You're viewing everything posted on June 19, 2009
An incredibly sad sight as I drove up Prince Avenue this morning after the call the Georgia Theatre was on fire — huge billowing black and gray clouds of smoke were pouring into the blue morning sky. I knew at that moment, before I’d even gotten close, that this was likely the end of the Ga. Theatre as we know it. A few dozen spectators looked on, talking about the history of the theater — “I’ve seen so many great shows there,” I heard one say. Athens Chamber president Doc Eldridge’s cell phone was ringing off the hook as he took call after call, obliging radio and newspaper reporters with his memories of the theater. He’d been “to many picture shows there” as a little boy he said, and it became a music venue in the 1970s. He put me in touch with the man who gave it its musical incarnation, Sheffy McArthur, who opened it in 1978 with friends Sam Smart, Hap Harris and George Fontaine. “It’s really sad,” McArthur said. “I just think of all the history, the bands that played there — we helped create the beginning of the Athens music scene.” He counted off artists that had performed in his three years running the place — B.B. King (who returns to Athens at the Classic Center in October), Muddy Waters, Jerry Jeff Walker, Sea Level, Steve Morris, Chuck Leavell, Randall Bramblett, David Allen Coe, Davis Causey, John Prine… “We built the stage there,” he said. McArthur said he “tipped his hat” to current owner Wilmot Greene, who’d put so much work into the renovation of the theater in recent years. Eldridge looked on as a new round of flames started up in the rooftop of the building, and two ladders with firefighters pointed hoses into the huge sea of flames. Onlookers repeated sentiments that thankfully the fire started in the morning, apparently, not when the theater was full of people. Even so, Eldridge said, there are people in danger. “One thing I don’t think people realize is there are a lot of people in harm’s way — we’ve got three or four men up there in oxygen masks engulfed in smoke trying to put this thing out, and can you imagine the heat they’re experiencing? This is when you’re really grateful for the work these folks do for us.” Lt. Reginald Hunter, an investigator and senior fire prevention officer with Athens-Clarke County, said he wouldn’t speculate how the fire started and gave a look of “yeah right” when I asked if he thought there’d be anything left of the theater. (Well, I had to ask — it’s hard to believe it’s just gone.) “There was no sprinkler system and with all the wood in that building…” Hunter said the building was grandfathered in for its age on the building code required now for sprinkler systems. “I’m just glad it was at a time when it wasn’t full of people,” Hunter said. The investigation, he said, will start with “what’s most burned, moving to what’s least burned.”

An incredibly sad sight as I drove up Prince Avenue this morning after the call the Georgia Theatre was on fire — huge billowing black and gray clouds of smoke were pouring into the blue morning sky.

I knew at that moment, before I’d even gotten close, that this was likely the end of the Ga. Theatre as we know it.

A few dozen spectators looked on, talking about the history of the theater — “I’ve seen so many great shows there,” I heard one say.

Athens Chamber president Doc Eldridge’s cell phone was ringing off the hook as he took call after call, obliging radio and newspaper reporters with his memories of the theater. He’d been “to many picture shows there” as a little boy he said, and it became a music venue in the 1970s. He put me in touch with the man who gave it its musical incarnation, Sheffy McArthur, who opened it in 1978 with friends Sam Smart, Hap Harris and George Fontaine.

“It’s really sad,” McArthur said. “I just think of all the history, the bands that played there — we helped create the beginning of the Athens music scene.” He counted off artists that had performed in his three years running the place — B.B. King (who returns to Athens at the Classic Center in October), Muddy Waters, Jerry Jeff Walker, Sea Level, Steve Morris, Chuck Leavell, Randall Bramblett, David Allen Coe, Davis Causey, John Prine…

“We built the stage there,” he said.

McArthur said he “tipped his hat” to current owner Wilmot Greene, who’d put so much work into the renovation of the theater in recent years.

Eldridge looked on as a new round of flames started up in the rooftop of the building, and two ladders with firefighters pointed hoses into the huge sea of flames. Onlookers repeated sentiments that thankfully the fire started in the morning, apparently, not when the theater was full of people. Even so, Eldridge said, there are people in danger.

“One thing I don’t think people realize is there are a lot of people in harm’s way — we’ve got three or four men up there in oxygen masks engulfed in smoke trying to put this thing out, and can you imagine the heat they’re experiencing? This is when you’re really grateful for the work these folks do for us.”

Lt. Reginald Hunter, an investigator and senior fire prevention officer with Athens-Clarke County, said he wouldn’t speculate how the fire started and gave a look of “yeah right” when I asked if he thought there’d be anything left of the theater. (Well, I had to ask — it’s hard to believe it’s just gone.) “There was no sprinkler system and with all the wood in that building…” Hunter said the building was grandfathered in for its age on the building code required now for sprinkler systems.

“I’m just glad it was at a time when it wasn’t full of people,” Hunter said. The investigation, he said, will start with “what’s most burned, moving to what’s least burned.”

I got to the scene around 7:30 a.m.; Doc Eldridge, who I interviewed, said he’d gotten there about 10 minutes after 7, and they’d been bringing in more ladder trucks and equipment. Wilma said she couldn’t see flames when she’d gotten there about 15 minutes before I had, but it had gotten progressively worse. It looked like the little hoses couldn’t possibly compete with those huge roaring flames. 

