The music of Athens, Georgia, includes a wide variety of popular music and was an important part of the early evolution of alternative rock and new wave. The city is well known as the home of chart-topping bands like R. E. M., Widespread Panic, and The B-52s. Athens hosts the Athens Symphony Orchestra and other music institutions, as well as prominent local music media.
About Music of Athens, Georgia in brief
The music of Athens, Georgia, includes a wide variety of popular music and was an important part of the early evolution of alternative rock and new wave. The city is well known as the home of chart-topping bands like R. E. M., Widespread Panic, and The B-52s, and several long-time indie rock hip-hop groups. Athens hosts the Athens Symphony Orchestra and other music institutions, as well as prominent local music media, such as the college radio station WUOG. Much of the modern Athens music scene relies on students from the large University of Georgia campus in the city. The contributions of Athens to rock, country music, and bluegrass have earned it the nickname \”the Liverpool of the South\”, and the city is known as one of the American birthplaces for both modern alternative rock, new wave music and jangle pop. The 40 Watt Club is among the most famous indie rock venues on the East Coast; the club opened on Halloween in 1978, with a band called Strictly American featuring Curtis Crowe, founder of the club and future member of the band Pylon. Athens is home to the summer music festival Athfest, AlanFest, the Athens Popfest and the late spring Athens Human Rights Festival and North Georgia Folk Festival. The earliest music in North Georgia, including what is now Athens, was that of the Native Americans, principally the Cherokee and March Creek tribes. The University ofGeorgia has also officially charted multiple a cappella groups, including the Ecotones, Notppella, Accidenteworthy, and the Redcoat and Redcoat ensembles, the University Philharmonia a Symphony Orchestra, the Woodwind Band and the Women’s Women’s Brass Quintet.
The Athens Symphony was founded in 1978 as a firmly non-profit, strictly volunteer organization, conducted by Albert Ligotti of the University of. Georgia. The Orchestra now has two regular performances, one in the summer and one in winter, and has also done shows for young people, pops concerts and Christmas concerts. In 1996, the Orchestra moved into its modern home, the Classic Center Theatre in downtown Athens. The Georgia Theater, the Caledonia Lounge, the historic Foundry Music Venue, and the UGA Performing Arts Center, home to Ramsey Concert Hall and the Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall. Monroe Morton’s Morton Theater is the only theater from the early 20th century remaining in operation. The most important label of the 1970s and 1980s was DB Records, based out of Atlanta, though janglepop pioneers Kindercore Records and Wuxtry Records were also Athens-based. Athens has never produced a major local label like many similar indie rock towns; the most important record company of the 70s and 80s was Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records, which has been operating consistently since 1999. Athens has several concert institutions, including Glee Clubs, the ARCO Chamber Orchestra and the Georgia Brass Quartet.
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This page is based on the article Music of Athens, Georgia published in Wikipedia (as of Dec. 05, 2020) and was automatically summarized using artificial intelligence.