DEVO and The B-52s Team Up for Cosmic De-Evolution Tour: An 11-Date Solar-Powered Party Remix

Elena West here, ready to ignite your curiosity with an energy blast of truth, insight, and concert-level hype. This is your moment to hear how two iconic ’80s institutions collided not by plan but by pure backstage serendipity, and how that moment is now a full-blown 11-city run that fans have waited decades to see. Get ready, because we’re spilling the tea on a tour that feels like a cosmic collision course designed to reboot the dance floor and the planet at the same time.

The story begins backstage at the SNL50 celebration where fate nudged two longtime favorites toward collaboration. Mark Mothersbaugh, the frontman of DEVO, recounts that a simple dressing room chat with the manager of The B-52s sparked a shared idea: tour together. His wife, who manages the DEVO crew, picked up the thread, and everyone involved nodded in agreement. The result is not a random spectacle but a carefully arranged co-headlining run that promises to balance DEVO’s neurotic, anti-establishment energy with The B-52s’ unbridled party vibe. It’s the kind of pairing that looks obvious in hindsight but required a pinch of backstage chemistry to become real life.

Mothersbaugh, now 75, speaks with a rare combination of practical optimism and reflective pride. He calls The B-52s “a great party dance band” and describes the pairing as complementary rather than conflicting. The math is simple: DEVO’s concern for planetary trouble and social critique pairs with The B-52s’ lift-off energy, creating a synergy that fans intuitively understand. This is a tour that doesn’t merely recycle hits; it reintroduces essential DEVO tracks while weaving in B-52s anthems that have become party staples since their early days. Expect a setlist that nods to the old and pushes into fresh territory, with DEVO promising to pull out songs they haven’t played in 20 to 30 years.

There’s also a strong sense of perspective from Mothersbaugh on DEVO’s place in music history. The group has just released a new documentary, DEVO, co-directed with Chris Smith, streaming on Netflix. The film is framed as a cinematic expedition into the band’s anti-authoritarian ethos and their relentless curiosity about human foibles, all wrapped in their signature monochrome and avant-garde aesthetic. Mothersbaugh emphasizes that DEVO’s story is not just vintage nostalgia; it’s an ongoing narrative about how art can question, provoke, and entertain at the same time. The documentary adds context to the live show, signaling that the tour is a convergence of past and present ideas, not a mere retro tour.

Beyond the main stage, DEVO has a stretch of festival appearances on the horizon, while The B-52s continue to balance touring with their Vegas residency momentum. The pair of tours is anchored in strong, mutual respect: Mothersbaugh praises The B-52s’ energy and notes that their work ethic aligns with DEVO’s own meticulous approach. The onstage chemistry is the headline here, a promise that fans can expect a lively cross-pollination of two distinct yet compatible flavors of rock, new wave, and retro-party anthems. For those counting, the schedule currently includes shows at Holmdel, NJ and Long Island, NY, with a broader calendar that fans can chase through the official tour listings.

In sum, this union is more than a tour announcement; it’s a carefully curated experience designed to celebrate both bands’ legacies while inviting fans into a live event that fuses introspection with celebration. It’s the kind of collaboration that feels inevitable after years of mutual admiration, and it signals a larger moment for fans of classic new wave and enduring party-rock alike. So, what will the night sound like when DEVO’s measured, brainy brilliance intersects with The B-52s’ buoyant, dancefloor command? We’ll find out on those autumn dates, with Lene Lovich in the wings as a consistent guest, adding another layer of era-defining energy to the mix.

If you’re plotting a concert calendar, you’ll want to pencil in these stops and track the evolving setlists as the tour unfolds. The combination of old favorites and unexpected deep cuts creates a live experience that’s both nostalgic and forward-looking, a rare blend that only such storied acts can deliver. And as the documentary about DEVO continues to attract new viewers, the tour gains extra momentum, inviting a broader audience to discover the band’s artful critique of conformity and control while still letting the crowd dance like there’s no tomorrow.

So, mark your calendar and brace for a sonic adventure that redefines what a joint tour can be. The cosmic de-evolution motif isn’t just a slogan—it’s a blueprint for a night out that feels like a revelation. What surprises lie in wait as the tour hits the road? Stay tuned, because the next backstage whisper could be the moment that changes the entire mood of live music this season.

Sources: Celebrity Storm and The New York Post
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed (GO)