Georgia Theatre

The Georgia Theatre is a cornerstone of the Athens music scene, with the Athens Music Walk of Fame winding past the iconic marquee. Countless bands have played GATH, on their way to fame as well as after they topped the charts. The rooftop restaurant at Georgia Theatre offers amazing views of Athens with open railings facing both South towards campus and East towards downtown.

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HISTORY:
The Georgia Theater is part of the Downtown Athens National Register Historic District and also the Downtown Local Historic District, which was designated in 2006. It was built as the Elite Theater in 1935 on the "foundation" of the original YMCA which had been constructed on that site in 1889. The upper part of that YMCA building was demolished in 1920 and it then served over the years as the Majestic Hotel, Masonic Temple, Dorsey Furniture Company, and Burnstein Brothers Furniture Company until the Elite Theater was built. It is unclear how much of the original YMCA building was incorporated into the Elite Theater. After a devastating fire in 2009, the Theatre was reopened in 2011.

As a live music venue, The Georgia Theatre has been the site of

• Live performances from a long list of acclaimed bands


• Music videos such as R.E.M.'s "Shiny Happy People" (1992) and John Mayer's "No Such Thing" (2002)


• Live album recordings from Corey Smith (2008) and the Derek Trucks Band (2004)

IN THE NEWS:

• One of Georgia's "Best Music History Sites," AAA Living, September/October 2018