Perth celebrates 41 Years of X-Press Magazine with special exhibition event

Last Friday night, Perth music fans hit the State Library of Western Australia to celebrate 41 years of X-Press Magazine, with a panel discussion featuring figures from the Perth music industry.

The panel discussion included ARIA-nominated WA musician Abbe May, X-Press Magazine’s longest-serving editor Bob Gordon, current editor Brayden Edwards, founder and former owner of X-Press Joe Cipriani, and long-serving X-Press Magazine and WA photographer Toni Wilkinson. 

Moderated by State Library of Western Australia Manager of Engagement and Creative Programs David Craddock, the panel discussed the Perth rock ‘n’ roll scene, print journalism and X-Press Magazine’s influential role in shaping local music, fashion, media and pop culture over more than four decades. The night also featured musical interludes from Abbe May.

The event marked the official launch of the X-Press Magazine: 41 Years on the Streets exhibition at the State Library of Western Australia, running from Friday, June 19, to Monday, November 30.

The free exhibition showcased the history of X-Press Magazine from 1985 to 2026, featuring historic cover artwork, retro print issues and special edition issues, photographs of famed musicians, digital magazine displays, T-shirts, cassette tapes and more.

The exhibition was curated by former X-Press editor Bob Gordon and presented with the support of X-Press Magazine and Vanguard Media Group, who acquired the publication in 2023.

The panel event and exhibition followed on from the launch of Rewind – 40 Years of X-Press Magazine, a 200-page coffee table book written by Bob Gordon which was released in March and on sale on the night. The book was made possible after X-Press opened the vaults and digitised more than 1,500 print editions, bringing the gigs, artists and stories that shaped Western Australia’s vibrant arts culture into a new era.

The X-Press Magazine: 41 Years on the Streets panel discussion took place at the State Library of Western Australia on Friday, June 19, 2026. The exhibition will be on display from Friday, June 19, to Monday, November 30, and is free to attend. For more information, head to slwa.wa.gov.au. Rewind: 40 Years of X-Press Magazine by Bob Gordon is on sale now in hardcover and softcover. 

Photos by Miles Noel