DeVere:“Louder than everything else — and just getting started”
- JOSE CRESPO
- Apr 21
- 5 min read
There are bands you discover… and then there are bands that hit you head-on like a runaway freight train. DeVere belong firmly in the second category.
One of the undeniable highlights of Takedown Festival, the London-based outfit are not just riding the current wave of modern rock — they’re bending it back towards something more dangerous, more visceral, more real. The kind of band that doesn’t politely ask for your attention… they take it.
Formed by Sam Cassidy (vocals), Mike Wroe (guitar), Will Vaughan (bass) and George Love (drums), DeVere feels like a band where every piece matters — and where personality bleeds into sound.
Jose Crespo caught up with them just an hour before they stepped on stage — relaxed, sharp, and already buzzing with that quiet electricity that only really great live bands carry with them.
A BAND BUILT ON MOMENTUM
Takedown might mark the beginning of festival season, but for DeVere, the engine has never really stopped running.
“We are really excited, man… and ready to go! We did our first show of the year last week in Brixton, and that was awesome. So yeah, it’s just all picking up again,” tells us Sam Cassidy, setting the tone straight away.
That sense of constant motion is key to understanding DeVere. While many bands build their identity online, they’ve done it the old-fashioned way — through sweat, volume, and word of mouth.
“What we’ve really started to enjoy is the genuine word of mouth spreading — people going, ‘Have you seen DeVere? You have to see DeVere.’ That’s really great for us,” he continues, clearly proud of that organic rise.
And that reputation has already earned them a title that feels less like marketing and more like a warning:
“We’ve been told that numerous times… ‘the loudest band in London’ — so we just thought, alright, let’s own it.”
Ask them what to expect from their live show, and the answer comes instantly — no hesitation, no overthinking:
“Loud. Loud, loud, loud,” they fire back almost in unison, with Cassidy and Will Vaughan bouncing off each other.
Then Vaughan sharpens the idea further:
“An assault on the ears… and the eyes,” he says, half-smiling.
And that’s exactly what it is. DeVere don’t just play — they detonate. There’s swagger, there’s danger, and above all, there’s intent. Every movement feels deliberate, every note pushed just a little harder than necessary.
At the centre of that storm stands guitarist Mike Wroe — easily one of the most captivating players of the weekend. There’s something in the way he moves, the way he attacks the strings, that feels almost inherited — like Keith Richards, Eddie Van Halen and Mick Mars colliding in the same body, equal parts looseness and precision. A proper rock ‘n’ roll guitarist in the purest sense.
It’s not just performance — it’s impact.
FAMILIAR, BUT NEVER DERIVATIVE
Trying to pin down DeVere’s sound is part of the fun. When we throw in the comparison — Mötley Crüe and Guns N’ Roses colliding in a reckless late-night accident, with Keith Richards somewhere in the room — they don’t flinch.
In fact, they lean into it.
“Let’s face it… at some point that might have happened. It was the ‘80s,” Cassidy jokes, fully embracing the imagery.
But beyond the humour, there’s a clear awareness of what they’re building.
“We are inspired by our heroes… but we really want to make our own sound. Something where you go — ‘that’s DeVere,’” he explains.
Vaughan expands on that balance, adding a more technical layer:
“People hear the influences, but there’s also a metal edge to it — some of the riffs, the double bass… it gives it more weight.”
It’s that duality that defines them — instantly familiar, yet impossible to pin down.
“Sound like nobody else… but at the same time sound like everybody else,” Vaughan reflects, summing it up perfectly.
CONTROL, CHAOS… AND COMPLETE OWNERSHIP
One of the most interesting dynamics within the band is Vaughan’s dual role — not just as bassist, but as producer.
“I’m producing the album, mixing it — yeah, it’s all in-house,” he tells us, almost casually.
It’s a level of control that allows DeVere to stay completely true to their identity — and that identity is about to be fully realised.
“We’ve tracked drums already… got a really cool room sound. We’re tracking everything now — it’s going to sound good. And loud,” Vaughan adds.
But what really sets this upcoming record apart is how it’s been shaped:
“We toured last year and tested all these songs live… so we already know — these are headbangers, these work. Before we even record them, we know this album’s going to be awesome,” says Cassidy, with total conviction.
No guesswork. No filler. Just songs that have already survived the battlefield.
After a string of singles, the question was inevitable — when does the full-length arrive?
No hesitation:
“100% an album this year,” they confirm together.
Tracked this spring, road-tested in front of real crowds, and built with total creative control, it’s shaping up to be the moment where DeVere go from promising to undeniable.
And once it lands:
“That’s the plan — tour it, take it everywhere,” Cassidy tells us.
READY FOR THE WORLD
Despite being rooted in London, DeVere already have their eyes far beyond the UK.
“We’ve played Germany… but we can’t wait until South America finds out about us,” Cassidy says, almost impatient for that next step.
And interestingly, the data already backs that up.
“We found out we were getting played on radio in South America — even beating Ed Sheeran somewhere. We were like, ‘what?!’” George Love laughs.
It’s the kind of unpredictable, organic growth that can’t be manufactured — only earned.
"DeVere are no longer a band to watch — they’re a band to keep up with." Jose Crespo (The Riff Collective)
Beyond the riffs, the volume, and the image, there’s something else holding it all together — something a little more human.
“It’s built entirely out of love for the music… we love every part of this — even rehearsals.” — George Love
“When you’re on stage and there’s an audience in front of you… that feeling — it’s the best thing.” — says Cassidy. There’s no cynicism here. No calculation.
Just four people who grew up dreaming of this — and are now living it at full volume.
“None of us were ever going to be on a football team… so we all dreamed of being rock stars,” Cassidy adds with a laugh.
And that personality extends beyond the stage. George Love, behind the kit, is also a talented photographer; Sam Cassidy has stepped into television acting; and Mike Wroe, aside from being one of the most exciting guitarists around right now, is involved in other projects worth keeping an eye on — including Pink Juice and collaborations with Kid Bookie.
If Takedown proved anything, it’s this: DeVere are no longer a band to watch — they’re a band to keep up with.
Because when a group sounds this confident, this loud, and this unapologetically alive this early in their journey… the trajectory is only heading one way.
Up. Fast. And with the amps turned all the way to the edge.
Jose Crespo for The Riff Collective
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