CBGB, VBGB, Red Death and the DNC

Before I even get started, the Red Death is a drink, and is not a reference to Republicans. At least, not in this story. Read on.

So, Saturday night I got to attend the 2012 DNC Media Party as a guest of Creative Loafing Charlotte. The event was sponsored by Time Warner Cable and was held at the NC Music Factory. There, I got the obligatory plugs out of the way, even if a bit dryly. ( SEO, right? ) Don’t get me wrong, it was a damn good time. Keep in mind though, this was a party with thousands journalists from all over the country in attendance, so one would like to think you will be able to Google, Bing, or Yahoo! all you want to know about it. My thoughts are a bit more nostalgic.

This story gets started a few days ago with an email from Mark Kemp, the Editor-in-Chief of Creative Loafing Charlotte sent to his staff, which included the following:

The party is casual, so don’t worry about having to break out your Gucci suits, but I’d recommend not wearing the holey Sex Pistols t-shirt from 1977 either. It’s up to you, though.

I read this to say, “Go find your holey Sex Pistols t-shirt.” Of course, my Sex Pistols t-shirt was a reproduction from the late 80s, and I sent an email back stating as much.

When the time came Saturday, I threw on some blue jeans, grabbed a t-shirt I thought worthy of the occasion, and dressed it up a bit with a black blazer. The t-shirt? “Save CBGB.”

Travel to Punk Rock Mecca

I first went to New York City in the Summer of 2000. I was stationed for two weeks at Fort Dix in New Jersey with the Marine Corps Reserve, and we had been given a day and a half off to go do whatever we wanted. A few of us rented cars the night before so that we could go to New York City. One of the interesting things about the Reserves is that everyone had a day job. Thanks to this, one of the Marines we were traveling with was the manager of a Hyatt in Orlando, so he was able to get us three rooms at the Grand Hyatt at a very low rate. When you take into account that we slept 6+ to a room ( we were used to the barracks, and we did not plan on doing a lot of sleeping ) the cost was almost nothing.

Once we checked into the rooms, dropped our gear off, and headed out for the evening ( about 10 minutes in total ) I found myself in a group of about six Marines and headed into the subway. The interesting thing here was that we did not have a destination in mind. As such, we started talking to the people around us on the subway ( Marines are fearless, and apparently like to use parenthesis. ) Now it has been said that people that live in New York City are not friendly, but this is far from the truth. Once we started asking around were we should go, people started to give us quite a few ideas, including one guy who in the middle of listing off places said the four magic letters, “CBGB.” I immediately interrupted and said, “That’s where we are going.”

Since we were already on the correct train, we got off at the Bleecker Street stop, walked past an apparently homeless man masturbating in the corner, walked up the stairs to street level, and straight to CBGB. As we walked up to the guy inside the door checking IDs, my friend Wade asked, “Do you have a military discount?” To which the doorman responded, “What rank?” One of us shot back, “E-4.” “These guys don’t get paid enough. Let them in, ” was the last thing I remember the doorman saying as we walked past him.

Since we were a group of Marines with varying tastes, we did not stay too long at CBGB. What we did have time to do was have a drink. Wade and I walked up to the bar, where a female bartender asked us what we wanted. I said, “Two Red Deaths.” Her response? “What’s a Red Death.” So, there I was, first time in New York City, first time at CBGB, teaching the bartender how to make a Red Death.

Red Death Recipe

As adapted from various sources:

• 1/2 oz Vodka
• 1/2 oz Southern Comfort
• 1/2 oz Amaretto
• 1/2 oz Sloe Gin
• 1/2 oz Triple Sec
• Splash of Lime Juice
• Fill with Orange Juice

To be honest, I could not remember the exact ingredients, but this is essentially a Kamikaze and an Alabama Slammer mixed together, so that is what I told the bartender. She proceeded to make two shots of each, and handed us two larger, empty glasses. Then she rang us up for four shots, and left us to mix our own final concoction.

Again, Last Saturday Night

So, wearing a “Save CBGB” t-shirt started a few conversations over the evening. My favorite, and possibly the shortest, was with a guy standing next to me who lead with, “I think you’re too late, ” while gesturing to towards my chest. “Yeah, I’ve had it awhile.”

Of course I also saw someone wearing a regular CBGB t-shirt. To be expected, I’m sure. As I walked past him I smiled and said, “Nice shirt.” I have one of these shirts, as well. Bought years ago from CBGB like a proper tourist, and not just some Urban Outfitters reproduction, but there in lies the problem: commercialization of an icon into a fashion statement. That is okay, I suppose. I cannot lay any sort of claim to the place. ( Editor’s note: I freakin’ hate it! Commercialization just pisses me off. ) In all the trips I took to New York City between the summer of 2000 and October 15, 2006 I bet I spent barely 6 hours in the place…I digress.

So, What the Hell is VBGB?

Very Big German Beer.

While walking around the NC Music Factory, our last stop of the evening was VBGB, billed as “Charlotte’s premiere beer hall and garden/restaurant.” I had been there a few times before and enjoyed it every time. Good beer, good food. This time, however, was something that made me laugh. The staff was wearing t-shirts that were style after the famous CBGB t-shirt, with ( you guessed it ) a “V” replacing the “C.”

Fun Night All Around

I really had a good time at the DNC Media Party.  It was great to get a taste of something so historic here in Charlotte. I thank Creative Loafing Charlotte for both.

For those keeping track, I never did run into Mark Kemp. Too many people to see everyone. During the drive home I had Melissa text him a picture of the t-shirt. Just have to wait until next time.