BRAIDWOOD’S BANGIN’ VENUE

Bringing Badass to Braidwood

by Allan Sko

It’s the stuff of a charming, award-winning little indie-film-thatcould; the tale of a mixed heritage husband and wife starting up a restaurant/bar/live music venue in their sleepy-yet-charming home town of Braidwood. Their hopes and dreams of combining homestyle Himalayan cooking with a vibrant music venue is initially met by some locals with befuddlement, before eventually winning over hearts and minds.

Except this isn’t a film, but an actuality playing out about an hour away from Canberra. And even more charmingly, it’s run by two Karunas ; Karuna Bajracharya (pictured far right in splendid pink baseball cap) and Karuna Gurung. “We’re of Nepali, Bhutanese and Aussie heritage,” boy Bajracharya says. “We’ve both grown up in the region spending our formative years in Braidwood and Canberra, and are really passionate about sharing our culture in a regional Australian town setting. “Sharing the same first name can be confusing at times; we’re commonly called by our initials KB and KG; easy to remember as Karuna Boy and Karuna Girl.” Sharing culture through food is always a winner, and the pair have whipped up something special to make Smokey Horse stand out on any culinary map. “We serve homestyle cooking, all made using family recipes from Nepal and Nagaland in Northeast India - home of the hottest chillies in the world!” KB declares.

KB’s passion for food is matched by his prowess as a muso, with a long and colourful musical background, playing in Canberra Unearthed band the Bumblebeez, being an MC and producer in his own right, as well as stamping himself as a stalwart of the local drum ‘n’ bass scene. KG has a real job at the ABS but is also an avid DJ/ selecta, writer, and entrepreneur. “We’re big supporters of original live music especially,” KB enthuses. And they’ve put their money - both literal and metaphorical - where their mouth is, boasting a brimming live calendar over their near three-year (minus Covid shutdown) history. “We’ve hosted numerous gigs during our first few years of operation including well established acts like Michael Simic of Mikelangelo and the Deep Sea Gentlemen, Christa Hughes of Machine Gun Felatio, Rufino and the Coconuts, On The Stoop, Headz Are Rolling, Cathy Diver, MC Context, and many more,” KB beams. “We’ve hosted numerous fundraisers, partnering with Girls Rock Canberra twice, where the funds were used to sponsor local Braidwood girls attending their rock camp, and also raising $3000 for our local RFS brigades during last year’s bushfires.” The suck that was/is Covid rudely shut the doors only a year into operation - a terrible occurrence that is only amplified for any fledgling business. But the couple didn’t slow down. “We took advantage of this closure,” KB explains, “making significant venue upgrades, soundproofing, as well as installing new equipment, a ME&U digital ordering platform, and expanded outdoor seating to accommodate social distancing. “We also had time to apply for multiple funding grants to bolster our ability to host live music events, and were successful in three out of three applications, including the biggest application from Live Music Australia where we were awarded a total of $26,000, which broke down into $20,000 in artist fees for original live music and $6000 for venue upgrades. It was a massive coup!” Smokey Horse have staged three gigs so far under said Live Music Australia funding, hosting Canberra, local and regional acts like Cathy Diver, Paint Store, Lily Morris, and Blue Mountains outfit Earprojector. And there’s plenty more planned for the year ahead. “We’re aiming to host 15-20 gigs over 2021 with up to three artists per gig, giving both emerging and established performers, from a wide variety of genres, opportunities to perform,” KB states. “Live streaming upgrades will now allow us to share high quality video and audio online during shows. We also have the capacity to do multitrack audio/video recordings for post production and later release, also.” It’s more than fair for KB and KG to be proud of their many fine achievements thus far.

