Nigel McRae and Pete Lyon on the tiny Local Gold stage, upstairs at Smith’s. Photo: Region.
On the first Monday of the month there’s something pretty special going on upstairs at Smith’s Alternative in Civic and it’s been quietly building a reputation over the past year for a rewarding night out.
Imagine what it must have been like to stumble into a Greenwich Village coffee house bar in the 1960s and you’ll get the picture.
It’s called Local Gold, showcasing the best of original music from in and around Canberra – and it is about to have its first birthday.
Above Smith’s main street-level concert room, there are two more stages just a staircase (or lift ride) away, inside McGregor Hall, which proprietors relaunched not so long ago to complement the downstairs venue.
The smaller of those rooms (holds 50 people max), known as The Bar, is totally bohemian, painted deep green, has a tiny stage (4 x 3 metres) and is where some real magical musical moments take place.
They are intimate, acoustic and original.
Some musicians don’t plug in at all, while those who do aren’t cranking up thrash metal electric guitars.
This is more the indie folk, blues, jazz, country, acoustic rock and pop stuff that audiences are devouring with gusto.
And it’s all about putting a value on the work of local songwriters.
“Smith’s is very much about original music,” says owner Nigel McRae, who is a songwriter and performer himself.
“We like to hear and promote songs that haven’t been played to death. Play something we haven’t heard.
“Of course there are cover songs being played at Smith’s, but we created the Local Gold upstairs as an extra focus on songwriters.
“Plus I was having too many nights off so we needed another regular event for me to manage (smiles all round).”
Local Gold was born from an idea when four musician songwriters (including McRae) got together over a few drinks and decided they wanted to showcase the good work coming out of Canberra.
Nigel was joined by Peter Lyon, Jeff Thompson and Emma Dryden and together they made it happen.
Lyon (of local bands the Cashews and Jason Recliner fame) takes the lead in coordinating each night and cheekily markets them as being hosted by “lovable local rockstar” Pete Lyon.
“That comes out of the fact that a decade ago I took long service leave from the public service and decided to use it to become a rock star,” he laughs.
“The moniker has stuck ever since and that’s what people call me.
“But we even use that title when Emma or Jeff might be hosting now too.
“I sometimes call myself Pete Cashew.”
Pete gets up on stage at Local Gold himself once in a while and so too does the boss Nigel, who everyone agrees is the genuine article.
“The format is simple,” says Lyon.
“We start the evening with an up-and-comer, then follow that with an act that’s got some standing in the local scene, then bring it home with a well-established local act.
“And yes, the emphasis is on songwriting and we’re very genuine about that.”
That’s where McRae chimes in to describe it this way: “We start with good stuff then go to emerging good stuff and then onto the tried and tested good stuff.”
Local Gold is by no means the only Smith’s event giving local artists a forum for their songs.
There’s the regular and popular Bang Beng Bing Bong Bung open mic downstairs.
But Local Gold is a little different.
Firstly, the artists get paid for performing at Local Gold, through a share of the door takings, calculated on a ratio of musicians to time allotted on stage.
And they are all quality acts.
You can have anything at all to drink at The Bar, even water. Just ask Nigel and Peter. Photo: Region.
“Bang Beng Bing Bong Bung is a good place for songwriters and musicians to start and a good entry point to Local Gold – either by invitation or by applying to us,” Lyon says.
“But we source our Local Gold acts many ways, including from musicians who have played concerts or launched albums in the big room downstairs.
“There is sometimes a travelling act invited to take part in an intimate session upstairs, but there is always a Canberra connection.
“We proved that it doesn’t have to be massive to be really good.
“Developing a regular audience on a Monday night in a town the size of Canberra isn’t easy, but we have done it and it feels like we’ve accomplished something pretty special.”
There have been a lot of local acts showcasing their creative wares at Local Gold since the sessions began in February 2025.
Bec Taylor, Hashemoto, Jacqueline Bradley, Limestone Heart, Alison Procter, Alice Cottee, Ian Paulin, the Lonely Fates, Liz Caddy, Caramel, What She’s Having and Capo Creek, to name just a few. (*Full disclosure – Capo Creek is this writer’s little band … and we had a blast when “headlining” a recent Local Gold.)
“It all kind of evolved from the old Bootlegs sessions we ran with [Canberra singer-songwriter] Ben Drysdale for years,” McRae says.
“But Local Gold is much quieter. It’s a small space and offers quite a unique experience for the musicians and the audiences.”
And is The Bar an actual bar? You betcha!
Local Gold returns to The Bar at McGregor Hall upstairs at Smith’s Alternative the first Monday in February – its one-year anniversary. Keep an eye on Smith’s website for upcoming lineups and to book tickets.
