There have been a few Barry Browns about in our time – there is the American playwright and actor that passed away in 1978 and then there is the Jamaican reggae singer, who also died young – but this is the story of Australia’s – no, Darwin’s – very own Barry Brown of Barry Brown and the Getdowns, an eight piece band that has been getting around a few (selective) traps in Darwin for the past few months.

A vision in Brown - Barry Brown at the Lighthouse

This Saturday just passed I was lucky enough to scam a couple of ticket to see BB & the GD’s at The Lighthouse, an outdoor dunny-like venue stuck in the middle Civic Park, one of my favourite parks in downtown Darwin and where they were doing a rare gig as part of this year’s Darwin Festival.

For a bit of Darwin dry-season stew look no further than the horn section...

BB & the GD’s remind me (no diss to the King) of the King Curtis and the Kingpins’ song Memphis Soul Stew:

Today’s special is Memphis Soul Stew

We sell so much of this, people wonder what we put in it

We gonna tell you right now

Give me about a half a teacup of bass

(bass riff)

Now I need a pound of fatback drums

(drum riff)

Now give me 4 tablespoons of boiling Memphis guitars

This goin’ taste alright

(guitar riff)

Now just a little pinch of organ

(organ riff)

Now give me a half a pint of horn

(sax riff)

Place on the burner and bring to a boil

That’s it, that’s it, that’s it right there.

Now beat, well

(all instrumental hell breaks loose)

Barry Brown driving that old Devil outta the Bass playa...

And when BB & the GD’s hit the stage at The Lighthouse last Saturday night all hell – instrumental, vocal and dancestyle – broke loose from the first song.

I’m pretty crap at describing music but the pumping beats and rhythm these guys pump out made even my crippled legs and broken hips crumble and crack – and all around me (I was taking photo’s from the floor in front of the band), lots of other were similarly effected.

Barry "The Man" Brown in full flight

My mate Ben Langford got it pretty right in this review of BB & the GD’s first show in April this year in the NT News:

THERE’S nothing like that feeling you get when you’ve soaked up weeks of hype only to be left flat when the real thing finally rolls around – but there was nothing like that at the debut of Barry Brown And The GetDown. Not that there was a shortage of hype. These guys take it seriously and there were costumes, a video telling Barry’s back story, characters to play, even packets of branded biscuits to eat…It’s a bit strange to say after only one major show, but this is Darwin’s hottest band…They’re not the first band in Darwin to promise funk. But let’s be honest – they deliver it far better than any others have. And they do it with a classy and skilful horn section that makes the whole show…As for the music, this is the real thing. And I’m not just saying that to jump the bandwagon and get a quote on the poster. It’s all cool, all energy, all original.

Will we ever see his like again...and do we want to? Hell Yeah!!

You can see more of Barry Brown & the GetDowns at their Facebook page and hear – and see – a few of their unmatchable style on YouTube.

Barry Brown & the GetDowns – Live