“Looking back over our first two years of operation, we realised how much we’ve accomplished and why we ticked so many boxes in our applications,” Karuna reflects. “We’d hosted dozens of live music shows, cabaret drag nights, DJ events, fundraisers, indigenous events, as well as partnering with a raft of Not For Profit organisations, building a reputation as a viable, inclusive and well organised live music venue/restaurant/bar as part of a growing regional touring circuit.” As you would expect from such plucky folk, the libation-slinging legends are not laying on their laurels. “We are really excited about using this funding to bring high quality acts to Braidwood and really put us on the regional touring map. We are also really stoked about being able to support musicians and the arts industry during what has been a difficult year.” So get out to 183 Wallace Street, Braidwood to revel in Smokey Horse’s wares. Upcoming gigs include Hey Neighbour (8 May), Brass Knuckle Brass Band (29 May), The Strides (13 June), all of which start from 5pm, and are free!

THE DROP

[THE WORD ON EDM/DANCE MUSIC] WITH ALLAN SKO

How Do You Do, Fellow Kids? Hello all. Bossman Allan Sko here, seizing the mantle of The Drop column for the first time in some 15 years. Big thanks to Niamh McCool for keeping the light on, and injecting some youthful vigour into proceedings over the past stretch. And while the column may muffin-top its way out of my proverbial rave pants these days, I still know how to entertain and inform those soldiers of the fleet-of-foot and wide-of-pupil variety. I’m with it. I’m hip. Duka-duka duka-duka duka-duka duka-duka... HAWWWWW* So let’s kick off with some tune recommendations before sliding headlong into the giddy thrill of EDM ‘n’ dance happenings around the Nation’s Capital.

Whether you’re a longstanding drum ‘n’ bass head, or are simply ‘bass-curious, I could not recommend Noisia’s Vision Radio series enough. Recently rebranded from Noisia Radio after a staggering number of shows, Vision Radio (named after the trio’s label) is a weekly podcast/YouTube hour-ish mix of the latest and greatest (as well as some beloved classics) that the genre, and surrounding genres, has to offer. So if the likes of Upbeats, Sleepnet, Noisia themselves, Amon Tobin, Ivy Lab, Mefjus, Phace tickle you, or you simply wonder what it’s all about, get involved. By now, The Chemical Brothers’ latest tune The Darkness That You Fear would have been out for a bit. The track title may lead one to believe a moody, imposing number awaits, but instead it is a joyously uplifting track regarding colours and love and dispelling said fear, which my own brother described as “a thoroughly Chemical Brothers Chemical Brothers track”. I would add that it harbours lick of Boards of Canada in the undulating synthy opening bars, with a flash of peak-period Lemon Jelly for the enjoyable drop. It is also worth noting, in a genre forever buffeting about in the winds of fashion and technological advancements, within a concept as ever-changing as music, The Chemmies have creatively evolved whilst retaining both their core sound, and their fanbase; over a span of 25 years no less. Kudos, messrs Rowland and Simons; you truly are glittering ornaments of the industry. On the events tip, exciting news. Canberra’s newest name in pop & electronic music promo, ACT5413, have their launch night coming up at Live at the Polo on Friday, 28 May ($1o, 7pm - 11pm) featuring some of Canberra’s hottest names in the electronic music scene: Eloria, Reubok, Maleezy & Sweethard. Eloria is a phenomenal local act who performed alongside some of the nations most loved at Groovin the Moo back in the day. Whilst known as a purveyor of funky electronic jams, the young man also favours the dark and heavy side of electronic fare, with an aim to “bring an original flow and feel to a saturated genre”. You can further check out his wares at soundcloud.com/ james-peryman Reubok cuts an impressive figure behind the decks, and rinses out many a fine partystarting set. The master of the mix, you can check out various sets from the man at soundcloud.com/reubok Canberra rap sensation Maluil Aleer Deng, AKA Maleezy, asserted himself as a force to be reckoned with in Australia’s hip-hop scene back in 2019 with the release of single Win, swiftly followed by debut EP Scared of Shadows. Known for a powerful combination of flowing cadence, spoken word, technical wordplay, and trap-infused hip-hop beats, as well as being a strong voice for racial equality, you can check the man out on Spotify. Over numerous performances at house parties, bush doofs, and club nights, Sweethard has gained mastery of the danceable footwork, Jersey club, garage and G house genres, lovingly whipping them together into a banging blend (and she’s not afraid to slide a bit of hardstyle in the mix to truly keep you on the toes). You can engage further with Sweethard via her Twitch - twitch.tv/sweethard666 and soundcloud.com/ sweethard666 Speaking of Sweethard and Reuben, you can often see them as one of the able supports of Fiction’s regular, and hugely enjoyable, FEEL Presents Fridays. The upcoming month continues the quality, with headline sets from Enschway (7 May), CC:DISCO! (21 May) and Little Fritter (28 May). All info and tix can be gleaned from intix.com.au In other events news is the highly anticipated return of Hard Attack Presents: Daveqon, where you get more Daves for your buck. Joining the line-up is the wonderful Davina (Dave) Dzasta and the one and only DJ (Dave) Cotts for a an enthralling night of beatdriven goodness. It’s happening at The Boardwalk Bar & Nightclub, Saturday, 8 May, from 9pm til lickity-late. Tix $15 + bf via Humanitix. That’s enough for this old man. I’m off for a cup o’ tea and a “biscuit”. *I enjoy the fact that this Austin Powers joke, where Dr Evil tries to prove how “hip” he is by badly recreating the Macarena is now, in itself, a dated reference of a dated reference. An Inception of daginess. Which suits me perfectly

