There is nothing good New York lefties love more than historical preservation…except maybe homeless people. Both sides of the fight involving CBGB have liberal goodwill in their corner. The club’s status has been in danger since the landlord, the Bowery Residents Committee (a nonprofit for the homeless) raised the rent. The current owner of the club, Hilly Kristal, is trying to keep the punk landmark alive by putting it on the national historic register, while the BRC is trying to get the back rent they feel they are owed.
In response, Kristal has announced a tentative concert series to raise money for the club. According to Billboard.com, Kristal hopes to include acts like Patti Smith and David Byrne in the series. A local candy store, the Chocolate Bar, has joined the fray by donating funds from a CBGB-branded chocolate bar to support the ailing club. The fight between CBGB and the BRC will go before a judge in Manhattan Supreme court in the upcoming months.
