The Open Dawn blogRunning a better room, one night at a time.

Straight, practical writing for Perth venue managers: what actually fills a quiet night, how live music and DJs earn their keep, and the small things that turn a good room into a busy one. No pitch, just what we have learned running entertainment for hospitality.

Reviews

How to get more reviews for your pub

How to get more reviews for your pub: the twenty-review floor, why only the last ninety days count, and the free drink that earns a platform warning.

12 October 2026·6 min read
Booking live music

How to book live music for a pub in Perth

How to book live music for a pub in Perth, with six practical steps and a booking brief you can copy. Agree the act, equipment, terms and handover.

5 October 2026·5 min read
Filling the room

How to Make Your Pub Stand Out From the One Down the Road

Two pubs, four hundred metres apart, one full by eight. How to make your pub stand out when the choice is made on somebody's couch at five, not at your door.

28 September 2026·5 min read
Running the night

How Loud Should Live Music Be in a Pub? A Perth Guide

Your regular is shouting and you still cannot hear him. How loud should live music be in a pub, what WA's noise rules actually set, and how to fix the level tonight.

21 September 2026·5 min read
Running the night

How to Keep Customers in Your Pub Longer on a Saturday Night

Full at nine, empty by half past ten. The evidence on how to keep customers in your pub longer, and how to program the last hour of a Perth Saturday.

14 September 2026·5 min read
Building regulars

How a Busy Night Turns Into Regulars

How do you get regulars in a pub? A busy night fills the room once. Here's how Perth venues turn a good night into repeat customers and word of mouth.

7 September 2026·5 min read
Live vs playlist

Live Music vs a Spotify Playlist for a Venue: What Changes in the Room

Live music vs a playlist for your venue. A playlist fills the silence, a live act gives people a reason to stay, and here is what actually changes in the room when a human plays it.

31 August 2026·4 min read
Choosing the act

How to Choose Live Music for Your Venue: Why Energy Beats Genre

How to choose live music for your venue: match the act's energy to the room and the night, not the genre. The energy-first way to book, day-part by day-part, for Perth venues.

24 August 2026·4 min read
Filling the week

How to Fill a Quiet Midweek Night at Your Venue

A quiet Tuesday is a programming problem, not a demand problem. How Perth venues fill soft midweek nights with recurring formats people plan their week around.

27 July 2026·5 min read
Music licensing

Do I need a licence to play music in my bar?

Yes, and your personal Spotify account won't cover it. What OneMusic actually covers, what it really costs, and the risk of running an unlicensed playlist.

22 July 2026·4 min read
Venue economics

Is Live Music Worth It for a Pub? Does It Actually Pay Off

Is live music worth it for a pub? The honest answer is that it earns in the room rather than at the door, and no study gives a single number. What the evidence really shows.

22 July 2026·5 min read