Bandcycle

Dan and Maj of Bandcycle kickin' it in Baltimore for a brief break so their legs don't fall off from so much biking.

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Documentary makers have given a new meaning to riding in style. A team of five filmmaking Brooklynites known as Bandcycle are biking across the country to make a rock doc of sorts.

Bandcycle includes director Michael Kortlander, production coordinator Michael Mallette, and cyclists/producers Michael "Maj" O'Grady, Alex Aeschbury and Dan Elliott. The group bikes from town to town and gathers local musicians to film brief gigs and interviews.

They've been riding all the way from New York City and they've finally made it to Arizona. Last night Bandcycle joined forces with Zia Records Chandler for an in-store performance by Snake! Snake! Snakes! and What Laura Says.

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Peachcake is scheduled to perform tonight at Civic Space Park.

​If attending myriad First Fridays have taught us anything, it's that the name of the game is truly "right place, right time." Example: You could spend the entire evening over on Grand Avenue gawking at the various pint-sized art spaces and boutiques that make up Paisley Town followed by a trip to Tilt Gallery or Trunk Space.

But then you'd miss all the live bands at the Art Institutes concert stage or the gravity-defying b-boys and breakdancers who are usually found at the intersection of Fifth and Garfield streets. (Not to mention the wacko performance artists walking the streets and sidewalks of Roosevelt Row, the poi-spinning dancers at the Firehouse, or the myriad other artistic and musical adventures that usually accompany the monthly artwalk).

Because we don't want you to miss out, here's our compilation of the five best "can't miss" musical gigs happening tonight.

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Cody Cloud

Dust Jacket is scheduled to perform tonight at the Phoenix Art Museum.

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If there's any sort of credo applicable to the one-two punch of tonight's First Friday and this weekend's Art Detour, it would be William Shakespeare's well-worn aphorism that "all the world's a stage."

That's because local musicians, DJs, and bands by the dozens will play in every conceivable setting in the downtown Phoenix's arts district over the next three days. Backyards, front yards, sidewalks, closets, or even on flatbed trucks become impromptu platform from which to serve up some music to the masses.

The law of averages dictates that not all of it's gonna be good. Just like with the art -- where every Luis Gutierrez or Jason Hill must-see piece will be outnumbered by dreck and detritus -- it's guaranteed that most of the groups dragging their amps out to downtown probably should've stayed home.

Here are five performances that won't suck and are worth your valuable time. For a guide to Art Detour and eating and drinking options, check out Lilia Menconi's Art Detour 22 roundup.

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What Laura Says is scheduled to perform tonight at Holgas.

​Did you miss out on the last First Friday?

Don't be ashamed if you did, since January's edition of the monthly art walk extravaganza fell on New Years Day, which meant a lot of folks stayed at home dealing with a hangover rather than perusing pulchritudinous paintings and photographs. As a result of this scheduling snafu (not to mention some rather chilly weather), the streets of Roosevelt Row and Grand Avenue were much emptier than usual.

That won't be the case at tonight's First Friday, as we're expecting downtown Phoenix galleries and venues to be packed to the rafters.

Since Lilia "Arty Girl" Menconi already briefed y'all for the onslaught of art that will be present, here's a look at some of the musical acts, bands, and DJs who will be plying their trade for your enjoyment.

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Lost Leaf will host the paintings of Jules Demetrius.

​Jeezum crow, its gonna be cold this weekend. Really cold. Like in the 30s.

So unless hypothermia is your bag baby, better throw on an extra sweater or down plenty of spirits when venturing out to tonight's freezing First Friday at the various and sundry art hotspots in and around the downtown arts district.

Speaking of cool, that's exactly how you could describe some of the art and music that will be available at the galleries and art spaces of Roosevelt Row, Grand Avenue, and elsewhere in downtown. The fly paintings of Jules Demetrius (pictured) will be at the Lost Leaf. Pigment pimp Brian Boner will have a new show up around the corner at eye lounge. And you'll definitely want to check out Heritage Square, where the folks behind music/culture Web-board The Shizz have booked a few local acts like Thee Jaguar Sharks and The Worrymen.

Oh yeah, in case you missed Arty Girl's earlier blogs, Stinkweeds is holding an awesome "Indie Crafeteria" party and the Phoenix Art Museum is celebrating its 50th Anniversary.

Stay warm.

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Before bar-hopping and gallivanting around Phoenix galleries at First Friday, be sure to mark the Downtown Civic Space Park on your map of destinations. Besides offering a golf-course-worthy patch of green, the park has a bevy of First Friday to-do's. On the live entertainment side: Shoegaze rockers Former Friends of Young Americans are slotted to jam in the park, along with Emperors of Japan.

