It’s surprising that it’s taken them this long, but in 2026, Black Flag is finally performing in Hong Kong.
For the band’s leader and longest-serving member Greg Ginn, whose songwriting and distinctive guitarwork laid the foundations for hardcore punk and continues to influence artists to this day, the city represents a new frontier in his shape-shifting band’s 50-year career. Speaking to The Underground ahead of his performance at The Wanch on 24 May, he could barely contain his excitement: “I’ve never been to Hong Kong, so I’m happy that we were invited! We’re really looking forward to it,” he enthuses.
The timing of their Hong Kong debut couldn’t be better: Black Flag’s Coachella set a month prior saw the band go viral for the youthful energy of its current lineup, launching it onto the radar of a younger crowd. Of course, everyone has their favourite era of Black Flag, and there’s been plenty of noise about what the band “should” be. Ginn isn’t interested in that debate. “We’re just by trying to make the best music and performance as possible,” he says. Instead, he approaches each new opportunity to perform with the same open mindset and fervour that fuelled the band’s earliest tours.
The current lineup – vocalist Max Zanelly, bassist David Rodriguez and drummer Bryce Weston – has now spent a solid year on the road with Ginn, who’s been impressed by the spontaneity and creativity that they bring to songs, many of which were written before they were born. “Max, David, and Bryce are incredible,” Ginn says. “We always incorporate improvisation on stage which brings something different to every gig.”
Asked to pick a highlight from the past year, Ginn shrugs it off: “I have so many great memories … I love the live shows wherever we play.”
While Black Flag and the hardcore punk genre it pioneered are often associated with rebellion and confrontation, Ginn prefers to the band’s music in more personal terms. “Black Flag’s music has generally been about personal experiences and emotions inspired by reality,” he explains. “Our music is more personal than cause-orientated. Of course, I have my causes, but songs aren’t necessarily the best medium for expressing them.”
As for new material? Not right now. “We currently aren’t working on new recordings. We’ve been busy playing live so much.”
The Wanch, Hong Kong’s oldest music venue, represents a heritage of its own, and there couldn’t be a better stage to host the debut of a seminal group that have influenced to many of the acts that have graced its hallowed stage. It’s unlikely Black Flag fans would be able to see the group in a setting this intimate anywhere else in the world, so the gig represents a truly bucket-list musical experience – on both sides.
Don’t miss out on this special evening, where you’ll get up close to the band that defiantly changed it all – and aren’t afraid to change still.
Black Flag live in Hong Kong
Sunday 24 May, 2026
The Wanch, 90 Jaffe Road, Wan Chai
Advance tickets: HK$550
