To unite materials through a flowing intermediary, creating an enduring structure from separate pieces.
Welcome to the very first issue of Braze Magazine, a zine created for the Okanagan's underground music scene and the community that surrounds it. This issue is rooted in one of our core values: community. At Braze, we aim to bridge the disconnect between the different subcultures and music scenes across the Okanagan.
Through this zine and our online platforms, we’re creating spaces where bands, fans, artists, and everyone who values creativity and grit can come together.
Our mission is simple but powerful: to break down barriers between groups and give a platform to voices who might otherwise be unheard.
Braze will bring you stories about local bands, venues, and events, alongside tips on gear, DIY recording, and much more. We’re not just here to observe the scene—we’re here to be part of it, amplifying voices, and fostering spaces where values of authenticity, inclusivity, and self-reliance shine.
As we embark on this journey, we’re fueled by the passion and energy that make the Okanagan music scene unique. This issue is our introduction—a chance to lay the groundwork for what’s to come. You’ll find stories from our favourite artists, local venues that provide a second home for musicians and fans alike, with visits from mutual aid organizations that embody the collaborative spirit we believe in.
Together, we’re building a space that’s inclusive, DIY, and true to our roots. Thank you for picking up the first issue. We’re just getting started, and we’re so glad to have you with us.
Hailing from Vancouver, WAIT//LESS is a punk rock project seeped in values of community, authenticity, and being bold as fuck. Comprised of Trevor on guitar, Michael on drums, Allie on bass, and frontwoman Rebecca, WAIT//LESS delivers an absolute spectacle of a performance with throat shredding vocals and a raw, intense, “fuck you” sound.
“We always describe ourselves as little chickadees, like we’re all just little chickadees coming out of our shell and we just go ‘cheep-cheep-cheep’”
Perhaps most embodying these values is their frontwoman, Rebecca, who each of the band members credit with energetic and awe-inspiring performances. “I think Rebecca is one of the best frontwomen you can see, and vocally, with what she puts out, you can take the preconceptions of gender out and you can get this hard, intense, sexual, wild music.” said Allie
“Yeah it’s that fuckin’ freedom music dog! ... Hard rock and hard cocks!” - Rebecca
Though they are still a newer project, WAIT//LESS has hit the ground running, playing shows and festivals across Western Canada, including three separate dates in Kelowna in 2024.
The band's first appearance in Kelowna this year was opening for Pussy Riot - a Russian feminist protest movement and punk band known for their support of LGBT rights and opposition to President Vladimir Putin. Additionally, Pussy Riot’s date in Kelowna was their first show after the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
“.. the craziest fucking thing we have ever experienced … wonderfully fucked up.”
We here at Braze think that is some legit ass shit, and you should too. Real things are happening here in the Okanagan, and B.C. bands like WAIT//LESS are right in the middle of it, making it happen.
Get involved in your local scene folks. It’s time we all come out of our shells and go ‘cheep-cheep-cheep like a bunch of little chickadees.
You can find more from WAIT//LESS on their Instagram @waitlessband. Their new single Hot Girl is out now, and is included in our Braze The Scene playlist.
THANK YOU, BBDB’s THANK YOU, BBDB’s
The first place Becky Ploegman went after moving back to her hometown of Vernon in 2017 was Record City. At the time, the back of the record shop was being used as an underground music venue, but it was on the verge of shutting down to focus on running the store. Becky, however, had a different vision.
“[They] really needed help to keep the record shop going and wanted to shut the venue down so I said ‘Okay, I’ll pay a majority of the lease and I’ll run the venue. That’s really how BBDB's [Becky’s Back Door Beans] came to be.’”
What began was a multi-year run of punk, metal and hardcore shows - and a community centred around the music, where those that felt they didn't belong elsewhere had a space to be themselves.
“Every community I’ve lived in ... I’ve been a part of the community and the DIY venues that were in the basements of houses and stuff. It was always my vibe and I wanted to bring it back to Vernon.”
The community around BBDB’s, and these type of underground venues broadly, is what makes them so special.
“They’ll label it as loud, scary, and aggressive, but when you come in, it’s actually a very accepting and loving community.”
Unfortunately, Becky announced this fall that she was making the tough decision to close down BBDBS's.
“I accomplished what I wanted to here, and it’s bittersweet for me because I’ve worked my ass off for 7 years here getting this place exactly where I wanted it to be, and now I have to step down because it’s killing me.” Becky said about the decision to close.
But why do these types of DIY venues close down? For Becky, it's largely due to burnout from everything required to run a space like BBDB’s. “My business model is people before profit, and when you are coming from that place it’s a struggle to keep things afloat,” she added.
“I think more than anything it’s been a labour of love for me because I have been a person who stepped up and fought. It’s my hometown, and it’s my friends’ kids who are experiencing the same thing we did when we were kids. That said it’s hard to keep a venue like this going, [especially] when you’re facing so much judgement from the community ... I fought and fought and fought but I got completely burned out.”
But, what Becky has shown is that, while it may be difficult, creating openminded and accepting spaces is possible. It just takes fighting, and gratitude for those doing the fightingfor people like Becky.
As for the future of the space that was BBDB’s, Becky has said she has “positioned the lease being passed down to a like-minded small business.”
