It seems like at the wonderland that is SXSW anything is possible. In the latest bit of magic to occur, Devo, the band behind “Whip It” and a host of other New Wave material performed under those tiny energy domes, has announced a tour that is undoubtedly riding the wave of its highly beloved Austin set.
But with this tour, don’t expect some nostalgic best of only bonanza. Rather, the band will be playing 1978’s Are We Not Men? and 1980’s Freedom of Choice in their entirety. Despite touring regularly for years, the band is happy to be back touring under the Warner Bros. banner, whom dropped the band after 1984’s Shout.
“We are excited to embark on Devo’s latest sonic subversion with the label that first unleashed us on the unsuspecting public,” said Devo bassist/synth player Gerald Casale in an interview with Spin.
Oh, but they’re not done yet. First, Warner Bros. will reissue deluxe versions of the aforementioned albums on November 3rd. And, for the first time in 20 years, the band will release a new studio album sometime in 2010. Tentatively entitled Fresh, the album was due for 2009 but was pushed back to due “radical remixing”. A full tracklist hasn’t been confirmed, but we do know a few tracks (see below), including “Don’t Shoot (I’m Man)”, which the band released a video for earlier this year.
Tickets go on sale on September 18th at Ticketmaster. Those fans who buy online will also gain access to three demos, including a four-track “Whip It”, and an early version of “It’s Not Right”. What’s not to like?
“Confirmed” for Fresh:
01. Don’t Shoot (I’m a Man)
02. What We Do
03. Fresh
Devo 2009 Tour Dates:
11/03 – Los Angeles, CA @ Henry Fonda Theater
11/04 – Los Angeles, CA @Henry Fonda Theater
11/06 – San Francisco, CA @ The Regency Ballroom
11/07 – San Francisco, CA @ The Regency Ballroom
11/08 – Seattle, WA @ The Moore
11/09 – Seattle, WA @ The Moore
11/12 – Chicago, IL @The Vic Theatre
11/13 – Chicago, IL @The Vic Theatre
11/15 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
11/16 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
11/20 – New York, NY @ The Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza
11/21 – New York, NY @ The Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza
11/23 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre
11/24 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre
