Locals Mourn Destroyed Music Venue

Fire crews are still on the scene of a blaze that destroyed an Athens landmark. Exterior walls remain, but there is not much else left of the historic Georgia Theatre.

Hazy smoke fills the air around the theatre's marquee that promotes bands that won't be playing.

The remaining fire crews continued to put out hot spots at the Georgia Theatre in Athens Friday evening.

Fire officials said the fire started at about 7 a.m. Friday moing on the second floor of the building and spread very quickly to the roof.

Several people, who worked the shows and enjoyed the performances, stood outside to view what was left of the but building.

"Probably the biggest show I ever did was when Wide-Spread Panic played. They didn't even play in the building. They played outside the building and the called it 'Panic in the Streets,'" said former theatre employee Kendall Cathy.

"When you sat backstage, there was framed posters of bands that had played there before, like Dave Matthews' Band and bands like the B-52s where you pay $50 to see these bands now, the posters for these guys said $3," said Athens musician Brock Butler.

On Friday, Butler's band was supposed to play the legendary music venue that helped the likes of REM and Wide-Spread Panic get their start.

Instead, Butler is playing at a bar down the street and is raising money for the employees of the Georgia Theatre – now out of work.

"I've been there for five years and there is still stuff that I haven't uncovered and gotten to. God knows what we've lost in there," said owner Wilmot Greene.

Greene said he was insured and wants to salvage something from the old venue.

"The roof is gone. They're worried about the walls now. Hopefully, we can save the walls. At this point, it's not really looking good, I think," said Greene.