There’s something about “KISS & TELL,” “SATANIC PANIC,” AND “DOWNSIDE” that just tickles our fancy and makes us not only want, but need, to experience this era of this artist live.
IDKHOW is I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME, the edgy, pop-adjacent electronic rock band that is the sort of amalgamation of each corner of the brain’s creativity. And that brain is housed in the head of singer-songwriter-producer Dallon Weekes.
Weekes, the founder and frontman of IDKHOW, is also a multi-instrumentalist whose textured musicianship and independent nature allow him to mix and match sounds, styles, eras, and energy. It’s captivating to see and hear that there is something for everyone within the candid, from-the-heart artistry. Thus, millions of streams and millions of fans gravitating to the high quality songs that they can pick apart, sing along to, analyze existentially, travel through time and space alongside. IDKHOW, and particularly this year’s LP, GLOOM DIVISION, is a rollercoaster in the best way, so when The Aquarian heard that Dallon Weekes was bringing the second leg of his tour our way, we had to reunite with him for an updated conversation that is not glossy, but wholeheartedly shines.
We had The GLOOMTOUR Tour earlier this year. Now we have the iMPENDING GLOOM Tour. How will each run of shows differ from one another?
There have been a few songs that I’ve been saving for this run that have not been performed live yet, so I’m looking forward to that, and there are always a handful of mainstays that fans want to hear, so it becomes a combination of those and then as the tour progresses we will start switching out things from night to night to keep our wits sharp.
GLOOM DIVISION is one of the most inviting records we have heard in recent years. Each song tells a story and the thematic, organic nature of the tracks almost places an emphasis on the welcoming feeling the album gives off. There is something for everyone here and the layers within are somehow not overwhelming to peel back and listen to. Do you ever revisit the album –sit and listen to GLOOM DIVISION outside of preparing for tour? Do you, too, hear the funky diversity of the album and think, “Wow, me and my peers and my pals did that!”?
That’s so nice of you to say! I tried my best to make everything sound the way it does in my head. I was worried that it would be too much input for neurotypical folks. I don’t know if that’s the case, but I had a lovely time making it, and I’m incredibly grateful to the friends who lent a hand in putting it together.
The success that both your art and yourself has seen feels partially thanks to your online presence. You have built a fanbase seemingly all on your own, and your amazing streaming feats coincide with that. For you, in your perspective, how has the internet played a role in iDKHOW, and in turn, GLOOM DIVISION?
It’s a really great tool for staying connected to fans and letting them know what’s going on. I wish I were more disciplined at making content, because that’s what being a musician is now. I don’t want to complain about it, because I’m extremely grateful that there is an audience at all! But if you’re not mindful, it can become a distraction from making music, so finding a balance between ‘living online’ and just living is crucial.
There is a strong visual aspect to iDKHOW, and you had mentioned in the past being inspired by the work of The Sparks and how their soundtracks came to life both audibly and visually. Where are you doing inspiration from now, in this era of iDKHOW? And how is that translating to the stage?
I’ve been revisiting a lot of my favorite records and artists from my youth. A lot of Brit pop and art pop and geek rock from the late nineties/early 2000s. Visually, I’ve been following artists like Rafael Rozendaal and Julia Morganho, and watching a lot of video/film art from the forties & fifties like Len Lye.
You’re coming to Starland Ballroom in a couple of weeks and this New Jersey/New York City area is buzzing about it. Is there anything special about this Big Apple/Metropolitan Area that you love? Because everyone here loves you.
It’s always the fans that make any given show special. NYC audiences in particular have seen it all, so when they find you to be something worthy of their time, that’s an honor for me. I love the food of course (my second favorite thing about being alive). New York is great!
It has been five years since our last feature with you, Dallon. In that conversation, you said, “A lot of overnight success stories take about 10 years to happen.” The world is seeing that more than ever right now with stars like Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter hitting the mainstream after close to a decade of grinding in the industry. Do you feel like your journey, and the journey of different “overnight success stories,” should be categorized as such? Or should we be shifting that title and that narrative to one in line with all the years of hard work simply paying off?
It’s a romantic idea! And it’s one that people want to believe in, but we often forget that this whole thing is a lottery. The harder you work at it, the better your chances are, but you still need that winning ticket just like everyone else. I guess the point is to enjoy where you’re at, because even the worst day doing something you love is better than the best day doing something you hate. So, if you’re able to keep the lights on doing something you love, you already won. Anything beyond that is a bonus.
FOR ALL THINGS I DON’T KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME, VISIT THEIR WEBSITE! FOR TICKETS TO THE STARLAND BALLROOM TOUR DATE, CLICK HERE! FOR TICKETS TO THE FILLMORE PHILADELPHIA TOUR DATE, CLICK HERE!
