Although interstate travel remains a questionable venture at best at the moment, local indie rockers have decided to undertake a seven-date tour of Queensland in October.
"It's all you can really do at the moment," vocalist-guitarist Jacko Van Issum says, alluding to the continued uncertainty surrounding, well, everything at the moment.Beddy Rays are one of the lucky few who can vent some frustrations on stage.
They'll be performing off the back of just four singles released since early 2020, yet they've gained such momentum, particularly since the release of their song 'Sobercoaster'.
The rate at which they've gained traction has floored Jacko. "We've been playing since 2015, but it's a lift up for us, that song."
That's not to say their other tunes are without their fun-loving hooks and a down-to-earth personality. In fact, there's a particular depth of camaraderie generated by the band's music that can only come from being the closest of mates.
Having know each other since primary school, Jacko says Beddy Rays as kids together were always into music.
"When we were young fellas, Brad's [bassist Bradley O'Connor] uncle showed us how to get our hands around a guitar. Lewie [guitarist Lewis McKenna] played guitar in school.
"We always talked about punk music, making up stupid songs about our teachers on the oval. We never started our actual band until high school because no one played drums!
"No one's parents would let them have a drum kit at their house, it was too noisy. Playing 'Guitar Hero' drums, that's what sparked Benny's drumming abilities!"
In a roundabout way, Beddy Rays has always been. The backstory is there, the music is there, but the vibe between them is something that can only be realised – and enjoyed – by seeing them play live.
"Because we're best mates, we don't take it that seriously. We do take music seriously, but if someone messes up on stage, we just laugh it off, it's not really a big deal.
"I guess there'd be a lot of strict bands that are like so tight, playing to click tracks and like, us, we laugh it off and the crowd see that and are like, 'Oh yeah, they're like normal fellas, they're just having fun', and they can relate to that."
Perhaps that laidback presentation is why Beddy Rays are self-prescribed slap-happy larrikins.
Chuckling, somewhat knowingly, Jacko says: "Yeah nah, look, we don't ever play a gig without someone doing something random or funny.
"We're always trying to embarrass each other. I don't think you should take it too seriously, because what's the point of that? You don't have any fun, really."
While new music has been sparse the last two years, Beddy Rays do have some new material they're preparing to release.
They've recorded an album with the help of Bugs drummer Brock Weston, a friend of Beddy Rays, the band taking time off their day jobs to hit up Brock's new home studio.
"We felt really professional when we took a week off work to go into the studio, like, 'Ooo, this is something different!' Yeah nah, we've got more new music coming out, which is exciting, and we're stoked on it.
"It's definitely got the core elements of B-Rays, like the poppy, rock, catchy hooks sort of thing, but then a slower song, which is something we never do.
"We've got variety, not stepping too far outside the box. We said at the start, 'let's keep it simple, don't experiment too much and just make the music we love'."
Beddy Rays 2021 Tour Dates
Thu 7 Oct - Seabreeze Hotel (Mackay)Fri 8 Oct - Otherwise Bar (Townsville)
Sat 9 Oct - Edge Hill Tavern (Cairns)
Thu 28 Oct - The Tivoli (Brisbane)
Fri 29 Oct - Studio 56 @ Miami Marketta (Gold Coast)
Sat 30 Oct - Highfields (Toowoomba)
Sun 31 Oct - Solbar (Sunshine Coast)
