Few bands have left as strange and lasting a cultural mark as DEVO, the Ohio-born art-rock collective who turned satire into spectacle and helped usher in the New Wave era. Now their story is being told in DEVO, a new feature documentary from acclaimed filmmaker Chris Smith (Wham!, Fyre, Jim & Andy), streaming globally as a Netflix Original.

Premiering to rave reviews at Sundance and the Calgary Underground Film Festival in 2024, the film is equal parts pop history and audiovisual carnival. Through never-before-seen archival footage and candid interviews with Mark Mothersbaugh, Bob Mothersbaugh, and Gerald Casale, Smith explores the band’s origins as art students shaped by the 1970 Kent State massacre, when their concept of “De-Evolution” shifted from satire to urgent commentary.

From lo-fi experiments and radical performance art to becoming pioneers of the music video in MTV’s infancy, DEVO’s half-century career is charted with humour, irony, and eye-popping surrealism.

Accompanying the film is Energy Dome Frequencies: Songs From The DEVO Documentary, a companion soundtrack out Oct. 31 on LP and CD. Featuring classics like “Girl U Want,” “Uncontrollable Urge,” and their platinum smash “Whip It,” the release captures the full arc of their singular sound.

And for fans who want more, DEVO is hitting the road this fall alongside fellow New Wave icons The B-52’s for the “Cosmic De-Evolution Tour.” Kicking off September 24 in Toronto, the 12-date run doubles as a victory lap and a farewell.

Whether you’re rediscovering DEVO or encountering them for the first time, Smith’s film captures the band’s uncanny ability to blend absurdity with insight. Half a century on, their vision of “De-Evolution” feels less like a gimmick and more like prophecy, making DEVO both a time capsule and a sharp reflection of our own cultural moment.