PUNK & DISORDERLY

[THE WORD ON PUNK] WITH ALICE WORLEY

Hey-Hey all! So what’s new? Well heaps, as it turns out. We are so chock-a-block with new releases right now, and some cracking shows as well, so let’s get stuck in. First off, congrats to Highland Light for their release of Absolute and the launch they had in early April at The Basement; definitely the latest I’ve been out on a school night for a while, but well worth it. What a fun time! Well done, also, to supports Parrots With Piercings and THYME; always a blast watching Dave and Khial do their thing, and holy crap THYME were a great way to kick off the night. This was my first time seeing them and they looked so comfortable on stage, threw some cracking covers into their set, and had an infectiously positive energy that they projected onto the crowd. Nice job!

Sally Chicane had their Oh by the way, which one’s Sally? EP launch on Sunday, 18 April at The Basement and what a wonderful way to spend a Sunday arvo. Accompanied by NTT and Tennessine, they gave us a really energetic, bubbly show. Was super awesome on top of that to see Box Dye frontperson, Mel Sullivan, called up on stage to sing a cover of Green Day’s Basket Case with the Sally Chicane crew. I really love it when local bands collaborate! Also have to mention that NTT’s singer and guitarist Georgia was an absolute firecracker on that stage. So much vigor and attitude with some amazing vocal talent that was giving me everything I love about ’90s rock ‘n’ roll. My hat is off to you, and thanks for putting on such a great set. Sydney rising stars FANGZ stopped by on their tour to launch their new single Self Medicate at The Basement. By far the most high-octane show I’ve attended in a long while, the guys absolutely left their blood, sweat and spilled beer all over that stage. I always appreciate when touring bands don’t discount Canberra and give us the best they can, and that’s what these guys did. Born performers, every one of them, we all had such a great time moshing and crowd surfing in their presence. It’s very obvious why they’re getting some attention and being added to festivals like Inverted with the likes of Spiderbait, The Chats, and Skeggs (very interested to see when that show will be rescheduled on account of COVID, cos it’ll be a cracker when it arrives). So great to see you guys, look forward to having you back in the capital next time around!

Canberra THYME bring infectious energy live The Dirty Sunflowers have served up a new track

In terms of upcoming gigs, The Dirty Sunflowers have a new track, called Reel Love. A musical love letter to Quentin Tarantino movies, they’ll be celebrating its release on Friday, 21 May at Smith’s Alternative with Nora, Box Dye, and Parrots With Piercings. Congrats guys on another cracking track; Clouded was so fantastic and you’ve totally done it again! Punk veterans A Commoner’s Revolt have at long last released their debut album, Social Distancing Since 1983.

