Festivities & the Underground Music Scene

inside Central Plaza

During festive occasions like Lunar New Year, stages and booths are set up throughout Chinatown; lion dancers snake through the crowds of visitors to the sound of music and firecrackers.

From 1978 to 1980, Central Plaza hosted a popular club scene with new wave bands at Madame Wong’s and punk groups at Hong Kong Café.  Publications like Slash featured these shows. Today, Grand Star provides an underground dance venue, while Mountain Bar provides edgy, contemporary music.