Something for Everybody

There are not many bands around that can unite a crowd as diverse as the one that Devo played to at the annual Gay Pride Festival in Balboa Park. While these old new-wavers have been shaking things up this year with a new album that’s wowing hordes of young concertgoers, it was the older fans who really got their money's worth from this performance.

The setting sun made it difficult for many fans to see the elaborate video backdrop that accompanied the set, but the boys put on enough of a show that such enhancements were unnecessary. These 60-somethings exude more energy on stage than most emerging bands, switching off on vocal duties and bouncing around as if it's still 1979. Never slowing down for a moment (except for several costume changes, while the LEDs entertained us), Devo ripped through a solid, 18-song set of mostly classic crowd-pleasers, showing off just a few of the more upbeat tracks from their new record, Something for Everybody.

After an hour-and-a-half whippin', the show ended bizarrely, with Booji Boy (a freakishly costumed Mark Mothersbaugh) ranting about Michael Jackson. A surreal and fitting ending to a magical weekend.

• Concert: Devo
• Date: July 18
• Venue: San Diego Pride Festival, Balboa Park
• Seats: Standing stage left, about ten feet out