Devo & B-52’s @ Climate Pledge Arena – 9/25/2026
Review & Photos by Alex Crick
The Cosmic De Evolution Tour brought a night of contrasting eccentricities to Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. While the B-52s may have opened the concert, it was Devo who stole the evening with their intense energy. Devo delivered a kinetic performance that had the audience dancing in the aisles. As they played, some diehard B-52s fans in the front row were spotted wearing lobster onesies (complete with claw hands). As Devo performed, they donned the trademark Devo hats, playfully blending the visual styles of both bands. The band appeared in excellent form. They utilized constant hand movements and ran frantically around the stage while striking rigid poses. Their visual presentation was heavily atomic age and industrial in nature, with the background screen playing 3D animated graphics that occasionally flashed lyric snippets in large block letters.
Devo incorporated multiple costume changes throughout their set. They started in black canvas shirts with stenciled words on the back paired with matching pants. During their fifth song, “Girl U Want,” they broke out their iconic red energy dome hats. The physical intensity peaked around “Planet Earth,” when band changed into bright yellow atomic yellow plastic hazmat suits. As the song progressed, lead singer Mark Mothersbaugh violently yet playfully tore off portions of the suits from himself and his bandmates, leaving shards of yellow jumpsuits scattered across the stage.
Later in the show, the band changed into black leather tops adorned with faded white letters. When the members stood in their respective spots, the letters spelled out DEVO. They completed this final look with black shorts, black thigh high socks, and black slip on shoes with red soles. The momentum reached a chaotic climax during “Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA,” when bassist Gerald Casale broke a string leading to his choice to tear all the strings from his instrument (thankfully they had a spare). The sheer momentum of Devo proved to be the highlight of the evening.
The B-52s
Before the B52s even took the stage the audience was treated to a highlight reel of their long storied career from a quirky band from Athens, GA to pop-rock superstars. They started with “Planet Claire,” leaning heavily on a video with alien themes playing on the screen behind them. The band wore sparkly silver outfits, with frontman Fred Schneider accessorizing his outfit with white retro sunglasses. In contrast to Devo, the B-52s’ choreography felt stiff and highly coordinated, mostly consisting of vague attempts at dancing and Schneider swinging his arms in circles. Despite the awkward movement, the vocal performances and overall musicianship proved to be remarkably solid.
Ultimately, the Cosmic De Evolution Tour offered a stark study in contrasts. The stiff, coordinated camp of the B52s served as a quirky appetizer for the chaotic, high velocity spectacle of Devo. Despite the clear difference in physical energy and crowd engagement throughout the night, both bands successfully showcased the enduring appeal of their unique brands of eccentricity.
