The Nature Strip.
The Nature Strip
+ The Smoking Ruins
Mixtape Brewery, Marrickville
Friday, 18 September 2026
Words and Pictures: JOHN VENTOURA
It was a beautiful spring night when Marrickville’s Mix Tape Brewery played host to a very capable double bill in local legends The Nature Strip expertly supported by The Smoking Ruins.
Joined by a long-time muso friend for his initiation to the venue, I was keen to get an insider's take on the evening. For the uninitiated, Mixtape is a relatively new Inner West space building a fierce reputation for free live music.
It’s a vast, clean room offering good value craft beers, spirits, wines (even chilled reds), and quality snack food—a safe haven for like-minded company, all for zero dollars entry. Acoustically, the room is beautifully dialled in with wall dampeners and high-positioned speakers providing a rich, full sound anywhere in the room. Kudos to Jeff, whose tablet-controlled mix was of a pleasingly high standard all night.
First up were the wonderful The Smoking Ruins. Tonight's collective showcased six players—four ladies and two gents—creating a visually dynamic stage and delivering a set packed with laid-back fun.
Vocals were shared beautifully between Suzy Goodwin, Brownie McGee, and Bec Mee, anchored by Leah Horsley on main keys, Peter Timmerman laying down a firm beat on drums, and Dermotx3 delivering a funky bassline. The set featured mostly original, light, and smooth numbers that perfectly suited the knowledgeable, mainly "old folks rule" crowd.
The Smoking Ruins.
With Pel Mel-inspired songs featuring saxophone, occasional double keys, and swanky supporting percussion, their sound evolved into an attractive fusion of New Orleans brass and classic R&B.
Smiles were everywhere. In fact, Dermotx3 later mentioned a punter was overheard saying, “That sounded a bit like Sade.” Taken as a compliment, they were the definition of a Smooth Operator. It was an impressive, pleasant surprise of a set and the ideal appetizer for the main course.
The four-piece The Nature Strip usually comprises John Encarnacao (guitar/vocals), Peter Marley (bass/vocals), Matt Langley (aka "The Professor" on keys), and Jess Ciampa on drums. Tonight, Peter Kelly ably filled the drum throne while Jess was away chasing stardom playing percussion for "The Lion King" touring shows supplementing his teaching gigs. Having known both Peter M and John E for over 40 years since their days in The Flies, Peter K's integration was seamless and incredibly worthy.
TNS treated the room to a high-quality, 14-song setlist representing the very best of their 15-year career. They introduced three new songs - "The Upside" (the most welcomed and catchiest of the batch), the Peter M-penned "Honey on my Hands", and "All The Changes" (a live staple since late '25). The core of the set leaned into their brilliant fourth LP, “Domesticated Beast”.
The Nature Strip.
"Wavelength" proved to be a catchy, super power-pop morsel, while "PrimeTime" delivered a punchy, 2-minute- 22-second burst of post-Covid energy. The absolute highlight of the night, however, was "I Cannot Deny You". Bouncy, confident, and beautifully constructed, it perfectly showcased the fellas' tight vocal harmonies and subtle key changes.
To close out the night, their standard "Push the Past Away" served as a triumphant finale.
A special shoutout must go to front-row punter Anthony Connolly, who let the music completely permeate his body. Busting out some glorious Elaine from Seinfeld"moves to "Monday", rolling imaginary dice to "Roll the Dice", and grooving right through to the final track, his dedication earned a mid-set nod from John E and a warm round of applause from the crowd.
The Verdict? The Nature Strip remains a wonderfully underrated outfit of multi-instrumentalists who genuinely love their craft. Their music is bright, positive, and heavily threaded with DNA from XTC, The Beatles, and The Monkees.
They are a quirky, talented, and highly accessible unit—sometimes folksy, always smart power-pop. Wrapped in subtle Aussie humor, a quick look at their Bandcamp page reveals just how clever their artwork is across their LPs, EPs, and singles. There is so much back catalogue here worth exploring.
Don’t be a Domesticated Beast. Get off the couch, do yourself a flavor, and catch either of these high-quality live acts the next time they hit the Inner West.
