It’s a Thursday night in Scarborough, the sound of drums and guitar riffs fill the air, luring large crowds into the Indian Ocean Hotel.
Just a five-minute walk from the beach, the “Indi Bar” as it’s more commonly known, has become the popular hot spot for Perth’s live music scene.
From hosting early performances by now-famous acts like the John Butler Trio to showcasing the next wave of homegrown talent, the venue has long served as a launchpad for emerging artists.
Its laid-back vibe, Las Vegas charm and free live gig offerings, makes it a crucial live music scene as Perth begins to see many music venues disappear.
Harry Mitchell, lead guitarist for local indie rock band The Kickons, says the Indi Bar stands out as a venue for the band.
“There are always plenty of new bands having a crack, and the Indi Bar is the perfect place to catch something new,” he said.
“As far as I’m aware, it’s the stage to watch for up-and-coming acts.”
Bands have used the venue as a launchpad for over 60 years. (Photo: Sophie Gannon).
The Kickons have played gigs across the city and regional WA, including at Gage Roads, The River in Margaret River, and Amplifier.
But it’s the atmosphere at the Indi Bar that Harry says keeps bands and visitors coming back.
“There’s always a good crowd, they’re open-minded, receptive and keen to discover new music.”
“It’s an inviting energy, and that really makes a difference when you’re on stage,” he said.
But even as crowds continue to pour through, the live music industry across the nation is facing some significant challenges.
According to the 2024 Winarch Group Live Music Census, only six per cent of Australians feel their local area has a sufficient number of live music venues.
Half of those said they’d like to see more live music near where they live.
Yet in Perth, creating and maintaining these venues is becoming increasingly more difficult.
CEO of West Australian Music (WAM) Owen Whittle said that live music venues have faced significant challenges especially with strict noise restrictions enforced by local governments.
“You will find that new venues seeking to perform music have an almost impossible task to […] get it through local government […], it’s extremely, extremely rare for us to see new live music venues in Perth,” he said.
Mr Whittle says there has been a “decades long” decline of live music around Australia and “Perth is not immune to that”.
“And there’s very rare success stories in terms of being able to […] jump through the hoops and tick the boxes to start new venues, and that greatly concerns us.”
A lot of the problem, Mr Whittle says, comes down to community complaints.
“A lot of music venues have been performing live music for decades and then all of sudden new browsers come in and complain about what they are doing,” he said.
In addition to challenges posed by local government rules and regulations, the Live Music Census surveyrespondents highlighted several other barriers that live music can pose, including the unaffordable venue and ticket costs, limited access to public transport, and long toilet queues.
Seventy-four per cent said tickets need to be more affordable, 48 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds pointed to inadequate transport options, and 51 per cent expressed frustration with toilet facilities at venues.
While venues such as the Indi Bar continue to thrive, they are increasingly becoming the exception rather than an expectation.
Rising living costs, council restrictions, and changing neighbourhood demographics mean that even established spots are constantly defending their right to continue.
According to the Live music census, 77 per cent of people agreed the memories created at live music events last a lifetime.
This raises the important question: how can the industry protect and sustain the live music scene, not just for today’s audiences, but for future generations as well?
