Live bands battle it out against the backdrop of the fabulous Phoenix Art Museum, the Red Dress Tour hits Roosevelt Row and a popular photo essay exhibit highlighting 26 Blocks of Phoenix travels once again! These are just some of the events on my radar in this special First Friday edition of Weekend Fun along the light rail.

First Friday, September 3rd, 2010

The Train Tracks competition returns to the Phoenix Art Museum for Season Numero Dos. I’ve been watching the performances online and this season is going to be goood! In case you don’t know, Train Tracks is a competition where local bands take turns playing an acoustic set on the light rail. The public votes online for their favorite performance, and the bands with the most votes move on to the quarterfinal round at the museum. Live music set to the backdrop of fabulous works of art makes this one of my favorite events in the Valley! In between sets, be sure to check out the Cezanne exhibit which is currently on display. The Phoenix Art Museum is one of the premiere destinations for art and culture in the southwest and admission is free on First Fridays. From the light rail, deboard at the McDowell Station. The museum is directly across the street on the northeast corner of Central Avenue and McDowell. Good eats: The wine bar Cheuvront is just south of the museum and the piano bar My Florist Cafe which is five blocks to the west.

This month, you’ll notice a Good Eats note at the end of each entry. These links are suggested places to eat and drink within walking distance of the destinations mentioned.

Here are some other fun places to hit on a First Friday in Phoenix:

The Coe House (Central Station) will feature DJ MoLo with backup players Bryan Mok & Chanelle Richardson (aka The Epileptic Photographers), artwork by Jon Ashcroft and photos by Jason Garcia. Good eats: Local Breeze

Performance artist Kara Roschi takes YOU on The Red Dress Tour (Roosevelt Station), offering discounts at local businesses to promote walking on First Friday. Don’t forget to wear red! Good eats: Carly’s Bistro

The popular traveling photo essay exhibit depicting 26 Blocks in Phoenix makes a stop at the A.E. England Building (just north of Central Station) at Civic Space Park. Good eats: The Compass Arizona Grill.

My favorite Twitter guilty pleasure @saynomorgan (aka Morgan McNally) brings her art work Sometimes We Cock Our Heads… to SuTRA Midtown Yoga (Encanto Station). Good eats: Switch Wine Bar

UPDATE: Students from Barrett, the Honors College at ASU’s Downtown Campus, are Exploring First Friday on the Light Rail.

Saturday, September 4th

Bunky Boutique (McDowell Station) is celebrating a birthday this weekend, and you get the gift! 30% off selected merchandise through Monday. Good eats: Try Giant Coffee next door or Thai Hut around the corner.

Sunday, September 5th

What’s up, Sunday?

That’s about it from where I’m sitting. What do you have planned over the weekend? Be sure to post your favorite event in the comments below. Follow my First Friday on Twitter and use the hashtag #phxff. Information on how to ride the light rail can be found here and don’t forget about the 30 Days of Biking Challenge – hopefully you’re riding a bike to all the First Friday festivities. Have a great weekend!

Since there is so much going on this weekend, I’m only posting links to all the fun events along the light rail. Instead, I want to draw your attention to two important announcements this week, one pertains to First Friday and the other deals with using the light rail and the park-and-ride lots over the busy holiday weekend.

First Friday, July 2nd

First Friday in Phoenix continues to be the largest self guided art walk in the entire country! However, you will notice one big change this month and in August.  Roosevelt at Central will be open to vehicle traffic, unlike previous years where the street is usually closed off to cars. This means there will be no street vendors in this part of town, however all the fabulous galleries and restaurants will still be open to the public! I recommend starting your First Friday fun at the Phoenix Art Museum. This is where you can pick up a trolley which will take you to all the different art districts in our urban core. If you’re coming from one of the outlying areas of the Valley, I would recommend using one of METRO light rail’s park-and-ride lots, parking your car, and then take the train into town (information on how to ride can be found here). The same applies for those people going to see the fireworks display in Phoenix on Sunday night. Need some suggestions on where to go once you’re downtown? Check out the Explore Your Core videos here and here.  Want to know what’s going on Friday night?

CO+HOOTS, the latest and greatest coworking space in downtown Phoenix, opens with a cool exhibit (Roosevelt Station, map)

The Phoenix Transect Project opens at the historic A.E. England Building at Civic Space Park (Central Station, map)

Shawn Anderson (Electric Moustache) opens at SuTRA Midtown Yoga (Encanto Station, map, Facebook invite)

First Friday art walk at the historic Heritage Square (3rd Street and Washington Station, map, Facebook invite)

The popular photo/essay exhibit 26 Blocks makes a stop at MonOrchid (Roosevelt Station, map)

New dining space at the Phoenix Public  Market (Central Station, map, Facebook invite)

Let Frida Reign at the Latino Arts and Culture Center in downtown Phoenix (Central and Washington Station, map, Facebook invite)

Sunday, July 4th

Take part in the 25th Anniversary of the Freedom Wireless Fabulous Phoenix Fourth, one of the largest fireworks display in all of Arizona at Steele Indian School Park (Indian School Station, map, website)

After the fireworks, head on over to SideBar for some cool grooves at Retro Hi-Fi (McDowell Station, map, Facebook invite)

UPDATE 1

Target presents free Saturdays at the Heard Museum during the month  of July.

That’s about it from here. Be sure to comment below and let me know what else is happening along the light rail this weekend. I hope everyone has a fun and safe Fourth of July!

