Could CBGB’s reopen?

Legendary Club CBGB May Close After 32 Years NEW YORK - MARCH 14: People stand outside of the rock club CBGB March 14, 2005 in New York City. CBGB, the legendary punk rock club which helped launch bands such as Blondie and the Ramones, faces closure if it does not resolve a dispute over unpaid rent with the homeless charity that owns the building. CBGB, which stands for "country, bluegrass and blues" rents its downtown space from the Bowery Residents' Committee, a nonprofit organization that runs a homeless shelter above the music venue. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

By Debra Green

I was never able to attend a show there, but I did make it there before it became a trendy clothing shop. The owners of the CBGB trademark are actively attempting to reopen the iconic New York punk rock club in a new physical location, using an annual music festival to sustain the brand in the meantime. Music industry veteran Phil Sandhaus, the current trademark owner, has partnered with Bowery Presents to host the second annual CBGB Festival. The festival takes place on September 26, 2026, at Under the K Bridge Park, an industrial, post-apocalyptic venue located under the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. The event features a mix of veteran punk/alternative acts and younger artists, including Patti Smith, Morrissey, the Sex Pistols (fronted by Frank Carter), Interpol, Bikini Kill, the Buzzcocks, Circle Jerks and more. While the original site at 315 Bowery has been a John Varvatos retail store since 2008, Sandhaus wants to establish a permanent brick-and-mortar venue. High rents and widespread gentrification mean a return to the Lower East Side is unlikely. The ownership group is currently scouting alternative creative frontiers across New York City, including areas in Brooklyn or Queens.