A group of men and women in their mid-30s stand on stage with painted mustaches and classic attire. Although this is an unusual sight to some, it is normal habit for the fun up-and-coming Orange County band, The Devious Means. This band always keeps fans guessing during live performances, whether it be incorporating chains into their music, passing around shakers for audience members to use or throwing in a renovated version of Johnny Cash’s “Jackson.” There is never a dull moment at a Devious Means performance.
The Devious Means have come a long way from their first live show in 2010, when they debuted their catchy track “A New Sound” in a friend’s backyard. The captivating catchphrase of the song “whoa, whoa” left audience ears interested and wanting more. And the Meanies have definitely delivered more to their eager fans. Starting out at local venues, they have progressed to venues like the House of Blues, have an EP on iTunes titled The Devious Means and were nominated for an OC music award.
However, as a young boy, lead guitarist Christopher Faris never expected to have “Meanie” fans lining up to watch him and his bandmates perform indie rock.
“As a kid I basically thought I would be a fireman when I grew up, I never thought I would be doing any of the things I am doing now,” Faris said.
Being one of the main songwriters, along with band member Rachelle Anderson, Faris has gained much of his inspiration from his background in church.
“A church song or a worship song has to be something that is catchy and memorable that people can all sings along with. The whole point of church songs is that everyone is going to sing along,” Faris said. “The most important thing to me is does it make me tap my feet. I have to want to bounce when I hear it.”
The original songs of The Devious Means leave audience members on their feet singing, dancing, clapping and even shouting at every show. There is no doubt that this band knows how to entertain a crowd. The drummer is practically on his feet with every bang on his drum, shouting antics in between each song lyric. In addition, two members of the band are brothers, which brings some interesting chemistry to the stage. Fans of bands like The Ting Tings and MGMT will find something to appreciate in this style of music.
Even though the band was initially created with intentions of playing with friends and a fun hobby, there is something different about The Devious Means that sets them apart from other local indie bands.
“What separates our band from other local bands is that we engage our audience very well, we tend to have a very energetic live show that encourages participation and we tend to be more upbeat,” Faris said. “I think these are the things that stick out for us. It is not unusual to have people dancing with excitement at out concerts.”
The excitement is not over for these devious musicians. They recently released a new EP at the House of Blues. The EP is titled Songs We Are All Singing and includes six different tracks. In addition, The Devious Means will be playing at APU on April 27.