Burning Down The House: The Story of CBGBs @ AMC Village VII

This film was just announced as part of the Tribeca Film Festival for '09! It should be an amazing film and one not to be missed!

The film documents the rise and fall of the legendary and infamous rock club that made it’s home in a seedy strip of neighborhood in New York’s Lower East Side “The Bowery.” From its first rock show in 1973 until it closed the doors over a rent dispute in 2006. “The film is an emotional journey…” says director Mandy Stein

The film combines archival footage and photographs with contemporary interviews to re-construct the rich history of the club and its evolution as one of the premiere venues in the world of rock. Pioneers like Television, The Ramones, Blondie and Talking Heads, and Patti Smith comprised a fledging scene that would later give rise to the music phenomena know as ‘punk’ and ‘new wave’ making CB’s home sweet home for next generation: The Police, Guns-n-Roses and Beastie Boys, to name only a few.

These iconic performances are punctuated with poignant scenes of an ailing Hilly (who died in 2007) and a team of dedicated staff members advocates fighting to keep CB’s alive. By 2001 Hilly had accumulated $300,000 in back rent and was facing eviction. He managed to catch up with the bulk of his debt only to be confronted with continued rent increases as multi-million dollar condos transformed the Bowery.

www.myspace.com/cbgbmovie