City Gardens is a New Jersey punk rock institution. Opened as Chocolate City (based on the Parliament-Funkadelic song) in 1976, the name changed to City Gardens in 1979. Since then, a number of interesting moments in music history have happened at City Gardens.
Ween played one of their first club gigs at City Gardens, opening for the Butthole Surfers as teenagers. They later released a live cassette of a performance at City Gardens called The Live Brain Wedgie. In the 33 1/3 book on Chocolate and Cheese, one of the band's friends recall Ween getting pelted with change by straight edge kids when they opened for Fugazi.
Danzig played their first show at City Gardens. A Flock of Seagulls, Thompson Twins and Sinéad O'Connor all made their American debuts at City Gardens.
The Daily Show host Jon Stewart was a bartender at City Gardens for several years before he started doing stand-up. James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem was a bouncer there for months.
