May 11, 2011

Perth : Perth Entertainment Centre - Abandoned Stadium


I don't know how he did it. I'm telling you, that was the best rice I have ever eaten. There's a whole other side to the dish, sure. Fuck that was some tasty rice. Semi-transparent, glistening, aldente, and with chicken as well, I put it up there as probably the best meal I have ever eaten. Three bucks. Airfare to Singapore is under four hundred, if you plan ahead. Four hundred and three dollars, for the best meal of my life? I'd pay that tomorrow. But, this is more a Bangkok story. Singapore, has it's charms. Like a nerd cousin. I don't mind nerds. Some nerds. A few nerds. Anyway, that's Singapore. Bang-kok. Bangkok is like the cousin you wanted to visit when you were a kid. The one that lived near a space invader cocktail machine, at the squash courts down the road. There was going to be a point here, something about abandoned stadiums. Perth Entertainment Centre? Abandoned? Three hours in the P-E-C, and memories come flooding back. Gigs, movies, ALVA skate team, b-ball, circus, beer. I'm still giddy. This adventure, well it felt like a swan song. The photo's, a last waltz. Perth's greatest ever abandoned building, is moments from it's final lament. For just a few hours, the amazing Perth Entertainment Centre gave me one last magnificent performance. Truly, a Perth icon that will never be forgotten.

Bonus number of photos this time, let the memories roll. 36 shots, old school.

Oh, one more thing. If you are interested in improving your skills with the camera, I should point out that I have a secret weapon. Trust me, it's not my old camera.  I talk all about it here. Cheers.






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66 comments:

Anonymous said...

It doesn't get much better than this.

You're one lucky sod!

N. said...

Yep, If I were a religious man, I'd be counting my blessings.

Adam said...

During the day, approved journey?

N. said...

During the day, yes. Approved, no.

BRIK said...

nou ma god
My internet choose a good week to cap. I actually went and made some eggs, ate them, cleaned up and it was still loading. Totally worth it though.
You sir, are a legend among mortal men.

Mark said...

Old school man, great shots. That fedup piece has been there for like 10 years too.

N. said...

Thanks Mark. Yeah, that FEDUP piece should be heritage listed!

Anonymous said...

Its amazing how many places that FEDUP tag pops up all over perth. I was watching a music video on youtube for a band called we can breathe in space and spotted it on a wall in the background. Its at claremont asylum and the mansion in caversham

Rebekah said...

These are amazing photos!!! How did you manage to get into the building?? Was it guarded or anything??

N. said...

My lips are sealed!

Anonymous said...

Almost brings a tear to my eye looking at these pics. Thanks for the post - would have loved one last look around the place so these pics are the next best thing. Cheers!

Unknown said...

Would have loved to get in there and see what backstage was actually like. Performers have always said the stage area and dressing rooms were the best in the world

Anonymous said...

would've taken a dump in a v.i.p. seat 4 sure

Anonymous said...

Great pics,Wildcat fans must have alot of good memories of this place.
Not sure of the reasons it sat empty for so long,but it should been kept open just for the basketball.

N. said...

Thanks Anon - yes, Wildcats fans are shedding a quiet tear this week...

Anonymous said...

clap clap clap clap

Rach said...

So goddamn awesome. I'm incredibly jealous.

Anonymous said...

THANKS!! for the pics. I so wanted to see inside before it was demolished so glad you could show us. Really sad but we have the memories.

N. said...

Thanks... I'm glad people get to see the inside, I had forgotten what it looked like, and most of the time, it was dark in there!

Cote said...

Yo Nate! Been lovin the last few posts, but this was especially great! So many memories! From Bball to crushin on Jonny Young Talent girlies to smoking joints at the Cypress Hill / Ice Cube show...my adolescence owes a great deal to this place!
I hope all's well homes. Cote.

Anonymous said...

Awesome post. My only problem with this is that we don't get to see any part of the building we haven't already seen. Someone (approved or not) needs to take photos of backstage, the dressing rooms and the VIP boxes. Those are the most fascinated parts of the building that I'd love to see..

I truly do hope someone completely catalogs the building before it comes down. I'd like to see old Vs. new photos in the style of these:
http://www.detroiturbex.com/content/schools/cass/thenandnow/index.html

N. said...

YO COTÉ!

Things is good, thanks for the compliments dude... and yes, so many memories, for so many people. Ahh life goes on!

