WA's Most Unique Live Music Spaces: Prisons, Abandoned Warehouses & More
This is how Perth has innovated average spaces into cultural hubs.
Gatehouse entrance to Fremantle Prison (Credit: Lijil, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons - Public Domain)
Perth is one of the most isolated cities in the world, and it’s often overlooked by artists or festivals, skipping the West Coast on their Australian tours.
However, that has never stopped Perth’s creatives from transforming seemingly ordinary places into iconic cultural hotspots. This sort of innovation in Perth awakens something in spaces that would otherwise remain asleep in the city.
Here are a few examples of average places that Perth has repurposed or sustained to later host some of the biggest names in the industry:
An Abandoned Power Station
Laying Dormant for over 40 years, the East Perth Power Station transformed into a public open space for Perth Festival and other large-scale events.
Reactivating in 2025, the old power station faces the Derbarl Yerrigan (Swan River) and is ideal for picnics, outdoor cinemas, concerts and visual art exhibitions.
Don't miss a beat with our FREE daily newsletter
Sonic sundowner Casa Musica is the most recent event to be held at the once-neglected site and is widely attended by family and friends to celebrate a diverse range of music and First Nations artists like Boorloo Contemporary.
2. An Old Prison
The eerie heritage attraction, Fremantle Prison dates back to the beginnings of Western Australia. Preserved to this day, the prison was the largest convict-built structure in WA and was the state’s only place for executions.
Decommissioned in 1991 and open to the public ever since, it has developed into a popular tourist attraction for art, music and comprehensive prison tours.
Some evenings spent at Freo Prison have been accompanied by Matt Corby, AURORA, Great Gable and Suzi Quatro (and maybe a ghost or two).
Although the prison tours are not for the faint-hearted - those who dare visit the whipping post, gallows and the morgue- concerts held in the old parade ground are said to be hauntingly beautiful.
3. Converted Warehouses
Raw, gritty and industrial. There is something magnetic about live music in an old warehouse; maybe it sparks a feeling of rebellion against polished, gilded venues - and the people of Perth love it.
Gone but never forgotten, The Bakery was a multi-functional venue transformed from an old warehouse in Northbridge. It became a hub for emerging local artists, international artists and large-scale events.
It was intimate, grungy, yet vibrant and said to be a great old space in the heart of Northbridge that was brought back to life for nearly 15 years. Over this time, The Bakery hosted Courtney Barnett, The Growlers, and Peaches and also held the WA Music Awards for two consecutive years.
Closing its doors in 2015, The Bakery’s atmosphere can be felt similarly in other converted warehouses such as Perth Mess Hall, The Old Pickle Factory and E Shed In Fremantle.
4. Parks and Botanical Gardens
Dating back to the 1880s, Kings Park was originally used by Volunteer Rifle Corps to practice shooting. Also, being one of the largest parks in the world, it has since been a place where many Perth citizens and families have made life-long memories.
Matt Corby at King’s Park. Photo credit: Liam Fawell
The area is rich in flora, fauna and scenic routes. In 2024, the park’s Amphitheatre was opened to support a range of performances. Designed and initiated as part of the Korean War Memorial Project, the amphitheatre is nestled among nature and holds a comforting environment for entertainment and gatherings.
Crowded House, Matt Corby, Cat Power, Middle Kids and Jebediah have performed in the park, overlooking the symphony of lights that glows from Perth’s cityscape.
A popular inner city meeting spot, Hyde Park surrounds an eco-diverse lake, walking trails and a performance stage skirted by greenery. The 900 Moreton Bay Fig and London Plane trees throughout the park create a mystical, forest-like atmosphere for locals.
Hyde hosts many free events such as the Hyde Park Festival, Yoga in the Park, RTRFM’s Neon Picnic, Casa Musica, Candlelit Concerts, workshops and fashion shows.
Open-air Stages
These venues tucked away in WA’s landscapes promise a dynamic backdrop during performances, transitioning from melting sunsets to star-lit skies, free from the restriction of four walls.
Reminiscent of a primal experience, a concert here is stripped-back. The stage’s atmosphere is stripped back simply to bare nature and the performance.
Red Hill Auditorium is one of a kind. It’s in close proximity to Red Hill Waste Facility, one of the largest landfills in the state and the best-practiced.
The auditorium is Australia’s first carbon-negative live music venue, removing more CO2 from the atmosphere than it emits through the re-establishment of ecosystems in degraded farmlands.
The Red Hill Express provides a shuttle bus service, which leaves 18 hotels all over Perth to reduce traffic to the site and overall emissions.
With an audience cap of 5,000, it was designed for patrons to attend a gig that feels like it’s miles into nature while still being in the metro area.
Over the years, ethereal artists like Empire Of The Sun, Bon Iver and Heilung have utilised the raw elements of Red Hill to create a trance-like, sensory experience.
Repurposed as an outdoor venue in 1986, the Quarry Amphitheatre was once a quarry for limestone, where many of Perth’s first buildings sourced their materials from.
Located in City Beach, this venue on the coast still provides a dazzling view of Perth’s city landscape.
The dramatic backdrop pairs perfectly with opera, classical and jazz concerts and WA Ballet’s charming annual performances.
Your Family’s Backyard
A classic.
Fairy lights, couches found on the side of the road, and milk crates zip-tied together to make a DJ booth are the ultimate DIY setup you can find at the back of many Perth houses.
Whether it’s a shared house or your family home, anyone can turn their backyard into a concert - which is the beauty of free will (as long as your neighbours don’t mind).
Perth legends Spacey Jane played their first gig in Caleb Harper’s dad’s backyard; the rest is history.
Despite the changes, these reimagined venues maintain most of their original identity, which makes their events intriguing, obscure and forever immersive.
This piece of content has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body
More From Our Network
