‘DJ on a Bike’ Dom Whiting expecting ‘hundreds’ of bass-heads Darwin ride

Darwinites hit the streets in droves to join social media sensation DJ on a Bike on his first visit to the country. Check out all the photos.

George Yankovich and Nathaniel Chambers

2 min read

May 4, 2024 - 6:17PM

DJ on the Bike Dom Whiting hit the streets of Darwin for the first time. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

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Hundreds of Darwinites got on their bikes to ride along and jam along to the beats of social media sensation ‘DJ on a Bike’.

Dom Whiting hit the streets in the Top End gathering everyone from families to fitness junkies to ride along in his first ever venture to Australia.

The English born DJ, who had just arrived on Tuesday, braved the sweltering midafternoon Darwin heat as he rode from the Esplanade to the Waterfront.

Friends Dan Brown and Miljam Ilic used the opportunity to meet up for the first time in two months and enjoyed riding along as part of the massive crowds.

“It’s a fantastic concept,” Brown said.

“The fact that an event like this brought us together again and to see so many people out there ready to party is just great to see.”

ALL THE PHOTOS

DJ on the Bike Dom Whiting hit the streets of Darwin for the first time. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Phillip Lita and Bridget Hall as DJ on the Bike Dom Whiting hit the streets of Darwin for the first time. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Byron Goodwin, Delaney Goodwin, Logan Goodwin and Darcy Goodwin as DJ on the Bike Dom Whiting hit the streets of Darwin for the first time. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Andrew Chester and Tony Billson as DJ on the Bike Dom Whiting hit the streets of Darwin for the first time. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Thomas Felts as DJ on the Bike Dom Whiting hit the streets of Darwin for the first time. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Stephanie Glover as DJ on the Bike Dom Whiting hit the streets of Darwin for the first time. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Grace and Dean as DJ on the Bike Dom Whiting hit the streets of Darwin for the first time. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Stephanie, Ava, Nina and Shannon as DJ on the Bike Dom Whiting hit the streets of Darwin for the first time. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Dan Brown and Miljam Ilic as DJ on the Bike Dom Whiting hit the streets of Darwin for the first time. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Angus Robson, Clare Stinson and Riley Stinson-Robson as DJ on the Bike Dom Whiting hit the streets of Darwin for the first time. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

DJ on the Bike Dom Whiting hit the streets of Darwin for the first time. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Welcome to Country as DJ on the Bike Dom Whiting hit the streets of Darwin for the first time. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Korbetis family as DJ on the Bike Dom Whiting hit the streets of Darwin for the first time. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Sam Hopkins as DJ on the Bike Dom Whiting hit the streets of Darwin for the first time. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

DJ on the Bike Dom Whiting hit the streets of Darwin for the first time. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Rosie King as DJ on the Bike Dom Whiting hit the streets of Darwin for the first time. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Gareth Roberts as DJ on the Bike Dom Whiting hit the streets of Darwin for the first time. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Bronte Connoley and Cindy Lam as DJ on the Bike Dom Whiting hit the streets of Darwin for the first time. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

DJ on a Bike’s Darwin roadshow hits streets

Hundreds of music lovers will hit the road, and the bass, as the UK’s ‘DJ on a Bike’ plays in Australia for the first time.

English-born disc jockey Dom Whiting, 27, had a moment of inspiration in 2020 when he decided to turn his day job mobile, souping up a bike with speakers and a turntable.

An idea that “didn’t make (him) any money” turned into an internet sensation, with more than 3000 riders joining him at a recent appearances in Bristol and Berlin.

“You’ve got people looking from the sidewalk, like, ‘What’s going on?’,” Whiting told the NT News.

“It didn’t take that long to learn to do it actually – it took me longer to learn how to ride a bike than how to mix at the same time.”

‘DJ on a Bike’ Dom Whiting is marking his first Australian visit in Darwin on Saturday, May 4. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Whiting has DJed for nine years and said it “took (him) longer to learn how to ride a bike than how mix at the same time”. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

The 90-minute ride starts 4pm at Bicentennial Park and finishes 5:30pm at The Precinct hotel, with a live music party afterwards stretching into the night.

Registrations are free on the Facebook event and Whiting said “you don’t even need a bike to join in”.

“We’ll being going at about five kilometres an hour, so I know some people are walking or doing it on rollerskates,” he said.

“Previously, we’ve had people in their seventies and eighties, we had a dad bring his four-week-old strapped on his chest, it’s just unbelievable the sort of demographic (we get).

“I think we’ve created something that brings people together just for the sake of loving music. It’s not like a club, the music comes to you.”

DJ on a Bike Dom Whiting is marking his first Australian visit in Darwin on Saturday, May 4. Picture: Pema tamang Pakhrin

Whiting said he is generally not used to getting paid for his work, but the NT Government splashed out to bring him down under as part of a dry season tourism gambit.

Tourism NT executive director marketing Tony Quarmby said Whiting’s appearance would put Darwin on the map for holiday-makers and out-of-town visitors.

“Darwin is a uniquely vibrant city so it is only fitting that we’re hosting such a unique event to kick start our events season,” Mr Quarmby said.