Devo, the Akron, Ohio, band known for its 1980 hit "Whip It" and boundary-pushing live shows, will play its first-ever Clearwater concert on Thursday, Aug. 27, at The BayCare Sound at Coachman Park.
Doors open at 7 p.m. at the waterfront amphitheater, 255 Drew St. Tickets start at $102 and are available at RuthEckerdHall.com or by calling (727) 791-7400.
Co-founder Gerald Casale told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay in an interview published Monday, Aug. 17, that the show is part of a multi-year farewell tour that still has years of road ahead. The band has not yet played South America, Spain, France, Italy, Austria, New Zealand, Australia or Japan.
"We go out and when we do our festivals or headline gigs, we look out in an audience and, OK, some of them are there because they were there in the beginning and they're still alive and with their kids, and then their kids' kids and we're seeing three generations of people, getting off on Devo," Casale said.
Younger fans discovered the band through YouTube and Vimeo, he said, and now mouth the words and dance at shows alongside original devotees who call themselves "The Beautiful Mutants" or "The Spuds."
The Clearwater date is a headlining gig. Before arriving at Coachman Park, Devo is opening for Billy Idol on eight to 10 dates, then co-headlining six shows with The B-52s. The current touring lineup includes Casale, Mark Mothersbaugh, Bob Mothersbaugh and Josh Hager, backed by a 14-man production crew running designed lighting and video backdrops.
Casale said he is also recording an album's worth of new solo material and has already released a protest song called "Just Do It" with an accompanying video.
The Aug. 27 show kicks off a packed fall at The BayCare Sound. Upcoming concerts include:
- Sept. 1 — Blues Traveler and Gin Blossoms with Spin Doctors
- Sept. 4 — 97X Next Big Thing Legends featuring Yellowcard
- Sept. 16 — Modest Mouse
- Sept. 19 — John Fogerty with Steve Winwood
- Sept. 25 — Rise Against with Alkaline Trio
- Oct. 10 — The Avett Brothers with The Secret Sisters
- Oct. 25 — Turnpike Troubadours
Tickets for all BayCare Sound shows are available at the Raymond James Central Ticket Office at Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 N. McMullen Booth Road, open Tuesday through Thursday noon to 6 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday noon to 6 p.m. The BayCare Sound ticket window opens two hours before showtime.
