Mabuhay Gardens

The Story

This was the punk club that became San Francisco's answer to New York's CBGB. Dead Kennedys, Avengers, and all the important bands from the city's punk scene played here. The Avengers, a band led by Penelope Houston, anticipated what would become the riot grrrl movement in Olympia, near Seattle. Legendary artists like Nico, The Runaways, Devo, The Police, Motörhead, Patti Smith, Primus, REM, Metallica, and Blondie played here. The venue closed in 1987, but the place still hosted other nightclubs and events in the following years. In 2025, a new owner reopened the venue under the name Mabuhay Gardens again.

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