September 21, 2009

Perth - Winter, Heritage, Nightclubs, Skateboarders, Graffiti Writers, and Asians.


Perth is currently in an eternal winter. Now I know what English summers feel like. Terrible. The leaves on that tree may never grow back.

Should it be heritage listed? No, not the Perth Entertainment Centre. The sea container combined with the Today Tonight billboard. The PEC has to go, sooner or later. I like the PEC. However, the huge shed sits on the prime real-estate of the soon-to-be Northbridge Link project (soon-to-be as in probably never). Personally, I believe the PEC has huge cultural significance. Twenty years ago today, it was the spot where I got angry at a movie for the first time, watching Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing. Even then, the PEC's Lumiere cinema seemed like a run-down cinema. But it will be a sad day when the most perfect commentary of all - "FEDUP" written below the Today Tonight billboard, finally disappears. Thanks FDP crew, for providing an intelligent piece of public art, at no cost to the rate-payer.


Since its been raining, a lot, its time to reminisce about the Perth of old. Seems like a bit of a cop-out, but fuck it, I haven't taken many photos lately.

The Underground was the best night club I ever went to in Perth. Three levels, a run-down federation building, and a train carriage. Drink specials, free entry. These days, its a back-packers hostel.

Many people don't know that Tony Hawk, professional skateboarder, would frequent Karrinyup shopping centre. Yes, THE Karrinyup Shopping Centre. Yes, that really is Tony Hawk. This was shot around 87 or 88. Yes, it was a really shitty camera.

The Firm was a great establishment. Now its the Old Melbourne Hotel. Back then, it was the OLD Melbourne Hotel. The nightclub was upstairs, and the floor would genuinely bounce. Structurally, that place was a nightmare back then. People would try and make the floor collapse. Fortunately, everybody was too drunk/high to really care. Like The Underground, it was a very popular place.

Even in Osborne Park, skateboarding was huge. This was taken around 1990, at the rear of a surf store that no longer exists, on Scarborough Beach Road. Chris Miller, and Natas Kaupus, are in this photo, somewhere!


These days, the Perth City Council feels a need to inject "vibrancy" into the CBD. The solution? Spend tens of thousands of dollars on a jazz band and a tent in Forrest Place. Back in the early 90's, there was a cheaper, easier, more effective solution - just allow visiting professional skateboarder John Cardiel, and a few locals, to run riot.


Is there a point to all this? Maybe. Skateboarders, Graffiti writers, and of course Asians, are the signs of future vibrancy. All three cultures utlilise sections of the CBD for their own enjoyment long before the masses cotton on. Long before there were bars in Howard Lane, there were skateboarders and Graffiti Writers in Howard Lane. Head into the CBD on any weeknight, and observe - Asians. You get the point.

These cultures are the future of our city, and I for one, like that future. If you don't know, now you know.

20 comments:

Garth said...

Nice post!
That Cardiel Photo is soo fucking rad!

I'm sure you've got plenty more knowledge and gold in the vaults.

N. said...

Cheers Garth, yep, plenty more in the vault... the vault has been locked for this long, time to get the old photos scanned!

Bento said...

Magic, as usual.

Nate - have you got an email address, I have a favour to ask?

N. said...

Cheers Bento - yep, scroll down on the right, click "view my complete profile", and click email.

janine Symons said...

do you remember the tacos at the underground. really weird food to sell at a nightclub, but they were bloody good.

N. said...

Wow - I never remember eating anything at The Underground....I do remember having more than my fair share of $2 drinks though...

kekeke said...

i do miss marauding gangs of blonde fringe asian posses...

^_^

keke.

acc521 said...

Brilliant!

vast. said...

get back to work and climb something!

N. said...

Hi all - I have been OS for a few weeks, new posts to come shortly...!

Jimmy Hats said...

Alleyways.
More Alleys.

N. said...

Jimmy Hats, I agree. Will get some up soon, check back.

Jimmy Hats said...

But I mean,
98-05 alleys man, you gotta go back to the day, when you could rock 7 pieces in the middle of the morning in the CBD.

Those days were too sleazy lad.

N. said...

"Back to the day" is 98-05???

I have some Perth alley pics featuring pieces from the kings of the day circa late 80's. Will dig em up for ya.

In those days, we wore onions on our belts, son!

Anonymous said...

Writers, Skaters and Asians are on point.
Good call.

Recently Williams lane notrhtbridge is a good example.
'07 i'd hang there a fair bit with crew coz it is one of the only spots in town to legally paint.
Now it is home a pretty killer little Bar benefiting from the street amtmosphere.

Jesse Kuillotine said...

I was at the Surfrider demo on Scarborough beach Road... i think that Gator also skated that demo?

N. said...

Yo Jesse! How are ya buddy.... man, good question... I don't remember Gator being there, but it kind of rings a bell... hopefully someone else can confirm. Did you see any kind of GATOR product placement that day? Like free steering wheel locks with every surfboard bag? OOOO I WENT THERE!

Tony said...

Great to see those old skate pics, had no idea Cardiel had been here.

N. said...

Thanks Tony... I got a few more pics I might post up one of these days...

Anonymous said...

I remember going to a skate demo at El Caballo Blanco when I was knee high to a grasshopper? Big halfpipe, I think 1989? Got any pix?

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