As far as debut albums go, it’s damned impressive and if you’re in the mood for Canberra’s answer to The Dropkick Murphys, I highly recommend. Once this album has you geared up, go and grab yourself a ticket to check them out in the flesh when they play Gang Gang Cafe on the Friday, 8 May with Sic Parvis Magna (Wollongong) and WILSN of Red Door. Gonna be a fab night. Phew! Look at all those new releases! So much great stuff being made and put into the scene at the moment, I encourage all of you to keep your ear to the ground cos there’s just going to be more and more stuff that’s been put together during COVID that all these talented artists have now refined and are eager to share with you. Again, I would like to spruik The Noise Floor’s Canberra New Music playlist; it’s being added to all the time and it’s my number one go-to when I wanna check out what’s being thrown into the mix of our Canberra music collection.

SHOTGUN MISTRESS Melbourne-based band Shotgun juggernaut with a seemingly limitless

BLEED ME OUT Mistress has just released their reserve of dynamism, songwriting [ ] first track for 2021, Bleed Me Out, flair, and exhilarating power. an indie contemporary hard rock track that reaffirms the band’s trademark style and will undoubtedly The visual imagery of the lyric add to their list of hits. corresponds with the driving rhythm section and the undeniable fire of the After a year of remarkable chart and radio play gains, Shotgun guitars—feats of incredible dexterity Mistress has strengthened its position at the vanguard of new performed by the band’s worldAustralian hard rock. Bleed Me Out is set to repeat the considerable renowned guitarist Matt Wilcock (who impact of previous singles—Save Me From Myself (#1 iTunes Rock has been voted one of the top 100 Charts), Glorious Machine (#1 iTunes Rock Charts) and Collide (#4 metal guitarists of all time). iTunes Rock Charts)—in anticipation of the forthcoming debut album. An emblematic guitar riff kicks off Upholding the remarkable tradition of the rock genre, Bleed Me Out proceedings, joined by the band and an accented accompaniment. The verse yet again displays the band’s unique characteristics, an unassailable vocal is sung at a low register, one that emphasises the soon to be unleashed melodic punch of the chorus. Shotgun Mistress’ lyrics mostly deal with emotional upheavals and dynamic relationships. Bleed Me Out is not necessarily any different, yet this time the wordplay refers to addiction, as this line reveals: ‘Best dressed for a relapse, back in line / tick tock cause you’re running out of time’. The production of Shotgun’s latest is as well-crafted as their previous tracks, with the distorted guitars placed firmly upfront without clouding the mix; a feat that’s quite difficult to achieve. Bleed Me Out confirms Shotgun Mistress’s flightpath—a soaring trajectory straight up to the next level to launch an unstoppable presence onto the global rock stage. VINCE LEIGH

THE GLYCEREENS Brisbane-based garage rock From here on out, the tone is set. A NEON CITY LIGHTS punksters The Glycereens have been two-chord guitar riff underpins the [ ] around since 2018 with their debut segue into the verses, and indeed, album Hangin’ On!. They’re returned becomes the fluid foundation with a new track Neon City Lights, a frenetic-paced piece that’s sure from which the rest of the song to appease those who like their post-punk gritty, trashy—in all the emanates. When those verse vocals right ways—and brash. emerge from the blanket of crash The tune kicks off with the band in full swing, a red herring introduction that utilises squishy distortion and raucous drums to induce a shuffle feel that temporarily lulls one into a false sense of tempo and groove security. Soon enough, it veers to a pause, at which time the track’s true heartbeat makes itself known. cymbal aided machete riffs, they are suitably immersed in the established landscape. Punk is protest, and one needs to hear the voice, if not articulating such remonstrations, then indeed sounding like it. Aha, yes, very cute. And this sounds like it: insouciance with a reckless streak. It all works to provide the listener with a specific ride, which is speeding headlong into the slipstream of a post-punk beer barn saturnalia. The succeeding chorus features a reigniting chord change that ushers us into the realm of audience participation with effortless simplicity. ‘Are you ready to go?’ we’re asked. And the answer is always yes, of course; we are on this expedition to the end. And what an end. Following another round of verse and chorus, we get an alternative riff that leads us into a guitar solo. Not your one-string twanger either but a relatively melodically inspired series of notes. From here we’re treated to, unsuspectingly, a motif that emerges from the solo’s residue. A response vocal melody joins this motif for an all-out race to the track’s fade, but what’s intriguing is this counterpoint—both elements are moving separately towards the same end, and they don’t collide. Neon City Lights is garage rock with hooks, energy and a steadfast attitude, and a healthy allegiance to the genre’s cause. VINCE LEIGH

