Review: Jim E Brown at Buffalo Club

Jim E Brown at Buffalo Club
w/ Lyndon Blue, Andy Burns
Saturday, June 20, 2026

“My name is Jim E Brown” are words familiar to those named Jim E Brown but also to fans of 19-year-old obese alcoholic-turned-tragic troubadour Jim E Brown. The kid’s fame has expanded faster than his waistline and blood sugar levels (though far slower than his years, as he has been 19 for at least four of them). On this crest of populist support Jim found himself far afield from his Manchester home and before an adoring Perth crowd on Saturday night, as we all made light of his misery.

Opening proceedings was Lyndon Blue, a fitting start, as they seemed the furthest from 19 and the most sober of the bunch. Lyndon is a multi-talented Perth-based artist whose music runs the gamut from folk to experimental electronics. This was the only band of the night, and it was felt in full with an often freakfolky sound that used a harmonised guitar-and-sax attack to great effect. A few slower numbers rubbed shoulders against rambunctious garagier tunes, one of which featured an excellent, destabilising guitar solo to finish. Single Only Connect was the perfect closer, a droney and building Goth-inflected number that signposts why this artist deserves your attention.

Next up was Andy Burns, a talented Australian artist whose solo setup (just him and a backing track) brought him closer in approach to the main act. His infectious quirkiness, sometimes spasmodic dance moves and heart-on-sleeve passion were very at odds with the alcoholic despondency that would follow. Jim E Brown was probably flummoxed by this performance, but, as a largely non-alcoholic cohort, the actual crowd loved every minute. Dumpster Diva set a gold standard early on, just Burns against a bracingly simple synth-backing melody as he delivered a powerful vocal performance. His sometimes lightweight tone and the grounded, conversational aspects of his music (with tracks about his cat who recently died, for instance) were paired against a huge synth pop sound that touched on the bombast of Tears for Fears or the passionate literal ‘Big Music’ of bands like The Waterboys. The self-effacing Wet Rag was a case in point as Burns put his whole mind, voice and body into it. Closer You Got It (a Roy Orbison cover) got the crowd pumped and would’ve done its creator proud, a perfect rendition of a track that played to Burns’ strengths as a performer.

With much trepidation Jim E Brown came to the stage, Guinness inevitably in hand. He was later provided a second by a patron in the crowd, which must have done little to calm his already degenerated nervous system. This likely explained why he started by calling Perth “shit” to settle himself and bemoaned our mouse plague, which drew some deserved insults from the audience. Jim’s empathy came through on the despondent I Urinated on a Butterfly however, the sense of grief at his crime palpable. I Want to Get In Touch With My Inner Child followed, a recent classic that seems to point a way forward for Jim. Unfortunately he was back to his old tricks with I’m an Obese Alcoholic shortly after. It was good afterwards to see him take his health seriously by self-administering a COVID test, to which he likely tested positive in what would be the least of his worries.

I’m About to Fall Over in Asda, with its anthemic moaning refrains, came alive onstage as people continued to wonder what an ‘Asda’ was. Jim brought his guitar skills to bear (impressive for a man with so many degenerative conditions) on the jangly I’m Naked in My Room Huffing Nitrous Balloons. So many nights spent disconnected from time and space explained the next sequence, as Jim subverted the idea of the setlist by playing his classic ballad Rat in Bin a phenomenal five times (though pathetically one short of the six consecutive plays in Melbourne). The crowd was completing his words soon enough, and it was on the fourth rendition, initiated with no introduction, that Jim’s iconoclastic approach delivered true magic.

After this high watermark, the rest felt like a victory lap. I’m Quitting Prozac to Continue Drinking is the definitive Jim E Brown track, and live, it captured all his whining, warbly glory. The Queue at Greggs likewise devolved into gloriously slurred off-notes. Possibly the only off point of the night was Jim’s aside about his new book, Brown on Brown vol 4, which featured a bit more backstory about Jim’s sexual adventures (and the taste of his gentleman’s hand cream) than we really required. This was, of course, alleviated by hearing I Am the Fattest Person in the World and I Felt the Dental Hygienist’s Pregnant Belly and the heartfelt melodica solo that went with it.

The encore closed out with the natural return of Rat in Bin, a crowd member getting Guinness through a funnel, the Cranberries’ Linger cover that we didn’t know Jim had in him, and the Prince Purple Rain cover attempt that we did know Jim didn’t have in him. By popular request Jim tottered out one final time for a go at Toxic by Britney Spears, an iconic finish and gargantuan demonstration of willpower by someone that didn’t want to be there. While he may not be able to put a smile on his own face without enough alcohol to down an elephant or a particularly large brown bear, Jim certainly lifted the moods of everyone present on the night. Cheers to you, Jim.

MATIJA ZIVKOVIC

Photos by Adrian Thomson