It's hard to believe that after being the rock mecca of New York City for over 30 years, CBGB is shutting down later this month. CBGB is the stuff of legends both inside and outside of the New York rock crowd. Tourists come from all over the world just to experience the place, browse through their on-site museum and hear some real Lower East Side rock and roll.
Bands such as the Ramones, the New York Dolls, and more recently The Strokes started their climb to fame within the band sticker-plastered walls of this place. Many, many artists have told me that they felt like they had "arrived" the first time they got booked to play at CBGB and no wonder, considering the acts that had previously graced the stage.
I wanted to get over to CBGB at least once before the end, and as luck would have it, I found the time last night when the final Medusa Festival was going on. The festival is simply a night when a bunch of chick-fronted bands take the stage. But it was more than that last night because it was the end of an era.
This festival was created and booked this year by a young woman named Lourds who was playing violin at Carnegie Hall when she was very young. Lourds is her name as well as the name of her band. They have been playing nationally and so you may have heard of them. I had heard Lourds perform one time previously and described them as "a band that drives rock like they stole it". After seeing them again last night that opinion still holds true.
They have a hard rocking, gut-ripping sort of sound that is made unique by Lourds herself, who contributes to the familliar power chords from the guitars and throbbing back beat of the drums by playing her electric violin. Okay, her playing style isn't ever going to be seen in the New York Philharmonic, and no she doesn't "fiddle" like the country boys and girls do. Her violin is as agressive as a metal guitar and has to be heard to be apreciated. I have a copy of their CD and will be reveiwing it soon.
Article comments