CBGB Refuses to Die
From today’s New York Times:
For the last six years the name CBGB has been little more than a logo on T-shirts for young people in the East Village. Now a group of investors has bought the assets of that famous punk-rock club, whichclosed in 2006, and plans to establish an ambitious music festival this summer, with an eye toward reopening the club at a new downtown location.
The four-day festival is scheduled to begin on July 5 and will showcase about 300 rock bands. Concerts will take place at around 30 places, from large stages like Central Park Summerstage and Webster Hall to small clubs like theTrash Bar in Williamsburg and the Living Room on the Lower East Side.
The Cro-Mags, Vision of Disorder and Sick of It All will headline a hardcore show at Webster Hall, organizers said. The festival will also stage a free concert in Central Park with Guided by Voices, the Pains of Being Pure at Heart and Cloud Nothings. A few veteran rockers have agreed to appear: David Johansen, a former member of the New York Dolls, has committed to do a show, as has the Baseball Project, the supergroup formed by Peter Buck of R.E.M. and Steve Wynn of Dream Syndicate.
This is basically capitalizing on the CBGBs name, sort of like both Woodstocks in the 90s.