I got to the scene around 7:30 a.m.; Doc Eldridge, who I interviewed, said he’d gotten there about 10 minutes after 7, and they’d been bringing in more ladder trucks and equipment.

Wilma said she couldn’t see flames when she’d gotten there about 15 minutes before I had, but it had gotten progressively worse. It looked like the little hoses couldn’t possibly compete with those huge roaring flames. 

Power restored to downtown at 10:45 a.m.

Just got the call from Sandi Turner —

Now for my blog posts that aren’t showing up on the onlineathens.com homepage … grrr.

With AthFest scheduled next weekend, there’s talk that performers scheduled for Friday and Saturday nights’ shows at the Ga. Theatre will be moved to either the Classic Center or Legion Field, according to reports. But longtime AthFest co-organizer Jeff Montgomery, who hadn’t heard these reports, said Legion Field is unlikely and there’s been no official talk at this point. “I’m sure anything will be considered at this point.” 
“It’s a sad day,” he added, pausing a moment — Montgomery has organized benefits at the Ga. Theatre and is a huge supporter of the Athens music scene, with his Web site athensmusic.net and Iron Horse record label. He’s been responsible for a number of R.E.M. listening parties to benefit Community Connection/Family Connection.

The Ga. Theatre, which employed between 30 and 35 full and part-time employees, is believed to be completely destroyed inside, but owner Wilmot Green said he’s been told the exterior walls are probably OK, he has insurance and he hopes to rebuild, according to information gathered from business editor Don Nelson.

AthFest performers scheduled to appear at the Ga. Theatre include:

Friday: Lazer/Wülf, Hot New Mexicans, Marriage, Geoff Reacher, Deaf Judges and We Versus the Shark,
Saturday: What’s Our Name, Gift Horse, Kuroma, Velveteen Pink and Immuzikation (1 a.m.)

Perpetual Groove shows moved to Classic Center Saturday only

Perpetual Groove, the Athens band scheduled to play the Georgia Theatre tonight and Saturday, has been moved to the Classic Center for a SATURDAY show ONLY. For people who have tickets for both shows, tickets will be honored tomorrow night only. Doors at 8 p.m., show starts at 9:30, and tickets will be available through the Classic Center box office starting this afternoon — probably after 3 p.m. said Philip Verrastro, asst. exec. director at the Classic Center, who does programming for the venue. Verrastro said the box office will be open during the show as well, and tickets are $12 at the box office, plus a $1 fee to help w/ expenses — if you purchase online, they’re $12 + $3 convenience fee. “We’re doing this to help them out and not charging any rent or anything,” Verrastro said. “We want to help suppor tht theater, so we’re simply charging tickets for the expense of labor; we really want to accommodate the show without any extra cost to (the Georgia Theatre).” He added there’s free parking in parking deck.

Perpetual Groove show sked for tonight and Sat. moved to Classic Center Sat. ONLY

Perpetual Groove, the Athens band scheduled to play the Georgia Theatre tonight and Saturday, has been moved to the Classic Center for a SATURDAY show ONLY in the Classic Center Theater.

For people who have tickets for both shows, tickets will be honored tomorrow night only. Doors at 8 p.m., show starts at 9:30, and tickets will be available through the Classic Center box office starting this afternoon — probably after 3 p.m. said Philip Verrastro, asst. exec. director at the Classic Center, who does programming for the venue.

Verrastro said the box office will be open during the show as well, and tickets are $12 at the box office, plus a $1 fee to help w/ expenses — if you purchase online, they’re $12 + $3 convenience fee.

“We’re doing this to help them out and not charging any rent or anything,” Verrastro said. “We want to help suppor tht theater, so we’re simply charging tickets for the expense of labor; we really want to accommodate the show without any extra cost to (the Georgia Theatre).” He added there’s free parking in parking deck.

AthFest looking to Morton Theatre for shows scheduled at Ga. Theatre

AthFest director Jared Bailey said this morning that AthFest shows scheduled for the Ga. Theatre next weekend possibly will be moved to the Morton Theatre, though nothing has been confirmed at this time.

There was some confusion in an earlier post by me — reports that shows would move to Legion Field or the Classic Center; turns out those were discussions for Perpetual Groove, Bailey informed me. P-Groove was scheduled for a two-night stand at the Ga. Theatre tonight and tomorrow, but those shows have been confirmed at the Classic Center but will be Saturday night only.

Bailey also said that AthFest will go on as planned otherwise, but that the loss of the Ga. Theatre “will have ripple effects. It’s going to make a big difference in the whole downtown music community. But (Wilmot Greene) told me he does plan to rebuild if he can, so that’s good news at least.”

“
Our thoughts go out to Wilmot Greene and everyone involved with the Georgia Theatre past and present. We have a lot of great memories from performing there in the early 90’s including filming a concert with Billy Bob Thornton in 1991, Live at The Georgia Theatre. We are happy to hear talk of rebuilding and know that this will certainly not be the end of the Georgia Theatre’s long legacy.
Widespread Panic