2015
Miami, FL | The Versace Mansion (Villa Casa Casuarina)
MRO Americas had just wrapped for the day, and a small group from DASI and their closest customers gathered at Villa Casa Casuarina — better known as the Versace Mansion — on Ocean Drive. No stage. No wristbands. No headline act. Just good people, a remarkable setting, and the simple belief that the aviation community deserved a moment to exhale, connect, and enjoy each other’s company. That instinct — that the people who keep the world’s aircraft flying deserve more than a badge and a handshake — is the DNA of everything that followed.“It was always about the people. The venue just set the tone.”
2017
Orlando, FL | BB King’s Blues Club
Then in 2017 we brought the party to Orlando and to one of the city’s most beloved live music venues: BB King’s Blues Club. A rollicking house band kept the energy up all night, and what had started as a quiet dinner in Miami began to feel like something altogether different — a proper party, open to anyone in the industry who wanted to join. Orlando would prove to be a home away from home for DASI’s MRO party, and this was just the beginning of that relationship.2018
Orlando, FL | BB King’s Blues Club
If it ain’t broke…. DASI returned to BB King’s for a second consecutive year, and the crowd was bigger and the dance floor louder. The formula was working: great music, an open invite to the aviation community, and the kind of informal energy that lets real relationships form. It’s also worth noting that these weren’t ticketed, exclusive industry events. From the very beginning, Afterburn was open — to buyers, sellers, engineers, executives, independents, and OEM partners alike. Everyone welcome, no hierarchy at the door.2019 — A Special Mention
Atlanta, GA | The Tabernacle | Voyager / Iconic (feat. Bill Fry)
Before the official christening of Afterburn began, 2019 saw DASI head to Atlanta’s iconic Tabernacle for what would prove to be a landmark night. Headlining were two acts including DASI’s own Bill Fry: Voyager, a high-energy Journey tribute act, and Iconic, a classic rock band that can fill any room. It was the first time Afterburn stepped into a proper concert venue of that scale — and the crowd’s reaction made clear that the event had outgrown its club roots. Nearly 2,500 attendees joined and even the Atlanta fire department decided to pay a visit to our entrance queue on Luckie St. COVID interrupted what might have been an unbroken run — but when Afterburn returned in 2022, it came back to Dallas with Bill Fry his bands. Full circle, and then some.Afterburn 4 — 2022
Dallas, TX | House of Blues | Voyager / Iconic (feat. Bill Fry)
After a two-year pause forced by the COVID-19 pandemic, Afterburn came roaring back in Dallas — with Bill Fry and his bands. What felt like two years of pent up energy and pressure erupted and the crowd at the House of Blues barely needed warming up. There’s something special about watching a colleague take the stage and absolutely deliver. The room felt like family — because, in many ways, it was. Aviation is a small world, and after two years apart, everyone was ready to celebrate.“After two years apart, the industry was ready. Afterburn gave everyone a reason to come together again.”
Afterburn 5 — 2023
Atlanta, GA | The Tabernacle
Atlanta’s Tabernacle is one of those venues that feels instantly right the moment you walk in — a converted church with soaring ceilings, incredible acoustics, and a dancefloor that seems to generate its own energy. The headline act? Devotional, one of the world’s finest Depeche Mode tribute acts. It was an inspired choice. Synth-driven, atmospheric, and completely unexpected in the best possible way. A room full of aviation professionals losing themselves to ‘Just Can’t Get Enough’ is something you don’t forget in a hurry.Afterburn 6 — 2024
Chicago, IL | The Salt Shed
Chicago welcomed Afterburn with characteristic big-city energy — and DASI delivered in kind. The legendary Dan Aykroyd and Jim Belushi took the stage as Elwood and Zee, bringing the Blues Brothers back to life for an aviation crowd that absolutely did not see it coming. The Salt Shed — a converted industrial venue on the Chicago River — was the perfect backdrop: gritty, iconic, and completely unforgettable. The kind of night where you find yourself dancing with someone from an airline on a different continent, and somehow that feels completely natural.Afterburn 7 — 2025
Atlanta, GA | The Tabernacle
Atlanta and The Tabernacle welcomed Afterburn back, this time headlined by Purple Disco Machine — Grammy winner, Coachella headliner, and one of the most infectious performers working in electronic music today. If Afterburn 6 was about nostalgia and spectacle, Afterburn 7 was about pure, uncut joy. The dancefloor said everything that needed to be said.Afterburn 8 — 2026
Orlando, FL | Hard Rock Cafe | April 21st
And now we’re home. Florida, where DASI first put down roots, is hosting MRO Americas this year — and there was only one way to mark the occasion. Flo Rida, one of the most high-energy performers on the planet, headlines Afterburn 8 on April 21st, with DJ Irie setting the tone from the jump. Find us at booth #2124 at MRO Americas day one to get your ticket. Details are on our LinkedIn and Instagram. You won’t want to miss this one.What It Was Always About
Eight years. Multiple cities. Eight completely different nights, sounds, and vibes — and one consistent truth: aviation is a small world, and the connections made after hours are often just as important as the ones made on the show floor. Afterburn was never designed to be the biggest party at MRO Americas. It was designed to be the most open. Engineers, executives, buyers, sellers, independents, OEM partners — everyone is welcome, everyone is equal, and everyone is there for the same reason: because what we build together in this industry matters, and the people who build it deserve to celebrate that. The aftermarket thrives when it works as a community — collaborating across competitors, sharing knowledge across borders, and yes, occasionally sharing a dancefloor. That openness and that spirit of inclusion is what Afterburn and DASI are really about, and it’s what we’ll carry into every edition that follows.“From a dinner for a few in Miami to a night for thousands in Orlando — here’s to the community that made it happen.”Here’s to Afterburn 8. See you on the 21st. 🔥 Follow DASI on LinkedIn and Instagram for access details or visit us at booth 2124 during MRO Americas 2026.