Heresy Rock Club – a rendezvous for Rock lovers

Heresy Rock Club – “Rock is a reason to live”

Heresy Rock Club, situated at the very end of lane 24, Dang Tien Dong Str., Hanoi, is a small bar named after a track on the album Cowboys From Hell (1990) by thrash metal band Pantera. Generally speaking, Heresy looks totally unremarkable outside but inside comes an impressive rock space decorated with pictures of rock bands and graffiti and a performing stage with an outstanding drum kit. On the wall hangs a slogan of Rock addicts: “Rock is a reason to live”.

Heresy is quite a small venue, however, thanks to the very logical interior arrangement, it can still host an audience of about 200 fans for each live show (!).

During day time, Heresy looks almost dead. It only comes alive from late afternoons when the bands go on their rehearsals, and on the nights of live rock shows, nothing can describe the excessive happiness of the Rock believers drowning in the loudest volume of the drums and guitars.

Currently there are 3 bands performing regularly at Heresy – Wednesday night with May Band, Thursday night with some crazy and interesting guys that call themselves “MoreDrunkPlz Band” and Friday night with FreeBirds Band. The show times can be quite changeable from week to week as the bands playing here seem more “voluntary” than “money fans”. Almost all of them have other jobs and sometimes they have to go on long business trips…

The owner of Heresy Rock Club is a devoted and passionate rocker. His current job is interior designing but his passion is all summed up in one word – Rock!

When asked about the story behind Heresy, he answered: “The start-up of Heresy began quite a long time ago, when the Bui Rock Club fell into troubles and was divided into 2 places including new BuiRock and Heresy.. At that time, Heresy was owned by another person, I just joined the workforce and worked for a long time in Saigon. After coming back to Hanoi I was so much into Heresy and I felt that Heresy was exactly what I had been looking for so I took over the Club andbecame its owner. It was then an empty space! Nothing that can be used! Then came investment, restructure.. Been 2 years already since I stepped in.. Difficulties, time and money are everyday-issues.. By now the investment has reached more than 200 million including repairing, buying new instruments and sound stuff (not yet mentioning all the loss in each live show during the last 2 years) and I haven’t even got 100d back (laugh)..  But never in my mind do I think of giving up this place. I don’t mind the money I spent, I just don’t want to see my attempts go to waste. My wish is to somehow change the way of thinking of Northern people, and there won’t be any difference between Hanoi and Saigon. Rock bands in Saigon earn a lot, it’s because a beer in Saigon is 80.000 and here is only 25.000! I lived in Saigon long enough to know how they earn that easily..”

Such issues are just some aspects of difficult reality that only insiders can fully understand. Of course this “weird and violent” kind of music may be described by some as a temptation that makes people say no to many other options in life. But whether you are a rock fan or not, or just an art-lover in general, it is necessary that you know how to cherish what you get from such devoted and passionate people.

Anyway, one small suggestion – If you are really into Rock music then Heresy is a place in Hanoi that you should not miss (!)

Opening 8:00 – 23:00 everyday
Discount 25% for beer from 5pm – 8pm everyday
Live music (8.30pm, Wed-Thu-Fri): buy coupon at door
+ 35k/ 1per ( get 01 coupon for 01 drink at bar)
+ 50k/ 1per ( get 02 coupon for 02 drink at bar)

(Words by PHM. Photos provided by Heresy.)