CNN/AP: CBGB's, epicenter of live punk, closing its doors

[DeepModem Mom]

CBGB's, epicenter of live punk, closing its doors
October 13, 2006


After 33 years in New York City, CBGB's is moving to Las Vegas, Nevada.

NEW YORK (AP) -- Legs McNeil remembers the night back in 1975 when he walked into the dingy storefront club perched in the even dingier Bowery neighborhood. The band onstage, four guys in leather jackets and torn jeans, was the Ramones. McNeil sat at a nearby table, watching their set with Lou Reed.

It was unforgettable. But as McNeil would soon discover, it was just a typical night at CBGB's, the club that spawned punk rock while launching the careers of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Blondie, the Talking Heads and the Ramones....

***

After Sunday, memories are all that will remain when the cramped club with its capacity of barely 300 people goes out of business after 33 years. Although its boom years are long gone, CBGB's remained a Manhattan music scene fixture: part museum, part barroom, home to more than a few rock and roll ghosts.

The club didn't exit without a fight. An assortment of high-profile backers, including E Street Band guitarist Little Steven Van Zandt, battled to keep the legendary club open. But in the end, it was a simple landlord-tenant dispute -- and owner Hilly Kristal saw the handwriting on the club's dank walls....

***

Kristal plans to move the club far from its roots with a new CBGB's in Las Vegas. The owner plans to strip the current club down to the bare walls, bringing as much of it to Nevada as possible....

http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Music/10/13/cbgb.closure.ap/index.html

[mod mom]

1. dispute over a rent increase-but Vegas? WTF?

[psychopomp]

7. I guess you don't know about the Double Down

The best punk venue I have seen outside of California. Good times...

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

2. This is just COMPLETELY FUCKING WRONG!!!!!!!

GAH!!!

Well, I will be heading there one last time before it closes it's doors.

Fucking hell man.

[blondeatlast]

14. Raise one for me, wouldja?

Damn, how I've always wanted to go there.

This hurts, it really does.

Please give them my regards.

Damn.

Damnity-damn-damn-damn.

[marmar]

3. A cheesebag, Vegas-ized CBGB's...

ala Studio 54, ala the Eiffel Tower, ala the canals of Venice....:puke:

No mas, por favor!

[NoodleyAppendage]

4. CBGB's should be on the national register of historic places...period.

A pox upon the asses of the landlord and his brood for forcing the closure of a piece of music history. Baa...fucking humbug.

J

[Chan790]

11. I agree but...

this one is messy, if for no other reason that the landlord is a homeless shelter. (to my best recollection, something to that effect: homeless shelter, halfway house, food bank, etc.) The homeless don't care about poxes.

What should have happened is that once it became apparent that a resolution would not be reached, the city should have stepped in to find the nearest relocation possible at the current rental terms. I don't think they'd have had too hard of a time finding someone willing to house CBGB's, even if it was at a fiscal-loss.

[liberalmuse]

5. That is nasty.

Why??? Vegas is a soulless, wannabe town (lived there). The one thing the Europe gets that much of America has not yet learned is to NOT tear down cherished landmarks. You might lose some money (and it is ALL about money these days), but there's a long term intrinsic value in keeping places that have a certain history or energy standing. Cripes! :(

[madrchsod]

6. let`s see...."beatniks are out to make it rich"

hippies sold out and now the punks....

[scot]

8. Went to a lot of shows there back in the day.

Actually did a show at CB's art space a few doors down about 15 years ago. Haven't been back in awhile. Damn, I'm part of the problem. This is (was) what NYC is (was) all about.

[judaspriestess]

9. I read about this last month

I'm looking forward to having it here in Vegas but its going to be hella expensive to watch shows there. Too bad I never had the pleasure of visiting CBGB in NYC. it is sad its moving to Vegas.

[enigmatic]

10. CBGB's

Is one of a handful of clubs that are rightly called Legandary for the groups that got their start;it's a National Treasure as far as I'm concerned.

This really makes me sick; ugh.

[xchrom]

12. i had wonderful times and met wonderful people in that place.

rest in peace.

[bluedogyellowdog]

13. Las freaking Vegas?

no comment.

[idgiehkt]

17. it's completely and utterly fucked up.

In other words they are making it into some kind of Hard Rock Cafe or something...Jesus, just burn the bitch down and let that be the end of it.

[bluedogyellowdog]

18. If Sunday is CBGB's last day..

I'm almost tempted to take a short trip to NY this weekend.

[leftofthedial]

15. Vegas?

Methinks the punks have been punked.

[gmoney]

16. seems it's been closing for years now...

it seems this story crops up every few months... not sure if it's just every time there's some sort of legal milestone reached, or what, but I feel like I've been reading about this for a couple years now.

Actually tried to get my NYC host to take me there when I last visited 10+ years ago, and as I recall he said "there's really not much to see" so we didn't go. I did get to run the lights at the (long gone?) Marquee club that trip though.

[mark414]

19. this is indeed a great american tragedy

music as we know it today wouldn't be the same without CBGB's

:cry:

[mulsh]

20. Nothing lasts forever

Flame me if you like but I don't really see the closing as a bad thing. time to move one. Thinking of all the people who got their starts there and are no longer with us, maybe it's time the club goes away too.

"Vegas CBGB's" - that's just obscene. let it die a semi peacefull death.

anyway we still have the music. if we want it.