Angine de Poitrine "cloned" in Russia by a band of impostors. Here's what happened

Being a masked band with a deliberately elusive identity has its advantages: a strong, mysterious image with real visual impact. But there's a flip side too: someone could pretend to be you. That's reportedly what's happening to Angine de Poitrine, the Québec math-rock duo known for their polka-dot costumes and eccentric performances, who broke through in 2026 with the album “Vol. II“, after going viral on social media. According to Exclaim!, a band has surfaced in Russia that replicates the Canadian group's aesthetic and concept almost identically. A video posted on Instagram on May 17 reportedly shows an alleged "bootleg" version of the band performing at a venue in Moscow.

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At first glance the disguise seems fairly accurate: same costumes, same visual imagery, and a resemblance close enough to fool even less attentive fans. But one key detail gives the impersonators away: the absence of the distinctive double-neck guitar that is one of Angine de Poitrine's trademarks. "The fake version of the band is already touring Russia, costumes and all," Sam Murdock, art director and collaborator of the original group, told Exclaim!. "They keep tagging the band on social media and don't even mention that it's not the real lineup." Murdock also pointed out that the phenomenon of imitators is growing increasingly widespread. "We're living in a strange time, where everyone's trying to cash in on the band's name. Right now there are about 1,500 counterfeit T-shirts online. I've had 700 taken down from TeePublic and Redbubble, but they keep popping back up."

It's unclear whether the Russian group is still actively performing or whether this was an isolated incident. Either way, Angine de Poitrine's growing popularity appears to have spawned a small ecosystem of imitators, from unauthorized merchandise to alleged copycat lineups.
Meanwhile, the real Angine de Poitrine are pressing on with their busy schedule of shows planned for 2026. In April the duo released their second album, “Vol. II“, which was well received by critics and included by several specialist outlets among the year's most interesting releases.

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