AKRON, Ohio — Editor's note: Video in the player above was originally published on March 2, 2021.
Get ready to rock, Akron! Thursday is officially “DEVO Day” in the city.
Mayor Dan Horrigan has issued a proclamation declaring April 1 in honor of the Akron-based band with the hope of generating fan votes to help push for their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame later this year. As of 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, DEVO currently holds 8th place in the fan vote.
“The City of Akron has an unbelievable sense of pride, especially when it involves the success of our people,” Mayor Horrigan said Wednesday. “We are, and will continue to be, immensely proud to be the home of DEVO and will be rallying this great community to help them achieve the recognition they deserve.”
During the month-long promotion, 50 ‘Energy Dome’ tire sculptures inspired by DEVO’s iconic red hats will “mysteriously appear throughout Akron.”
Each will include a sign featuring QR codes that will take fans to the site where they can vote.
Life-size cutouts of the band will be placed in the downtown Akron corridor along with a storefront window interactive experience at The Bowery with a DEVOtional video featuring Mayor Horrigan, Jack Black, Fred Armisen and Tony Hawk. Fans are asked to show their support using #DEVOTE on social media.
“DEVO is of course one of my favorite bands,” said former Akron resident Patrick Carney of the Black Keys. “It was a huge thing for me as a teenager to know a band from Akron as cool and weird could strike a chord (no pun intended) that resonated so massively around the world.”
DEVO was formed in Akron back in 1973. The band is among 16 nominees being considered for induction into the Rock Hall in 2021. The band has been nominated once before in 2019.
You can cast a ballot in the 2021 Rock Hall fan vote through April 30 HERE. Those selected for induction will be revealed in May. The ceremony is scheduled for Oct. 30 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in downtown Cleveland.
Editor's note: The video above was originally published on Feb. 10, 2021.