The most famous punk rock club in the world. Located at 315 Bowery in the East Village, CBGB (Country, BlueGrass & Blues) ironically became the epicenter of punk and New Wave in the 1970s. A dim, grungy bar with infamous bathrooms, CBGB nurtured bands like the Ramones, Talking Heads, Blondie, Television, and many more. Its policy of featuring only bands with original music (no covers) gave countless innovators a start.
"Birthplace of Punk" – CBGB is where American punk took off. The Ramones played their earliest gigs here in 1974; Television kicked off the venue's first series of rock shows. Virtually every major US punk/New Wave act of the late '70s either started at or made their name at CBGB. It later became known for hardcore punk in the '80s (with weekly Sunday matinees for bands like Agnostic Front). The club's full name was "CBGB & OMFUG" (for "Other Music For Uplifting Gormandizers"). Final show October 15, 2006 headlined by Patti Smith. The site is now a retail store, but a museum-like homage exists inside. In 2013, the interior was reconstructed in Newark Airport. What's there now: John Varvatos clothing store; CBGB brand lives on.