Danny Rants

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14 years. One nightclub. A hell of a lot of stories.

Josh Lefers takes us inside the wild 14-year story of Pawn & Co — one of Melbourne’s most unique nightclubs.

From the original idea of combining a pawn shop with a nightclub, to the huge nights, crazy stories, challenges, close calls and everything that came with surviving more than a decade in Melbourne nightlife, Josh tells the full story — the good, the bad and the completely cooked.

We talk about the ups and downs of running Pawn & Co, the characters and moments that defined the venue, how Melbourne nightlife has changed, and what it actually takes to keep a nightclub alive for 14 years.

And now, after all of it, Josh is preparing for the ultimate full-circle moment…
He’s planning to pawn off the nightclub itself.

This is the story of Pawn & Co.

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In this episode of Danny Rants, I sit down with WISER — DJ, artist, promoter and booker — for a proper conversation about her journey through electronic music and where the scene is heading.

We get into WISER’s career behind the decks and behind the scenes, the realities of promoting and booking parties, and how Melbourne’s dance music culture has changed over the years.

We also tackle some of the bigger questions facing nightlife right now: Are illegal raves hurting clubs or actually helping keep dance culture alive? Have nightclubs become too safe, predictable or boring? And why are warehouses, underground parties and unconventional spaces booming again?

From the challenges facing promoters and venues to what younger crowds actually want from a night out, this is a wide-ranging conversation about the past, present and future of Melbourne nightlife.

DJ culture. Promoters. Illegal raves. Nightclubs. Warehouse parties. The underground. Where does the scene go next?

Subscribe to Danny Rants for more conversations with the DJs, promoters, venue owners and characters who helped build — and continue to shape — Australian dance music.

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Jerry Poon is the man behind Let Them Eat Cake and The Operatives — but his journey through the music industry has been anything but straightforward.

From moving to Australia as an immigrant and struggling to get his foot in the door, to working with artists like Flying Lotus and building one of Melbourne's most iconic music festivals, Jerry's story is full of wins, losses, failures and comebacks.

We talk about the highs and lows of building Let Them Eat Cake, his journey with The Operatives, life on the road, the realities of the music business, and what it takes to keep going when things don't go to plan.

This is Jerry Poon's story.

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Mickey Nox has spent more than 20 years chasing one thing — a life in music.
From becoming one of Melbourne’s truly underground DJs via clubs like TFU, Tramp & Korova, to running clubs, owning clubs, throwing parties and eventually finding his place behind the scenes as a full-time sound engineer, Mickey’s story has never followed the conventional path.
In this episode, we go right back to the beginning — discovering underground music, the clubs and characters that shaped him, the highs and lows of owning venues, and what it really takes to keep going when the dream doesn’t happen overnight.
We also talk about Melbourne’s underground scene, the sound that existed outside the mainstream, the people who kept it alive, and how Mickey eventually realised that after 20 years of trying to “make it” in music… he already had.
From underground DJ → club owner → sound engineer, this is a story about persistence, identity, passion and refusing to walk away from the thing you love.
Against All Odds: The Mickey Nox Story.

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In Part 2 with John Course, we go behind the curtain of the Australian dance music industry.
We talk about what turns a nightclub into a genuine institution, before unpacking the business empire John has built across record labels, artist management, booking agencies and events — and how all those moving parts of the music industry actually work together.
Then we get into one of the biggest stories of his career: signing Avicii. John takes us inside the deal, how he recognised what was coming, and fills in a fascinating piece of the Avicii story that wasn't covered in the documentary.
We finish with what's coming next, some huge upcoming shows and, as always, a few absolutely ridiculous stories from a lifetime in dance music.
This is John Course, Part 2 — the stories behind the music and the business behind the parties.