At the historic A.E. England Building, on the park's perimeter, Artlink will host a closing reception for its current exhibition, Paco Velez: Asi Son Mis Dias/Borderline Survival, from 6 p.m. to 10p.m. Velez is set to perform during the reception. Also in the England Building, the Fair Trade Cafe serves up their "coffee with a conscience," a welcome respite for patrons breaking from their self-guided nighttime tours.

​It's been 16 years since the Furious Styles Crew first busted onto P-Town's cultural landscape back in 1993. And in that time span, the premier b-boy/hip-hop dance collective has been popping and locking up a storm.

Their dances have become a major draw during First Fridays as well, drawing hundreds of spectators to the intersection of Fifth and Garfield streets with their acrobatic urban dance moves.

November's edition of the monthly art walk experience will also serve as the kickoff of their weekend-long anniversary celebration, as the Furious ones will be presenting an art show and star-studded DJ fest at Roosevelt Art Space (924 North First Avenue) starting at 6 p.m. The line-up of turntablism talent includes DJs Melo, M2, Pick, and Odin Rock. (Be sure to check out what else is happening on both Saturday and Sunday also).

There's also plenty other artistic activities afoot tonight as well. As Lilia Menconi mentioned earlier, Roosevelt Street will be blocked off from Central to Seventh Avenue, giving y'all plenty of incentive to put the "walk" in art walk and not attempt to drive your cars as close as possible to your favorite gallery.

There's also a ginormous pop art show, a new mural going up at the eye lounge, the quarterfinals of the Train Tracks at PAM, and plenty of other fun to be had.

Get a complete rundown of all the action after the jump.

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Andrew Urban

Downtown renaissance man Tato Caraveo.

​Adaupto "Tato" Caraveo is one of the coolest mofos we know. Not only is the 35-year-old one of the most charming cats we've ever met, he also gets to tend bar at the Lost Leaf (one of hippest drinkeries in the whole Valley) and can pluck the upright bass with serious aplomb for jazz/experimental/world band Sonorous.

Plus he's pretty fly with a paintbrush and canvas to boot, and has created some of the most stunning fantastic realism works that we've ever seen.

Caraveo's pieces are slices of surreal beauty, where he takes ordinary figures and portrays them in softly distorted fashion. We were majorly bummed out when the Brickhouse closed down last year, and not just because downtown Phoenix was losing a crucial live music venue. It's because we wouldn't be able to see one of his more famous murals, which occupied an entire wall adjacent to the Brickhouse's large stage.

Tato's also probably gotten tired of us repeatedly asking if he'd make duplications of the wicked flaming skeleton mural that used to be part of the bygone Emerald Lounge and currently hangs above the bar at the Lost Leaf.

It won't be the only of Caraveo's masterpieces on display at the beer and wine joint, as more than a dozen of his works will line the walls of the Leaf while local indie band The Hooves will perform starting at 9:30 p.m.

What else is going on tonight? Read on for the full rundown.

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Kinch is scheduled to perform a free show at the intersection of Fifth and Roosevelt streets tonight.

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As little as a year ago, both city of Phoenix officials and representatives from Roosevelt Row CDC swore it would be almost impossible to shut down one of downtown Phoenix's vital thoroughfares during rush hour. Apparently, First Friday has gotten so big that such a closure is now possible.

And there's gonna be plenty of activities taking place along the local art scene's most famous strip. Not only will all the usual block party madness be taking place, the Red Bull Manny Mania skate fest is scheduled to happen and our boy Psycho Steve will present an EP release show for local indie rockers Kinch.

The rest of tonight's lineup of art, music, and other insanity follows the jump.

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Djentrification is scheduled to spin outside of Conspire tonight.

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If attending myriad First Fridays have taught us anything, it's that the name of the game is truly "right place, right time." Example: You could spend the entire evening over on Grand Avenue gawking at the various pint-sized art spaces and boutiques that make up Paisley Town followed by a trip to Tilt Gallery or Trunk Space.

But then you'd miss all the live bands at the Art Institutes concert stage or the gravity-defying b-boys and breakdancers who are usually found at the intersection of Fifth and Garfield streets. (Not to mention the wacko performance artists walking the streets and sidewalks of Roosevelt Row, the poi-spinning dancers at the Firehouse, or the myriad other artistic and musical adventures that usually accompany the monthly artwalk).

What we're getting at is that it probably would behoove you to plan ahead on what to experience during tonight's First Friday. Thankfully, we've done all the legwork and rustled up a list of what's happening when and where. (Also, check out "Arty Girl" Lilia Menconi's extensive coverage from this past week for all of the biggest shows and events).

And just in case you do miss out on some of the gnarly happenings, don't panic. We'll be out and about tonight armed with cameras and promise to get snapshots of some of all the dopeness that will go down for our usual First Friday slideshow on Monday.

In the meantime, hit the jump for the listings.

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