CBGB Music and Film Festival to Return to New York City

CBGB might be long gone, but the iconic New York club’s memory lives on in the form of an “arts” festival which will be returning to the “city that never sleeps” later this year.

The five-day festival which features a combination of music, art, films and more will be taking place across New York City from October 8 through the 12.

The third annual installation of the festival will include live performances, new music, industry talks, and special events which will be taking place in a variety of settings such as theaters, clubs, galleries and even rooftops from Williamsburg to Time Square.

The headquarters for the five-day event will be housed in a 35,000 square-foot warehouse which will be dubbed, Center 548. This will also play host to the CBGB Icon Awards, music-themed art exhibitions, concerts, comedy shows and others.

Last year, the event premiered over 50 films which included the future Academy Award-winning film, 20 Feet From Stardom.

As of now, further information about who will performing during the five days is still minimal, but tickets and other information can be found at CBGB.com. Tickets range from $10 to $50.

Iconic Sunset Strip House of Blues To Be Replaced By “Luxury Lodging”

It’s the end of an era for the Sunset Strip’s House of Blues.
According to a report by Bloomberg, the iconic club which located in West Hollywood is set to be torn down to make room for a new hotel/condominium complex.

Sadly, this is an ongoing trend of tearing down iconic places where performances can be seen just to bring in more inhabitants or over charging the venue to the point that they cannot survive the price increase.

The venue, which is owned by Live Nation, was opened in 1994 and has hosted many music from all genres of the music world.

The Bloomberg report states, “Some aging landmarks, like the House of Blues and Larry Flynt’s Hustler Hollywood erotica store, are on their way out, to be replced by luxury lodging by hoteliers including Ian Schrager.”

This building which is currently being discussed by developer Combined Properties Inc. to take the Sunset Strip location, will include 149 hotel room, 40 condos, five rental units, and an entertainment venue where the House of Blues currently resides.

But all is not lost for the House of Blues. Live Nation representative, Ashton Spaz told the Los Angeles Times that the company is currently looking for a new place to move the music venue to.

“Regarding the story, our legendary House of Blues on Sunset Boulevard – the flagship for 20 years of our popular venues around the country – will operate business as usual while we look for a new home.

“We have a terrific relationship with our landlord who has other plans to develop the property and we’re working together on a very smooth transition. We have two-plus years to find that perfect spot for a new Los Angeles House of Blues home with no interruption for music fans. Stay tuned. The best is yet to come!”

Hopefully, that can be done before La La Land takes another victim for just for the rich and untalented.

‘CBGB’ Movie Poster Unveiled

As if the “50,000 bands. One disgusting bathroom” doesn’t scream rock and roll then I don’t know what does.

Yesterday, the poster for the upcoming film was released via their Facebook page. The movie which stars Alan Rickman, Malin Ackerman, Ashley Greene and pretty much everybody in the world tells the story of the famous former New York rock club staple in the early years and how it went from being a bluegrass club to the accidental birthplace of punk music in America.

If you’re not familiar with the club and it’s origins, you can read a slight history of the club or better yet what the movie is going to focus on right here:

“CBGB follows the story of Hilly Kristal’s (played by Alan Rickman) New York club from its origins as Country, Bluegrass and Blues (CBGB) to what it ultimately became: the birthplace of underground rock ‘n’ roll and punk. Kristal, a fan of country and bluegrass dreamed of having a club in the lower Eastside that catered to that kind of music. When he had difficulty booking those bands he turned to other kinds of rock music. Hilly had one demand of the acts he booked: They could only play their own original music. No top 40’s, no covers. It was the credo he lived by: Support the artist at whatever the cost.”

But apparently not everyone is thrilled with how the club will be perceived on film. The Village Voice are at the head of the “we hate this film” club being quoted as saying, “If you’re the type of cynical punk asshole who thinks the movie about CBGB can’t be anything but terrible, well GOOD NEWS, the movie’s poster essentially proves you right.”

Guess you can’t always satisfy everyone, right? CBGB will hit theaters sometime this year.