1. It’s (Not) Only Rock and Roll

Athens is known for its contributions to the rock and roll canon—our lil’ town birthed R.E.M., The B-52s, Pylon, Widespread Panic, Neutral Milk Hotel, of Montreal and Drive-By Truckers, among others—but there’s a lot more going on locally. Hip hop continues to boom, and the Latinx scene is hot, too. Roots music, including country and Americana, can be found just about everywhere, as can experimental and genre-defying acts. 

2. Music Venues Range in Size and Focus

Athens is home to a remarkably high number of music venues, given its population size. The best bets for catching major touring acts have always been the 40 Watt Club and Georgia Theatre, while Flicker Theatre & Bar, Hendershot’s, Nowhere Bar, Southern Brewing Company and The World Famous are dependable choices for catching local bands any night of the week.

3. Festivals Happen Year-Round

In fall, the North Georgia Folk Festival livens Sandy Creek Park, Historic Athens PorchFest takes over neighborhoods and the Wild Rumpus Parade & Spectacle is a Halloween-time hoot. Spring stays busy between the Winterville Marigold Festival, International Street Festival and Normaltown Music Festival. The hip hop- and gospel-centric Hot Corner Celebration, Athens Surf Stomp and Forest Heights Blueberry Festival all take place in early summer, followed by Athens’ flagship event, the AthFest Music and Arts Festival.

4. It’s Kid-Friendly

As more Athenians start families, there’s been an increased focus on kid-centric music and music education. The leader of the pack is Nuçi’s Space, a resource center that offers health services to musicians, plus rehearsal rooms and Camp Amped, where local youth learn to start their own bands. We Rock Athens operates a similar program for female and nonbinary kiddos, while Full Moon Studio serves nearby Watkinsville with summer camps and biannual “rockcitals.”

5. There’s an Athens Music Walk of Fame

The Athens Music Walk of Fame debuted in 2020 to honor the movers and shakers who helped place our town on the map as a musical destination, and new inductees are added every year. The walk recognizes honorees with bronze plaques that are embedded along a route that passes notable music venues. An interactive mobile app offers additional sights and sounds associated with each honoree.

6. Tune In to Turn On

You can hear local music all over the airwaves, starting with WUOG 90.5 FM, UGA’s student-run station that broadcasts “Live in the Lobby” performances every Tuesday and Thursday. 2022 marked WUOG’s 50th anniversary. University-chartered NPR affiliate WUGA 91.7 and 94.5 FM air “Sound of Athens” and “New South Showcase” segments of live concert recordings.

7. See Athens on the Screen

The 1987 documentary Athens, GA: Inside/Out is essential viewing for any aspiring local music buff for its interviews and live footage from the mid-’80s scene. Released in 2021, Athens/Inside-Out 2: Red Turns Into Blue follows up over 30 years later. For another glimpse into today’s cultural landscape, check out local filmmaker James Preston’s pair of documentaries Athens Rising: The Sicyon Project and Athens Rising 2: Transmittance (both free at athensrising.com), which compile vignettes of DIY house shows, festivals, performance art, comedy, restaurants and other interesting local organizations and independent businesses.

8. It’s a Recording Destination

Behind the tremendous number of albums churned out by up-and-coming artists each year are the recording studios in and around Athens that perfect and preserve their work. Chase Park Transduction, The Glow Recording Studio, Pigpen Studios, Full Moon Studio and several others stay busy year-round. Tweed Recording Audio Production School, a world-class facility located downtown, aims to train the next generation of audio professionals.

9. There’s Culture on Campus

Though its sheer size and a lack of effective town-gown communication can make the university seem intimidating to newcomers, its cultural programming is open to the public and worth taking advantage of. The Performing Arts Center brings in acclaimed classical and world-music artists, with the 2024–25 season including Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, Aída Cuevas, Samara Joy, Silkroad Ensemble with Rhiannon Giddens, Anda Union and more. 

10. Flagpole Has You Covered

Trust us when we say that Flagpole is your No. 1 source for all things Athens music, from the weekly print edition and comprehensive events calendar to our online premieres, photo galleries and beyond. Covering local music was our founding mission, and it remains an integral part of who we are at Flagpole and what we do. 

Music Venues 

Athentic Brewing Co. 

108 Park Ave. • 706-850-6252 • athenticbrewing.com

The patio of this Normaltown neighborhood brewery is a perfect spot for catching a singer-songwriter, country act or indie band.

Boar’s Head Lounge

260 E. Washington St. • 706-369-3040 • instagram.com/boarsheadlounge

Classic rock or cover bands can usually be found on busy weekends. 

Bolo Bolo

160 Winston Dr., #2 • instagram.com/bolo.bolo.ath

Launched in 2022, this space hosts creative and genre-defying acts in an intimate setting with a DIY and house show-like energy. 

Buvez 

585 Barber St. • 706-850-0172 • facebook.com/buvezathens

Located in the Boulevard neighborhood, this tucked away café frequently hosts local indie, pop, punk and electronic acts.

Ciné 

234 W. Hancock Ave. • 706-353-3343 • athenscine.com

While films are playing up on the big screens, live bands can often be found performing across the foyer in The Lab. Recently renovated for better acoustics, the space often illuminates musicians with projection art.

Creature Comforts Brewing Co.

271 W. Hancock Ave. • 706-410-1043  • creaturecomfortsbeer.com

Live music in the courtyard is a staple at the Athens Farmers Market every Wednesday. 

The Classic Center 

300 N. Thomas St. • 706-357-4444 • classiccenter.com

The theater, Grand Hall, 440 Foundry Pavilion and arena host big-ticket touring acts.

