CBGB, Punk-Rock Mecca Of The World, On The Verge Of Extinction

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

CBGB, Punk-Rock Mecca Of The World, On The Verge Of Extinction
03.04.2005 4:33 PM EST
Club owner owes landlord $91,000 in back rent.

CBGB (file)
Much like the bald eagle, the komodo dragon and the piping plover, New York's legendary rock venue, CBGB — the punk-rock mecca of the world — is teetering on the verge of extinction.
The clock is counting down to August when, if



"Realistically, we have until the end of August." — CBGB owner Hilly Kristal lease-renewal negotiations with its landlord aren't settled with a new agreement, the iconic club will board up its rickety doors for good — due primarily to rising rents and declining live-music audiences, factors that have taken a toll on many small venues across the country.
Club owner Hilly Kristal, who in 1973 transformed what was once a Hell's Angels hangout into what is regarded as the birthplace of punk rock — serving as the incubator for the Ramones, Patti Smith, Blondie, Television and literally hundreds of others artists through the years — says he'll fight for as long as he can to keep CBGB open. But it's going to be an uphill battle.

more at:
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1497777/20050304/index.jhtml?headlines=true

[autorank]

1. I went to this place in 1973, swear to Buddha. God I'm old.

It was a trip, right in the Bowery section of Manhattan (lower East Side). Rough area at that time and lots of people passed out in the street on weekends. Not the type of place Rev. Dobson would like.

On edit: NY Dolls, Richard Hell, etc.

[name not needed]

2. Noooooooooooo!

[Kikosexy2]

3. This ain't...

no party...this ain't no disco or CBGB...

[rocktivity]

4. MTV is one of the reasons why live rock audiences are declining

you have to pay for premium cable just to see rock music videos!

:headbang:
rocknation

[Beware the Beast Man]

5. Sad. First the Bottom Line and now this.

I have no doubt that a benefit would rake in more than the money required to keep the club open, but if some jerk wants it closed bad enough, they will.

[DS1]

6. If only SNL would die so easily

:eyes:

[vi5]

7. I wonder how this will impact the current ratio of....

People with CBGB t-shirts who have never actually been there. If everyone who had one of those damn shirts had actually been to the place they likely wouldn't be closing.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

8. Oh nooooo!

First the Rat in Boston, now CBGB! :-(

The landlord will probably demolish the building and put condos there. That's what happened in Kenmore Square in Boston.

[tigereye]

10. hell, they could probably get people to donate to a

Save CBGB's fund, no problem. I was only there once, in the late 70s, but it would be a shame to see it close.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

9. clear channel is partly to blame

for pressuring cities to pass laws that squeeze smaller, noncorporate venues out of business

[datasuspect]

12. not really in this instance

the village voice has a good series of articles about gentrification in the bowery.

however, cbgb shares space with some kind of homeless services mission (a former transient hotel in this instance). here's the article:

http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0510,ferguson,61812,5.html

[asthmaticeog]

11. Man, bummer.

Lounge Ax in Chicago, Euclid Tavern in Cleveland, the Rat in Boston, and now CB's? All the legendary places have been dropping like flies for the past few years.

Any Bay Area folks know if Gillman is still kickin'?

[datasuspect]

13. good article here . . .

http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0510,ferguson,61812,5.html

and here:

http://www.villagevoice.com/nyclife/0509,bpress,61613,15.html

bowery - RIP

[CanuckAmok]

14. There was an article in last week's Village Voice...

...mostly about the gentrification of the Bowery, but it mentioned this threat to CBGB's.