CBGB

and not to forget the Plasmatics and Wendy O. Williams.
.I lived two blocks away, on 2^nd.

R.I.P CBGB
I really liked this place, stories on ever wall, the whole place is like a walk thru time. I’ve seen some on the best and a few of the worst acts here. And have had some of the strongest drinks ever here! This place will be missed

Fuck John Varvatos. Fuck ‘em.

My fiancé has taken many’a shits in the mens bathroom in front of all the world to see. And that is why CBGB’s gets 5 whole stars.

You will be missed. Enjoy my pictures.

in honor of the greatest rock club ever in existence… may you country, bluegrass, blues and rock forever…
the fact that you are now closed will not deter me from my review…
the sheer heritage that your hallow walls bear deserves the most holiness of reverence from all who listen to music… period…
patti smith, iggi, ramones, jaggard, blondie, talking heads, fleshtones, and the list goes on into the eternity that you now rest…
i don’t know if it was the music or constant smell of stale beer, sweat, blood, tears and urine that won my heart but you CBGB will forever have it…
RIP

I saw Conflict here and partied with a bunch of other bikers. Nice venue.
Its in New York though, I hate New York.

Several years ago I learned a good lesson. If you are out for a night of music and partying do not go to CBGB’s before the Blue Note.
While I did not always like the band that was playing it was always fun to stop in and catch a band. The opportunity to see someone before they became a household name was all part of the fun. I once saw the White Stripes. I had no idea who they were but I really liked the music. Jack White had a sound I had never heard before.
I once walked by CBGB’s with some co-​workers and when I pointed it out they were surprised that I wanted to go to such a place. They did not really know the CBGB legend.

This was a fun bar to come and watch some unknown band or (more often than not), your friends band play for cheap.
Some of the greats (Ramones, Patti Smith, Talking Heads, PJ Harvey etc etc…) have played/​got their start here. Maybe you were lucky enough to catch them.
The place was brimming with New York and music history.
I met Hilly once and had a chat with him about my possible working there. I didn’t end up taking a job or maybe I wasn’t offered a job in the end, who knows, this is going back awhile, but I had a pleasant and eye opening discussion about the NYC music scene and the lower east side and the changes in the last few decades.
I found this quote by Hilly Kristal on the CBGB’s website and I think it’s interesting enough to share.
«The question most often asked of me is, „What does CBGB stand for?“
I reply, „It stands for the kind of music I intended to have, but not the
kind that we became famous for: COUNTRY BLUEGRASS BLUES.“
The next question is always, „but what does OMFUG stand for?“ and I say „That’s more of what we do, It means OTHER MUSIC FOR UPLIFTING GORMANDIZERS.“ And what is a gormandizer? It’s a voracious eater of, in this case, MUSIC».
RIP CB’s, (and Hilly Kristal) you are sorely missed.

It’s just as well CBGB closed its doors after so many decades. The place was a dilapitated craphole that smelled of bar rot. Mercury Lounge, which is still very much open, is a much better music venue.

Yeah I am a native NYer and I left… NYC sucks now. Its all for the wanna be NYers. Those farm people who think they can walk the walk and talk our talk. Look at my city now. It became the city that sleeps. If they couldn’t handle our noise and dirty streets they shouldve never came to our city to place quality of life. If you wanted quality of life move to Disney. Go to hell all you fake NYers. And blame NYU for taking out C B G B… Trust fund babies… Hope you all rott in hell. and if you weren’t born in NYC don’t you dare call yourself a NYer…

OMG… how could they have closed down CB’s?! It’s something of a rocknroll momument!
I met a byrd in the 90’s (…er back in the 90’s.she wasn’t in her 90’s — you so crazy)…anyways she was house sitting for some A&R person over on the west side. She was from England.
She had a Stussy beanie. So did I.
We walked to a few blocks to CB’s… it could have been miles but it didn’t matter, we were lost in each other.
We watched some band play… they had Taxi Driver playing behind the band as they played… a very NY touch. We went next door to the pub. I bought a shirt and a round of drinks. I got back to our couch.
I was about to sip my beer when I seen a huge roach floating in it.
I wasn’t even disgusted, I thought to myself «now this is CB’s!» I walked back to the bar, they gave me another and another round.
We took a cab back to her flat. We became beasts.
She woke up black n blue and asking me how I liked my eggs.
Why’d they have to close CB’s?

I walked past the former place CBGB stood last Sunday and almost missed the fact that this WAS the location. Nothing. Nothing to indicate that this historic venue ever lived or died. It was gutted to the marrow; just like the owner said he would «I will take with me, even the tiles and the lavatories»
Then I remembered the first of three times I came here; the last time seeing a show of «The Trews». The place was a classic; but in a way I couldnt help but notice how it had become a mixture of idiosincratic warmongering in its waning days; the eternal fight between the «true punk» and the «pozer pretender». It had become inevitably fringed, and I couldnt fit in despite my karmaleonic nature. And thus I decided to come on closing night; be a part of some New York history to tell your kids… but no, I knew it from my gut that it was a mistake to go to the Bowery that day; I’ve never seen such a collection of tourists/​squatters/​musicians/​pozers/​and old school gathered in one place… I felt sorry for the true punks, whomever they were… I crossed the street and went to Mannahatta… 28 years ago, I thought to myself; I was born in 1978…
R.I.P

This place sucks to hang out at because it’s closed and you have to stand outside and hang out with punk kids that are performing memorials for that great Ramone’s performance their parents told them about.

Small, dark space. OK, probably like any sort of underground club should be, but this place really isn’t that awe inspiring. There are many clubs around the U.S. and the world that have as much atmosphere.
We paid $ 20 each to go on a Tuesday. Somehow I felt like I paid to see Talking Heads, Blondie, and the Ramones even though I got Mr. Spanky and the Knucklewalkers or whoever it was. They sucked.
My friend Joanna ordered a Stoli something and got god-​knows-​what and something. I thought she was being a little picky until I tasted it, and damn, that was some stepped on (or maybe stepped in) vodka.
At any rate, it was great to spend a bit of time at the place and to get a sense of what it was about before it closed. This place is just around the corner from McSorley’s, which for your money is probably more interesting from a historical perspective.

I can’t beleive this place is closing down. I have so many memories there. Along with Coney Island High these places where my refuge during my High School Years and now they are both gone. There was no better place to catch a punk rock band or hardcore band in the city, and I may argue the WORLD. It was the most dirty, stingy, grimey, stuffy venue, but I loved everything about it!

Goodbye CBGB. I will miss going to your non-​punkrock shows but I won’t miss getting harrassed by drunk tourists.

Hell. For me it was rad. I could see how over the years the venue has lost its momentum and alienated anyone who grew up there… but being someone who grew up in CA, I had to take what I could get.
Touring brought me through the club for the first time last summer and I had to appreciate it. I’m glad that I could be part of it considering it’s uncertain future. That being said, it is the most widely appreciated dive I have ever been to.
If it were any other club in any other city… it would suck. But it has charm and I like it.

Legendary!
I saw Menace play here in 2001 & it was amazingly fun. I try to stop in every time I come to NYC, as it always seems to be in danger of closing.

I friend of mine just got back from a road trip where this club was part of his mini tour. He loved playing here and told me it is dumpy but it’s a historic club as we all know. Immortalized by the Talking Heads in one of their tunes help make this club even more popular than it already was. Alot of Punk, New Wave and Alt. bands have performed here, including Blondie, and the Ramones. They are in danger of closing, so when in the Big Apple stop by and support them.