Well, we all knew the day would come when CBGB’s, the granddaddy and one of the most notorious punk venues on the planet, finally shut its doors forever. After months upon months of ‘are they or aren’t they’ speculation, the final week of CB’s existence as we know it is at hand. Although the majority of the shows are already sold out, if you have never been to the garbage infested hipster hideaway on the Bowery, now’s your last chance to check it out. So here it is; NYC Underground’s super-fantastic sendoff to the home of Underground Music! The remaining shows will prove to be epic, awe-inspiring, and you might just see some unexpected guests drop by…
Friday, October 13th SOLD OUTDictators w/ Sic F*cks and the Bullys
There’s something strange brewing at CBGB’s this week. One of the most under rated punk bands in history are playing at the historic venue before it gets turned into high end condos for Wall Street types. Plus it’s on Friday the 13th. Plus it’s right before Halloween. And it would be perfect for there to be a full moon that night, but that ain’t happening. But you do have a chance to see the Dictators in all their glory. This band really should have been more popular than they were, but they were ahead of their time. While most proto-punk bands at the time wrote songs about their crappy lives, the Dictators took it a step further and made a joke out of the whole world. Now is the time for you to get in on the joke. Get tickets if you possibly can for a night (or two) of good old fashion punk rock at its birthplace and you won’t be disappointed.
Saturday, October 14th SOLD OUTThe Dictators, A Special Acoustic Performance by Debbie Harry and Chris Stein, The Waldos
Continuing the weeklong festivities are members of longtime CBGB mainstays Blondie, this time performing acoustically. One could only imagine what Rapture sounds like on an acoustic guitar and alas, Deborah Harry doesn’t look like she used to, but it is a fitting tribute and another nearly impossible ticket to get your hands on. If you do happen to have a ticket to this show, you probably know someone who knows someone, but for the rest of us, we will have to wait for the bootleg.
Sunday, October 15th SOLD OUT8:00Patti Smith, Lenny Kaye, Jay Dee Daugherty, Tony Shanahan
This is it; the last hurrah. Getting a ticket for this show is downright impossible as is just about guaranteed to amaze. If there is any show that will be loaded to the brim with special guests and industry types, this is the one. Most people already know who Patti Smith is and what she has done in the punk scene. It is a fitting goodbye for the venue and all the years it has kept its finger to the pulse of the underground music scene. This will be a grand finale. If you do have a ticket to this one, I envy you because once this show is over, they are going to start dismantling the place immediately, but will be talking about this show for decades.
So there it is ladies and gentlemen, NYCUG’s final goodbye to the club/bar/fire hazard called Country Bluegrass Blues and Other Music for Uplifting Gormandizers. And after quarts of blood have been spilled, dozens of overdoses have taken place, and countless children have been conceived, one can’t help but wonder: ‘Is there anything less punk than moving the venue to Times Square and/or opening CBGB’s West in Las Vegas???’
Seriously.
Oh by the way, don’t worry about Hilly…he still makes about $2 million a year from T-shirt sales.
-Posted by James Douglass
