Venue: Leningrad Rock Club
Address: 13 Rubenstein St., Saint Petersburg
Town: Saint Petersburg, RU

The Leningrad Rock Club (Russian: Ленинградский рок-клуб) was a historic music venue of the 1980s in Leningrad, situated on Rubinstein Street in the city centre. Opened in 1981 and overseen by Komsomol and KGB, it became the first legal rock music venue in Leningrad. Overall, it was the largest rock scene in the Soviet Union and influenced the development of Russian rock. The example of the Leningrad Rock Club once inspired enthusiasts in various cities and even villages of the country to create their own rock clubs (the most famous venues were Moscow Rock Laboratory, the Sverdlovsk Rock Club). Leningrad was a centre of rock music in the Soviet Union, perhaps due to its geographical proximity with Finland, which made it easier to access Western music. Attempts to create rock clubs began as early as 1973, but they were largely unsuccessful. In March 7, 1981, the Leningrad Rock Club was formed in Leningrad Inter - Union House of Amateur Creativity house (LMDST). Association with trade unions that owned the LMDST, allowed to legally organize concerts and to avoid the attention of law enforcement agencies. The Regional Council of Trade Unions allocated 15 thousand rubles on the equipment. The club held seminars on rock aesthetics, rock poetry, and a rhythm studio. It was intended to be organized similarly to the Union of Soviet Composers and censored lyrics and issued permits to perform in an effort to prevent the bands from making much that was too controversial. However, by providing musicians with a place to meet, perform, and discuss their music, the club provided for an unprecedented amount of creative freedom and helped lead to the Russian rock revolution. There were restrictions on which bands could perform at the club for most of its history, and groups had to audition before a commission. Membership card number one was issued to Beatles fan Kolya Vasin. The Rock Club was engaged in concert and festival activities. At the festivals, Rock Club bands, by an unspok