It’s a sad day here in Athens, GA.  I was planning on writing up my Athfest picks today, but early this morning, I was awoken with news that the historical Georgia Theatre was on fire.  It was about 8:00 AM.  I drove downtown to check out the scene and things were pretty bad.  Downtown was bathed in smoke and all of the power was out.  The streets were blocked off, but plenty of onlookers braved the acrid air (I still smell like a campfire) to gawk at the firemen doing their thing from the cherry pickers.

As with all tragic events, people become instant experts and speculators, equally cynical and dunderheaded:

“They wet the bricks to keep them from crumbling.”
“They have to recharge the water pressure every ten minutes.”
“It was probably for insurance.”
“They have to make way for the new parking garage.”
“Definitely an electrical fire.”
“Definitely arson.”
“Definitely a cigarette or something.”
“Drew Barrymore is in town…Firestarter anyone?” (Credit to Matt Blanks for this…apparently Ms. Barrymore has been out and about Athens)
“Think they’ll be ready by Athfest?” (Seriously!)

The truth is there is very little truth right now.  We’ll eventually learn the cause of the fire, and the “did it for insurance” cloud will hang over it for some time.  According to the Athens Banner-Herald, owner Wilmot Greene (a pal) promises to rebuild if at all possible.  Spoken like a true insurance defrauder, by the way!  11 bands were scheduled to play Athfest at the Georgia Theatre, so the organizers are looking to move the acts to the other grand theater of Athens, the Morton.  Super nice guys Perpetual Groove have moved their two GA Theatre shows to the Classic Center and will donate proceeds to the rebuilding of the Theatre.

It’s sad to lose a venue, but it’s especially sad to lose one as significant as the Theatre.  The indie rock curmudgeons love to point out that the Georgia Theatre caters to hippie and fratty crowds, and there is no denying that the place has been Ground Zero for the jam scene in Athens.  And for good reason!  It was a professionally run venue with a large capacity and a great sound system.  And, sure, there were always questions about the cleanliness of the taps, and sometimes your shoes could stick to the floors.  Before the recent $750k renovations, I was scared of one of the bathrooms.  But the Georgia Theatre, especially in recent years, embodied the catholic tastes of the town writ large, in much the same manner as the Bonnaroo Music Festival.  Sure, jam bands played there, but so did Ghostface, Talib Kweli, New Pornographers, David Byrne, and Beck, to name a few national acts.  Locally, bands as diverse as We Versus The Shark, Deaf Judges, Casper & the Cookies, The Buddy System, Packway Handle Band, Don Chambers, and Mouser have graced its stage.  The clientele was as diverse as any in town, and the Theatre was shedding its patchouli and baseball caps image.

The Georgia Theatre has been many things to this town.  It’s been a YMCA with a swimming pool.  Supposedly, UGA basketball teams played there.  It was a movie theatre.  It was a music venue a few times.  During the late 90s and early 00s, it was one of Athens’ only outlets for indie/arthouse flicks beyond the shows.  Pylon, Widespread Panic, and REM have all played there.  It’s been a presence in our thriving downtown scene for 20 years now.

On a personal note, the place means a lot to me.  I proposed to a future ex-wife there during a Cheap Trick show.  I’ve seen tons of great shows there.  I slept through an REM secret show (the phone was in the other room!) that I heard was epic.  My band practiced there every weekend for a couple of months, culminating in a week-long session with David Barbe.  During that time we got…intimate with the intricacies of the building, exploring the coal tunnels underneath and climbing up into the wings to look down on the stage.  That week we made our third album was drunken, exasperating, passionate, chaotic, and wonderful, all of the things a good recording session should be.  I’m now listening to those sessions wistfully, a document of acoustics that no longer exist and a tribute to the character of one of America’s most unique venues.  They don’t make them like that anymore.  For a week and some change, it was a second home for us, and I’ll miss it.

I wish Wil Greene and the Theatre staff the best as we begin a new phase in the life of one of Athens’ more remarkable spaces.

Oh, on a bad timing note: “wow” to the (great) Texas band the Theater Fire playing TONIGHT at Athens’ Farm 255.