Hong Kong Café

The Hong Kong Café was a Los Angeles restaurant and music venue that was a part of the Los Angeles punk rock scene during the late 1970s and early 1980s followed by a resurgence from 1992 to 1995.

For Hong Kong style cafés, see Cha chaan teng.
Hong Kong Café
The Hong Kong
Address425 Gin Ling Way
LocationChinatown, Los Angeles, California
Genre(s)
OpenedFor Music, June 5, 1979
ClosedJanuary, 1981

Located at 425 Gin Ling Way in the Chinatown district of Downtown Los Angeles, California and across the way from sometimes rival Esther Wong's Madame Wong's,[1][2] the former Chinese restaurant[3] was open to audiences of all ages.

It can briefly be seen in the 1974 movie, Chinatown.

History

First Run of Shows: 1979-1981

The Plugz and UXA played at the club's opening night on June 7, 1979,[4][5] and numerous bands, including X, Catholic Discipline, The Mau-Mau's, Bags, The Smart Pills, Nervous Gender, and The Alley Cats, performed there until its closing in January 1981.[6][7] Concert footage filmed at Hong Kong Café appears in the Penelope Spheeris documentary film The Decline of Western Civilization.[8]

The Hong Kong Cafe was typically more open to punk and hardcore acts than Madame Wong's.[9] Black Flag played some of its first few shows at the Hong Kong Cafe.[10]

Resurgence: 1992-1995

The venue reopened for music in 1992, featuring shows from acts such as D.I., Guttermouth[11] The Offspring, and the Voodoo Glow Skulls.

Aftermath

The space is currently occupied by Realm, a housewares and gifts retailer.[12]

Shows at the Hong Kong Café

Shows from the Hong Kong's first months:

DateBandBandBandBandBand

Also appearing were Phil Seymour, the Textones, and Moon Martin.

June 5, 1979Daily PlanetElton Duck
June 6, 1979UncleJammer
June 7, 1979[13]The PlugzU.X.A.
June 8, 1979The Alley CatsBags
June 9, 1979SnappBlow-Up
June 10, 1979RynoCurtis Bros.
June 18, 1979[14]Black FlagThe Last
June 22, 1979[15]The ControllersFearThe PlugzXBlack Flag
June 29, 1979[16]The ControllersFearThe PlugzXBlack Flag
July 1, 1979The DogsThe Tremors
July 2, 1979CopterBig Wow
July 3, 1979GorillaFingers
July 4, 1979The FlyboysFearSatin Tones
July 5, 1979The WeaselsThe Silencers
July 6, 1979Pink SectionThe UnitsThe B-People
July 7, 1979The Pink Section
July 8, 1979The PlugzThe Tellers
July 9, 1979Roy Loney & the Phantom MoversThe Real Kids
July 10, 1979The Shieks of ShakeThe Blitz Bros.
July 11, 1979The Alley CatsThe EyesHuman Hands
July 12, 1979XUnknownUnknown
July 13, 1979Unknown
July 14, 1979Unknown
July 15, 1979BagsControllersThe B-People
July 16, 1979Yankee RoseShandi Cinnamon
July 17, 1979GermsAdaptorsExtremes
July 18, 1979The Real Kids
July 19, 1979Bates MotelHeroJohanna Went
July 20, 1979The PlugzGo-Go's
July 21, 1979The Alley CatsPenetrators
July 22, 1979Elton DuckDaily PlanetDianna HarrisThe Tufftones
July 23, 1979The MostKeller and Webb
July 24, 1979Suburban LawnsThe EyesThe Brainiacs
July 25, 1979The WeirzU.S. Rock
July 26, 1979Middle ClassU.X.A.Agent Orange
July 27, 1979Bates MotelThe Meckanics
July 28, 1979BagsNervous Gender
July 29, 1979Ivy and the EatersBig Wow
July 30, 1979Ivy and the EatersBig Wow
July 31, 1979AxisThe Real Kids
August 1, 1979FearShandiJohanna Went
August 2, 1979D.O.A.Pointed Sticks
August 3, 1979D.O.A.Pointed Sticks
August 4, 1979XEddie and the Subtitles
August 5, 1979Reddi KillawattPrankster
August 6, 1979Suburban LawnsRottersSpy
August 7, 1979Simpletonesthe CrowdStepmothers
August 8, 1979U.X.A.FlyboysSilencers
August 9, 1979Zero's (S.F.)Urge
August 10, 1979Zero's (S.F.)Urge
August 11, 1979Nervous GenderHuman Hands
August 12, 1979The Plugz
August 13, 1979Bates Motel
August 15, 1979GermsThe B-PeopleVS.

References
  1. The 4th Wave & The Chinatown Wars. Retrieved on August 1, 2010.
  2. Oliver, Myrna. "Esther Wong, 88; 'Godmother of Punk' Whose Venues Showcased Pop, Rock Acts in '70s, '80s" The Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, 17 August 2005. Retrieved on 2010-08-10.
  3. 1979 When Chinatown Was Punk—pt 1 Archived 2011-07-08 at the Wayback Machine, April 16, 2008. Retrieved on August 1, 2010.
  4. Thirty Years Ago Today in LA: Hong Kong Cafe Opens, 7 June 2009. Retrieved on 2010-09-05
  5. Flipside Fanzine Live Show Database 1979 Retrieved 2010-09-05
  6. Hong Kong Cafe, 16 April 2008. Retrieved on 2010-08-01.
  7. Catholic Discipline (r.i.p. 1979-1980)
  8. Valentine, Gary. New York Rocker: My Life in the Blank Generation with Blondie, Iggy Pop, and Others, 1974-1981, page 203. Da Capo Press. 2006.
  9. "Esther Wong: Her Flawed Legacy". LA Weekly. Apr 26, 2012. Retrieved Mar 31, 2018.
  10. Black Flag Gig Archive Retrieved on 4/5/2018
  11. Youtube footage of Guttermouth at the Hong Kong.
  12. Realm. Retrieved January 15, 2011.
  13. Thirty Years Ago Today in LA: Hong Kong Cafe Opens, 7 June 2009. Retrieved on 4/5/2018
  14. Black Flag Gig Archive Retrieved on 4/5/2018
  15. Black Flag Gig Archive Retrieved on 4/5/2018
  16. Black Flag Gig Archive Retrieved on 4/5/2018

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