40 Watt Club

40 Watt Club
The 40 Watt Club, at its fourth location, 382 Broad Street. It was there from 1983 to 1987.
Map
Address285 West Washington Street
LocationAthens, Georgia
Coordinates33°57′30″N 83°22′48″W / 33.9583°N 83.3799°W / 33.9583; -83.3799
OwnerBarrie Buck
Opened1979
Website
www.40watt.com

The 40 Watt Club is a music venue in Athens, Georgia. Along with CBGB, the Whisky a Go Go, and selected others, it was instrumental in launching American punk rock and new wave music.[1][2]

The 40 Watt Club was the primary performance space for numerous "Athens bands", including Pylon, R.E.M., Love Tractor, Dreams So Real, Guadalcanal Diary, The Primates, Modern Skirts, and others. Its DIY ethos and informality were instrumental in the fostering of punk rock and a "scene" in Athens. In more recent years, the club has been the home-base for such nationally renowned local bands as of Montreal, Reptar, Drive-By Truckers, and The Whigs.

The club's owner since 1987 has been Barrie Buck.

  1. ^ Desmarais, Martin (November 8, 2013). "America's 7 best small rock clubs". Thrillist. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
  2. ^ Runtagh, Jordan (November 7, 2013). "The 10 Most Legendary Rock Clubs Of All Time". VH1. Archived from the original on May 18, 2022. Retrieved March 31, 2019.