Click HERE to start your virtualy tour in CBGB’s.
CBGB (Country, Blue Grass, and Blues) was a music club at 315 Bowery at Bleecker Street in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. Founded by Hilly Kristal in 1973. among other bands, Ramones started their career here. The storefront and large space next door to the club served as the CBGB Record Canteen (record shop and cafe) for many years. Eventually, in the late eighties, the record store was closed and replaced with a second performance space and art gallery, named CB’s 313 Gallery.

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 punk scene. Sunday at CBGB was matinee day (also named “thrash day” in a documentary about hardcore).[citation needed] Every Sunday, a handful of hardcore bands took the stage in the afternoon to dinnertime hours, usually for cheap. Bands made famous by matinees include Reagan Youth, Agnostic Front, Murphy’s Law, Cro-Mags, Leeway, Warzone, Gorilla Biscuits, Sick of It All and Youth of Today. In 2005, a dispute arose between CBGB and the Bowery Residents’ Committee. 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. The final concert was performed by Patti Smith and broadcast live on Sirius Satellite Radio. Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers attended the show and even performed on a handful of songs with Smith and her band.

Hilly Kristal passed away from complications from lung cancer on August 28, 2007. In early October 2007, Kristal’s family and friends hosted a private memorial service in the YMCA near the village. Soon after, there was a public memorial where CBGB staff and others paid tribute.

This is the “CBGB’s” today, i mean where it used to be..