Disney does Devo - Beyond Tiki

F fatuhiva Member Melbourne Beach, FL Joined: Mar 25, 2002 Posts: 638	F fatuhiva Posted posted on Mon, Apr 10, 2006 10:14 PM Akron flashes back to Devo, with a twist Tuesday, April 04, 2006 John Soeder Plain Dealer Pop Music Critic Akron- Thirty years after Devo broke out of here, a new generation of Rubber City citizens bounced along to the quirky songs of the new-wave band. Devo's music has been revived with a kid-friendly twist by a Los Angeles-based quintet of fresh young faces. Calling themselves Devo 2.0, they proved it's still not too late to whip it good at Miller South School for the Visual and Performing Arts, the latest stop on their first tour. They got a high-decibel welcome Monday afternoon in the auditorium, courtesy of 460 girls and boys from grades four through eight. The faculty cut loose, too. Fourth-grade teacher Amy Heffernan danced along to "Whip It" and sported a red flowerpot hat - er, "energy dome" - a souvenir from a 1982 Devo show. "They were my favorite group when I was in high school," Heffernan said. "Get up - it's a concert!" she told her students, who needed no further encouragement to bust some moves. Members of Devo 2.0 range in age from 11 to 14. Lead singer Nicole, guitarist Nathan, keyboardist Jackie, bass player Michael and drummer Kane prefer to be on a first-name basis with the world. Their 25-minute set featured spunky renditions of "That's Good," "Girl U Want," "Beautiful World" and other Devo oldies, complemented with videos of stage-diving spuds, neon cowboys, funky dinosaurs and other animated eye candy. "It's really cool to be in the city where it all started for Devo," Nicole said "backstage" - i.e., in an empty classroom. "It's like a flashback." "I don't know whether to feel extreme pressure or to feel extremely excited," Kane admitted. Afterward, the group signed autographs. "I thought they were totally awesome!" declared fourth-grader Alyssa Haley, 10. The band's self-titled debut CD/DVD of Devo covers was released last month by a subsidiary of Walt Disney Records. Jerry Casale, who co-founded the original Devo when he was a student at Kent State University in the early 1970s, coached Devo 2.0 during tour rehearsals. Reached by phone Monday in Los Angeles (where Devo moved in 1978), he was delighted to hear his proteges were a hit in Devo's hometown. "They're great kids," Casale said. "This just proves de-evolution is real." The concert was closed to the public, but there is talk of bringing Devo 2.0 back for Tops KidsFest at Cleveland's Tower City Amphitheater, set for July 21-23.

Akron flashes back to Devo, with a twist
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
John Soeder
Plain Dealer Pop Music Critic

Akron- Thirty years after Devo broke out of here, a new generation of Rubber City citizens bounced along to the quirky songs of the new-wave band.

Devo's music has been revived with a kid-friendly twist by a Los Angeles-based quintet of fresh young faces. Calling themselves Devo 2.0, they proved it's still not too late to whip it good at Miller South School for the Visual and Performing Arts, the latest stop on their first tour.

They got a high-decibel welcome Monday afternoon in the auditorium, courtesy of 460 girls and boys from grades four through eight.

The faculty cut loose, too. Fourth-grade teacher Amy Heffernan danced along to "Whip It" and sported a red flowerpot hat - er, "energy dome" - a souvenir from a 1982 Devo show.

"They were my favorite group when I was in high school," Heffernan said.

"Get up - it's a concert!" she told her students, who needed no further encouragement to bust some moves.

Members of Devo 2.0 range in age from 11 to 14. Lead singer Nicole, guitarist Nathan, keyboardist Jackie, bass player Michael and drummer Kane prefer to be on a first-name basis with the world.

Their 25-minute set featured spunky renditions of "That's Good," "Girl U Want," "Beautiful World" and other Devo oldies, complemented with videos of stage-diving spuds, neon cowboys, funky dinosaurs and other animated eye candy.

"It's really cool to be in the city where it all started for Devo," Nicole said "backstage" - i.e., in an empty classroom. "It's like a flashback."

"I don't know whether to feel extreme pressure or to feel extremely excited," Kane admitted.

Afterward, the group signed autographs.

"I thought they were totally awesome!" declared fourth-grader Alyssa Haley, 10.

The band's self-titled debut CD/DVD of Devo covers was released last month by a subsidiary of Walt Disney Records.

Jerry Casale, who co-founded the original Devo when he was a student at Kent State University in the early 1970s, coached Devo 2.0 during tour rehearsals. Reached by phone Monday in Los Angeles (where Devo moved in 1978), he was delighted to hear his proteges were a hit in Devo's hometown.

"They're great kids," Casale said. "This just proves de-evolution is real."

The concert was closed to the public, but there is talk of bringing Devo 2.0 back for Tops KidsFest at Cleveland's Tower City Amphitheater, set for July 21-23.

Post #226084 by fatuhiva on Mon, Apr 10, 2006 10:14 PM