40 Watt Club

The 40 Watt Club is a world-famous music venue in downtown Athens.  How many small-town clubs have a 600+ word Wikipedia entry?  The 40 Watt does.  

First started by Pylon drummer Curtis Crowe in 1978, the 40 Watt is big business now, professionally managed and attracting acts from all over the country.  But back in my time, it was a little different…

Then, the 40 Watt operated out of a tiny commercial space on West Clayton.  It opened for business only sporadically, not every night.  When it did open, someone would scrawl “40 Watt Club” on a sheet of paper and tape it to the door.  That was their only signage.  Inside, they’d set up folding tables for the bar and self-serve beers out of ice-filled laundry tubs.  There was only one restroom – a ladies’ room – so guys relieved themselves in the alley out back.

Here are some club logos through the years.