Continental   

Continental could be called a younger brother to CB's. But under the guiding watch of its owner, who is pretty much always around, it plays a bit more to its neighborhood, the East Village. Steeped in its own punk history, Continental has seen a hall-of-fame roster of acts (including Iggy Pop and Patti Smith) sweat it out on the dive-high stage. These days, the place is still dark, scarred, and thrashing, playing incubator for budding bands from New York and across the country. It draws a mix of music-savvy college kids, industry people, and the ink-and-metal crowd, and seems to have an eternal stream of equipment going in and out of the front doors. The calendar is packed with five or more bands a night, which keeps things fresh. Plus, there's almost always a payoff for those just stopping in. A stalwart of the old-school St. Marks scene, Continental has also earned its place in music history: On Dec. 11, 2000, Joey Ramone played his last show here.