Downtown Brown Says So Long to Detroit

This week Detroit is saying goodbye to another legend. No one is dying, and they may not be legendary on the same scale as Bowie or Lemmy, but this band has definitely made a lasting mark on Detroit's punk rock scene since they got their start back in 2001. Downtown Brown is packing up and heading across the country to Los Angeles. It's a sad day and unfortunately losing people to places like LA and New York isn't unfamiliar ground for Detroit. Still, DTB and their crazy antics will definitely be missed in venues throughout the city. But the time has come for them to try out a new city and the band is by no means calling it quits! DTB plans to continue working with John ‘Norwood’ Fisher of Fishbone and hopefully the whole world will be hearing more from this band soon!

Before Downtown Brown hits the road though, they are playing a farewell show this Saturday, January 23rd at The Loving Touch. Joining them for the night are The Amino Acids, Hillbilly Knife Fight, Carmel Liburdi, Matt Wixson's Flying Circus and The Farleys. An awesome lineup for what we're sure will be a great going away party!

We had a chat with the band's main man Neil "Neebo" Patterson before the farewell show and before he heads out west. Check out what he had to say below.

HID- Why are you leaving Detroit?
Neil- "We've been working with a management team and booking agent based out of Los Angeles and want to give our career a shot in their backyard instead of working remotely from Michigan. There are also a lot of opportunities for someone wanting to be involved in the entertainment industry out there. So we're gonna give it a shot, and see what happens."

HID- What are you going to miss most about Detroit?
Neil- "My family and friends. It's gonna be tough, but some of my oldest friends currently live in Los Angeles. I won't be totally alone. It'll just be WAY different ...and wayy more expensive."

HID- What are you absolutely not going to miss about Detroit?
Neil- "The winters."

HID- Tell us about this garage sale that you're having.
Neil- "We did a garage sale to raise money towards a new van. It just ended last night. We raised over $5,500! I'm very pleased with how well it turned out. It's nice to know that we have support from people all over the country ... and even people from the UK and Japan! It's kind of mind blowing. I'm feeling very blessed."

HID- Let's take a trip down memory lane. What's the first show that DTB every played?
Neil- "In the spring of 2001, DTB was already kind of a band ... but the rest of the guys quit on me. I look at the first actual show where Downtown Brown 'BECAME' DTB was playing in the College for Creative Studies Cafeteria... just weeks after I had dropped out of going to school there. I had a wireless unit on my guitar and was just being obnoxious to kids trying to eat lunch. We covered Trey Parker and Matt Stone songs as well as Dead Kennedys. It seems just like yesterday. We were barely 20 years old and ready to piss off the world."

HID- What was your favorite DTB show?
Neil- "It's really tough to say because each one has been so different. I could say that my favorite shows were the ones where we were touring with Dead Kennedys, The Adicts or Fishbone ...but some of the most memorable ones were in front of very small audiences. Some shows there will be 30 people there and I'll end up making fun of some drunk middle-aged woman for 30 minutes. We've played hundreds and hundreds of shows... so there are way too many memories for me to pick ONE specific show. We're talking 14 YEARS of memories."

HID- Tell us about the big show this weekend! What can fans look forward to? Why did you pick the other acts that are on the bill?
Neil- "It's our Detroit Farewell Show! We plan on coming back while on tour, but it may be a bit before Detroit sees DTB again. Every band on this bill I hand chose due to the history they have with us. Some of the performers we've known our WHOLE CAREER. Some of them are newer friends, but have toured with us. This is looking as though it will be our final show with our bassist since 2008, Ron. So it will be bittersweet. We are saying goodbye to an era. Our set list spans the entire history of the band ...plus some cool surprises. This will be an amazing show ...but I may cry ...A LOT."

HID- Here's your chance to leave your fans with a parting thought. Any last words?
Neil- "Thanks for all the support over the years. I'm excited to see what this new chapter in our lives will bring! Cheers to Detroit, the city that made us the freaks we are! SUP!!!!"


Doors for Saturday's show are set to open at 7 p.m. and all ages are welcome. Admission is $10 and tickets can be purchased in advance here. For more information head over to the Facebook event page here.

Don't miss this chance to party with DTB one last time! Good luck in LA, but we hope to see you back in Detroit from time to time! And just because...

~C