The Bird isn’t just one of Perth’s coolest small bars. In the 1920s what’s now the courtyard was a brothel.

It later became a butcher, and the black charring from smoked meats can still be seen on the back brick wall. A spectacles store moved in more recently, then, in 2010, a group of mates gutted the place and made it one of the city’s best live-music haunts.

The Bird hosts diverse tunes, from solo artists to bands and DJs, between five and seven nights a week. But there’s as much conversation and conviviality as there is music appreciation, particularly in the rear open-air area. It has been extended to fit in even more op-shop couches and repurposed armchairs.

Inside, wooden banquettes and velvet settees seat punters clutching tap beers and carefully prepared cocktails. The drink choices represent the look and feel of the place: shabby chic with chutzpah.