In the cozy artist venue Kilby Court, indie rock band Mamalarky entranced the crowd with their dreamy sound on Nov. 10, 2021. Opening up for the band Slow Pulp, they kicked off the night with a wide range of their releases. Under the strung lights and the trees, the laidback atmosphere perfectly matched the vocals of the lead singer, Livvy Bennett, and the amazing instrumentals with Noor Khan on bass, Dylan Hill on drums and Michael Hunter on keys.

Origin Story

Originally from Austin, Texas, three out of the four members grew up together, geeking out about making music in middle school and growing serious passions for their craft. First playing as a trio, Bennett, Hill and Hunter knew that performing was more than a hobby. Leaving Austin and moving out to LA, Bennett and Hunter met Khan and, with new talents in a bass player, the rest is history. 

I spoke with Bennett about the origins of their group and the evolution of their music. To Khan’s influence on the band and touring with their music, she said, “When we met Noor, we started playing as a trio and I think that’s when the band became more serious because she had a background in the music industry.”

The name Mamalarky, resembling a jumbling of different words put together, perfectly describes the band’s energy and their unique sound. Their journey from single “Nonmonogamy” in 2017, their first album “Mamalarky” in 2020, to now with the release of singles “Meadow” and “Moss,” the group has made their mark in the intricacies of balancing the mellow sounds with the upbeat rock.

“I think a lot of bands tend to create something in-box … which can definitely be helpful for you, but I think that we try to mix our influences in. We can goof around or be very serious … [but] our musicianship is the constant in the music that we built through our adolescence,” Bennett said.

“Meadow” and “Moss”

Hearing “Meadow” and “Moss” at Kilby Court — the songs exuded playful energy without necessarily having to be heavy on the rock tones. Writing and releasing these songs during the pandemic, Bennett reveals how self-reflective the singles are and how they’re about, “the feeling of being tied down during the pandemic and finding a way to feel connected to my surroundings and finding positivity in other things.” In short, simple appreciates to the little things in life.

Now being able to tour again, Bennett elaborates on how “fulfilling” the whole experience has been, being able to celebrate all the music they released during the height of COVID isolation. This was very apparent on stage when performing songs from the “Mamalarky” album — you couldn’t help but bop your head the entire time. Rock-inspired tracks, like “Schism Trek,” were complemented by the emotional lyrics, “How is it fair to love someone who’s never really there?” completely transporting you somewhere beyond this world.

I have a deep love for the single, “Nonmonogamy,” a song that wasn’t planned to be in the set, but was performed with the psychedelic-sounding guitar of my dreams. I couldn’t have wished for a more enriching experience, but that’s what happens when a group of musicians like Mamalarky is as down to earth as their music. 

Check out Mamalarky’s music and merch on their band website. Keep an eye out for more Kilby Court shows to come on their Instagram and website.

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