Mojo's Bar Fundraising To Future-Proof & Keep The Fremantle Venue Alive

The new owners of the Fremantle music venue, Mojo’s Bar, have started a fundraiser to not only ensure its survival, but also its futureproofing.

In late 2024, architect Michael Benson, musician Tony Papa-Adams, and DJ Paul Malone purchased the 190-capacity bar from Triple-1-Three, which had managed the space since 2021. Mojo’s has long been a launchpad for Western Australian talent, hosting artists like Tame Impala, Methyl Ethel, and Stella Donnelly, to name a few.

Benson previously alluded to plans that would see the business model adapt to ensure Mojo’s Bar’s sustainability, with renovations to come. Renovations the trio looked to include were a new roof over the beer garden, with a bar and sound system for patrons when performances aren’t scheduled.

The venue’s green room would double as a vinyl record store when not used for events, allowing music lovers to continue enjoying the music in the daytime and encouraging punters to head to Mojo’s no matter the hour. The record store would become “North Fremantle's first and only vinyl record store.”

Papa-Adams recently launched a GoFundMe fundraising campaign to ensure the venue’s survival and find some help to continue its next chapter. What’s next for Mojo’s will include not only the already mentioned renovations but also a new kitchen, which will highlight Papa-Adams’ “family-style Greek-Cypriot food.”

“We need your help,” the new venue owners wrote, “Not just to survive, but to grow into something even stronger that can sustain itself for future generations of music lovers.”

The team added that “live music venues everywhere are struggling” due to rising costs affecting the venue’s rent, insurance, production, and staffing. The ongoing cost-of-living crisis is also affecting punters, who are drinking less alcohol and attending fewer shows. When they do attend shows, they save their money for the big arena or stadium concerts.

The statement continued, “Artists still want to play here. People still want to gather. We just need to create a space that can support that and broaden our avenues of income and create community in ways people want to connect with.

“If Mojos has ever meant something to you, now’s the time to show it.

“Thanks for being part of our story. We can’t wait to welcome you back through the doors for more music, more connection, and more good times than ever.”

You can contribute to the GoFundMe fundraiser here.

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