Burning Down the House: The Story of CBGB

How did a club called “Country Bluegrass Blues” turn into, in Joey Ramone’s words, “the womb of creativity” for generations of punks, new wavers, and rock-and-rollers? Mandy Stein’s (Too Tough to Die, TFF ’06) latest documentary charts the history and far-reaching influence of iconic downtown club CBGB and its fight for survival against the Bowery homeless shelter that sought to shut it down. Fueled by invigorating vintage performances by the likes of Patti Smith, Talking Heads, Television, Bad Brains, and The Ramones, Burning Down the House seethes with the spirit of those who found themselves at home in the hallowed confines of that dingy bar. —Jim Browne