The Best On Earth In Perth
Created | Updated Jun 6, 2003
visitors to australia more often than not fly into sydney, stay there for at least a few months, then head north through byron bay, surfers paradise, bris-vegas, noosa heads, fraser island, the whitsundaes, cairns and then either fly onwards to asia, back to sydney or maybe to melbourne.
the trip to uluru is almost compulsory too, and well worth the journey.
though it seems there are more and more coming out, there is still nowhere near as many people who travel to the beautiful west side of the country. those that do swear it to be the better side, one where you are made to feel less of a commodity and have more freedom to 'get off the beaten track'.
there are the increasingly well documented sites to see here. the city of perth, small, quiet but unique from other cities. the ningaloo reef, possibly our biggest drawcard. the pilbara and kimberley regions and of course the south-west corner filled with wineries, beaches, jarrah forrests and the odd hippy commune here and there.
but there is something wonderful perth has to offer that often escapes the view of even the most intrepid explorers and thorough tourists.
the local music scene.
no matter what your tastes may be, there will be a fully developed or developing scene in that interest operating at full steam in perth. from reggae and ska to the heaviest of metal to country to electronica in its many guises, from hiphop and rap to blues, jazz and folk. there are at least four thousand other genres or sub-sub-sub-cultures that cannot be mentioned here for fear of overwhelming the good reader.
there has been a terrible lack of support for the local origianal scene here, with venues more like institutions closing all over the city, being re-invented as some sort of exciting new dining concept or retired into government offices. the bands playing the larger venues and making money are the cover bands, the leeches of others talents. they are safe, easy and digestible. but people seem not to realise that if it weren't for the occasional original band making it, these chameleons would have nothing to play at all.
i have had more religious musical experiences watching a handful of local bands in perth than i have in all my travels to date. from the insane ska of Waste of Space and Behind The Eight Ball to the dub-inspired Brainhorn. From the insanities of Purrverts rap metal to he John Butler Trio's rockin' blues. the gentle strengths of Josivac make a perfect balance for the aggressions of PC Thug and The Local Pricks.
so when in perth, get out and support these bands. they will give you some of the best glimpses into a unique culture. perth thrives on itself and is its own tiny universe, where people bounce quickly off one another and make pretty extraordinary things.
to see some of these bands you will have to be at least slightly dedicated, as the venues are being pushed here and there in the hunt for money and in some cases, silence.
for the best of the punk scene, head to the Hyde Park Hotel on Fitzgerald Street in North Perth. For whatever is currently the fashion in the scene, head to The Amplifier Bar, behind the Globe Theatre, on Murray Street in Perth. For a whole pile of different things, head to MOJO's, many times the best venue in perth, on Stirling Highway in North Fremantle, or further on just down the street to The Swan Hotel and Swan Basement, a newly reopened venue promising more and more support for the locals. There are also more venues in Fremantle herself along South Terrace, like the Norfolk and Newport Hotels.
i can promise you will not be disappointed by what you may find. and if you are, then, well, it will be all too easy for you to find a large pub with at least one band a night playing someone elses greatest hits for you to sing along to...
the trip to uluru is almost compulsory too, and well worth the journey.
though it seems there are more and more coming out, there is still nowhere near as many people who travel to the beautiful west side of the country. those that do swear it to be the better side, one where you are made to feel less of a commodity and have more freedom to 'get off the beaten track'.
there are the increasingly well documented sites to see here. the city of perth, small, quiet but unique from other cities. the ningaloo reef, possibly our biggest drawcard. the pilbara and kimberley regions and of course the south-west corner filled with wineries, beaches, jarrah forrests and the odd hippy commune here and there.
but there is something wonderful perth has to offer that often escapes the view of even the most intrepid explorers and thorough tourists.
the local music scene.
no matter what your tastes may be, there will be a fully developed or developing scene in that interest operating at full steam in perth. from reggae and ska to the heaviest of metal to country to electronica in its many guises, from hiphop and rap to blues, jazz and folk. there are at least four thousand other genres or sub-sub-sub-cultures that cannot be mentioned here for fear of overwhelming the good reader.
there has been a terrible lack of support for the local origianal scene here, with venues more like institutions closing all over the city, being re-invented as some sort of exciting new dining concept or retired into government offices. the bands playing the larger venues and making money are the cover bands, the leeches of others talents. they are safe, easy and digestible. but people seem not to realise that if it weren't for the occasional original band making it, these chameleons would have nothing to play at all.
i have had more religious musical experiences watching a handful of local bands in perth than i have in all my travels to date. from the insane ska of Waste of Space and Behind The Eight Ball to the dub-inspired Brainhorn. From the insanities of Purrverts rap metal to he John Butler Trio's rockin' blues. the gentle strengths of Josivac make a perfect balance for the aggressions of PC Thug and The Local Pricks.
so when in perth, get out and support these bands. they will give you some of the best glimpses into a unique culture. perth thrives on itself and is its own tiny universe, where people bounce quickly off one another and make pretty extraordinary things.
to see some of these bands you will have to be at least slightly dedicated, as the venues are being pushed here and there in the hunt for money and in some cases, silence.
for the best of the punk scene, head to the Hyde Park Hotel on Fitzgerald Street in North Perth. For whatever is currently the fashion in the scene, head to The Amplifier Bar, behind the Globe Theatre, on Murray Street in Perth. For a whole pile of different things, head to MOJO's, many times the best venue in perth, on Stirling Highway in North Fremantle, or further on just down the street to The Swan Hotel and Swan Basement, a newly reopened venue promising more and more support for the locals. There are also more venues in Fremantle herself along South Terrace, like the Norfolk and Newport Hotels.
i can promise you will not be disappointed by what you may find. and if you are, then, well, it will be all too easy for you to find a large pub with at least one band a night playing someone elses greatest hits for you to sing along to...