Flicker Theatre & Bar 

263 W. Washington St. • 706-546-0039 • flickertheatreandbar.com

Hear a smartly booked selection of indie, experimental, metal, punk and more in the spiffed-up side room.

The Foundry 

295 E. Dougherty St. • 706-549-7020 • graduatehotels.com

Graduate Athens’ restaurant and event venue hosts trivia, private events and the occasional concert.

40 Watt Club 

285 W. Washington St. • 706-549-7871 • 40watt.com 

The world-renowned 40 Watt has been an Athens institution since 1978. Touring artists and locals share its hallowed stage. 

Georgia Theatre 

215 N. Lumpkin St. • 706-850-7670 • georgiatheatre.com 

Owned by Live Nation and booked by Zero Mile, this is the downtown spot for trendy touring acts. The rooftop bar also features live music and DJs during warmer months.

Hendershot's 

237 Prince Ave. • 706-353-3050 • hendershotsathens.com 

A welcoming java joint and pub known for evening shows, open mic nights and more.

Little Kings Shuffle Club 

223 W. Hancock Ave. • 706-369-3144 • facebook.com/lkshuffleclub

This historic space with a great patio occasionally hosts salsa nights, punk shows and dance parties. 

Live Wire 

227 W. Dougherty St. • 706-543-8283 • livewireathens.com

A state-of-the-art space with a plant-filled courtyard that hosts weddings and other special events, but also books live music concerts.

Marigold Auditorium

373 N. Church St., Winterville • 706-742-0823 • marigoldauditorium.com

Built in 1953, the auditorium recently reopened after extensive restorations and renovations as a state-of-the-art performance venue hosting musical groups and theatrical productions.

Morton Theatre 

195 W. Washington St. • 706-613-3770 • mortontheatre.com

Built in 1910, the historic building carries on Hot Corner’s legacy with gospel and soul.

Normal Bar 

1365 Prince Ave. • 706-548-6186 • facebook.com/normal.bar.7

A Normaltown hot spot with a popular patio, the bar occasionally hosts intimate shows with local acts.

Nowhere Bar 

240 N. Lumpkin St. • 706-546-4742 • nowherebarlive.com

Frequent local talent with a focus on blues, funk and rock.

Paloma Park

235 W. Washington St. • 706-850-7356 • palomapark.com

The restaurant’s large outdoor beer garden hosts bands that play live in front of the jumbotron during warmer months.

Rabbit Hole Studios 

1001 Winterville Rd. • 762-499-4182 • rabbitholestudios.org

In addition to offering space for recording, rehearsals and events, this collective community center hosts shows, solstice celebrations and open jams. 

Red Line Athens

1958 Winterville Rd. • instagram.com/redline_athens

One of Athens’ few remaining DIY venues left primarily hosting outdoor punk, hardcore and metal shows.

Rialto Club 

500 College Ave. • 706-546-0430 • indigoathens.live

Located on the ground level of Hotel Indigo, this upscale space hosts wedding receptions, meetings and concerts.

The Root 

1235 S. Milledge Ave. • 706-395-6278 • therootathens.com

Located below The Pine, this Five Points neighborhood basement bar also hosts live music. 

Southern Brewing Company 

231 Collins Industrial Blvd. • 706-548-7183 •  sobrewco.com

With its large outdoor stage, Southern Brewing hosts concerts ranging from indie, pop, Americana, singer-songwriters and everything in between.

Terrapin Beer Co.

265 Newton Bridge Rd. • 706-549-3377 • terrapinbeer.com

In addition to its large outdoor area, Terrapin has a separately ticketed indoor space with state-of-the-art sound and lighting to showcase country, folk, jam, rock and more.

UGA Performing Arts Center

230 River Rd. • 706-542-4400 • pac.uga.edu

Classical performances from students and faculty, plus celebrated symphonies, performers from around the world and much more.

VFW Post 2872

835 Sunset Dr. • 706-543-5940 • facebook.com/vfwpost2872

This space near Bishop Park hosts a variety of events, including live music from country and rock bands, karaoke and Rabbit Box Storytelling.

work.shop

160 Winston Dr. #9 • 706-247-4513 • workshopathens.com

This community-oriented space hosts occasional shows and late-night raves in addition to a variety of classes and improv, comedy, dance and other performances.

The World Famous

351 N. Hull St. • 706-543-4002 • facebook.com/theworldfamousathens

A tiny room with a ton of character, featuring hip hop, indie, dance music and beyond.

On the Record 

Looking to pick up some albums while in town? These are our locally owned stores:

Low Yo Yo Stuff Records

261 W. Washington St. • 706-340-0473 • facebook.com/lowyoyostuff

A wide variety of music sold by super-knowledgeable clerks.

The Record Booth 

1743 Lexington Rd. (inside Lexington Vintage) • 706-227-6867 • facebook.com/therecordbooth

Specializing in vintage vinyl, new arrivals are added every week to a healthy stock of rock, jazz, blues, soul and more. 

Rock Nobster 

52 N. Main St., Suite B, Watkinsville • 706-705-1459 • facebook.com/rocknobster

Opened in fall of 2022, this new vinyl record music store in downtown Watkinsville features selections across both time and genre. 

Secret Sounds

Online • facebook.com/secretsoundsathens

Secret Sounds operates as a virtual storefront, but it hosts pop-up record fairs around Athens. Score vintage gems and browse new releases online or in person at these events.

Wuxtry Records

197 E. Clayton St. • 706-369-9428 • wuxtryrecords.com

With something for every type of music lover, Athens’ oldest record shop is a must-visit.