Reptaliens really do rule the Earth.

Some of us probably DO feel like the lizard elite run everything, or at the very least, the Cheeto elite do. After the way the last few weeks have gone that seems more like an actual fact than an alternative one. But when it comes to who has taken hold of our local music scene, there are a few names we just can't get out of our heads. One of them is Reptaliens.

Led by the lovely union of Cole and Bambi Browning (Sculpture Gardens, Wampire, Brainstorm), Reptaliens has included members from other talented acts like Fog Father, Cat Hoch Band and Lola Buzzkill over their course of their band-dom, but a constant enjoyment can always be found in their songs. A twee-like innocence presents itself amid the lo-fi instrumentation and angelically comforting vocals from Bambi, allowing their songs to easily sway from flirty bedroom pop songs to surrealistic dream daze productions.

As of right now, Reptaliens are scheduled to play their next show March 3rd with Skull Diver and King Black Acid at Mississippi Studios. Until then, congratulate Reptaliens for being your favorite Indie Pop act of 2016!

 *poster by Jodie Beechem

How could this show not be on our radar? Lose Yr Mind Fest has killed it with this witchy presention of bands, with the theme being that of one of everyone's favorite Halloween movies, Hocus Pocus. HoPo, or the Halloween Hocus Pocus Party will see the Liquor Store transform into its own Salem, Mass., with Cat Hoch, Fog Father and Wampire serving as our harmonious Sanderson Sisters.

As to which band correlates to Sarah, Winnie and Mary? That's up to you, but Fog Father will be releasing a single this night as well, making the whole thing even more fun. 

To boot, Hocus Pocus will be playing on a projection screen behind the bands as they play and there will be a late night dance party following the sets. If you wear a costume, you'll be entered to win some prizes! 

HoPo is 21+, $10 and a good mix of traditional Halloween celebrating (there will be candy, too!) and the way Portland celebrates - with music.

When former members of BRAINSTORM, Wampire and Blouse creatively combine with parts of Fog Father, you get an indelibly lo-fi, twee, garage pop-like sound à la a cocktail of Cults, Beach House and Ariel Pink that is impossible not to lovingly drink up. That cocktail comes by the name of Portland group Reptaliens, and they're taking their delicious sounds on a musical ride down the West Coast.

Reptaliens as a group may be newer, but its members are vets in the Portland music scene that know their way around a tour or two. This upcoming week-long excursion will find them starting out with their tour kickoff as part of XRAY.fm's benefit show and making their way down to the sunny skies of Los Angeles for a few shows, before stopping in Eugene on their way back up to Portland.

Check out Reptalien's tour dates below and be sure to see them off properly at Dig A Pony!

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8/22 (XRAY.fm Benefit/Tour Kickoff) @ Dig A Pony w/ Lola Buzzkill, Psychomagic, SECRET HEADLINER TBA

8/25 @ Fort Funston (San Fransisco, CA)

8/26 @ The EggTooth (Oakland, CA) w/ The Classical, Golden Drugs

8/27 @ Ham & Eggs (Los Angeles, CA) w/ Susan, Tacoma Night Terror

8/28 @ Gnar Burger (Los Angeles, CA)

8/29 @ Hyperion (Los Angeles, CA) w/ Water Slice, Mikey Kampmann

8/30 @ Luckey's (Eugene, OR) w/ Surfs Drugs, VCR

At some point or another, it's likely you've been asked if you're "DTF" or not. Usually, the acronym would imply you're down for some, let's say, "sensual relations," but here in Portland in references a different sort of gathering. December to Forget is our giant "F U" to this month of lame weather, ugly sweaters and gifts you didn't ask for. The last December to Forget, hosted by Party Boyz in 2013, got quite crazy. The ladies of Party Boyz are hoping for the same this year.

December to Forget will be held at the Liquor Store this Saturday, December 12th. Sets at the show include breakout band Moon By You, our beloved Wampire and San Francisco's Everyone Is Dirty. Tickets are $5 and the show starts at 9pm, so come prepared to get messed up with the best of us!

DTF is also doubling as a canned food drive, so if you bring a can of shelf stable food with you, you'll get $1 off your ticket! All the food is being donated to the Oregon Food Bank to benefit those less fortunate this holiday season, so nutrient dense foods are highly needed (think vegetables, soups, etc.)!

-Cervante Pope

 I had a bit of a late start today. I slept through three alarms, and when I finally did wake up, I felt like I had cement running through my veins. Sore, hungover, out of it. It was well past noon and I had wanted, or planned, already to be caffeinated, at a show, and to have had my day 1 recap written; not to be standing over a stove reheating the chicken over rice with white sauce I’d impulsively gotten at 4am. Sonofabitch. I shot over (and by shot, I very much mean moseyed) to Cake Shop for the Terrorbird showcase. Clearly it had been underway a good amount. Between eating godawful leftovers, writing up yesterday’s happenings, crawling into a shower and then crawling to the coffee shop, it was something like 4pm! It’s a terrible feeling when it’s the first time you’re stepping outside for the day, and you can see that the sun’s already starting to go down. Keep Reading JP Basileo's CMJ 2014 Day 2 report.