Tetsuo Launch Night @ Tetsuo
Friday, March 31, 2017
Perth nightlife is screaming for change. Almost every event night that once had loyal and regular punters has been remarketed, rebranded and reheated in the hope of bringing fresh meat through the doors. A lot of the time it’s been the same spam in a can, just with a better label, that was until Tetsuo appeared in Japanese text and neon lights. Its graphic design was clean cut, modern and exciting with a twist of Asian “tech”. With a fair amount of metal/ hardcore/ screamo on the bill for the 2nd night of their launch weekend it was interesting to see an all DJ line up for the opening.
It was an exciting thing to see people milling up that other end of Northbridge, where everything from popular night spot Ginger to strip club The Site has previously enjoyed patronage, but there was something different in the air on Friday.
The crowd was a well-diluted pool of ear stretchers and stilettos, boys in flannos and guys in snapbacks watching girls in floral print dresses. There was no mean age, no depicted style of dress or standard, which was refreshing as hell and, in essence, what the club truly felt like throughout the night. Heading up the staircase glowing with pink and blue light strips to the sound of some pretty decent house made for a compelling entrance as it opened up to the main room. With the roof taken out to where the insulation hung it felt ten times more spacious and open. You could actually breathe and move for once. Looking around, it had been stripped back to its basics with added murals and pretty mod blocks of light.
As curiosity goes, the first point of call was to check out the additional back room. Following in the minimalistic vibe, the little boiler room was pumping a mix of tech to old school house. Inside was a small bar, a stand up piano and the smell of fresh paint still lingering. Housing possibly a maximum of 100 bodies, there is definite potential for some progressively toasty nights in this cool little pocket.
Looking back through to the main room, it was very hall-like which naturally drew your focus to the main stage, which had some very decent lighting and an incredible sound system. This basic industrial design worked on so many levels because for once, the club didn’t feel like it was trying too hard to be anything. It was like, come as you are, we don’t give a shit, but enjoy a purple drank from the bar. They did well with the assortment of Japanese alcoholic beverages with everything from plum to grape but could add more of this influence around the club.
Like many others I am expecting pretty interesting things to come from this space and it typically comes down to type of parties they want to throw. Stick with the originality and let Perth do the rest.
MIA CAMPBELL-FOULKES
