Kristal Palace

Last summer I asked a photographer friend to accompany me on a final pilgrimage to CBGB, knowing it was to close in October of that year. So, on a hot August Sunday afternoon with the city deserted, we headed with our cameras to 315 Bowery and home of the legendary rock club. We were pleasantly surprised with our reception - the person attending welcomed us with open arms, saying that the owner, Hilly Kristal, had always supported and encouraged photographers. So rather than having to whine, beg or sneak around taking harried photos surreptitiously, we were able to indulge and take our time. We toured and photographed the entire place - the bar, the stage, the green rooms, the sound room and the infamous downstairs bathrooms. I never released all the images, so today I am showing a photo of the main stage. The club was a true dive bar - graffitied with stickers and posters, peeling paint etc. I have done three other postings on the club - if you are interested see the list below. The most recent posting of June 16, 2007 was concerning the ongoing state of the club in limbo after its closing, with Kristal saying he intended to move the entire place to Las Vegas. On August 28th of this year, Kristal died at 75 of lung cancer ...
Previous postings on CBGB: CBGB, Gotta Go?, Limbo