LIVE AND LOCAL LOVIN'
See in the weekend with Friday knock-off drinks and kick back to the sounds of local legends, as our balmy Dry season brings with it the much-loved Live on Fridays program in the historical Brown’s Mart Courtyard.
WORDS BROOKE GIBBS
LIVE LOCAL MUSIC, Dry season vibes, and good mates. Fridays in Darwin are the bomb diggity.
Brown’s Mart hands the keys to the courtyard to one of Darwin’s biggest music visionaries.
David Spry is curator for the 2026 Live on Fridays season, and has programmed a rolling soundtrack to the Top End’s most social season. Experience Spry’s new music, alongside a line-up of local talent to include First Nations voices and established artists.
Each week brings a different artist, creating a sense of discovery that feels both intentional and effortless. It’s the kind of programming that rewards showing up without expectations, letting the sound carry you wherever it wants to go.
Featured on the line-up so far are local artists Tracey Bunn, The Roy Boys, Ward Hancock, and Crystal Robins.
A blend of rootsy rock, country folk, and 60’s flavoured guitar pop, Tracey Bunn finds the remarkable in the ordinary. She swings from rollicking sing-a-longs to moody ballads and tender songs of yearning. After three years in the making, she showcases songs from her latest self-produced release, Another Broken Juliet.
“The new songs are a collaboration with another Darwin songwriter, Peter Hayes, so it’s very different from the music I’ve done in the past – they’re not the country-folk stuff I normally do,” Bunn says.
“Paid gigs for original artists are fairly far between in Darwin, so it’s great Brown’s Mart is still doing Live on Fridays. It’s a great opportunity for people to have after-work drinks in the courtyard and hear some music they probably haven’t seen before.”
The Roy Boys supply the perfect soundtrack for you to sit back and relax on a Friday afternoon knock off. John Coulehan (vocals) and Darryl Barba (guitar) showcase their original music.
“Our set is heartfelt and emotive like our usual rock and roll fare, but a bit more tender and gentler on the ears, with a selection of songs from our almost 30-year career,” says Coulehan.
“It’s not your usual Friday knockoff locale. Where else can you find Darwin’s best live original acts in the city on a Friday afternoon? I can’t think of anywhere else really.”
Ward Hancock effortlessly guides audiences through his eclectic mix of reggae, soul and blues. Normally performing solo around town, he’s joined by some of Darwin’s finest musicians.
Crystal Robins brings her heartfelt and alt-country flavoured songs to the stage. Layering stunning vocals with intricate guitar playing, Crystal shares some songs and stories from her debut album, Moonflower, joined by Aden Mackay on guitar and pedal steel.
Roll on over after work with your chums, grab a beer from the bar and a feed from one of the rotating food vans, and treat your ears to the sounds of local legends.
Live On Fridays
WHEN EVERY FRI | 5-7PM
AT BROWN’S MART
COST FREE
INFO brownsmart.com.au
