Rebuilding the Georgia Theater

On the morning of June 19th, 2009, Athens, GA woke up to a plume of smoke from downtown. One of Athens' most iconic music venues was engulfed in flames. It was eventually extinguished. And Athens didn't know if it would ever return.

True to the spirit of the phoenix it rose back and was better than ever. Jason Thrasher and Don Chambers captured the moment before the phoenix rose.

Jason Thrasher has been a photographer in and around Georgia for over 20 years. He's been given the honor of photographing such legendary artists as OutKast, Booker T., R.E.M., the Drive By Truckers, and of Montreal. His photos have been published in Rolling Stone, Billboard, the New York Times, and many more. That's pretty good company.

If you have never been to Athens then you're missing a specific delight when it comes to Don Chambers. His honest lyrics and vocals are a perfect match for Jason's photography skills. Especially when it came to a completely burnt out building. Don's music can make you feel like you're in the midst of a burnt out building and are standing over 100 feet away. This photo is very indicative of Jason's style, Don's music, and a very special moment. We just wish we had been there to hear what Don Chambers played in that burnt out shell.

Very Good Puzzle and Jason Thrasher - we're making a puzzle together! We love this image for it's place in Athens music history and we hope there will be more to come. Once we saw this photograph, we HAD to have this one. Why? We knew it would be a great representation of both artists, the Theater and the town. This puzzle looks (and is) incredibly hard, and will likely take a long time to complete, just like the building that it was photographed in. Rebuilding the Georgia Theater wasn't easy. But it made a hell of a comeback. This puzzle won't be easy, either. But once you finish you might just feel the triumph, and rebirth of this legendary place all over again.