The Punk Club That Changed San Francisco

Bay Curious

KQED

History, Society & Culture, Places & Travel

4.9 • 999 Ratings

🗓️ 16 October 2025

⏱️ 35 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In San Francisco, Mabuhay Gardens was the epicenter of punk. Located on Broadway at the edge of North Beach and Chinatown, it was ground zero for the city's emerging punk movement in the late 1970s. The Filipino restaurant and nightclub hosted many of the era's most iconic punk bands — including the Avengers, Dead Kennedys, and the Jim Carroll Band. Even punk rock icon Patti Smith took the stage. In this episode, we dig into the history and legacy of the so-called "Fab Mab." Additional Resources: The Return of Mabuhay Gardens: The Punk Club That Changed San Francisco Read the transcript for this episode Check out The Kitchen Sisters Present podcast Sign up for our newsletter Enter our Sierra Nevada Brewing Company monthly trivia contest Got a question you want answered? Ask! Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was produced by Brandi Howell. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Gabriela Glueck and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Olivia Allen-Price, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, Bay Curious listeners, my name is Sophie Bairman, and I am the host of the podcast, Life in Seven Songs from the San Francisco Standard.
0:08.1	Every week, I have on a guest who talks about the songs that they say have shaped them, the songs that remind them of childhood or career-defining moments and everything in between.
0:18.7	Many of these folks have Bay Area connections like London Breed, comedian Margaret Cho,
0:23.1	the iPhone designer Johnny Ive, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and so many more.
0:28.9	Find Life in Seven Songs wherever you get your podcasts.
0:33.5	Bay Curious Trivia is back.
0:36.5	Hey everyone, Olivia Allen Price here,
0:38.9	and I'm gearing up for our next trivia event
0:41.2	on Thursday, November 13th.
0:43.7	Join me at KQED headquarters
0:45.7	in San Francisco's Mission District
0:47.8	and put your Bay Area knowledge to the test.
0:51.4	I'll be signing the Bay Curious Book there.
0:53.5	We'll also have a cash bar. You don't want to miss it. Get tickets at kQED.org slash live. I'll see you there.
1:04.8	From KQED. There are few places as revered in the San Francisco punk music scene as a place called Mabuhei Gardens.
1:14.6	Legally, you could maybe cram in 200 people.
1:18.6	The most crowded night I remember, it was some show with both Iggy, Blondie, and David Bowie were there.
1:26.6	Located on Broadway, Blondie and David Bowie were there.
1:33.3	Located on Broadway, right on the edge of North Beach and Chinatown, Mabuhei Gardens, actually a nightclub, was ground zero for a nascent punk scene in late 1970s, San Francisco.
1:41.3	Fans like The Avengers, Dead Kennedys, the Nuns, and Patty Smith played there.
1:48.7	It's got a part for a woman.
1:51.0	I think Patty died.
	...

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