Talking Heads at CBGBSo, it's finally happened. Even the title of the New York Times article draws our attention (inadvertently, I bet) to the strangeness of this. A Punk Rock Institution Closes It's Doors. It took forever to close - and allowed feature writers to place their CBGB's is in danger piece in every major New York publication - sometimes more than once.

Punk Rock Institution? Isn't there a contradiction in here?  Of course, when an allegedly punk band, Green Day can sell a Rock Opera to America - when in fact it was Queen and the other bloated stadium rock acts of the 70's that punk bands set out to destroy -- all bets are off. But an institution, it became. The club whose name means Country, Blue Grass and Blues launched The Ramones, The Talking Heads, Patti Smith and other acts whose artifacts can be found at a Hall of Fame in Cleveland. That CBGB's may re-open in Las Vegas is fricken hilarious. That is where Celine Dion and Elton John are. That is where Elvis went to suck.

CBGB's had to close someday. As the Times article notes, it reeked of body fluid and hadn't launched a cool act in a long time.  The acts that had been playing there were terrible. Acts like Wolfmother played elsewhere even in Staten Island.  My own favorite club in New York, Fez Under Time Cafe, closed last year- because of insane Real Estate prices. There is always the Mercury Lounge in alphabet city.