Venue info
CBGB & OMFUG ("Country, Bluegrass, Blues and Other Music For Uplifting Gormandizers") 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, it was originally intended to feature its namesake musical styles, but became a forum for American punk and punk-influenced bands like Ramones, Misfits, Television, the Patti Smith Group, Mink Deville, The Dead Boys, The Dictators, The Fleshtones, Richard Hell & The Voidoids, Blondie, and Talking Heads. In later years, it would also become known for Hardcore punk with bands such as Agnostic Front, Murphy's Law, Cro-Mags, Warzone, Gorilla Biscuits, Sick of It All and Youth of Today performing there.
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. The gallery went on to showcase many popular bands and singer/songwriters who played in a musical style more akin to acoustic rock, folk, jazz, or experimental music, while the original club continued to present mainly hardcore bands and post-punk, metal, and alternative rock acts.
The club closed in October 2006. The final concert was performed by Patti Smith on Sunday October 15. CBGB Fashions (the CBGB store, wholesale department, and online store) stayed open until October 31 at 315 Bowery. On November 1, 2006 CBGB Fashions moved to 19-23 St. Mark's Place but subsequently closed in the summer of 2008.
Anastasia Coope
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