Scene Magazine celebrates 20 years on the streets in 2013. Each week this year, in this column, we're looking back at what we, and you, were doing.

1996 - Everything old is new again ...

One of Brisbane clubbing's time-honoured events was Jon Griffen's Flares. Jon-E worked his funkalicious magic at the city’s and Valley’s hottest spots, spanning the sounds of four decades. Long weekends were often a treat for devotees, where back-to-back nights were served with different genres.

Flares was knocked-off (badly) by a short-lived Step Into Flares — and yes, the events went head to head — and no it didn't end well; but thankfully everyone survived to tell their version of tale.

Bohemian, indie and low-fi offerings abounded. The Alley Kat Café (32 Burnett Lane, City) hosted the mandatory Poetry night (Tuesdays, when else?), X-Files screenings and DJs including Mark Briais (Tube).

Popscene, Brisbane's homage to Britpop had relocated from the CBD to Channel 13 (briefly) at 230 Wickham Street, Bleach’s indie dance at the Lands Office Hotel (Capsule 5), and The Valley Twin Cinemas (most recently incarnated as The Globe, 220 Brunswick St, Valley) would let you in for 8 bucks, while Abigails (16 Robertson St, New Farm) “Toasted the rise of the dressed-up, downtown, easy listening lifestyle ...”.

Babble-On (Elizabeth Street, City), was likely ahead of its time when Circuitree billed Aurora, Matt Kitshon, Pip, Jandy Rainbow, Alphanaut and a certain Kazu Kimura. Bam!

And in November 1996, our own Café Scene opened on the corner of Ann and Brunswick Streets, Fortitude Valley, where Universal Store stands today. More on that next week ...