San Francisco’s legendary punk club Mabuhay Gardens could make a comeback
A group of San Franciscans is rallying to bring back one of the city’s most storied music venues: Mabuhay Gardens. A new GoFundMe campaign aims to raise $4.5 million to purchase 435–443 Broadway — the former nightclub that defined West Coast punk in the 1970s and ’80s — and reopen it as a nonprofit arts and cultural center.
From 1976 to 1987, the “Fab Mab” hosted seminal punk and new wave acts including the Dead Kennedys, Avengers, Ramones, Blondie, and Black Flag under promoter Dirk Dirksen. Its legacy as the beating heart of San Francisco punk continues to resonate nearly four decades after its closure.
The revival effort comes as other beloved independent venues face closure across the city, underscoring the importance of community ownership to preserve cultural history. Organizers envision a multipurpose hub with live performances, workshops, residencies, and youth programming.
Read the full article: San Francisco’s legendary punk club Mabuhay Gardens could make a comeback (SF Chronicle)
Top Image Credit: Jello Biafra of the Dead Kennedys crowdsurfs at a San Francisco club in 1979.
A community group has launched a campaign to bring back Mabuhay Gardens,
the legendary North Beach club that defined West Coast punk in the 1970s and ’80s,
by reopening it as a nonprofit arts hub.
(Photo: Vici MacDonald / S.F. Chronicle)
