One of Atlanta’s most enduring live entertainment landmarks is celebrating a major milestone: Center Stage turns 60 in 2026.
The Midtown building at 1374 West Peachtree Street opened on October 26, 1966, as Theatre Atlanta. Built to honor Atlanta’s performing arts community, the theater was established as a memorial to Helen Lee Cartledge, who died alongside many of Atlanta’s arts patrons in the 1962 Orly air disaster.
Six decades of Atlanta entertainment
Over the six decades since, the building has evolved from a repertory theater into one of Atlanta’s best-known live entertainment destinations, hosting generations of musicians, comedians, performers, television productions and other events.
Its name has changed along the way, too. After its Theatre Atlanta era, the venue became Center Stage Theater in the early 1980s. It was later known as EarthLink Live and the CW Midtown Music Complex before returning to the Center Stage name.
Three Atlanta music venues under one roof
Today, the Center Stage complex, operated by Rival Entertainment, is home to three distinct Atlanta music venues:
- Center Stage Theater — the original and largest room, with a capacity of 1,050.
- The Loft — a 650-capacity live music and event space.
- Vinyl — an intimate 300-capacity room and a longtime home for local, regional and touring artists.
Together, the three rooms have given Atlanta music fans something increasingly rare: spaces ranging from an intimate club to a full theater, all inside the same historic building.
Celebrating 60 years with ROCKTOBER
For the 60th anniversary, Center Stage and Rival Entertainment are looking back through the archives throughout ROCKTOBER, revisiting artists, performances and moments that have shaped the venue across six decades.
For Atlanta Music Guide, it is also a chance to celebrate a venue that continues to play an important role in Atlanta’s live music community. From the 1,050-capacity Center Stage Theater to The Loft and Vinyl, the building has remained a place where Atlanta audiences can discover artists, see established favorites and make the sort of concert memories that keep a music venue relevant generation after generation.
Here’s to 60 years of Center Stage — and to whatever comes next.
Learn more about the venues and upcoming shows at Center Stage Atlanta.
