On Thursday, February 24th, visitors to Bellingham’s Boundary Bay taproom were abducted by alien lifeforms and beamed into an alternate reality — one where humanoid poodles, cosmic visuals, and dreamy psychedelic sounds are the status quo. Amongst an intimate crowd of mesmerized onlookers, Memphis-based futurist rock group Spaceface, alongside the conspiracy-centric, experimental expressionists Reptaliens, delivered an interactive, intergalactic, out-of-this-world experience unlikely to be forgotten.
The night opened with Seattle-based quartet The Groovy Nobody, headed by Sam Larson. Backed by guitarist Chris Clare, drummer Caity Jo, and bassist Cameron Cogle, the group laid the foundation for the night’s direction — catchy basslines reminiscent of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard and echoey vocals courtesy of Larson fit together seamlessly, a gentle introduction of what was to come. Stunning lighting courtesy of Kristin Nelson and live mixing done by sound engineer Roland Olayvar added another layer of mysticism to the night’s overall energy.
The transition between acts was in itself an otherworldly spectacle. As Reptaliens began to tune up, a masked man dressed in what could only be described as a space cowboy wielding airplane navigation lights stood centerstage, moving his arms in a perfected routine as a deep voiceover played behind him, welcoming the crowd to the show. Frontwoman Bambi Browning carried the performance with lulling vocals, flanked by her husband Cole, guitarist Julian Kowalski, and drummer Tyler Vergian. Throughout the performance, the masked cowboy (who was later identified by Kowalski as ‘KC’), donned several costumes, including a realistic poodle mask for the performance of “Like a Dog,” a recent song off of Reptaliens’ 2022 album, Multiverse. KC’s interaction with the crowd combined with Bambi’s effortlessly cool onstage vibe carried the performance for nearly forty-five minutes of audiovisual bliss.
Wrapping up the evening was the long-awaited Spaceface performance. Though it was late, and a good bit of the crowd had turned in early, frontman Jake Ingalls wasn’t about to give in. Instead, he took to the stage barefoot and dressed in a star-dotted button-up shirt to deliver the performance of a lifetime. From chatting with audience members to playing a song specifically off an album loved by The Groovy Nobody’s Chris Clare, Ingalls spent each and every moment interacting with the crowd in a way that not only captivated our attention but also made us feel like an integral part of the performance as a whole.
At one point, Ingalls brought out a large rainbow tarp often used in elementary P.E. classes. Directing the crowd to form a large circle, he called out various statements over the continuing music, courtesy of his five bandmates, as members flew, danced, and skipped across the room if they’d had a Peruvian Bearfucker before or were a regular at the Boundary Bay taproom. The high energy produced by the room then transitioned into a slower, calmer atmosphere as keyboardist Katie Pierce took center stage, performing a song written by another one of the band members. And though Ingalls captivated the most attention, many of the songs were sung by guitarist Eric Martin, whose vocals carried the room from one planet to another.
The performance ended just short of midnight, with Ingalls stating, “Now we just hang out with each other!” before descending from the stage. As we filed out of the taproom, soaking in the visual masterpiece that just unfolded before our very eyes, we found it impossible not to share our favorite parts of the evening. From KC’s costumes to Sam Larson’s vocals and Jake Ingall’s commanding presence, it was certainly a show we’ll never forget.