Groups plan to help rebuild Georgia Theatre

What started out as a muted hope for the Georgia Theatre has grown into a full-fledged movement for the famous Athens music venue to be rebuilt.

That certainly is the owner’s intention. Just how and when it’s going to happen is another thing all together.

“I definitely want to rebuild,” said Wilmot Greene, who has owned the theater the last five years. “To be honest with you, I really have no idea if that’s possible.”

There are a lot of people rooting for that to happen, including a rather influential lobby known as “the Athens music scene.” Artists of every ilk are stepping out to help the Georgia Theatre and bring attention to its plight.

Tonight, The Whigs, which recently played The Late Show with David Letterman, will headline a benefit concert at The Melting Point at the Foundry Park Inn. Also playing are The New Familiars and Dead Confederate. One hundred percent of the $10 cover will go to the employees of the Georgia Theatre.

“Athens has a great music scene and it’s something we’re proud to be part of,” said Julian Dorio, drummer for The Whigs. “If anything happened to any band or any venue, everybody would step for them. So everybody has the same sentiment. We just happened to be in town working on an album.”

Perpetual Groove, whose name still appears on the famous marquee in front of the building, was scheduled to appear at the Georgia Theatre the night it burned down. Instead the Athens’ band (by way of Savannah) played the Classic Center on Saturday with all the proceeds going to the Theatre.

Other events are in the planning stages, including a possible “club crawl” this fall featuring local acts that would help raise fund for the building’s restoration.

Troy Aubrey, who books bands all over Athens, has been spearheading the fundraising efforts. He organized Tuesday night’s event at the Melting Point.

“It’s amazing what kind of heart this community has when something like this happens,” said Aubrey, a co-owner of athensmusic.net and manager of the band Modern Skirts, “And right now that heart is beating heavy.”

“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,” said Matt DeCamp, manager of the well-known Athens band Widespread Panic.

The Georgia Theatre, an Athens landmark located at the corner of North Lumpkin and Clayton streets in downtown, was destroyed by this past Friday morning. The exterior walls remain but otherwise the 120-year-old building was gutted.

Investigators from Athens-Clarke County Fire Department, the state fire marshal’s office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, were combing through the rubble Tuesday searching for a cause and origin. It could be days or weeks before one is known.

Greene said he has insurance on the building and the business and that his agent has been upbeat and optimistic. But there’s no guarantee the total cost of a restoration will covered.

Greene said he was in the final stages of a $750,000 renovation. He said he bought the building for $1.5 million in 2005.

“They’ve been super,” Greene said of insurance representatives. “They’re just telling me to write everything down and be organized. But we won’t know anything for a while.”

Meanwhile, the Athens music scene rocks on. AthFest, an annual musical festival that puts the spotlight on local acts, will continue as scheduled starting Thursday. Eleven acts were scheduled to play the Georgia Theatre over four days. The shows have been relocated to the Morton Theater just a block down the street.

There is nothing specific planned as far as fundraising for the Georgia Theatre this weekend but some serious hat-passing is anticipated.

“I definitely feel humbled,” Greene said. “From the inside looking out, I guess I never realized how much love there is out there for [the Georgia Theatre]. I mean, this business is kind of tough and you’re just busting it trying to keep it going. Then something like this happens and suddenly you’re hearing from people all over the world. It’s pretty amazing.”