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🇦🇺 Australia /Energy & Infrastructure

Meet the FIFO DJs keeping mining towns dancing all night

From ABC Australia · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Sources not specified Context piece
  • Benny Gee and Alex Kozza are among a few fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) workers in Western Australia who DJ at regional nightclubs.
  • The DJs fly to mining towns like Karratha for weekend gigs, performing late into the night and enjoying the unique energy of regional crowds.
  • While the lifestyle offers opportunities for exposure and unique experiences, booking agents note it requires a specific type of DJ, often younger and without family commitments.

In the vast iron ore mining hubs of Western Australia, a different kind of fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) worker is making waves – not with drills or machinery, but with music. Benny Gee, a sales representative by trade, travels 1,550 kilometers north of Perth every two months to DJ at a regional nightclub in Karratha.

I'd never heard of FIFO DJing until they came up and approached me.

— Benny GeeBenny Gee describes his unexpected entry into the world of fly-in-fly-out DJing.

"I'd never heard of FIFO DJing until they came up and approached me," Gee said. His weekend routine involves flying out Friday afternoon to play two nights, often working until the early hours of 4:30 or 5 a.m. He sees the gig as preparation for his ultimate goal: touring the world with his music. After four years, Gee finds the regional crowds more enthusiastic than their city counterparts. "Regional crowds go a little bit more nuts than the city people and it's awesome," he said. "It's just a different energy."

Regional crowds go a little bit more nuts than the city people and it's awesome.

— Benny GeeBenny Gee comments on the energetic reception he receives from audiences in regional Western Australia.

Alex Kozza, another FIFO DJ, makes the trip to northern WA every two to three weeks. For the 21-year-old, the experience is akin to a holiday. "I love the weather up there... it's like a little vacation, I get to change it up from weekly DJing in Perth," Kozza explained. He notes the surprise many people express when they learn about his profession, as they often associate DJs with either Perth club scenes or international festival performers. "People don't realize that, at my level, people get flown across the country just to play these regional clubs."

It is a big shift, you start at 10pm and sometimes you work until 4:30 or 5am ... it's sort of preparing me for what I want to do which is tour the world with my music.

— Benny GeeBenny Gee explains the demanding schedule of his FIFO DJ gigs and how it aligns with his musical aspirations.

Kozza has also built strong connections in Karratha over his three years of performing, with locals often picking him up from the airport or inviting him for a game of golf. Booking agent John Fraser manages about 10 FIFO DJs who play in various remote locations. He began booking multiple DJs in Karratha after COVID-19, as club owners sought more variety than a single rotating DJ could offer. Fraser acknowledges that the lifestyle isn't for everyone, suggesting it's best suited for younger, single individuals. "It takes a certain kind of DJ to want to do it, and those that do really love it," he said.

I love the weather up there ... it's like a little vacation, I get to change it up from weekly DJing in Perth.

— Alex KozzaAlex Kozza describes his experience with the FIFO DJ lifestyle, highlighting the change of pace and environment.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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