Smokey Cake band to launch new chapter for husband and wife on stage

AFTER years entrenched in the Northern Rivers music scene, musician Ham Blacket is stepping into a new creative chapter, performing alongside his wife Catalina under the name Smokey Cake.

The Ballina pair will make their live debut on Friday, 8 May at The Aussie Hotel.

They have already released their first track, 20 Years on the Beers, ahead of an upcoming six-track album expected in the coming months.

Blacket, who has played in local bands including Drop Legs and Yellow of the Sun, said Smokey Cake originally began as a solo project around two years ago before evolving into a family-based collaboration.

With two young children, the couple have built the project around flexibility by rehearsing at home with a focus on family life at Ballina and around the region.

“It was harder to keep touring with my band Drop Legs, mainly because we’ve got two young kids,” Blacket said.

“We figured out that if we started a band together, we can actually rehearse when the kids sleep or go to daycare.”

“And if we go on tour, we can just make it like a family trip and share those memories together.”

The band hopes the Ballina show will be the first step in what will become a broader touring and recording project along the east coast.

 

The new band will see the husband and wife start a new chapter of music together on stage. Photo: Supplied.

Blacket said while starting something new is a challenge, the pair would follow their instincts and storytelling approach as a couple.

“Starting from scratch and doing your first headline show is pretty risky,” he said.

“But people crave a bit of that raw human imperfection, and I’d rather try new things that challenge and inspire me.”

Blacket plays guitar and synth, while Catalina performs on standing drums in a setup designed to keep the sound minimal, gritty and intimate.

The debut show will also feature a support act, with a surfboard raffle raising funds for the Richmond Riverkeepers.

Blacket said venues like The Aussie have played an important role in supporting original live music in the region.

He also pointed to a broader resurgence in grassroots live music across the Northern Rivers, with DIY festivals and smaller events filling gaps left by the decline of major festivals in recent years.

“They’re really backing local and touring bands,” he said. “It takes guts, but it’s building something real.”

“There’s a lot of small festivals popping up now. “It’s a different scene, but it’s still strong.”