METALISE

[THE WORD ON METAL] WITH JOSH NIXON Does it feel a bit weird that music is coming out of hibernation when it starts to get cold? I dunno, but the amount of pits being opened up on my socials is waking me from a slumber, and the amount of folks getting out from original old school Metal from the Grave to the Tool tribute in recent weeks is awesome to see.

The Basement is booked pretty solid through til early next year now from what I’ve heard and I figure, as the restrictions continue to ease, we might see the rumoured eventuality of some new places for live music opening up in the city – especially off of the back of the grants announced for live music venues in recent weeks from the local government. Here’s hoping for some momentum in the right direction if the feds can actually deliver some vaccines around the joint. Sydney’s Diamond Construct hit Belco courtesy of Destroy All Lines on Friday, 14 May along with Mirrors and Weighbridge. The lads put out an EP last August called DCX2 and obviously had to wait a bit to start airing their new work for us. With an Architects/ Northlane kinda vibe the EP is some strong work if that’s your cup of metal, so give it a sus before heading along to the show.

Saturday, 22 May is chockers at The Basement with each room hosting something for the fans of heavy. The big room hosts Sun Burn, the Australian stoner doom festival that kicked off in late 2019 with an enormous show in Melbourne before having to slow up prior to its New Zealand leg due to Covid. The rebirth hits the big room with an enormous line-up of Australia’s heaviest stoner doom acts including Pod People, Potion, Burn the Hostages, Lucifungus, Astro Death and Master Leonard with tickets available through Oztix which, as of writing, were selling very quickly, so don’t miss out. Out in the back room on the very same night is a huge bill of more upbeat heaviness with local breakdown-heavy Deathbeds headlining Apate, Wraith, and Bury Me. Deathbeds released their excellent debut album Sinner last year and the smaller capacity room has limited tickets so head to Oztix to purchase yours. For Friday, 28 May prepare your boarding passes through Oztix to take off with Pilots of Baalbek. The flight includes entertainment from central coast rockers The Dunhill Blues and locals BC. The Pilots launched their excellent debut Uncontrolled Airspace last year and so hopefully now the passengers for this flight will be well versed for some of their big sing-along chorus and catchy shuffle hard rockin’ good times. Longstay locals Buff Tundrel (now known as the sleeker Tundrel) have been kicking out their quality jams for 26 years in Canberra and just dropped their excellent Tundrel Tomes Volume 2 in April. The guys are giving you a few weeks to marinate on the goodness before hitting up Smith’s Alternative on Friday, 4 June. As noted in this issue’s review by Rory McCartney of aforementioned album, the band are in killer form.

Chain Tombstone & The Dead Men dropped an album in January called Circus of Gore and they’re bringing said circus to The Basement on Friday, 11 June with Axiomatic Theory and Black Heart. Check the album out and then go grab some tickets! Futility have previewed their latest album, Anhedonic, for me and I’m going to be dropping a review of the monster new death doom classic when I get some details of its release. Suffice to say the lads had upped the ante to produce their best work to date and it’s a bloody ripper, well as much as the word ripper can describe the miserable goodness they cram into the album [Hey gang, Bossman Sko here – you can also preorder the release on Bandcamp now – https://futility.bandcamp.com/ and get an aural peak at some of the tracks!]

Diamond Construct can finally showcase DCX2 Deathbed are part of a massive metal doubleheader at The Basement this May

Furthermore, Kurt from the band is running With A Heavy Heart 8 at the Polish White Eagle/Live at the Polo in July with a massive bill of Australian death doom legends including Cruciform, Illimitable Dolor, Futility, Burden Man and Dust Devil. A stellar bill for mid winter lamentations, and you can get your tickets through Trybooking. Mucho metal this month, with more to come. See you next time.