Civic Hotel review

Review by Sarah Warner

Since opening its doors in 1940, the Civic Hotel has become a favourite watering hole, particularly amongst Perth local music connoisseurs.

Nestled in the heart of Inglewood, in Perth’s north, the Civic Hotel is a sprawling gig venue, with a spacious inside bar, traditional pub dining space, the intimate music venue “The Den”, a breezy open-air beer garden and a second, bigger live music venue, aptly named “The Backroom”, that plays host to live local music acts.

The main bar has a good selection of beer, wine and spirits and your stock-standard pre-mix drinks. And don’t expect an exotic menu selection or pricey cuisine here, just hearty, old-school pub feeds that will leave you satisfied and at prices that won’t damage your hip pocket.

While relatively sparse on glamour, the beer garden, with its open court yard lay-out, décor and pool table, provides a surprisingly cosy and relaxed social setting, with groups of punters mingling comfortably between the outside setting, the inside bar and The Backroom.

It can certainly be said that the Civic Hotel’s reputation is not built upon it being an aesthetically pleasing eatery or corporate venue, and for punters seeking the class and ambience of a high-end drinking establishment or hip wine bar, the Civic Hotel, in all its gritty two-story glory, may fall short of their expectations. However, the Civic does not claim to be any of these things and it is the live music that is at the foundation of the Civic Hotel’s allure and what has made it a winner in the eyes of local punters and fans of live music gigs alike.

A faithful supporter of local music, the Civic Hotel has long proven itself to be a premium gig venue for local up-and-coming Perth bands seeking a platform onto the live music scene, as well as regularly playing host to a number of emerging interstate talents. As a venue, the beauty of the Civic is that it does not shy away from swinging away from the mainstream music culture and as such, it is a regular hot-spot for those in the Perth punk and metal community.

The broody atmosphere of The Back Room of the Civic Hotel is the perfect setting for live music gigs. With a huge open lay-out, a separate stocked bar at the back and a decent stage area and sound set-up, it all serves to provide an intimate bond between musicians and music lovers, allowing the crowd to be in the face of the music and in the belly of the beast. As one happy punter aptly put it: “You can taste the sweat from the guitar …it’s definitely a pretty ladsy gig spot”.

Perth-based thrash metal band, Cold Fate, are one such emerging local act that have been playing live gigs at the Civic, such at the recent Rust In Perth metal event. Lead singer, Paul Di Scerni, has nothing but compliments for the venue.

“Decent, laid-back venues like the Civic Hotel, that support local, loud and live music and give alternative bands like us a platform and an opportunity to play are few and far between in Perth,” he said.

“It boasts a pretty awesome stage and in terms of a live music venue and watering hole, the Civic always offers a great night out.”



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