April 2008
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“i don’t give a damn ’bout my bad reputation”

April 21, 2008

For real, one of the strangest nights in my recent memory. I was asked to cover this party, and what a party it was!! Z-list punk alumni gathered on the Bowery once more, the former site of CBGB’s, current site of the new John Varvatos boutique was host to a benefit concert for VH1’s Save the Music. First Chuck Taylors, now this?! Like anyone else who frequented the punk haunt, I was feeling a little conflicted about even showing up. My tensions eased away after a few rounds at the open-bar though. At $100/ticket, this crust-chic fashion-music homage should have been as un-punk as it gets, and protesters outside were standing strong with signs like “40-40-40,000 dollars a month, you’re gonna get evicted” (clever!).

However…I gotta give it to Varvatos though, he did a real fine job of preserving as much of the original club as possible, like a huge portion of the North wall under glass. Remember putting your band sticker up there? It’s still there. A small stage and a candle-lit vigil with busted TVs playing old footage on loop, keeps the spirit alive. We saw performances from Joan Jett, D Generation, Dick Manitoba, Ian Hunter, Perry Farrell, Slash, Ronnie Spector….seriously, the list goes on-and-on. Not to mention, New York’s favorite house band Loser’s Lounge. My favorite was Cheetah Chrome of Dead Boys coming out to do Sonic Reducer with Handsome Dick. I was right up front, dancing with Jimmy Webb!

Joan Jett