Gothamist: Opinionist: The Riverboat Gamblers @ CBGBs

maurice

Fri, 02 Jun 2006 04:57:34 -0500

i'm not a pr person and i'm not with that band. people are allowed to use different names and say what they want to express themselves if they want to. it's the internets... i for one prefer to use different names when posting things. it's fun and spontaneous.

J

Thu, 01 Jun 2006 18:25:08 -0500

And I wish Priestess' PR people would stop changing their names and posting identical plugs for their bands in different forums. It makes their band look awful. I, for one, am not going to listen to them because of such ham-handed, dishonest advertising. (see "maurice's" comment, "they're on tour on the west coast with the bronx and priestess this month! marvelous!" on Brooklyn Vegan)

J

Thu, 01 Jun 2006 18:21:08 -0500

Y'know, Glenn, I hear this argument all the time -- I've made this argument -- but then it seems all these bands come through who say, truthfully, they played their first gig at CB's. (I wish I'd kept track.) Everyone's just gotten used to ignoring their schedule. But there's some awful shit going down any given night at Tonic, too. And Delancey. And... And, yes, they let bands play at CB's that no one else would book. But wasn't that the point? It's everyone's club. Except for Hilly's $ system. That always seems to be a sticking point.

Glenn

Thu, 01 Jun 2006 17:27:11 -0500

How about the fact that the club rarely booked important or exciting shows? Jon points to one problem (and I think overstates the frequency of such shows, not mentioning all the ticket buys labels do at pretty much every show in town) but there are way too many no-name, mostly worthless punk bands playing the club every week. CBGB became out of touch with the city's music scene and failed to bring in the touring bands that mattered. It earned its death sentence.

jon

Thu, 01 Jun 2006 15:31:43 -0500

here's a great reason why CB's should close: they are totally clueless. For ten years they've been basically a pay-to-play spot for major labor cut-out-bin bound bands. (for the non-music savvy - this is the music equivalent of straight to dvd.) basically, CBGB's works like this: labels "book" bands at CB's and then CB's "sells" them blocks of tickets in what's called a "buyout" - like a block of a hundred tickets all at $8 a pop - so the label's A&R people and magazine publicist sorts can supposedly come check out a band. Of course, these people never show up - and usually no-one even bothers to invite them. So CB's lets shitty labels and publicity companies pay for shitty bands to play on their stage, in order to whore out the place's gravitas and historical signifigance - all the while shutting out local bands and local promoters and decent touring bands. *THEN* you get American and foreign tourists going to CBs to see "punk rock" in action - and so a worse-than-it-actually-is myth about NYC's scene ensues and spreads.

x-new yorker

Thu, 01 Jun 2006 15:17:33 -0500

A strong reason why CBGB should survive: For a quality sound system and a cozyness that puts you on top of the action, it's hard to beat. I saw the Riverboat Gamblers about a year and a half ago here on the west coast and while their music is very much by the numbers generic punk, they've got an exciting presence live that reminded me of the best of the hardcore punk I saw back in the early 80's.

mike

Thu, 01 Jun 2006 14:15:01 -0500

speaking of great bands to see at CBGB's, The Notorious MSG are playing there on June 9th!!

alex

Thu, 01 Jun 2006 13:49:45 -0500

they're on tour on the west coast with the bronx and priestess this month! marvelous!