At 6:30 pm on April 13th, 2024, the doors of Delmar Hall in St. Louis opened their doors to a crowd eagerly awaiting to attend I Don’t Know How But They Found Me’s sold-out show. iDKHow has been a well-received band in St. Louis since their debut in 2016. They’ve held many shows around St. Louis which have gathered large crowds. Even while waiting, fans of the band were still wandering through the line to check and see if anyone had a spare ticket.
As fans filed into the venue, they met with others who were able to grab tickets to the VIP experience. During VIP, they were able to take pictures with the Dallequin (a mannequin that looks just like Dallon Weekes), see the band’s soundcheck with a Q&A afterward, and were given other commemorative items. Those who had early access to the venue and got to the barricade said that this was the best VIP experience they’d ever had. Before adding VIP to the tour, Dallon Weekes (Lead singer and Bassist) was wary of having VIP, hoping to make it worthwhile. But according to the fans, this was a great success.
Opening up the show was the band Benches. The group consists of Anson Kelley (vocals/guitar), Ethan Bowers (drums), Evan Ojeda (lead guitar), and Charlie Baird (bass). When the venue’s lights went down, signaling the band’s entrance, cheers erupted from the crowd. Though it can be nerve-wracking to be an opening band, even iDKHow has a song about it, they were met with excitement and passionate singers. Their setlist was short with songs like "Monodrama" and "Common Sense", as well as one unreleased song, but the crowd grew with energy, enjoying the atmospheric music, the kind to be enjoyed on a late night with friends.
After a quick set change, iDKHow finally took the stage. After some unfortunate events, the band’s members have changed significantly. The act now consists of Dallon Weekes (lead vocals, bass, guitar, synthesizers, piano, production), and touring member(s) Anthony Purpura (guitar, keyboards, backing vocals since 2012), Isaac Paul (guitar, keyboards, backing vocals since 2023), and Ronnir Strauss (drums, percussion, and backing vocals since 2023). At one point, Weekes even joked that some might be confused by the band’s sudden multiplication of members. As the fan’s front page boy finally arrived, the band began with “SPKOTHDVL” off their new album GLOOM DIVISION. Because the album has been out since February 23rd, fans have had more than enough time to study up on lyrics. Proving their knowledge, the crowd erupted into a sing-a-long with the band. And even though new members were added at the start of this tour, their energy perfectly matched Weekes and Purpura. Oftentimes, Paul would be playing guitar while dancing around the stage. Of course, a perfected set is always expected, but their sound was fuller, ready to scratch that musical itch we all have for good, live music.
Attendees of this event even got a switch up in the setlist. “INFATUATION” (Weeke’s favorite record off Gloom Division), which is usually played 8th, was switched around with SIXFT. Though Weekes apologized for the switch, engaging in a conversation about neurodivergence, fans were thrilled, unaffected by the change. However, if you don’t check setlist.fm obsessively like me, you probably wouldn’t have even noticed if the mistake wasn’t mentioned. Additionally, one of my favorite things about iDK How shows is how interactive they are. During “A Letter” the crowd is given a harmony to sing and in “Visitation of the Ghost” Weekes splits the crowd to walk through. If I know one thing, fans will never leave an iDK How concert without one memorable experience. It’s not only a pleasure to be a music fan but also fulfilling to feel as though the band you're seeing wants you to be just as involved as they are in the music.
The energy never dropped off either, it kept going up and up, especially during their song “SUNNYSIDE” and their hit song “Choke”. This excitement carried through the intermission between the main set and encore. As they ended with “Nobody Likes the Opening Band” off Razzmatazz and “Boring” by the Brobecks, fans waved goodbye to the band, trying to ride the high of live music as long as they could. If I said I wasn’t already a fan of iDK How, I would be lying. Their unique and spellbinding vibe is enough to make you a fan forever. However, It can be especially terrifying to enter a new era of music with a band and see how they might change. But as a long-time fan, their music has only evolved for the better. Even if you’ve only heard of the band just now, I couldn’t recommend seeing them more. For years, their vision has been clear and Weekes shows just how talented and creative he is. If you love interactive shows and songs that will allow you to let loose, this is the right concert for you.
All photos of I Don't Know How But They Found Me and Benches were taken by Nicole Brunette.
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