Farm 255: Fresh food, fresh tunes

Right down the street from the 40 Watt Club, nestled in the midst of several other venues including the Caledonia Lounge and MAX, you'll find Farm 255.  The chill atmosphere of this place welcomes you in immediately, and the midsize outdoor stage, adorned with lights and surrounded by picnic tables, lends a festive air to the venue.  Ready to groove?  A patio, perfect for dancing to your favorite band's latest tunes, sits before the stage.

Inside the venue, you'll discover Farm 255's full bar which doubles as a restaurant during the day, the ideal place to eat fresh produce and listen to musicians rock it out.  In the winter time, bands even have the choice to play indoors after the tables are cleared away.  Had a bit too much to drink already?  Tucked into the back corner of the venue, you'll find two single person bathrooms complete with giant mirrors.  As restrooms go, these are certainly some of the nicer ones in downtown Athens.  Stepping back outside, the awesome sound of the latest band rocking into the night paired with the venue's decent acoustics follow you home as the show hits its last note.  Definitely a great place for those who like to sample the town's music scene!

Farm 255 at a glance: 

Ages: generally 21+

 Cost: Free

Venue Website: www.farm255.com 

Venue Phone Number: (706) 549-4660

Venue location & Google Map: 255 W. Washington Street, Athens, GA 30601


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Reviews of recent concerts/events at Farm 255
Hans Darkbolt
Dangerous Ponies/ Sam Sniper

Have any thoughts of your own about this venue? Dying to know something specific that I didn't mention? Be sure to comment below! Also, to read about all of the venues I've reviewed, visit my venues page!

Georgia Theatre: The iconic venue reimagined

Steeped in history and newly rebuilt, the Georgia Theatre is undoubtably one of Athens' most beloved venues.  A brightly lit marquee greets you as you step up to the box office to purchase your ticket for the night's events.  Doors to the indoor venue do not open till 8 PM for shows, but the Georgia Theatre is more than just a place for bands and music;  it's also a rather chill rooftop restaurant!   Entering through the side door, you'll find a spacious elevator that takes you up to an open air patio with nice views of the surrounding downtown area.  Craving a bite to eat?  Well, this White Tiger-style dining experience features an affordably priced menu of sandwiches, salads, and sides.  While the menu does not offer a huge variety of choices in food, there is certainly a decent selection which includes several vegetarian options as well.  Best of all, the food here is quite good.

Looks like it's time for the show to start!  As you head inside, you'll discover that the Georgia Theatre has three interior levels, the top two featuring limited seating and overlooking the main floor.  From the road, the doors open up to this lower level where you'll find a rather large dance floor and quite an impressive raised stage.  Ready to grab a drink?  Opposite the stage, two full bars line the back of the venue on the main floor and bars are accessible from the upper levels as well.  Returning to the dance floor, you'll find that this venue was truly and expertly made for bands that attract masses of fans.  Even if you find yourself lucky enough to be among those in the very front of the crowd, the stage has an overhang which enables fans to have extra space and breathing room, a definite plus for the most well-attended shows!

Time for a bathroom break? Well, since the Georgia Theatre tends to get rather crowded, you'll probably want to make your way there before the show starts.  Located in the basement of the venue, you'll find some of the most massive bathrooms in Athens - pristine industrial-style rooms built with huge crowds in mind.

Returning to the main floor, you'll most likely find even more people in front of the stage than there were when you left.  Afraid you'll get much too hot as you show off your best dance moves in the middle of such a crowd? Don't be too concerned.  Giant fans that resemble helicopter blades (yes, everything is huge here) cool the dance floor, keeping all of the fans comfortable throughout the rockin' show.  Gotta love the new Georgia Theatre!

Georgia Theatre at a glance:

Ages: shows 18+, football games 21+

Cost: varies

Venue Website: www.georgiatheatre.com

Venue Phone Number: (706) 850-7670

Venue location & Google Map: 215 N. Lumpkin St,, Athens, GA 30601

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Reviews of recent concerts/events at The Georgia Theatre

Of Montreal/ Yip Deceiver/ the Gold Party

Have any thoughts of your own about this venue? Dying to know something specific that I didn't mention? Be sure to comment below! Also, to read about all of the venues I've reviewed, visit my venues page!

Where are they performing again?

Have you ever found yourself wondering about that new music venue in town? How big is the stage? What are the acoustics like? Is it really as clean as their website says it is? Well, introducing my newest semi-regular blog series - Echoreyn of Athens: Music Venues! Now you'll know if you can (legally) bring your underage pals to your new favorite band's next show. Now even the most inexperienced Athens newcomers will have a reference guide of sorts for all of the places to be (and places to avoid) in this little town!

See, after struggling to find one site that gives a complete account of all of the things I need to know when I'm researching a stage that's playing host to one of my favorites each weekend, I finally threw up my hands in surrender. Hey, if I can't find a site that'll tell me what I need to know, I'll just make one myself! After all, I see quite a few venues as I traverse my way across town in search of new treats for my ears. Why not share my knowledge? Feel free, of course, to chip in with your own experiences in these places, too, as I document my findings. The more info, the better! Hope this page truly becomes a one-stop guide for all of your venue-related queries!