weekend standouts

I'll post your weekend music lineup a little later, but I just wanted to alert you to a couple special offerings:

*The Uptown Concert Series returns Friday with a performance by jazz artists Lou Vallee and Suzanne Swan. They'll perform 7-10 p.m. on the stage on Broadway's 1100 block. It's free and open to all ages.

*There's a First Friday Block Party that gets you into the majority of Broadway hot spots for one cover, usually $8-$10.

*Among the block party's offerings? The Keni Thomas show at The Loft, 1032 Broadway. Singer-songwriter Thomas is a former Army Ranger and Columbus resident who's gearing up for the release of his second disc. Show starts at 9:30 p.m.

*This weekend marks a change in command at Aqua Nightclub, 1812 Midtown Drive. The club was Memory Lane for nearly two decades before it became Aqua earlier this year. Now, it's going back to those Memory Lane roots. Grand opening is 11 p.m. Friday, a "Tim Takes Over" party starts at 7 p.m. Saturday. No cover.

*Finally, Saturday marks the Shanty Shack's first Bikerfest, an event to benefit a local 1-year-old girl diagnosed with cancer. It's free, but a portion of the day's sales will go to the cause. Held from noon to 7 p.m., the day includes food, games, raffles and a bike wash. Live music from JB Walker and the Cheap Whiskey Band, Forced Entry and Haywire.