THIS ONE TIME BAND CAM
WHAT A PRIVILEGE
By Haneen
While we focus on building community within the Okanagan music scene, we are also responsible for reflecting on the privileges that allow us to do such a thing.
What A Privilege juxtaposes the violent loss of home with the resilience of survival. As settlers on stolen land, we are reminded that the communities we build must reckon with histories of displacement and ongoing colonialism. - Braze
What a privilege it is to have roots so deep.
To be a physical manifestation of a land I have never seen. A land that has housed me, Raised me on melodies and poetry, Fed me its olives and figs, even if it had to go hungry.
What a privilege it is to feelto really feelThe ground as it shakes.
What a privilege it is to hearto really hear -
The silence a bullet leaves in its wake.
As the bombs fall oceans away, they explode within me, Burnt ash and debris - I try to breathe.
Tear gas. Tear gas flooding my apartment. How did tear gas make it to my Canadian apartment?
I look for onions and yogurt - frantically: Home remedies.
My mother said: “never go to a protest without an onion” So that you can rid your eyes of their burning violence, Cleanse yourself of their hate, Let the tears wash your face.
My mother said: “never go to a protest without an onion” So I keep an onion on me, just in case.
Every breath I take is a protest. What a privilege it is to have roots so deep that even their threats cannot uproot me. They stole my land, but I will not let them take what is left of me.
I invite you to take a moment to reflect on the privilege of bearing witness, and the responsibility that comes with that privilege.
Haneen is a Palestinian community member and wrote What A Privilege during the 2022 bombings of Gaza.
BRAZE THE SCENE
With each issue, we’re dropping a playlist packed with tracks by bands from the local scene, our featured artists and a few handpicked favourites from the Braze Team. Check out ‘’’Braze The Scene” on Spotify for great music curated by cool humans - not algorithms!
1. (When I’m) Ready 2 Talk • Sundiver Okanagan Scene Artist
2. Another Year • WAIT//LESS Braze Feature Artist
3. Nerves • S.S.I.K. Okanagan Scene Artist
4. Will It Ever - Live • Sister Speak Braze Feature Artist
5. Talk2Much • Cawston Okanagan Scene Artist
6. Hot Girl•WAIT//LESS BRAZE FEATURE Artist
7. Run Away • Sister Speak Braze Feature Artist
8. Burn It All! • RENT STRIKE Rannan’s Pick
9. U Should Not Be Doing That • Amyl and the Sniffers Jordan’s Pick
10. Forward • IDIOFAME Okanagan Scene Artist
11. SiX shades of red • stasis Okanagan Scene Artist / Acadia’s Pick
12. Douse • Down The Lees Okanagan Scene Artist
13. Refraction • FloodGate, Taylor Thomas Okanagan Scene Artist
14. Mosquito • Swiss Army Wife Acadia’s Pick
15. Same Pain • Garret T. Willie Jordan’s Pick • Kingcome Inlet, BC
16. Spirit’s Heavy, But Not Overthrown, Part 1 & 2 • Yoo Doo Right Rannan’s Pick
LOOK ALIVE sundiver
Idiofame
MUTUAL AID
“But it is not love and not even sympathy upon which Society is based in mankind. It is the conscience — be it only at the stage of an instinct — of human solidarity”
-
Peter Kropotkin, Mutual Aid
Solidarity Sundays
Centered in mutual aid and antiauthoritarianism, Solidarity Sundays is a mutual aid network committed to community, harm reduction, and anticapitalist/colonialist values.
Instagram: @solidarity.sundays
Fridays for Future Kelowna
Fridays for Future Kelowna advocates for urgent climate action through strikes and community events. They focus on raising awareness about the climate crisis and encouraging local environmental responsibility.
Instagram: @fridaysforfuture.kelowna
Transit Alliance
This grassroots organization campaigns for improved public transit in the Okanagan region. They aim to make transit affordable, sustainable, and accessible, ensuring it meets the needs of all community members.
Instagram: @okanagan.transitalliance
Part of the global movement, Peoples University for Palestine initiates action and raises awareness about the Palestinian struggle through educational programs and advocacy. They collaborate with students and community members to promote justice and solidarity.
Instagram: @peoplesuniversityubco
Advocacy Canada
Dedicated to promoting rights and equity for marginalized groups, Advocacy Canada focuses on policy change, public education, and direct support. Their initiatives often address issues like systemic discrimination and accessibility.
Instagram: @advocacy_canada.lgbt
A support network for transgender, nonbinary, and gender-diverse folks in the Okanagan. OK Gender provides safe spaces, advocacy, and community resources.
Instagram: @okgendergroup
CREATIVE CREDITS
Braze is a product of our community—built by the people, for the people. Everything we do is powered by the talent, passion, and energy of those who make the Okanagan’s underground music scene what it is. This magazine wouldn’t exist without the creatives who contribute their time, skills, and vision.
Big thanks to:
Ellie and Hayley for capturing the raw energy and spirit of the scene with their photography. Casey for lending her creative skills to provide versatile design elements. Nathan Penner of One Eye Shut Media for the sick photo of IdioFame on page 12. The bands who shared their stories, imagery, and music—your voices are at the heart of everything we do.
If you’re a creative in the underground scene and want to see your work in future issues, reach out to us at brazemagazine@gmail.com. We’re always looking to showcase the talent that makes our scene unique.
Check out these cool humans here: https://linktr.ee/brazemagazine
