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Live Review: Reptaliens at The Masquerade 4/13/22

I’ve been focusing more on my social media presence with my writing. I expanded to posting on Instagram in the last few months. I’ve mainly been posting the official Bonnaroo Artist of the Day series I curate, however most things on my Instagram are music-related. Out of nowhere, I was followed by the Portland-based band Reptaliens. I was flattered that a band I listened to actually followed me, so I decided to catch their show at Masquerade this past Wednesday.

Reptaliens is an indie rock outfit formed by the husband and wife duo of Bambi and Cole Browning. The name stems from their interests in cult mentality, transhumanism, and conspiracy theories. Originally a bedroom project by vocalist/bassist Bambi and keyboardist/guitarist Cole, the full band came together when guitarist Julian Kowalski and drummer Tyler Verigin joined. They got signed to Captured Tracks where they released their debut album FM-2030 which has a lo-fi aura. Reptaliens then toured for two years with the likes of STRFKR, Cults, and Of Montreal before releasing their second album, Valis. The latest release is 2022’s Multiverse which features Bambi and Cole as the only players, focusing more on instrumentation with the same flare of the previous Reptaliens albums.

The Reptaliens show at Masquerade was one of the best openers that I have seen in my years of shows. I had heard that the band utilizes props and theatrics to craft an immersive experience to push past the music. They did not disappoint with their Atlanta show as they started with a fog machine and trippy intro dialogue that created an eerie vibe for the night. Then a dancer appeared onstage to add a fun visual element who kept changing outfits to better match songs in the set, from wearing a full dog outfit to a mystical light-up cloak. These are just the extra elements outside of Reptaliens’ smooth sound that paired well with the lovely vocals of Bambi. They tend to blend a little psychedelic rock in their sound which went over very well with the Atlanta natives. Overall, the band puts on a very well-rounded performance that is a true treat to any audience.

As Reptaliens just started their tour with Hot Flash Heat Wave, catch them at one of their many tour stops if you can. They are a band not worth sleeping on.

Check out the band's latest album Multiverse!

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