Holy shit, this is sad.

[quoteGeorgia Theatre on fire in Athens
By CHIP TOWERS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Friday, June 19, 2009
Georgia Theatre on fire

A major fire erupted Friday at the Georgia Theatre, an Athens landmark and center of the local music scene, police said.

Witnesses on the scene said the fire, which began around 7 a.m., was a major blaze and that the theater would likely suffer major damage.

The Georgia Theatre, a converted cinema, has served as a music venue for many well known Athens bands, including REM and the B-52s.

Doc Eldridge, president of the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce, described the blaze as a “big fireâ€

FUCK!

Shit, I think I know the Lighting Guy from that place from another board. That blows in a huge way.

Maybe they'll finally clean those beer tap lines!

first thing I thought of too - silver lining.

Otherwise, SHITSHITSHITSHITSHIT. That place had the faulty judgement to let US play there. What am I gonna point to with my kids in 15 years and brag about having played at... a pile of rubble? A Starbucks?

There is no silver lining. This is awful.

Athens has so few landmarks and this is one of 'em.

I saw countless shows there. Took many a date there. Drank hundreds of those overpriced 32oz beers there. Smoked weed in there. Had your basic college experience there many a night. Truly sad.

Damn. Remember FUNKADELICA!?!?

The list of bands I've seen there is ridiculously vast but I have to say, the best show I ever saw there was:

Parliament Funkadelic around '97.

Truly transcedent.

Daaaaamn.

Damn damn damn.

From that bottom pic, the facade looks fine. I'm not saying this is a good thing, but I'm also not seeing evidence (yet) that it has burnt to the ground.

Maybe I should be following some Athens folks on TWITTER??!! WHERE REAL NEWS IS MADE!!

Semantics. Like the guy said in the article, they may be able to salvage the walls. But, it's most likely gutted to the point where it would have to be completely rebuilt from scratch. With that kind of heat I would guess the walls have been compromised.

I bet it's rebuilt pretty quickly though. The place is a solid money maker and I bet a lot of bands will come out of the woodwork for a benefit show.

Hell, Widespread could do on benefit show in Athens and just about pay for the whole thing.

Just read that the roof has collapsed.

Here's an up to date quote:


[quote]Witness Bryan Harris said ladder trucks were on both sides of the theater, on Clayton and Washington street, pouring water straight down “and it looks like they’re spitting on it.â€

[quote="Rick Derris"]Just read that the roof has collapsed.

Here's an up to date quote:


[quote]Witness Bryan Harris said ladder trucks were on both sides of the theater, on Clayton and Washington street, pouring water straight down “and it looks like they’re spitting on it.â€

Actually, there IS a silver lining. Perpetual Groove won't be playing there tonight and Saturday. The music gods have finally spoken in anger at that kind of shitty performance by no-talent hacks.

The owner, Wilmot Greene, wants to rebuild. He had insurance and had put $750k into renovating it. The exterior walls are still standing, but the fire burned through the roof and gutted the interior.

I'm wearing my Georgia Theatre t-shirt in memory. I spent nearly a hundred nights in that venue over the last 15 years. I have a lot of really good memories attached to it and only two bad ones.

More pics here - http://www.onlineathens.com/

One night we went in there at like 11:45, all bought huge beers, and then at 11:55 they started kicking everyone out so they could re-charge for Dance Night. My extremely quiet/humble buddy looks at the enormous beer that the bar just... fucking... sold him, and tried to get them to let us finish first, but they just started shoving people out. So he yells "FUCK THIS SHIT" and throws the beer all over the floor on his way out. If you know the guy, it was like watching water flow uphill. Nothing ever makes him mad.

My condolences to you guys. Hate it when a good venue goes down like that.

Man, I saw so many amazing shows there, I watched games there, I threw up on the floors, the bathrooms, the seats. I walked around the corner to where the bathrooms locked. It's all a part of a true Athens experience. Sux0rs, but I am glad the guy is dedicated to rebuilding (and very glad he had insurance).

Yep, great news Stu.

I heard from some athens friends, nothing left but the walls.

sucks with ATHFEST starting NEXT WEEKEND

I was dying to make the "oh no, where will dubconscious or perpetual groove play now?" joke.

I did see some great shows in there, most recently New Pornographers/Okkervil River

I went to an amateur wrestling event there one time and the two main event guys bloodied each other up nice and fake like and then proceeded to take it outside of the ring, then up to the bar area, and then OUT INTO THE STREET down near Nowhere Bar.

Loog, we were there to see Frank's boy......JOHN PHOENIX!

Was Fuckbag in tow?

Just for fun and nostalgia, yours truly onstage at the GA Theater circa 1998:

[img][600:503]http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/117/l_c0e2b755f89524b7748c8c54cc78a96e.jpg[/img]

didn't realize you were a lefty.

This is bad because now you have an unbraced facade wall. It'll probably cost less to rebuild than repair.