12 CBGB Shows That Made Punk and Rock History

LOOKING FOR BAD BRAINS? PLASMATICS? ETC? Part 2: https://youtu.be/rpqzE1oi5WI?si=GvbpO7ifuV8FkZTC

No mention of Bad Brains?! This list is incomplete without them

I played CBGBs with four different bands between 1977 to 1989. Hilly put my band Murphys Law on Halloween four years running

I played in Temple of Greed out of New Orleans. In 1987 we showed up at CBGB and went in and setup our equipment, played 5 songs and left. We didn't have a scheduled gig and no one asked any questions. 5 people were there. It was a hoot. After our quick set we went to another bar that we had a gig at.

In January of 1989 I was in a band called White Trash Debutantes that was asked to play Joey Ramones Birthday bash at the Ritz. So we booked a gig a few days earlier at CBGB’s. We had gotten the Ritz gig because our singer had been a close friend of the Ramones since their first national tour in 1976. About 15 minutes before we went on the front doors opened. And in walked Joey Ramone, Stiv Bator and Cheetah Chrome from the Dead Boys, and Clem Burke from Blondie. Needless to say I was in CBGB heaven. I still have Stiv And Cheatah’s autographs on my guitar from that night. About 12 years later I became friends with Scott Kempner of the Dictators. And he would tell me stories of their early tours with AC/DC, Thin Lizzie, and Blue Oyster Cult. I remember him telling me of that CBGB’s AC/DC gig you listed here. At the time we played there I was working at a venue called the Chatterbox in San Francisco. And that night I traded my Chatterbox t-shirt to one of the bartenders in exchange for her CBGBs t-shirts. I still have that CBGB’s shirt. It’s one of my prized possessions.

CBGB deserved the same respect as the whiskey a go go .. the fact it wasn't preserved is criminal

I played in a band called the Psychofonics. We never put out any records but we played at CBGB four times in the years 1985 and 1986. I recall that one gig we warmed up for a band called "Life In A Blender." It was a blast and a thrill to perform on the same stage as Blondie, Talking Heads, and The Ramones. One thing that people may not know about CBGB is that it had an excellent sound system. For five dollars the sound man would make a cassette copy of your set. The quality of a CBGB live recording was better than most studio recordings.

I went to CBGB's for New Year's Eve in 1979. Saw The The, Kinky Friedman and John Cale. An amazing show.

I saw Wendy O. Williams and the Plasmatics. Wendy was wearing whipped cream or shaving foam for a top and the guitarist or bassist was wearing a nurse's dress. Many of my friends auditioned there as well.

I played both CBs and Max's from 1980-1981 with my old band, The Kelvins (our single, "Dance Dance Dance" b/w "Look but Don't Touch is on YouTube). The second most exciting moment of my life was when my bass player called me and got me out of bed one night to tell me we were playing our first gig ever at CBs for the Sunday audition showcase. That was an even bigger deal for me because it was my first club gig ever; I was eighteen at the time.

I played CBGB's in the 1970's and '80's in two bands that I founded, Comateens and Dizzy and the Romilars. By day, I worked as a recording engineer with Talking Heads and Ramones. In fact, I am little Ramona, about whom the Ramones wrote their song, Ramona. I also worked extensively with Eno and played on Music for Films, Alternative-3. Never heard Max's referred to as Maxwell's Kansas City until I watched this video. Oh, and I played Max's, too.

I played there in a band that opened for the Pixies in Jan 1988. (The Wooden Soldiers)They were good, but I would not have guessed the would make it big. Got to meet Joey and Frank who stood out in a good way as grounded and down to earth.

Tommy was already in the Ramones when they first played CBGB. On January 28, 1974, Joey, Dee Dee, Johnny, and Tommy Ramone first got together at Performance Studios in NYC.

I started going to CB''s around '75. I saw Patti there when she recited her poetry with a music background, usually Lenny K on guitar, Richard Sohl on keyboards, and Jay Dee Daugherty on drums (he was at that time the regular drummer with Lance Loud's group The Mumps but left for Patti's band soon after). Patti's readings were PACKED and she was just amazing. I spent many a night at CB's between '75 & '80. Fun times.

I played CBs three times. Twice with The Adolescents. Once with 22Jacks. Great memories.

I grew up in northeast NJ and went to a bunch of shows there but my favorite was the Dave Brockie Experience, which was 3/5 of GWAR with no costumes for those who don't know. Before they went on someone behind me asked if I had a lighter. When I turned around it was Dave Brockie himself with a bowl of weed in his hand. I said yeah and pulled a bic out of my pocket and he said "wanna smoke this bowl with me?" I had been a GWAR fan since I was 12 so hell yeah I smoked a bowl with Dave. Haha..... That guy, and that whole band in general were all always so cool to their fans. Definitely a memory I will think about forever. RIP Dave

Other notable 70s shows at CBGB include those from the revolutionary synth duo Suicide, but I hesitate to list them because even tho they would be very influential to all future punk/rock/electronic groups, they were extremely polarizing, and really, they were always more of a Max’s Kansas City act.

The band I was in played there in May of 2002. Getting to perform on the same stage where so many legends started out was an experience that I'll never forget.

Bad Brains, and Living Colour need to be on this list.

Can't forget some of the great hardcore bands like Bad Brains, Agnostic Front, Cromags, and Murphys Law.