Cool refrigerator art, traveling with strangers and live music. These are just a few of the events on my radar in this edition of First Friday Weekend Fun along the light rail.

Friday June 4th

Another fantastic exhibit at After Hours Gallery, located near McDowell and 1st Avenue, just west of the McDowell light rail station. After Hours is teaming up with local utility company SRP to bring you Fridge-A-Thon, which features 15 uniquely painted recycled refrigerators. According to the release, recycled refrigerators were given to some of the Valley’s best artists and local celebrities to help promote the idea of appliance recycling. The cool fridges and artists will be on hand tonight from 7PM to 10PM. In addition to the great refrigerators, there will be live music, cool beverages and an information center where you can learn all about the importance of appliance recycling. This show is also being billed as ‘kid friendly’, so bring the family!

Over on the other side of downtown, Tyson Crosbie makes his debut at Alta Phoenix Lofts with his Phoenix 22 Exhibit. Crosbie’s work is the third in a series of abstract-observational photography which captures objects found in and around Phoenix. The pieces on display are also for sale and would make a lovely addition to your home or loft! The gallery at Alta Phoenix Lofts is located at 4th and Pierce, approximately six blocks east of Central Station.

Another shutterbug event, New Art Work by Sean Deckert, will feature one of my favorite light rail series called Traveling with Strangers. The series captures some of the typical riders of our METRO light rail system in Phoenix. If you haven’t seen that series on the web, then tonight is your chance to stop by Fair Trade Cafe (across from the Roosevelt Station) and see the work in person.

Saturday, June 5th

Lola Tapas will close its doors this weekend and go out in grand style with a celebration including music by one of my favorite local DJ’s World Famous Rani G. Why is Lola closing? According to Chef Eric Gitenstein on the Facebook event page:

We used to live in a world where “word of mouth” could sustain a restaurant. Although small, Lola was very fortunate to succeed for as long as we did by this ideal. Now our wold is different. Our merit cannot compete with larger restaurants, promoted by PR firms that constantly remind you of their presence. This, more than ever is an era where saying, “I’ve been meaning to go there” is not enough. Intent does not save local businesses, action does. If you’ve found a local gem, support it by being a patron, otherwise we will be just a city of chains and mediocre food.  -Lola Chef Eric Gitenstein

The invite says the event ends at 10pm, so just pop in at some point during the night and say goodbye to a CenPho favorite. The restaurant is located at 800 E. Camelback. Take your bike along with the light rail! Deboard at Central station and head east to 7th Avenue, Lola is one block east of that on the north side of the street.

UPDATE

Riding your bike to First Friday? Be sure to use the Bike Valet at Roosevelt and Central.  Need help getting around once you’re here?  Try using Ollie the Trolley, or plan your trip on the light rail using Google Transit.

Also on my radar this weekend:

Before you head out to First Friday, enjoy a beer from the Downtown Phoenix Public Market and listen to live music at Royal at the Market.

I had such a blast last Sunday night at SideBar’s Retro Hi-Fi, I’m sure this weekend will be equally as fun!

That’s about it from here, what’s on your hit list this weekend in downtown Phoenix?

A new art exhibit featuring photographed objects in Phoenix, a sexy circus, and a silly boy. These are the events on my radar for this First Friday (5/7) edition of Weekend Fun along the METRO light rail in Phoenix.

On Friday night, Tyson Crosbie‘s opening exhibition of Phoenix 22 at Sutra Midtown Yoga (Thomas station to 7th Street). The event not only marks the third in a series of conceptual art pieces by the local photographer, but the date is also Tyson’s (unofficial) birthday! In case you’re not familiar with the work, Crosbie’s abstract-observational photography captures objects found in and around downtown Phoenix. For location information and to RSVP, check out the Facebook invite.

Also Friday, The burlesque show Cirque de Sexy  by Provocatease at the Alwun House is billed as the sexiest circus in town. With a headline like that, who wouldn’t want to go? The event features music by one of my favorite local bands Dry River Yacht Club. Doors open at 8 p.m., show starts at 9:30 p.m. and the cover is $10. I’ve never been to this event, nor the Alwun House, but I’ve heard so much buzz about it – I’m excited to go check things out!  The Alwun House is on Roosevelt, 12 blocks east of the Roosevelt station. More details and location information can be found here. This show contains mature material.

On Sunday night, The cabaret show Notes from a Silly Boy debuts at My Florist Cafe. The show stars local talent Ian Christiansen with special guest star Jonathon Roberts for this one night only engagement. Seating is limited, so please be sure to reserve your space on the Facebook invite here. My Florist is located five blocks west of the McDowell station. The show starts at 8 p.m., cover is $10 and proceeds benefit 1in10, a local organization for LGBT youth.

UPDATE: 26 Blocks

If you do nothing else on Friday night, you must go see 26 Blocks at After Hours Gallery (McDowell light rail station). I just got back from the press preview…the exhibit is probably one of the best I’ve seen since I moved to Phoenix four years ago. Here’s the backstory: 26 local photographers were paired up with 26 local writers to present 26 blocks in and around downtown Phoenix. The stories range from heartfelt to humorous and the visuals are stunningly beautiful. The work is a beautfiul representation of the real Phoenix. Want to learn a little about our city? Then go to this show! Check out the 26 Blocks website for more information or RSVP on the Facebook event invite here.

Also on my radar:

Bike to the Phoenix Public Market

Information on how to ride the light rail to downtown Phoenix can be found here and information on how to get around within downtown Phoenix  can be found here.

That’s about it from here, what’s on your radar this weekend?