makes me assume that the screen crawl wasn't written by anyone connected with the band.

in august 1980 we really didn't know what we were in for as far as any "age of reagan".

nonetheless, this video is a gem. a must have. i guess i'm an old timer as i saw this tour, in dallas - not arizona. they came to the agora ballroom in summer 1980. one of the best concerts i've ever attended. it was always a bit dissapointing to watch the "from the land of the rising son" dvd - having seen them when they were on fire. BUT NOW WE HAVE THIS. i'm glad it's available - they should let that "rising son" thing go out of print.

if you like devo - you need this. if you like quirky late 70s new wave before it was at all corporate [or if you just think you might] - you need this too.

Having seen DEVO live waaaaay back in 1981, I can say that this DVD truly shows the SPUD's at thier best!

And, having seen DEVO in August 2005, I can easily see how far they have DE-volved themselves!

Yes! We are all DEVO!

I got no beef with the audio. My beef ain't with the picture quality per se. My beef's with the editing.

The August 17, 1980 performance of "Gut Feeling/Slap Yer Mammy" included on this "LIVE 1980" DVD can also be found on the "DEVO: RISING SUN" DVD as a bonus feature. The "RISING SUN" version shows only what a single hand-held camera photographed from the foot of the stage, but slaps yer mammy twice as hard as the "LIVE 1980" version. Why? Because the "LIVE 1980" edit interpolates this tune, and every other, with blurry long shots of the entire stage, shot by a locked-off camera in the balcony. If you've ever fantasized about watching a concert entirely by security cam, this DVD brings you one step closer to your dream.

As presented on "RISING SUN", however, "Gut Feeling/Slap Yer Mammy" consists of one long, unbroken piece of film. The shot is by no means static; the cameraman creates one composition after another with attentive pans and zooms. The unbroken shot brings the viewer up-close-and-personal with the archetypal New Wave nutjob: Mark Mothersbaugh, his ramen noodle coif tossing sweat across the lens, banishes all doubt that he's had just about all he can take, and can't take it no more.

Even when, technically, he's marking time until the next lyric comes along, he stays in ferocious character. The unblinking camera captures each twitch. It's at these brief, dramaturgical moments that the "1980" editors get bored and throw in those lousy-looking long shots.

The people who put this DVD together had the raw material to create something extraordinary, something exciting and organic, but because you can't make the obligatory, coked-up edit from one camera's images alone, all available filler, Grade-Z or lower, is loaded into the grinder.