Nightlife

Scoop is a good source of information on festivals and concerts, theater, classical music, exhibitions, and the like. Your best guide to dance clubs, rock concerts, gig listings, and art-house cinemas is the free weekly X-press magazine, available at pubs, cafes, and music venues every Thursday. The West Australian (especially the Sat edition) and Sunday Times newspapers publish entertainment information, including cinema guides.

Two ticket agencies handle 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 (tel. 13 61 00; www.ticketmaster.com.au). Book opera, ballet, the orchestra, and the Black Swan Theatre Company through BOCS.

The Performing Arts

The West Australian Opera (tel. 08/9278 8999 administration) and West Australian Ballet (tel. 08/9214 0707 administration) usually perform at His Majesty's Theatre, 825 Hay St.. Perth's leading theater company, the Black Swan Theatre Company (tel. 08/6389 0311 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, but with other performances in Kings Park (open-air summer concerts) and the Art Gallery. Perth Concert Hall has the best acoustics of any such venue in Australia, and features a wide range of other artists.

Perth is an outdoors kind of place. In summer, look for outdoor concerts or jazz at Perth Zoo (tel. 08/9474 3551 for recorded information, or 08/9474 0444 administration); movies at Perth's several outdoor cinemas; and open-air concerts, plays, and movies in Kings Park (tel. 08/9480 3600 administration; 08/9480 3666 24-hr. events information).

The Perth International Arts Festival (tel. 08/6488 2000 administration; www.perthfestival.com.au; bookings through BOCS) is the oldest arts festival in the Southern Hemisphere, producing 3 1/2 weeks of local and international theater, dance, music, and a wide variety of free performances every February. It makes great use of Perth's weather and outdoor venues, especially with its 4-month film festival.

Movies and Stars

Catch an art house movie in the superb tree-lined Somerville Auditorium in the grounds of the University of WA. Picnic on the grass beforehand (you can buy food and drinks) while the sun sets, then watch the film from rows of deck chairs, with the stars visible overhead. The season runs nightly at 8:30pm from December through March, as part of the Perth International Arts Festival.

Pubs, Bars & Nightclubs

Northbridge houses most of the city's lively pubs and dance clubs. Don't forget that Freo has good pubs, too.

For a 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 one serving platters and pizzas, and there's a restaurant upstairs. The Laugh Resort comedy club performs upstairs in the Glasshouse at 8pm Wednesday for a A$12 (US$11/£5.50) cover.

The "Subi," also known as the Subiaco Hotel, 465 Hay St. at Rokeby Road, Subiaco (tel. 08/9381 3069), is a popular historic pub with a stylish cafe, great cocktails, and live music on Wednesday and Saturday nights.

The biggest place on the nightclub scene is Metro City, 146 Roe Street Northbridge (tel. 08/9228 0500), with 10 bars over three levels. It opens every Saturday night from 10pm with its "Empire" party, featuring R&B, house, and commercial music. The cover of A$10 (US$9/£4.50) increases to A$15 (US$14/£6.75) after 11pm. It opens frequently on other weekend nights, with varying cover charge, for special events with visiting bands and artists. Visit www.metrosuperclub.com for details.

In Fremantle, the Metropolis, 58 S. Terrace (tel. 08/9336 1880), is a complex of two dance floors and eight bars on several levels. It's open Friday 9pm to 5am, and Saturday 9pm to 6am. The cover varies depending on the entertainment, but is usually in the A$15 (US$14/£6.75) range.

Gaming

Burswood International Resort Casino complex, on the Great Eastern Highway just over the river from the city (tel. 08/9362 7777), is WA's only legal casino, with 137 tables and 1,500 gaming machines, and the premium gaming Pearl Room. Some of the casino's most popular games include roulette, keno, blackjack, and two-up. The casino operates 24 hours every day except Good Friday and December 25 (closed 3am-10pm), and April 25 (Anzac Day; closed 3am-noon), and is open to everyone over the age of 18. Dress code is "neat and tidy," with smarter standards after 7pm. There are seven restaurants and bars, a 900-seat nightclub, and a 2,300-seat theater which features numerous major international acts. Live bands, disco, cabaret performers, or karaoke play nightly. It's a A$15-A$20 (US$14-US$18/£6.75-£9) cab ride from the city, or take a train to Burswood station.