CBGB's and other New York City, NY Nightlife Tips

Nightlife Spot: CBGB's

Short for Country, BlueGrass, and Blues; CBGBS was a dive bar that was created for a different kind of music than what it later was to become. Started by a large, friendly biker, a friend tried to convince him to book their band, the Neon Boy Outsiders, on weekends. Reluctant to allow them to play, he was finally convinced after bass player Richard Hell convinced him his band, later renamed Television, had all those influences in them. The bar went under, and was host to drug dealers, cross dressers, and every kind of street life imaginable. The only nights that had alot of visitors was the nights Television played. He began allowing other heavy, experimental rock bands to play. Up and comers in bands by the name of The Ramones, Blondie, The Dead Boys, and Television began to play there regularly and to large crowds. A fashion designer took the image and sounds back to England with him and put together a little band called the Sex Pistols. There are still plenty of bands that fit the proto-punk genre playing at CBGB's. When I went, about eight bands played, including a funk band called the Velvet Mafia. It was led by a seven foot tall crossdresser. Their Bowery locale keeps the tourists to a minimum, despite it's being a fairly safe place to go to for it's location. It now also supports an art gallery and experimental film venue next door called OMFUG.

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Theme: Live Music
Dress Code: Black Leather, ripped T-shirt, drag, clownsuit, whatever
Directions: 1313 Bowery
Other Contact: http://www.cbgb.com