Documentary spotlight: Devo’s art, noise and “de-evolution” decoded

Before the mainstream caught up, Devo rolled out of Akron in the mid-’70s sounding like the future—rigid rhythms, jagged guitars, synths that sneered, and a conceptual framework that read like a sci‑fi thesis. Chris Smith’s new documentary digs into the band’s brainy creed of “de-evolution” without getting lost in academic weeds, pairing archival mayhem with a clear-eyed tour through their satire, DIY visuals and machine-funk innovation. It’s a reminder that Devo weren’t a gimmick; they were a fully formed idea set to an electric jolt.

If you want to level up from watchlist to live energy, the group is set to hit Budweiser Stage alongside the B‑52s on Sept. 24—a perfect double bill for anyone who loves their pop twisted, wired and danceable.

Game night: 2SLGBTQIA+ Board Games Extravaganza

Got five bucks and a thirst for tabletop fun? Roll up to CSI at 720 Bathurst St. this Saturday at 6 p.m. for a long-running board game meetup that’s as welcoming as it is lively. Whether you’re cracking open your first co‑op title or optimizing your engine-builder like a seasoned strategist, there’s space at the table. Allies are invited, too. Expect an easygoing vibe, plenty of chances to discover new favorites or revisit classics, and on-site food and drinks to keep your session going.

Streaming pick: Robert Altman’s centennial retrospective

One hundred years after his birth, Robert Altman’s filmography still feels like a sandbox few have fully explored. A curated slate celebrates his sprawling, overlapping, ever-inventive cinema, with heavy hitters like M*A*S*H, Nashville, 3 Women and Gosford Park leading the charge. If you’ve already ticked those off, try a “new game+” route through some gems that showcase Altman at his most audacious.

• McCabe & Mrs. Miller: A snow-dusted anti‑western that turns the frontier into a melancholy dream.
• The Player: A Hollywood satire that moves like a one‑take stealth mission—sharp, sly and stacked with cameos.
• Tanner ’88: A pioneering mockumentary miniseries trailing a hapless political campaign with such prescient bite that Altman later singled it out as his boldest work.

However you queue it up, this lineup is an ideal crash course in Altman’s ensemble juggling, ambient soundscapes and sly disenchantment—film grammar that many directors still try to mod.

On stage: The Pogues, louder than memory

Shane MacGowan’s passing in 2023 left a hole in Irish punk-poetry that can’t be patched, but the spirit of the Pogues endures through the crew that helped define that sound. Original 1982 members Jem Finer and Spider Stacy, joined by ‘80s bandmate James Fearnley, are hitting the road to mark 40 years of the 1985 landmark Rum, Sodomy & the Lash. Expect a set that pulls hard from that record, folds in the 1986 Poguetry in Motion EP—yes, that means A Rainy Night in Soho—and reaches back to the raw spark of 1984’s Red Roses for Me.

They bring the rattling tin whistle, breakneck strums and pint‑raised choruses to History (1663 Queen St. E.) on Wednesday night—an ideal venue for a band that thrives on sweat, sway and communal singalongs.