The Tabernacle

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See also: Tabernacle

The Tabernacle is a mid-size concert hall in in the U.S. city of Atlanta.

[edit] History

Built in 1910 as a Baptist church, the four-story brick structure, located at 152 Luckie Street, was used until the 1980s. The building was then vacant until 1996, when it was converted into a House of Blues club for the 1996 Summer Olympics. Just across the street from Centennial Olympic Park, the Tabernacle had a prime location to attract concert-goers. After the Olympics, it continued to be a concert venue under different owners.

The massive chandelier hanging in the center of the building once hung at the Loew's Grand Theatre, including during the world premiere of the movie Gone With the Wind.

[edit] Current use

The Tabernacle is currently managed by concert promoter Live Nation. It has a capacity of 2600. Its superior acoustics and sightlines have lead to be being named one of the best concert venues in the nation by Rolling Stone and Paste magazines.

[edit] 2008 tornado

On March 14, 2008, the Tabernacle sustained extensive damage when a tornado tore through downtown Atlanta. Windows were blown out and the roof was severely damaged. A broken water pipe caused additional damage. It was the first tornado to hit the downtown area since weather record keeping began in late 1878, or unofficially at any time in the city's history.^[1]^[2]

Major repairs and restoration took less than two months, working around the clock. Because the ornate plasterwork on the ceiling could not be repaired, drywall and molding were used to re-create the same designs. The original painter from the 1996 opening was found to repaint the repaired sections. Upgrades were also done to electrical and other systems. As of May 2008, only the stained glass had yet to be repaired, as it was still on order.