Scoop is a good source of information on festivals and concerts, performing arts, classical music, exhibitions, and the like. Your best guide to dance clubs, rock concerts, gig listings, art-house cinemas, theater and art galleries is the free weekly X-press magazine available at pubs, cafes, and music venues every Thursday. The West Australian and Sunday Times newspapers publish a limited amount of entertainment information, including cinema guides.
Two booking agents handle bookings to most of the city's major performing arts, entertainment, and sporting events: the performing arts-oriented BOCS (tel. 1800/193 300 in Australia, or 08/9484 1133; www.bocsticketing.com.au) and the sports- and family entertainment-oriented Ticketmaster 7 (tel. 136 109; www.ticketmaster7.com). Book opera, ballet, the orchestra, and the Black Swan Theatre Company through BOCS.
The Performing Arts -- The West Australian Opera (tel. 08/9321 5869 administration or 08/9265-0950 bookings) and West Australian Ballet (tel. 08/9481 0707 administration) usually perform at His Majesty's Theatre, 825 Hay St., a restored "grande dame" venue from the early 1900s. Perth's leading theatrical company, the Black Swan Theatre Company (tel. 08/9388 9388 administration), plays at theaters around town. The West Australian Symphony Orchestra (tel. 08/9326 0000) usually performs at the Perth Concert Hall, 5 St. Georges Terrace next to the Duxton Hotel. This hall has the best acoustics of any such venue in Australia; such acts as the London Philharmonic, comedian Billy Connolly, and legendary blues guitarist B. B. King have performed here.
Perth is an outdoors kinda place. In summer, look for outdoor concerts or jazz at Perth Zoo (tel. 08/9474 3551 for recorded information, or 08/9474 0449 administration); movies at Perth's several outdoor cinemas; and open-air concerts, plays, and movies in Kings Park (tel. 08/9480 3600).
Pubs, Bars & Nightclubs -- Northbridge houses most of city's lively pubs and dance clubs. Don't forget Freo has good pubs, too.
For a trendy take on the traditional pub, head to The Brass Monkey, 209 William St. at James Street, Northbridge (tel. 08/9227 9596). Downstairs are several bars including a wine bar serving gourmet pizzas, and a beer garden. Wednesday to Saturday head upstairs to the Glasshouse for live entertainment, including the Laugh Resort comedy club from 8pm Wednesdays for a A$10 (US$6.50) cover.
In Subiaco, suits flock to the "Subi," also known as the Subiaco Hotel, 465 Hay St. at Rokeby Road, Subiaco (tel. 08/9381 3069), a popular historic pub with a stylish cafe, great cocktails, and live jazz on Wednesday and Saturday nights.
Metropolis Concert Club, 146 Roe St., Northbridge (tel. 08/9228 0500), is a huge complex of dance floors and bars over several levels. It's open Friday from 9pm and Saturday from 8pm, until very late. If your "dancing till 6am" days are over but you still know how to hit the dance floor, check out Margeaux's, a nightclub popular with the over-30s crowd, located in the Parmelia Hilton, 14 Mill St. (tel. 08/9215 2000). It's open Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 9pm until 3:30am.
Burswood Casino -- A 2,300-seat theater that hosts some major international stars is located in the Burswood International Resort Casino, on the Great Eastern Highway just over the river (tel. 08/9362 7646 for information, or call BOCS for bookings -- see above). Live bands, disco, cabaret performers, or karaoke play nightly in the free Cabaret Nightclub, and there are nine restaurants and six bars within the complex. On the main gaming floor are 88 tables and 1,300 computerized gaming machines. Some of the Casino's most popular games include roulette, blackjack, and two-up. There's also a VIP players' room and a Keno Lounge. Except for Christmas Day, Good Friday, and Anzac Day, the casino is open 24 hours. Dress code is "neat and tidy" with smarter standards required after 7pm. The Casino is open to everyone over the age of 18. It's about a A$13 (US$8.45) cab ride from the city, or take a train to Burswood station.