--------

Anon, thanks! I did take over 200 photos, of EVERY part of the entire centre. It took almost an entire day. Let's just say, a COMPLETE catalog... But, some things have gotta stay a secret.... for now....

Anonymous said...

Great images,thanks - my interest in abandoned sites spreads from the decrepid cotton mills and old abandoned convent orphanages in the North west UK to the popular social history over here.

N. said...

Thanks Yardworks - what an amazing project you have been undertaking. Thanks for stopping by, and thanks for the compliment.

Anonymous said...

WOW I didn't realise that this was abandoned!!!. On my many train travels to Harbourtown I thought they were just rebuilding something there!!! I remember watching Disney on Ice when I was little with my nanna!!!!!

Tin said...

Dude, I love all these posts! PLEASE tell us how you get in!

N. said...

Thanks Tin.... persistence is the key to getting in anywhere.

Mick said...

Hey mate, I do a bit of photography and would love to do a model shoot here. How risky is getting in this place?

Mick said...

oh, e-mail is miketz@gmail.com

N. said...

Hi Mick, now, I would say too risky. The building is being pulled down as I type this... not only that, but there is a whole bunch of extra fences and security.

Anonymous said...

Disney on Ice and the Harlem GlobeTrotters.

Great photos. I have longed for some urban exploration that ventured into this stadium but could never find an exploit to obtain access without causing damage. Nice work

Glenn said...

I cant to this day understand why it sat there unused for so long - 2 cinema's, bar, plus the main arena.... suits so many things.
Sad, so sad to see it go.
Childhood, teenage and adult memories from that place that will never fade.
(anyone remember dan dan the hotdog man?)

The Worst of Perth said...

Fantastic.

Anonymous said...

I'd love to know what performers thought of playing there, always seemed such an awesome atmosphere (much unlike Burswood Dome)

N. said...

Thanks TWOP, always good to see you around this neck of the woods.

Anonymous said...

Just wondering how it is u find all these abandoned buildings in Western Australia

Anonymous said...

i love the FEDUP container. i want to keep it! and the channel 7 red bullet shot so lol-worthy on every train ride :)

go take a look at the house on stirling hwy (on the corner of smyth street) not far from UWA. it will undoubtedly be the easiest place you'll ever get into :)

N. said...

Leesamaria, I totally agree! That container should be heritage listed, and with the Today Tonight billboard above it, wow, what a combo. Big thanks to the FEDUP team, for providing many lols over the years. A lot of people will miss it...

Anonymous said...

The original building color was bright orange.

Anonymous said...

Here's the record of it at the Heritage Council of WA.
http://register.heritage.wa.gov.au/viewplace.html?place_seq=38362&offset=1&view=library

Anonymous said...

Test

Paulf said...

Hey mate, great photos.

What gear are you using, the pics look awesome.

N. said...

Nikon for most of the blog. All photos above, Nikon. Occasionally, a P&S Panasonic LX3, and a Leica M6. Thanks for the compliments.

Anonymous said...

Saw Disney on Ice, Harlam Gloe Trotters, Abba, Olive Newton JOhn and many movies there. So sad to see it go..tried to break in for a last look as well but they were removing asbestos so it was too dodgy. There is a good exterior shot of the building in Abba The Movie. Thanks for the pics, they are fascinating.

Anonymous said...

the last time i was inside this building was to see Faith No More back in 97 i think....out with a bang

ted said...

Last concert i saw there was U2 in 1989.
First Concert was Perter Frampton in 1978.

sad.

Anonymous said...

wow I didnt know the outer shell was made out of fibreglass .. I had always thought it was metal.. they musta used a metric shitload of plywood, chopped strand and resin to mould all that.. (sorry, I'm a boatbuilder by trade) but getting back on s. I remember numerous wildcats games defence doush doush doush defence DEFENCE ad infinitum. PLEASE post the photos of the bits we never got to see . see once you've told people you've got em - you've set the hook, eventually you're gonna have to reel your fish in! (and show us the goods ;)

Karl said...

Great Shots, i have photo's from the outside from around March with my daughter there, loved everything about The Entertainment Centre, still such as shame to see it being ripped apart because it was the best music venue Perth has/had.

Thanks for the Photo'

luke said...

Man, i shed a tear looking at these. Nice work. you sir are a god among men. I'm still keen on going on a photog excursion with you.

