Athens’ Georgia Theatre burns
Historical music venue is a shell of its former self
Around 7 a.m. this morning, the Georgia Theatre caught fire. The landmark venue that showcased bands including REM, the B-52s, Widespread Panic and countless others — and which last year underwent a renovation — burned for several hours. Around 11 a.m. its interior and roof collapsed. The venue is now reportedly a shell of its former shelf.
A lot of Athens’ history just went up in smoke. The AJC’s Chip Towers has a thorough write-up of firefighters’ efforts to save the building. Owner Wilmot Greene tells Towers he wants to rebuild. Michelle Gilzanrat of Athens’ Flagpole Magazine has updates, on-the-ground video and photos of the blaze. The Athens Banner-Herald has strong coverage including details about the venues where this weekend’s AthFest acts have been moved. Travis Fain of the Macon Telegraph liveblogged the fire. The Red & Black student newspaper has lots of stories about the fire.