Fri 7/26-Sun 7/28
The spuds are back in town! The DEVOtional, devoted to the music, culture and philosophy of Akron band DEVO, returns to the Beachland Ballroom this week, where DEVO fans from around the country will converge for music, talks and conviviality.
On Fri 7/26 @ 7pm, three DEVO-inspired bands will perform in the Beachland Tavern: Los Angeles’ Jimmy Psycho, and Eric Nassau and Lt. Dance, both from Columbus. The show is free, although donations will be gratefully accepted.
The main event takes place the next day in the Beachland Ballroom, starting at 2pm ad continuing into the late evening. There will be music by performers from South Carolina, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Washington State, Finland, and even Akron, paying tribute to the ideas and sound, if not the exact music, of the legendary band. There’ll also be a film screening of a “behind the scenes” video by Rocky Schenck, a talk and Q&A by DEVO drummer David Kendrick, Delaney Jae of Futurismo Inc, which has reissued several DEVO albums, and Schenck, and the unveiling of the prototype of the Bob I (DEVO member Robert Mothersbaugh) cloud guitar. Tickets are $35.
On Sun 7/28, a recent addition to this (nearly) annual event takes place in Akron: the DEVO 5K walk/run. It starts in downtown Akron at Lock 3 at 9am. This comfortably paced amble aims to fill downtown Akron with DEVO music and hundreds of people in DEVO t-shirts. Bob 1 will fire the starter gun and greet people at the finish where there will be socializing and food trucks. It’s $30; register here.
Cleveland, OH 44110
Akron, OH 44308