N. said...

Thanks Luke, and Karl, and everyone else for the kind words.

Hit up another abandonment on the weekend, *very* large factory, perhaps not interesting enough for a blog post, but I'll see.

Location : top secret, basically it is untouched at the moment. Abandoned for several years so far.

!

timfy said...

seems really strange that there is very little dust etc even on the vinyl auditorium seats, its as if the spirits of the past concert goers have been dusting it down in the forlorn hope of a next generation of fans. sad end for an icon of hazy youth

Anonymous said...

I must say this is one of the most interesting Perth blogs I've read, especially coming from an architectural perspective. Very intriguing. Great work.

Tim said...

Hey Nate

Tim from The Thousands here (formally SixThousand). Love these pics. I was recently exploring The PEC myself and I'm wanting to write an article about it for our lil' site. as it was dark and I only had an iPhone my pics of the experience are shitty. Was wondering If I'd be able to steal a pic off you in exchange for an image credit/link to your site?

Cheerios

Tim said...

Tim here again. Best way to let me know if it is cool is to email me at tim{at}rightanglestudio.com.au

N. said...

Hi Tim, thanks for the compliments!

Re: photo usage, no. I retain copyright on every photo that appears on this website, and do not authorise the use of any of the photos on "thethousands" website. For more details, click the "about" link.

Tarryn said...

its gone =[ im such a younging that i dont actually ever remember being in there, not even sure when it shut down, such a shame though. also i have a fedup peice just out my front door on the 2 storey furniture shop that backs onto the block across the road, amazing how many places have been gotten to =]

Anonymous said...

Looks like it is all gone now, so sad! I have kept coming back to look at these photos for months now. Did anyone ever get any more behind the scenes photos? I would love to see more photos of the various rooms and backstage areas.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the pics... esp of the nosebleed seats... my very first concert was there, in those seats for Phil Collins right in the middle in 1990. Started me off on a huge concert bender over about a 10 or 15 year period. They could have had so many more concerts there before it was pulled down, and it is way better than Burswood Dome soundwise.

Thanks again.

Anonymous said...

Shame on this Barnett government. Another Perth icon gone forever. He doesn't care at all about preserving Perths history. PEC was truly the glory days for Basketball in Perth. Bruton, Ellis, Black, Crawford, Grace, Pinder, Watto, Longley, Harvey, Timmons, Hinchen, Rogers, Vlahov, Fisher. The list goes on and on. They could have refurbished this and had a mixed precinct with theatre, cinemas, sports, cafes, shops, restaurants and nightclubs all mixed into 1 but the idiots build a theatre over in Northbridge. Come to the Heath Ledger and get your head belted in for a good night out. Not bad ay?

ryca said...

amazing images nate. simply amazing. thanks for sharing

N. said...

Thanks Royce, nice to hear from you. Hope you and the fam is all good.

Anonymous said...

Hey N, fantastic blog. Absolutely love it - one of the best I've come across in many years of interweb trawling. I'm hoping to get your views on two Perth building that I actually like:

1: The Bankwest Tower. I just think it's a really good looking building, particularly the top section.

2: The Telstra building. This may be a surprise, as many people hate it, but I think it kinda defines Perth for people in the northern suburbs. It's just ALWAYS been there and nothing looks quite like it. Like, what other building in the world has a quarter pipe on its roof?

melody said...

Great memories of this place...in the 70s, disney on ice...years later INXS...Robbo's the nightclub

Anonymous said...

"Shame on this Barnett government. Another Perth icon gone forever. He doesn't care at all about preserving Perths history. PEC was truly the glory days for Basketball in Perth. Bruton, Ellis, Black, Crawford, Grace, Pinder, Watto, Longley, Harvey, Timmons, Hinchen, Rogers, Vlahov, Fisher. The list goes on and on. They could have refurbished this and had a mixed precinct with theatre, cinemas, sports, cafes, shops, restaurants and nightclubs all mixed into 1 but the idiots build a theatre over in Northbridge. Come to the Heath Ledger and get your head belted in for a good night out. Not bad ay?"
Couldnt have said it any better myself.

Anonymous said...

Saw my first concert here KISS in 1980 I was a princely 11 years old. It was the venue for a lot of international shows for me and my mates great times and greater memories. Even saw Star Wars at the Academy cinemas in a scifi movie marathon in the '80's

Anonymous said...

What went wrong here?

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