There's no denying that Devo was one of the greatest live bands to emerge from the "new wave era," as their quirky sense of humor translated perfectly to the stage, with a variety of props, costumes, and projection screens. For visual proof once and for all, all you have to do is check out the 2005 CD/DVD Dual Disc Live 1980. Recorded at a show at the Phoenix Theater in Petaluma, CA (just before "Whip It" and Freedom of Choice raced up the charts), this complete set, pro-shot performance features surprisingly strong sound and picture -- something that bootleg collectors will agree is becoming increasingly hard to find from the pre-MTV era. This is the Devo period right before they became perhaps a bit too obsessed with electronics (1982's Oh, No! It's Devo, 1984's Shout, etc.), as the quintet appears to be at its in-concert peak throughout. With only three albums of material to choose from at this point, there are quite a few tracks that will be of interest to hardcore fans: "S.I.B. (Swelling Itching Brain)," "Secret Agent Man," "Be Stiff." That said, all the pre-1981 Devo classics are here as well: "Whip It," "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," "Freedom of Choice," "Jocko Homo," "Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA." Out of the various live Devo DVDs out on the market, Live 1980 is by far the best yet. An essential purchase for both spuds and new wave revivalists. [The jewel case edition omits two songs from the CD portion of the original release, "Praying Hands" and "Shrivel Up."]