OMG CBGB is G-O-N-E

A recent article on RollingStone.com titled "CBGB's Vacant Shell To House Designer Suits And Other Things We Can't Afford" vented the much sympathized frustration with the closing of the punk landmark. The article states that the space "will soon be filled with the designer suits and upscale fragrances of a John Varvatos boutique."

The thought of this lounge closing is quite scary to many music enthusiasts, especially since this is a place that calls itself the "home of underground rock." They were in business for nearly 30 years, and housed bands like Talking Heads, the Ramones, and many more.

The full name of the lounge is CBGB & OMFUG. Its recently deceased founder, Hilly Kristal, gave a wonderful history of the location on its official website, and explains its unique name:

"The question most often asked of me is, 'What does CBGB stand for?' I reply, 'It stands for the kind of music I intended to have, but not the kind that we became famous for: COUNTRY BLUEGRASS BLUES.' The next question is always, 'but what does OMFUG stand for?' and I say 'That's more of what we do, It means OTHER MUSIC FOR UPLIFTING GORMANDIZERS.' And what is a gormandizer? It's a voracious eater of, in this case, MUSIC."

For more about the historical venue in New York, RollingStone has a great archive of articles about it and its founder HERE.

What about the designer, John Varvatos, whose boutique is to take over this precious space? His designs are positively snazzy, and completely out of any price range I can ever hope to afford (in the near future anyway). For instance, one model sports an outfit of "wish list" items, including a "Champagne Silk Bow Tie" for $95. Ouch. Nearly $100 for a bow tie? No, thank you. Still, the designer may have some rock cred as RollingStone points out, "Iggy Pop was a model in his fall 2006 ad campaign, and Alice Cooper, Slash and Ryan Adams have donned his designs." Alice Cooper is also featured on the first page of the website, looking rocker-chic with a top hat, cane, eyeliner, and giant snake wrapped around him.

The opening of the Varvatos boutique marks the further upscaling of the Bowery strip. Now, underground rock fans will have to wait and see where and when the promised new location of CBGB will open its doors and pour out the sweet sounds of rebellion.

The Ramones were a CBGB favorite, and fequently performed there. Here is a video of them at the lounge:

Where Can You Find It?
Well, you can't visit CBGB & OMFUG since it doesn't really exist right now. You CAN buy their merchandise online though. Also, if you want to buy John Varvatos, you can shop online (although you must be contacted by a "personal shopper" after requesting their merchandise), one of his boutiques, or a retail location. Your best bet to find his merchandise in south Florida would be to visit the Bloomingdale's in Boca Raton, or Aventura.