Finishing up the first half of their Cosmic Devolution US tour, Post Punk era icons, The B-52s and Devo, and Lene Lovich, wowed their lively audience in an outdoor beachfront setting this past Sunday night at Long Island, NY’s Jones Beach amphitheater.
The special guest opener, another Post Punk, New Wave icon, the incomparable Lene Lovich, performed some of her hits like “New Toy,” “Blue Hotel,” “Home,” and her signature song “Lucky Number.” Wearing her Gothic meets everything but the kitchen sink look and still hitting the ultra high notes and making odd sounds with her voice, Lene Lovich and her band’s energetic set primed the crowd for what was still to come.
Next the one and only, The B-52s, took the stage opening with “Cosmic Thing” and immediately demonstrating why they are the greatest party band ever. Both hits and deep cuts were showcased such as “Give Me Back My Man,” “Roam” “Dance This Mess Around,” “Mesopotamia,” and of course the ultimate party anthem “Love Shack.” All three vocalists, Kate Pierson, Fred Schneider, and Cindy Wilson, still sound as great as they did on their 1979 self-titled debut album. The accompanying band kept the groove going and rocked with the B52s’ signature razor guitar and surf riffs. Of course, all were dressed to the nines in their Fellini meets Jetsons at the beach on acid finery. Needless to say the crowd was on their feet dancing throughout the entire show. They closed things out with their classic “Rock Lobster” complete with a life size dancing bright red lobster on stage.
Devo followed with first a montage of video clips including segments from their recent Netflix documentary. Devo’s set also consisted of material well known and beloved by their loyal listeners. “Don’t Shoot (I’m a Man)” kicked things off followed by fan favorites “Girl U Want,” “Planet Earth,” ”Peek-A-Boo” and “Whip It.” Half way in a Carl Sagan video was shown while the band changed costumes and the crew rearranged the stage setup. Appearing in their yellow hazmat jumpsuits, Devo tore into another classic gem, “Uncontrollable Urge,” followed by “Blockhead” and “Mongoloid.” During “Jocko Homo,” with it’s chant “Are we not men? We are Devo!,” during which lead vocalist, Mark Mothersbaugh, started ripping off sections of his hazmat suit then left the stage, running through the audience, who he encouraged to tear the rest of the jumpsuit off of his body. He then rejoined the band on stage to finish the song, all now wearing black t-shirts and shorts. The band’s finale,’Freedom of Choice,” couldn’t have been more spot on with Mothersborough reminding the audience “Freedom of Choice. Use it or Loose it!” To say that Devo is more relevant than ever is an understatement.
It’s always reassuring to experience musicians who not only live up to their reputation, but still pleasantly surprise you continuously throughout their career. All three of these artists most certainly qualify as such, Don’t miss the second half of this fun filled tour when it reconvenes on October 16th traveling to the West coast before it hits the southern region.
For more info please visit theb52s.com, clubdevo.com, and lenelovich.net.
Photo Credit: Courtney Bissonette
