The news that New York City music fans have been dreading has finally arrived. On Halloween 2006, the life of the legendary club CBGB will come to an end at its current location. This decision was made after negotiations have gone back and forth for months between club owner Hilly Kristal and the Bowery Residents Committee.
Billboard.com has reported that this agreement was announced yesterday, giving the rock venue a few more months at 315 Bowery. The BRC will allow Kristal to remain at their current location until October 31, 2006, but that comes at a hefty price. Their rent has been boosted from $19K to $35K per month, which has prompted Kristal to already start scouting spots for a new location.
So will CBGB version 2.0 be able to recapture the gritty, low-budget atmosphere of the original? Kristal replied: “Things are different all the time — look at the ’70s, the ’80s, the ’90s. The most important thing is we’re keeping the integrity of CBGB’s. It won’t be exactly the same, but it will have the same ingredients.”
At least we have a few more months to say goodbye to CBGB in all of its original glory.
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