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!

New Earth Music Hall: Not quite deja vu

Blur? Detour? It seems like this place changes looks and names as often as Lady Gaga changes outfits. Well, maybe not that often. I've got to admit, though: I love this place's latest look! New Earth Music Hall has got a certain classiness to it that its previous incarnations lacked. Lovely murals adorn the walls, and the main room's shaded lighting sets the tone for a night of just about any type of entertainment. Regulars from this place's past will notice that a small slice of the former stage is now a starred room for performers only. Every venue needs a backstage area, after all! Never fear, though. New Earth's spacious dance floor still faces a rather large raised stage with a miniature thrust stage in the center, perfect for performers to get up close and personal with their fans. A towering DJ box that sits right beside the stage completes the performance space.

Time for a drink? New Earth's definitely got you covered as far as that goes. Its extensive full bar lines an entire wall of the venue! And, of course, after a while you'll be wondering about the restrooms. Well, fear not! The bathrooms here are some of the cleanest-looking ones I've seen in an Athens venue.

Want to just relax for a bit? You've got several choices at New Earth. Inside, they knocked down one of Blur's old walls to create a nice sitting area that provides an excellent view of the action onstage. And, if you make your way through the doors on the side of the venue and up some steps, you'll find yourself on a very large deck, ideal for dancing the night away outside or just chilling. As far as remodels go, I give New Earth two thumbs up.

New Earth Music Hall at a glance:

Ages: All ages events take place during the day!
18 to 20 are generally welcome at night; 21 & up usually get a cheaper price.

Cost: Varies depending on the band/event

Venue Website: http://newearthmusichall.com/

Venue Phone Number: 706-543-8283

Venue location & Google Map: 227 W. Dougherty Street, Athens, Georgia 30601


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Reviews of recent concerts/events at New Earth Music Hall:
Aman Amun

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!

The Caledonia Lounge: Tunes emerging from the darkness

Tucked away just behind the 40 Watt Club, you'll find the Caledonia Lounge. No other venue gives off more of an indie rock vibe! The dim lights beckon you into this mysteriously dark place and draw your eyes to the raised stage at the back of the club. As stages go, I'd say this one is about average, length and width wise; in other words, it's just large enough for some general band antics as long as those antics do not include any wild feats of gymnastic skill. The acoustics of the place are rather nice, too. A sizable dance floor sits in front of the stage lined with ledges, great to stand upon if you need to see over the crowd or to place music-related equipment on while your band waits to set up. Want a place to rest your legs and set down the drink you just got from the full bar near the front of the venue? There are a few tables and chairs set around the club just for this purpose as well. Oh, and don't forget to glance over at the sound technician once in a while! He sits up high in a lifeguard-like booth beside the bar. Quite a sight indeed.

Uh oh! You drank three full glasses of water before you got here and the next band to play has tunes that you know will make you dance? You need a bathroom and fast! Conveniently located right near the entrance, you've got two single occupancy bathrooms to choose from. Now here's the confusing part. The sign on one door reads "male," but contrary to one's expectations, the other reads "unisex." Well now, that's curious. I assume, however, that both of the facilities are the same in this case so I recommend that you use either should the need arise.

Waiting for the last band of the night to step onstage? It's the perfect time to check out the outdoor patio and deck area. Between sets, you'll usually find band members and their fans and pals chilling and catching their breaths out here amidst the small grove of trees. How incredibly relaxing! There are tables and benches galore on both the deck and patio too so this is the place to be if you need to take a short break from the crowds inside the club.

The Caledonia Lounge at a glance:

Ages: 18 to 20 are welcome!
21 and up usually get a cheaper price.

Cost: Generally $5 for 21 and up, $7 for under 21.

Venue Website: http://www.caledonialounge.com/

Venue Phone Number: 706-549-5577

Venue location & Google Map: 256 W. Clayton St, Athens, GA 30601


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Reviews of recent concerts/events at the Caledonia Lounge:
Bambara
Doctor Squid, The Warm Fuzzies, and Gemini Cricket

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!

The 40 Watt Club: One of the best venues in Athens!

Let's start with one of the most famous music venues in Athens: the 40 Watt Club. It's not famous for nothing! You can enter this dance club/ concert space with confidence knowing that the floor will almost always be clean enough sit on during the hours before midnight. Even better, it's filled with little tables, couches, bar stools, and other seating options, so that you won't actually ever have to sit on the floor anyway! Best of all, the large stage, raised several feet off of the ground, can be seen from every seat in the house, and it provides ample space for any number of band members to comfortably jam on their instruments or perform their choice of musical acrobatics. The massive speakers on the sides of the stage have also been used on many occasions as props during concerts; I've seen band members lay on them, lean on them, and even leap from them! They issue some quality sound as well, and the microphones provided work quite well too, a most necessary feature. Oh, and bands, remember to bring your hanging signs. This stage was meant to have gigantic band logos draped over the front edge for all to see!

After you partake in a few drinks from the full bar or some water from the cooler, you may have a few more questions. What about the bathrooms, you ask? As promised, here's my review of them. The walls are painted in a sort of graffiti-type style which looks a bit different from the rest of the club. The stalls themselves don't seem as ritzy as the rest of the place, but I must say, they've never been dirty when I've needed to step inside them, so that's a plus.

Once you head back to the dance floor, don't forget to look up! The ever-present Christmas lights add a bit of festive cheer to even the darkest, most screamo bands' performances. Looking to buy or sell some merchandise? Right next to the 40 Watt door, there's a large stand on a raised platform just for that purpose. Oh, and you may even get a chance to visit one of the two backstage hangouts in the club. There's an open one to the left of the stage with a very wide mirror, a pool table, and some video games to entertain you if happen to find yourself with a bit of free time. The other backstage space is located on the opposite side, down a hallway and through another door. This one's got some couches and small tables lining the walls which makes it a cozy little hangout for the band members and their pals.

The 40 Watt Club at a glance:

Ages: 18 to 20 are welcome!
21 and up usually get a cheaper price.

Cost: Varies depending on the band/event

Tickets: Advance tickets are generally available for larger shows online or at School Kids Records located at 264 East Clayton St. in Athens, GA . You can always buy your tickets at the door too!

Venue Website: http://www.40watt.com/

Venue Phone Number: 706-549-7871

Venue location & Google Map: 285 W Washington St, Athens, GA 30601


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Reviews of recent concerts/events at the 40 Watt Club:
Venice is Sinking
Crumbling Arches
Flagpole Athens Awards Show after 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!

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!