Before a concert at the Georgia Theatre last September we decided to grab a mid-afternoon drink and snack at the rooftop bar. Â Mainly to check it out and because we had time to kill. Â (We were even enjoyed a little show as a cat decided to walk along the railing on the top floor of a neighboring parking garage.)
I remember the snacks being a bit pricey but the drinks were reasonable. Â Mostly we enjoyed being on the roof in the wonderful Georgia weather and of course the show afterwards. Â
I would recommend this bar and theatre to anyone visiting Athens.
My number one favorite place to see concerts no doubt. Â After going to countless shows at the old Theatre, I finally returned to experience the new and improved venue. Â I missed the old atmosphere for nostalgic reasons but the new Theatre is so nice that it didn't matter.
The roof top bar, as everyone has said, is amazing. Â There is a full bar up there as opposed to the more limited bars on the first and third floors. You can enjoy the rooftop bar without having to go to a concert and it has extended hours. There are heaters on the roof as well so it is a great option year round. Â
The other major changes are the balcony area and the bathrooms. The seating on the balcony is now more limited than before so for ye who would rather perch on a stool than dance around on the floor level I would recommend getting there early. The bathrooms are now located in the basement and are 10,000 times nicer than before. Sincerely, I thank you Ga Theatre for the improvements to your bathrooms.
The Theatre always does a great job of keeping excellent new and old bands coming through. They showcase a huge variety of bands from jammy bands to more rock types to country musicians. No matter what type of show you go for, the crowd is always energetic and fun. The staff is also a solid group of helpful, quick, music loving people.
If you have never been to a show at the Theatre, check out their calendar and pick a show to go to. Â The Georgia Theatre is an institution of Athens that everybody needs to experience.
I recently went back to the Georgia Theatre for the first time in years. It is amazing now, and is lightyears ahead of the Theatre it used to be. I miss some of the grunge in there, but you know, I'll take the good with the bad considering what happened to the place a couple of years ago.
I'll never forget driving home, hungover, and trying to fight the firetrucks, cop cars, and pedestrians all standing watching one of, if not THE, biggest landmark in downtown Athens burn up and out.
The bar upstairs is a perfect perch to have a drink with good company, and people watch over the ledge. They even pump the concert through TV's at the bar if you still want live music, but insist on drinking outside and on a rooftop (I realize that makes the bar sound dumb, but I assure you it isn't. I used to gravitate to Boar's Head to drink outside, but now I certainly find myself at the Georgia Theatre).
Be sure to look up, there is a Big Ass Fan hanging from the ceiling! And while it is an enormous fan, the company is actually called the Big Ass Fan company.
Whoever thought of topping a theater with a gorgeous rooftop bar was a genius.
Three bars, cheap drinks (I had a bourbon for six bucks), red velvet curtains. I felt right at home. The fire was tragic, but the smoke-stained bricks it left behind are pretty cool.
The winding stairs are tricky to navigate after cocktails, but once you get the lay of the land, it's less complicated. There is always the elevator if you get confused or have stair-unfriendly shoes.
Theatre is a bit of a misnomer for the new incarnation; the only seats are barstools in the balcony and they are hard to come by.
Cheers~
the only thing i didn't care for were the drink prices... but hey... that's kind of expected i guess.
i LOVE this venue. you have floor space, two balconies... and an open rooftop bar. the music sounded a bit low ... but was still nice. i saw beach house here. i enjoyed it thoroughly!
if you want a seat, get here early. there are bar stools on the balcony levels.
I've been to a lot of shows (200+), and the Georgia Theatre is my favorite venue.
The sound is clear, the sight lines are plenty and varied, and the building is just fun to run around in. There are so many different ways to see a show here: in the floor, on the ramp, in the balcony, on the roof!
I just love how easy it is to get into and around the place. It makes seeing shows that much more enjoyable.
Well done to Wil and his crew for building a paradise for concert goers!
