Watch Devo - Live: Butch Devo and the Sundance Gig

Devo - Live: Butch Devo and the Sundance Gig is a concert film chronicling the band Devo's performance at the Sundance Film Festival in 1996. Known for their unique blend of rock, punk, and new wave, Devo had already established themselves as influential musicians by the time of this concert. This particular performance is notable not only for its high-energy music and theatrical stage show, but also for its timely and subversive political commentary.

The concert film opens with a shot of the Sundance Film Festival sign, establishing the setting of the performance. The film then cuts to a black-and-white montage of archival footage and news clippings that provide context for the band's satirical and political lyrics. This montage includes images of political figures such as Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, as well as clips from popular media like The Brady Bunch and Leave It to Beaver. The inclusion of these seemingly innocent pop culture artifacts alongside images of war and protest subtly underscores Devo's thesis that American culture is inherently oppressive and in need of critique.

The concert itself is a raucous affair, with the band dressed in their trademark yellow hazmat suits augmented with cowboy hats and holsters in a nod to the festival's Western theme. The opening song, "Whip It," is arguably Devo's most recognizable tune, and sets the tone for the rest of the performance. Its halting, robotic rhythm and catchy chorus gets the crowd moving, and sets up the rest of the show's quirky setlist.

Interspersed throughout the music are a variety of multimedia elements, including video projections and animations. These elements complement and add depth to the themes explored in Devo's music, and help to visually emphasize certain lyrics or ideas. For example, during "Beautiful World," the band's lyrics decrying the banality and emptiness of American society, video footage of a man watching TV and eating fast food is projected behind the band. This visual component underscores the song's commentary on the passive and sedentary nature of American culture.

One of the most memorable moments of the concert comes during the song "Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA," in which a man in a lab coat appears onstage and begins conducting a fake science experiment involving a large brain. The exaggerated and absurd nature of this skit is typical of Devo's humor, and highlights their penchant for satire and absurdism. The performance of this song also showcases the band's virtuosic musical abilities, with intricate drum and guitar parts that demonstrate the tightness of their musical ensemble.

Throughout the concert, the band's political commentary is on full display. Many of their songs critique the oppressive nature of American society, and skewer politicians and other authority figures. For example, during the song "Mongoloid," lyrics such as "He was a mongoloid, a mongoloid / Happier than you and me" are sung over images of people with Down Syndrome. This juxtaposition suggests that those who are often marginalized and excluded from society may in fact be happier and more fulfilled than those who conform to societal norms.

Towards the end of the concert, the band performs "Freedom of Choice," a song that critiques the notion of free will in a capitalist society. The energetic and upbeat tempo of the song belies the darker themes explored in its lyrics, which suggest that choice is illusory and consumerism only leads to conformity. The performance of this song is a fitting closer for the concert, as it summarizes many of Devo's core themes and beliefs.

Overall, Devo - Live: Butch Devo and the Sundance Gig is a captivating and thought-provoking concert film. The band's energy and charisma are on full display, and their subversive commentary on American culture remains as relevant today as it was when they first emerged onto the music scene. Fans of Devo, punk rock, or politically charged music in general will find much to appreciate in this film. However, even those who are less familiar with Devo's music will find themselves drawn in by the energy and spectacle of their live performance.