ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact
In a shock to party goers and regulars alike, a local DJ ended the night last at the Betoota Hotel around 2am this morning with Bon Jovi’s Living on a Prayer – rather than the traditional Khe Sahn the regional has come to expect.
Conor Walter, an audio engineering student at South Betoota Polytechnical College, decided to spice things up by throwing the crowd a googly, as he described.
“I was just gauging the vibe in the room and I just thought why the hell not,” he said.
“It was a Tuesday night and there weren’t many footy boys on the dance floor, which is who I typically play Khe Sahn for so they can all obnoxiously link arms and belt it out without a thought for anybody else around them.”
However, by breaking with customs, the 23-year-old risks a hefty fine from the shire council over the alleged breach of closing time procedure.
Local bylaws dictate that Khe Sahn must be played last by every DJ in the wider Diamantina community so the average punter knows that the bar is closed and the bouncers will be emptying the venue when the last plane out of Sydney leaves the terminal, so to speak.
“We’ll pay the fine if he cops one,” said Betoota Hotel manager Jack Condon.
“It’s this type of musical courage that we try to foster here at the BH. Fuck the council.”
More to come.
