Mojo’s Is Changing so It Can Stay the Same

In a world where scrolling Spotify has replaced regular gigs, Mojo’s is keeping things stubbornly and gloriously analog.

While venues like Melbourne’s Gasometer, The Old Manly Boatshed in Sydney and countless others across the country have shuttered under the weight of rising costs and shifting drinking habits, North Fremantle’s best-known dive refuses to fade quietly into nostalgia.

Over its five-decade run on Queen Victoria Street, the 190-capacity venue has been a launchpad for some of Western Australia’s biggest names (John Butler and Kevin Parker, no less), and a sticky-floored second home for musicians, punters and night owls. But after half a century of tequila-soaked nights and ear-splitting gigs, even icons need a little TLC.

That care now comes from long-term friends and local creatives Michael Benson, Tony Papa-Adams and Paul Malone, who took on the venue as a full-time passion project in 2025. “Trust me, we’re not in it for the money,” laughs Malone.

Since stepping in, the trio has balanced preservation with progress. They’ve added a record store, a $30,000 hi-fi system, and – much to the delight of Freo locals – beer on tap for the first time in its history. Cash is back, the furniture has been upgraded, and the space has been given a fresh lick of paint. Trading hours have also been extended, opening from noon during the week or 11am on weekends for punters to browse records, listen to tunes from Malone’s 7000-strong personal record collection, and nurse a pint in the sunny courtyard.

“We wanted to marry the record store and the bar so that when you walk in, you’re surrounded by music,” says Malone, who was Mojo’s very first resident DJ. “Technology has changed people's relationship with music. There’s still great stuff being made, it’s just that no one’s taking the time to find it anymore. Before Spotify, you had to go to a record store, talk to someone behind the counter, dig for records. Now everything’s in the palm of your hand, and when you have something in abundance, you don’t value it as much.

“Without [expanding], there’s just no future, essentially. The bar and the record store give the venue breathing room to keep going.”

Despite the facelift, Mojo’s still carries the grit, soul and charm that made it legendary. And the Saturday night crowd can still get as rowdy and raucous as ever, only now there’s sharper sound, better drinks and far chicer furniture to spill beer on.

To keep the lights on, Mojo’s has turned to its community, launching a Go Fund Me and membership drive to help protect a piece of Fremantle’s DNA. “The rent is exorbitant here and insurance is ridiculous,” says Malone. “As a live music venue, there’s no one that will underwrite us as a bar. We only get underwritten as a nightclub, so we have to pay the highest premium.”

For him, the changes are about survival as much as sentiment. “It’s always been a place that nurtures the next wave. You don’t just play here, you grow here,” he says.

Mojo’s isn’t asking for much, just that people show up, attend a gig, grab a beer and buy the records. Really, it’s vital. “You can’t invite someone over and say, ‘Hey, want to check out my Spotify algorithm?’” Malone reminds us.

Mojo’s

237 Queen Victoria Street, North Fremantle

No phone

Hours:

Wed & Thu midday–11pm

Fri midday–1am

Sat 11am–1am

Sun 11am–11pm

www.mojosbar.com.au

@mojosbarfreo