Thirty Years Ago Today in LA: Hong Kong Cafe Opens
Alley Cat Dianne Chai
On June 7, 1979, punk rock got a new venue in LA's Chinatown. Sure, Madame Wong's, the kitschy restaurant turned rock club was thee place to play in downtown LA by '79, but some of the harder, punker acts couldn't get booked there. Esther Wong, the Madame herself, was particular about who graced her stage, and more important, about how the audiences treated her real estate.
Enter the Hong Kong Cafe, across a courtyard from Wongs, they offered up another stage for local bands. The Plugz from LA and UXA from San Francisco initiated the club on this night, 30 years ago. On this same night, across town, on the west side (where Madame Wong also had a restaurant & club), The Go Gos were playing at Club 88.
Always this year's model, Belinda Carlisle, before she Go Go'd
The Alley Cats, featuring the sultry Dianne Chai (pictured above) played the Hong Kong Cafe's second night, and played again later in the month, lending the club some credibility early on, which was cemented by performances by local heroes, such as X before the month was out.
John Doe and Exene
In 1979, the cure for the Summertime Blues was a new club in town, for sure.
Comments
Wow - she's in Hairspray now!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1210716/Former-pop-star-Belinda-Carlisle-joins-cast-West-End-Hairspray.html
Totally a reason to go to London now.
Im very saddened and honored at the same time to be the 1st to post a comment on HONG KONG CAFE. HK CAFE, was a hidden treasure. If u want to find a place to watch more Mexican kids singing along to all the lyrics of the Smiths to rocking out local punk rock performances of X, Red Hot, Minutemen, to even young rising bands from the 90's like Voodoo Glow Skull and many others...it was such an interesting place. Everyone that goes to this club are always fond of the high ceiling and 2nd floor level to overlook the bands, and this kind of Chinese opium lounge meets some of the most grimiest and tough kids of LA. This is also my 1stplace where I caught the Specials....another of one those landmarks in Los Angeles....that was loved and lost.....I remember a punk rock show where a fight broke out and that was the end of it....