Andy Browne played his first gig with his band The Nightporters – a local group that lit up Atlanta’s punk scene in the 1980s – when he was 14 years old. Now, roughly 40 years later, he’s exploring something a little softer.
Browne is playing an acoustic show at Thinking Man Tavern in Decatur on Feb. 14. Even though the show takes place on Valentine’s Day, Browne said the gig will be “just a regular show,” although he likes playing on special dates. But, anyone – romantically involved or not – is welcome.
One of Browne’s latest singles, “The Dummy in Me,” is a reflection of the growth he’s experienced both professionally and personally over the years, he said. Browne grew up in England and remembers seeing David Bowie and The Beatles on the BBC. When he was younger, he remembers thinking they were a bit weird.
“They’re not really weird,” he said. “My mindset, as I grew and matured, was realizing that they’re just doing their thing.”
Nowadays, Browne also feels like he’s doing his thing. After The Nightporters broke up, Browne found himself in Los Angeles and then Philadelphia before moving back to Atlanta in 2016. In 2020, he helped form Lynx Deluxe. Eventually, he started playing solo acoustic shows like the one at Thinking Man on Valentine’s Day.
Before playing those early shows, Browne never thought he would have the confidence to play solo acoustically. He said he thinks the newfound confidence comes from overcoming personal struggles throughout the years and finding that he wasn’t as angry at the world as he used to be.
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