RUBBER CITY REBELS MOTOR THRU MIDWEST WITHOUT A SPARE

Halloween's just not what it used to be, not like it was my day' nohow. And how 'bout Akron-extracted rock groups? How have they survived the nation's brash U-turn into the tight-lipped 80's? Well, 'Que sera, sera,' as fellow Akron rocker Rachel Sweet put it, when she got her first period.

Just a couple years back, when the hyper-Akronian Devo ;came through Cincinnati on their inaugural tour, on Beggar's Night-minus-two-and-counting, both Devo and their relentless fans graced the city with those trademark vinyl jumpsuits, in honor of the joyously spooky season. Now I admit that dressing Up like Devo (even when you already are the real Devo) is about as terminally dumbbell as cheering on Mr. Bill's weekly dismemberment, but on the other hand, when the alternative's the usual Great Midwestern 'sackcloth and jeans' (in Bangs' famous phrase), then yellow vinyl works just fine.