One of the best music venues in GA. Wilmot Greene(owner) has restored and updated this establishment since the fire in 2009. Â We saw Skrillex 12/10/11. Â The rooftop smoking/drinking area is very nice and trendy. Acoustics is great too. Â Many levels and easy access around the venue via stairs or elevator. Drink prices are very reasonable.
Review Source:This is the music venue that makes Athens the famed music city it is. Â This place has rocked for over half a century. Â All the great artists who made their way from or through Athens played on this fabled stage. Â Place was a dive when I was in college and the best place to catch a show. Â Beer was cold and got you loaded quick! Â It sadly burned down after I left but has been reborn. Â The reincarnation is cooler than ever! Â This place was an indelible part of my college experience and a must if you want to truly experience Athens.
Review Source:The new Georgia Theater might be the coolest venue of all time. Â Now don't get me wrong, Atlanta has it's classics. Â The Fox Theater is beautiful, the new Verizon Wireless Amphitheater is very well designed, and hole-in-the-walls like the Northside Tavern are inimitable. Â But the newly rebuilt Georgia Theater in Athens is all around excellent.
This theater has a history of its own, but that's something you can research somewhere else. Â The new place is still pretty small, holding a couple hundred people on the main floor and another hundred or so upstairs on the balcony level. Â Every seat seems to be the best in the house. Â And everything is super-accessible, too. Â At a recent show we were standing only ten feet from the stage, and when it came time to get more beer, I managed to get through the crowd, grab two brews, and was back to my seat in less than 5 minutes. Â
And speaking of bars, this place is loaded. Â The main floor features two full-service bars with incredibly fair prices. Â The balcony has a third bar, and the new rooftop patio is decked out with a wrap-around bar, heater lamps, big screen LCD TV's, and the best (third story) views in city. Â The rooftop bar also boasts 3 Terrapin beers on draught, available for only $5 a pint. Â And all of the watering stations are staffed with real bartenders, ones that pour real drinks instead of the standard ripoff pony-jigger-measuring fools you see at places like The Tabernacle. Â
Acoustics here are fantastic, the lights are well designed, and there are no barriers, polls, etc. to block your view. Â Hell, the sound booth is only about 20 feet back from the stage. Â Impressive.
Check out their lineup and you'll surely find some big-name act hitting the small-town scene in Athens. Â Take a trip to the Georgia Theater, and while you're there, grab me a Terrapin Hopsecutioner.
I had been to the Georgia Theatre several times before the fire, and always enjoyed shows there. Recently I went back for the first time since it was rebuilt, and I think it may be even better. The floor area looks largely the same, with two nice bars on either side. There are several levels, with a mezzanine and balcony offering seating and some dancing space. There's also a rooftop bar that pours Terrapin beer (woohoo!) and offers food.
The sound is amazing. It's one of the few venues I've left without my ears ringing. (They also offer free earplugs, which is a nice touch.) They attract pretty great acts--last week they had Yonder Mountain String Band, Railroad Earth, and Galactic in three consecutive nights. My only complaint is that they're drawing traveling bands away from Atlanta, but heck, I'll make the drive to Athens to see shows at Georgia Theatre, no problem.
What a transformation this venue has taken! Â The Georgia Theatre is now the premier place for a show in Athens, GA in my opinion. Â On August 11, 2011, I had the privilege of attending a show at the new and improved theatre. Â Form the decor to the sound system there was no detail over looked. Â - If you have the opportunity to go see a show here by all means do it, you will be glad you did.
Review Source:Hadn't been in years (before the tragedy that is) but I spent more time at this place than in my freshman dorm room. I LOVE this place, still standing or not.
Not sure what it will be like when it comes back, but if it is half of what it once was, the world will be a better place!
Oh how I miss the Georgia Theatre.
Infamous for the feature of its marquis in John Mayer's "No Such Thing", this is another great venue in Athens to catch cheap shows from up and coming acts.
You can also check out Pat Green here (frequently), and Kinchafoonee Cowboys (an Athens favorite), and cover bands such as "Who's Bad?", a Micheal Jackson tribute, and even a Guns and Roses cover band.
The venue itself is...okay. Frequently hot and sticky and only so so acoustics.
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