Whoever said “punk is dead” in the Bay Area wasn’t at Mabuhay Gardens Saturday night. Hundreds of fans celebrated 50 years of San Francisco punk at the legendary venue where it all started.
Some came with canes; others came in plaid miniskirts, but all came with a love for the music and its rich history. Mabuhay Gardens, or the “Fab Mab,” hosted icons like the Ramones, Sex Pistols, and Devo in the 70s and 80s, but perhaps more importantly, it was a place for punk to gather and evolve in San Francisco, launching local legends like The Avengers, Dead Kennedys, The Nuns, Crime and Flipper (the evening’s headlining band).
Members from The Avengers and Dead Kennedys also joined the stage during the event at at 443 Broadway St. near Montgomery.
The venue recently reopened after closing nearly 40 years ago. For many, Saturday night was a reunion—an evening to reconnect with old friends and reminisce about earlier shows. Aileen Sullivan recalled growing up in the Bay Area punk scene. Her first show was Black Flag and Flipper. “No matter where we go, I guess we all just sort of find each other and gather,” she said.
Others were visiting Mabuhay Gardens for the first time. “We’re here for the history,” said Matthew Brown, who came with his 11-year-old son Collin for the first time. “We love Flipper and Fang. I drag him to all kinds of shows.”
Rabiah Harrison said she never thought she’d have the opportunity to experience the venue. She’s from the Midwest and always wanted to move to San Francisco and be a part of the scene. “I really hope Mabuhay stays,” she said, “especially with Bottom of the Hill and Thee Parkside closing.”
Pam Satterthwaite was confident of punk’s endurance. “We’re like water,” she said. “We find a way.”
Chuck “The Freek,” who was working the door on Saturday night, agreed. “The punk scene here is very vibrant. People that say there isn’t a scene just don’t leave their house.”
Radio Valencia, an independent online radio station based in the Mission District, presented the event as part of SF Music Week. The event focused on punk’s history with a daytime panel discussion and headlining acts, but it also introduced a “New Guard” of bands with acts like Bitchfit, who have yet to record an album, and False Flag, who have made waves with their unconventional show locations on BART or in the middle ofdowntown.
Lausen Kai, whose father John Hell of Radio Valencia, said she was proud of her generation for keeping punk going. “I think it’s evolved with the times while seeing the influence in past bands.” She would like to see less misogyny and more confident young women in the scene, but feels like the punk is moving in that direction.
Newcomers have strong models in Patti Smith and Penelope Houston of the Avengers, who both once graced the stage at the original Mabuhey Gardens. Nowadays, there are more women on the scene, including the sisters and frontwomen from False Flag, Pretty and Strong Sims. They wailed on their guitars, belted lyrics, and kicked their legs in the air.
Bitchfit, whose members are all minors, took the stage in brightly dyed hair and commanded the crowd, shredding on their knees at the crowd’s eye level. The crowd mimicked the confidence on stage, as more young women took to the pit.
San Francisco’s punk scene remains diverse and Saturday night’s mosh pit told that story: it included a child on top of a father’s shoulders, an old man with a cane in hand and studs on his vest, and a young woman whipping her hair.
Flipper performs at Mabuhay Gardens on Feb. 28, 2026. The drummer, Steve DePace, co-produced the event with John Hell of Radio Valencia. Photo by Jess Lynn Goss 
Flipper performs at Mabuhay Gardens on Feb. 28, 2026. The drummer, Steve DePace, co-produced the event with John Hell of Radio Valencia. Photo by Jess Lynn Goss
I’m so bummed I missed this! I started going to punk shows a few years after Mabuhay Gardens closed, but its legend had always loomed large. Looking forward to finally getting to see bands here, esp with BotH and Thee Parkside closing soon.
Spent many nights at the Mab in the late 70’s and early 90’s. I was in a band called PLH, our first gig was at the Mab. Nice to see some familiar faces like Injun Jim in this article.
Im flattered . You made an old man look pretty darn good. Thank you.
Actually, for most of the audience at Mabuhay Gardens including me, it was a place to dance, dance, dance wildly until the place closed at 2 am, to the New Wave music curated by the great DJ Brian Raffi who went on to start his own highly successful venue.
New York has the Met. Chicago has its Philharmonic. LA has Hollywood. San Francisco has punk rockers, hippies and deadheads who never grew up.
You gotta be number one at something 🙂
Punk, Punk rock will never die..especially in a capitalist country!