The Wow Wows to headline triple pack of bands at IPA

By Ben Olson
Reader Staff

There’s an old adage that goes something like, “If you’re going to be a bear, be a grizzly.” A musical equivalent of that statement would be, “If you’re going to play rock music, play it loud and have a blast.” For The Wow Wows’ frontman Hunter Jones, that about sums things up.

The four-piece psych rock band from Coeur d’Alene will headline a free show at Idaho Pour Authority on Friday, April 18, along with opening acts Gold Tooth and Kingdom of Gravity. Openers start at 6 p.m. and The Wow Wows begin at 8 p.m. 

The Wow Wows bring the ruckus. Since its early days playing in Sandpoint, the band has blurred the line between rock, psych rock, punk and a few other genres that catch Jones’ eye during songwriting sessions. It’s from those muddy waters of rock music that Jones hopes a cohesive North Idaho sound will someday emerge.

The Wow Wows will play IPA on April 18. Courtesy photo

“It’s really hard to make music that’s not influenced by other artists and other bands,” Jones told the Reader. “Something that’s important to me is there’s not a whole lot of defined Idaho sound. … I try to pull inspiration as much as I can from things that aren’t musical, like nature, going to the river, walking around in the woods. I want to capture those feelings and those kinds of emotions I get. Like, how do those sound?”

Alongside Sage Guerber on drums, Dyllan Darrington on bass/vocals and Adam Watson on keyboard, Jones’ songs feature a dynamic overdriven electric guitar and surf-rock vibes on the vocals to give the listener something unique, hard-hitting and special compared to a lot of musical output in the region. It’s a style of music that continues to be difficult for Jones to define — as well as for his mother.

“My mom hates it when she has to describe what we sound like to our friends,” he said. “She doesn’t like the term ‘psych rock’ because it makes her think of LSD or something, so she called it ‘vivid rock ’n’ roll’ because it’s colorful and has a lot of emotions.”

It’s also difficult to encapsulate The Wow Wows’ sound into a single genre, because there are elements of many styles at work behind the scenes. Atop the surf rock inflection and psych rock sensations, there is a punk undercurrent that holds water for the anti-establishment, yet harmonious and beautiful mentality in Jones’ music.

“We were all in punk bands when we were kids,” he said. “I love punk music, but I don’t want to be 40 years old and still singing about how I hate my parents and that I’m frustrated and angry. I never wanted to be pigeonholed into a punk sound.”

Along with playing live in The Wow Wows and a handful of other bands, Jones also records albums for local groups in his home studio. He plans to release a new single titled “Give it Time” that will be the first drop since The Wow Wows’ debut album River Dolphin in 2016.

“It’s very empowering to be able to control your own universe when recording music,” Jones said. “When we’re playing live, it’s the opposite. It’s more fun because you don’t have control. You can practice over and over again and you still can’t control what happens at a live show. That’s what I find beautiful. … The last two years, I’ve considered our live shows 90% performance art and 10% music. I’m all about making it fun and making every show a new experience.”

Opening for The Wow Wows will be Gold Tooth, a duo featuring Sandpoint songwriter and luthier Vance Bergeson and drummer Ali Thomas. Bergeson’s songs have a North Idaho edge and beauty to them that help them stand out, earning him respect from many in the Sandpoint music scene over the past two decades. Gold Tooth starts at 6 p.m., followed by Kingdom of Gravity, a newer two-piece hailing from Coeur d’Alene at 7 p.m. playing under the “future rock” and “synth rock” umbrella.