http://youtu.be/O1ZNfaOpqKo
The once-legendary CBGB was the birthplace of American punk rock. Founded in 1973 by Hilly Kristal, the venue was intended to feature Country, Blue Grass, and Blues (hence the name), but when the turnout wasn’t what Kristal had envisioned, he opened his club up to a new wave of music. When the 80s came around, however, the band became a hotbed for the New York hardcore scene, as well as a de facto stop for touring bands, such as The Misfits, Beastie Boys, Bad Brains, Reagan Youth, Cro-Mags, and more. However, when the venue was closed in 2006 and its location became a boutique, a part of both punk rock and music history had ended.
The upcoming film, CBGB, is a biopic of Kristal’s founding and nurturing of CBGB. Alan Rickman (Harry Potter series) stars as Kristal with a large variety of both actors and musicians playing dress up to resemble some of the notable musicians of the time, including Malin Akerman (Watchmen) as Debbie Harry, Joel David Moore (Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story) as Joey Ramone, Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters) as Iggy Pop, Ashley Greene (Twilight) as Lisa Kristal, and more. Some authentic pieces of the original club, including the iconic toilet and stalls, that were preserved if/when a new location was found are being used on-set for the film, helping give CBGB that authentic CBGB feel.
CBGB doesn’t have a domestic release date yet, but I’m confident one will be announced soon enough.