What a Waste...

Tonight, CBGB will have its last concert ever. The legendary NYC location for American punk and punk-influenced bands like The Ramones, Television, Blondie, and Talking Heads will feature Patti Smith in it's farewell show.

The full name is CBGB & OMFUG, which stands for "Country Bluegrass Blues and Other Music For Uplifting Gormandizers". Gormandizer usually means a ravenous eater of food, but according to Hilly Kristal (the founder) here it means "a voracious eater of ... music"

Though CBGB was utilized as a hot spot for touring bands to hit when they came through New York, the scene that kept the bar alive during the 1980s was New York's underground hardcore scene. By 1990, CBGB did not book any hardcore punk or punk shows. CBGB's had brought hardcore back at various times, and for the past several years had no rules about what genres could and couldn't be featured.

In 2005, a dispute between CBGB and the Bowery Resident's Committee began. The Committee billed Kristal $91,000 in back rent, while Kristal claimed he had not been informed of increases in his $19,000 monthly rent. After the lease expired, they reached an agreement for the club to remain for fourteen more months while Kristal dropped his legal battles and his attempts to get historic landmark status for the club.

All that music history down the drain! (Which reminds me, here is a well known photo of the men's room at the club....that's right, no door.)