CBGB was the iconic New York City club that hosted many early punk rock shows.
Opened by Hilly Kristal at 315 Bowery on December 10, 1973, CBGB quickly became the center of New York’s emerging punk scene. Its name originally stood for “Country, BlueGrass, Blues,” reflecting Kristal’s intended musical focus, but the venue soon became known for presenting original underground rock rather than established cover acts.
The club hosted formative performances by the Ramones, Television, Patti Smith Group, Blondie, Talking Heads, Dead Boys, and Richard Hell and the Voidoids. The Ramones played some of their earliest shows there, helping establish the fast, stripped-down style that became associated with American punk.
CBGB was not the only New York venue connected with early punk—Max’s Kansas City also mattered—but CBGB became the scene’s best-known symbol. Located in Manhattan’s Bowery district, it remained influential long after its early-1970s heyday before closing on October 15, 2006.