If you drove down Oxford Street in Leederville on Friday night and felt like you had slipped back to 2005, you weren't alone. Groups of teenagers in black clothes, heavy eyeliner and chunky boots were out in force, and some longer-serving Perth residents were left wondering what was going on.
"Felt like I travelled 25 years back in time," one 42-year-old Perth local said after spotting the crowds on Friday 30 October 2026. They said it didn't look like a Halloween thing at all, describing the teens as "proper Marilyn Manson types".
So what was happening?
The simple answer is that it's Halloween weekend. Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, and plenty of young people were out early in costume or their best alternative outfits. Other locals said they had seen similar crowds in the city and around Perth Station on Friday afternoon.
Leederville also has a draw of its own. Locals pointed to the City of Vincent's HQ youth centre and skate park next to Leederville Station, which hosts many of Perth's all-ages punk, metal and hardcore shows. For under-18s who can't get into licensed venues, all-ages gigs are one of the few ways to see live heavy music.
Photo: Greg O'Beirne via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.5). File photo of the Luna cinema, Oxford Street.
Emo or goth? Perth can't agree
The sighting sparked a lively debate among locals about whether the crowd was emo or goth, two scenes that get lumped together but have different roots.
"Goths hate society and emos hate themselves. I learnt this watching South Park." - Perth local
One self-described former 1990s goth offered a more detailed field guide: side-swept fringes, hair clips and smudged eyeliner mean emo, while goths tend toward all-black outfits, big boots and sometimes fluoro hair extensions. Another local said that, judging by what they saw at Perth Station, the crowd was goth.
Whatever the label, it is a sign that the mid-2000s alternative look is firmly back with a new generation of teens.
Photo: Calistemon via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). File photo of Oxford Street, Leederville.
Where the alternative crowd is heading on Halloween night
If you're keen to join in on Saturday 31 October, a few events are listed for Perth:
Emoween + Screamoween Perth 2026 is listed on Eventbrite for 8pm on Saturday night. Check the listing for the venue and age limits before you go.
Normal Is an Illusion, a Halloween night with Darkyra at Lynott's Lounge in Northbridge, starts at 7.30pm, with tickets listed at $17.
For more ideas, Perth is OK and Visit Perth have rounded up Halloween events across the city.
Planning to be out late? Transperth runs extra services on some busy nights, so check the Transperth website before you head home.
Sources: Eventbrite; Musick; Perth is OK; Visit Perth; comments from Perth locals.
Hero photo: Gnangcomapp via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). File photo of the Leederville Hotel on Oxford Street.
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