Is there anything more evocative or atmospheric than the steel drums? You can almost hear the ocean waves and feel the sun on your skin.
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Well, there's no more of that soundtrack to tropical paradise at the Wanniassa shops - it's been silenced.
Canberra musician Courtney Leiba is a familiar sight at the shops, busking there for at least 20 years, back when the supermarket was a Shop Rite.
When it was an IGA, he was even paid by that supermarket to perform there, especially close to Christmas.
But no more. The owner of the centre - the Koundouris Group - does not want Mr Leiba or anyone else busking at the shops.
Mr Leiba said he believed he had been caught up in the landlord's desire to get rid of people regularly begging for money there, whereas he was busking.
A spokesperson for management at the Koundouris Group said it enforced a blanket policy for any use of the area near the entrance to the shops.
"Management is not permitting any casual leasing, busking, or similar on its property as there has been an additional area of the arcade leased recently to a cafe as well as the changeover to the new Coles supermarket," a statement read.
"The arcade area has become very busy. Management's priority is the safe ingress and egress of customers and to ensure that it's insurance obligations are not breached."
Turning 80 next year, Mr Leiba, originally from the West Indies, has over the course of his career, toured with Liberace and been nominated for a Grammy when playing with the Esso Trinidad Tripoli Steel Band.
He is lost without his busking, usually playing on a Friday evening and Saturday morning.
"I really feel depressed," he said. "I'm an old guy. No one will employ me. And I really enjoy playing.
"Everyone has been asking me, 'Why aren't you busking anymore?'."
With his wife, scientist Dr Marion Leiba, Mr Leiba has lived in Kambah since 1981 and moved into busking towards the end of his professional career.
"He loves music the way I love geology. It's really important to him," Dr Leiba said.
"It's not just a thing to make money. He'll teach people for free because he loves it so much."
One of the retailers at the Wanniassa shops, Aaron Fenning, owner of Jordo's Chop Shop, was disappointed Mr Leiba was not being allowed to busk there.
"I like him. He used to play at our church and people enjoy his music. It's sort of a Wanniassa communal thing. For him not to be able to play even just around Christmas would be a bit sad," Mr Fenning said.
