CBGB's protracted battle with life-threatening illness near an end

this comes from pitchfork, and frankly, i think it's about time. cbgb's is a cramped, unpleasant place that's filled with history, so i have no problem with it going gently into that dark night. it's a shitty place to see a show, and the very fact that the owner is thinking about opening a cb's in las vegas indicates to me that whatever punk spirit was there has long since departed for more friendly climes. how long until we get a hard rock-esque chain of cbgbs cafes? i mean, it's already a brand worn by everybody who goes to urban outfitters who may or may not have ever been there. so mourn its passing, but don't be sad it's gone.

CBGB to Close on Halloween 2006

Kati Llewellyn reports:
It looks like the CBGB saga is finally coming to an end. Regardless of your feelings for the legendary downtown New York City venue, the long, drawn out battle between the club and its landlord, the Bowery Residents' Committee, has been painful to follow. But come October 31, 2006, CBGB will close its current location’s doors for good.

The BRC is a nonprofit organization that houses 250 homeless New Yorkers in the building at 315 Bowery where CBGB is located. As previously reported, the club’s lease with the BRC expired on August 31, and Hilly Kristal, owner of the bar since 1973, was presented with an eviction notice after much fighting.

Both sides went to court and a new agreement was reached, requiring Kristal to vacate by next Halloween. According to Billboard.com, Kristal has been scoping out new sites in lower Manhattan, and is considering opening another CBGB in Las Vegas.

And punks around the world hang their heads in shame.

* Pitchfork News: CBGB: The End Is Nigh
* CBGB: http://www.cbgb.com/