Linda Barnhizer and Alan Naldrett, two local promoters who occasionally ran shows at a venue at Fort Mason, convinced Celso that punk music would be a good match for the club.

The Police, Devo, and Blondie were some of the notable bands that made their first Bay Area appearances at the Mabuhay Gardens.

The venue became a full-time punk club, with many new up-and-coming bands playing most days of the week.

A few notable bands, such as Flipper,[2] Juvenile Justice and Vicious Circle, played their first gigs at the Sound of Music.

Game Theory broke in its San Francisco-based lineup with a pseudonymous debut appearance in May 1985.