Well, let's face it. That ground was desecrated in April 2008. A year and a half after the legendary punk club closed down, John Varvatos opened a boutique store on the spot. Since then, it has become something of an underground tradition for those passing by the intersection at Bowery and Bleecker to spit on the sidewalk in front of that upscale boutique.
As if it weren't bad enough that CBs closed, and that it was replaced with a John Varvatos, Guns N' Roses played a surprise performance at the end of an Alberta Cross show that was held at the store last night. In typical over-the-top Axl fashion, the set consisted of 14 songs plus a three-song encore.
I don't want to put words in anybody's mouth, but it's hard for me to believe that Hilly Kristal, owner of the famed club isn't rolling in his grave. It seems that Guns N' Roses represent everything that CBGB was not known for -- excess, unabashedly flaunting wealth, flashiness over substance. This is not to say that Guns N' Roses weren't ever good. But come on. If there's one band that just took rock stardom to a logical extreme, they would certainly be in the running.
So while it may be gone, it's not forgotten. And we're all keeping an eye on the Axl Roses and John Varvatoses out there, making sure that its memory is not completely obliterated. (Even if we have little control over how they spend their Thursday night...)
STORY: Okay, So Guns N' Roses Played the John Varvatos Store on the Bowery Last Night
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