September 1, 2005
Landlord Wants CBGB's To Leave
As Steven Van Zandt was organizing the Save CBGB's concert in Washington Square Park yesterday afternoon, the CBGB's landlord, the Bowery Residents' Committee, announced they hoped "CBGB's will vacate the premises." However, CBGB's owner Hilly Kristal said, "We're going to fight. We deserve to be here. If they padlock the club, we're going to cut the locks." Little Stevie added that if there are court proceedings, supporters would be there with, too, making Gothamist wonder how that fight will play out in the press: Rock fans versus the homeless.
Blondie, Public Enemy, the Bouncing Souls, Institute with Gavin Rossdale, and other acts performed at Washington Square Park, and Public Enemy closed the evening with "Fight the Power." Chuck D told reporters, "CBGB always gave musicians a platform to say important things. It's time we did something to save one of New York's great institutions."
Did you go to the concert yesterday? How was it? So far, it looks like two people have posted pictures to Flickr. Updated: Check out brooklyn vegan's coverage of the concert.
Top photograph of Chuck D and Flava Flav from Reuters; bottom photograph of Washington Square Park by roboppy on Flickr
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84 King used to be Paradise Garage. Now a Verizon Garage... 254 W 54st used to be Studio 54 and is now nothing but a dull theater. Remember Danceteria on 21st? Now an office bldg. All replaced by Cielo and Shelter. Don't cry for CBGB...
Public Enemy performed?! DAMMIT! And with Flavor no less. Last time I caught them in concert a few years ago, Flavor was MIA due to a "situation" with the authorities.
You forgot Max's Kansas City and the Peppermint Lounge!
Am I really missing the point here? I read that CBGBs owe "tens of thousands of back rent"? Really? Less than a hundred grand? And Public Enemy, Blondie, Gavin Rossdale are playing free concerts? Pepsi sponsored the event? I saw Barnes and Noble have lined their windows with books on CBGBs.
This seems a bit ridiculous. Rock bands and sponsors, if this is real important to you. Take some of your rich-ass money and pay the damn back rent. Then, management, you have a little breathing space, put a new business plan together that may lose of the CBGB-spirit, but at least makes you enough money to pay your rent going forward.
Didn't Bruce do as much for the Stone Pony when that was threatened?
But maybe I'm missing the point, and it's more complicated than that?
... or the Mercer Arts Centre ...
the thing is, it's really no skin off most of our noses if CBs stays or goes, obviously it won't make life all that different. but what scares me is the idea the Hilly might rent another space and reopen the club in a new location ("CBGBS's II!"). now THAT would be a blight on the city.
bigtime, it's actually simpler than that. the back rent issue was resovled in court, now it's just a matter of the homeless shelter who owns the building not wanting to renew the lease to CGBGs. it's not even a matter of the rent being hiked; they just want the club out.
If you were the landlord, and your tenant trashed the space, didn't do an ounce of maintenance over the years and just ran it into the ground, you'd want them out too.
"Sponsored by Pepsi"
Yeah, that's REALLY underground. Punk has been irrelevant for decades. Didn't post-punk happen 25 years ago?
This is how countercultural punk has become.
maybe i'm wrong, but hadn't cbgb's become another club that typically screws over the unknown bands that plays there, e.g., they have to sell a certain number of tickets in order to make a low amount of money and whatnot?
i went once to see a friend's band perform, and was seriously underwhelmed. besides, the place was empty. also, that lounge underneath was beyond forgettable (although i don't know if it's there anymore). anyway, that's my two cents.
"punk" has nothing to do with it. It's a simple issue of a greedy landlord evicting a long-time tenent. In the Hilly vs. Muzzy battle royale I'm unambiguously in the Hilly camp. The BRC will get zero support from pugsley either now or in the future.
Eh. CBGB hasn't had any good acts in years.
What makes CBGB so much better than everyone else? I'm not for the landlord in the slightest, but I've seen so many better places go, and there were no crowds or protests for them. So many other legendary clubs (that had the same or better acts than Blondie and the Ramones, no offense) had to close or move. CBGB should just eat it and buy a cheap building down on East Broadway with the loads of cash Hilly's generating. The Bowery has mostly sucked for a while anyway.
What makes me angry is that Blondie and the Ramones get all the credit. The guys who really turned CBGB into a legend were Richard Hell and Tom Verlaine. If it weren't for them, Hilly would have still been booking hillbilly shows, and would have eventually closed long, long ago.
Jimmy Legs, if you think CBGBs II is a sickening thought, here's an idea that Hilly Kristal is serious about...
Opening CBGBs: Las Vegas!!! And this isn't just because of this eviction nonsense. He simply wants to do it!
Goodnight nurse! I really think when all is said an done, Hilly Kristal would like to make CBGBs a franchise much like the Hard Rock Cafe... Only PUNKER!!!
When you go to Target and see the shelves lined with pre-worn Who, Zeppelin and AC/DC t-shirts you know something's wrong. Create your own scene folks!
More photos here.
Hey ho, CBs gotta go!
what ever happened to the concept of historical sites? people travel the world to either play or watch a show at this venue for yeeeeeaaars.it's a part of new york history.