The Menus served up a feast of entertainment during Downtown LIVE last week on the patio at Darbys, but not before Francisco Roja whet the appetite of all the people ready to kick off the weekend early at the annual concert series.

In between appetizers and frosty beverages, players from the Capitol Square Kickball League sauntered over from the “People’s Lawn” to kick back before they kicked butt on the field.  By the way, there’s still time to get a team together for the second course of kickball (registration closes on July 23).

Check out the video below to see for yourself what Capitol Square looks like on Thursday nights during the summer, and thanks go out to The Hyatt and WCBE 90.5 for their generous support.

Untitled from Downtown Columbus on Vimeo.

It’s Thursday night!  That’s right, the Downtown LIVE summer concert series returns this week with the unparalleled sounds of Conspiracy.  Head to the Darbys Patio for happy hour starting at 4:30 p.m., enjoy opening tunes from Matt Munhall from 5 to 6 p.m., and then give a shout out to Rodney as Conspiracy takes the stage until 9 p.m.

Ever since Thursday night became the unofficial start of the weekend, revelers have been able to enjoy free outdoor concerts to celebrate a warm summer’s night downtown.  If you want to date yourself, admit that you used to hit Rally in the Alley.  Earlier this decade, the Rally was revitalized as Party on State.  And for the past few years the revamped Downtown Live has offered a great way to unwind after work with food and drink specials and the best in local and regional bands.

This year’s line-up offers something for every musical taste.  Each week a new band will hit the stage, including favorites such as The Menus, Reaganomics and Red Wanting Blue.  You’ll also get to know a variety of opening acts, including Muhnall, Alex White and Francisco Rojas.  While the tunes change weekly, the schedule stays the same (4:30 – 9 p.m.).  So mark your calendars and plan to be a regular, this week through August 26.

Downtown LIVE also provides the soundtrack for the Capitol Square Kickball League.  Players can kick butt during their games and then head over for some sustenance, be it liquid or solid, and a trip or two around the dance floor.  (If you haven’t registered to play kickball, you’re not too late.  Registration closes July 16, for Session II).

Summer’s here and the time is right for hot tunes and cold drinks downtown.  We’ll see you at the Rally… the Party… at Downtown LIVE this and every Thursday night!

For a complete band line-up, click here.

Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District (CCSID) - sponsored summer fun doesn’t end with the Capitol Square Kickball League.  Downtown LIVE, a free after-work summer concert series, returned again this summer to the patio at the corner of Third and State Streets on Thursday evening, for a fifth summer of live music, happy hour specials, and fun.

The traditional gift for a fifth anniversary is wood.  Downtown LIVE went another route, adding an opening act to the line-up.  Alex White, who plays acoustic style easy listening tunes hits the stage at 5 pm, providing a welcoming stage presence as the crowd files in.  He also shares information about other downtown events between songs, helping to cross-promote the Capitol Square Kickball League and Pearl Market.

Again this year, CCSID has coordinated with Class Acts Entertainment to book an excellent line-up of bands, including the ever popular Reaganomics, the regional favorite, Red Wanting Blue, and culminating with country rock favorite, Jacked Up.  Most of the bands hail from Central Ohio, but this year there are also acts from Indianapolis, Cincinnati and even New York.

Though the partner restaurants remain the same this year, both Darbys Cafe and San Francisco Oven have upped the ante with new happy hour specials, to draw even bigger crowds.  Following the dollar menu craze, Darbys is offering $1 chips and salsa and $1 sliders, while San Francisco Oven is offering a whopping $5 off a large pizza and $10 buckets of five beers.

Joey Jerome of San Francisco Oven believes that the band line-up and the improved happy hour specials have increased crowd size this year.  “Definitely, more people are coming and they are coming earlier.  They seem to like the opening act too.  And we are seeing repeat customers.

Dowtnown LIVE will continue on Thursday nights through August 27.  For a complete band line-up, visit downtowncolumbus.com.

Happy Hour begins at 4 p.m. with drink and food specials from Darby’s Cafe and San Francisco Oven.  Lipbone Redding will perform from 5 – 9 p.m. and admission is free and open to the public on the corner of State & Third Streets.

Downtown Live: Fabulous Johnson Brothers from Downtown Columbus on Vimeo.

Two restaurants serve this patio: Darbys as well as San Francisco Oven.  I am amazed the area is not full of diners seven evenings a week.  Apparently, not enough people linger downtown after work.

One of the reasons why Capital Crossroads SID sponsors Downtown LIVE is to feature this incredible space.  If you have not experienced it, you should consider having dinner and drinks during a concert by The Fabulous Johnson Brothers this Thursday evening.  For those of you who have experienced it, I am interested to know if this space is as good as I think it is.

For more information on the band and this Downtown Live event, visit www.downtowncolumbus.com.

Happy Hour starts at 4 and music starts at 5.  Don’t miss drink and food specials from Darby’s Cafe and San Francisco Oven while enjoying a free show with all your friends on the corner of Third & State Streets.

Don’t miss this free show from the group Hard Rock Haven dubs “the best underground independent rock band in the United States of America.”

Show is this Thursday from 5 – 9 p.m. at the corner of Third & State Streets.  Happy Hour starts at 4:30 and food and drink specials are provided all evening by Darby’s Cafe and San Francisco Oven.  Admission is open and free to the public.

The spectators couldn’t help but smile while enjoying the free entertainment on this beautiful evening.

Concerts continue every Thursday throughout the summer, next week featuring local band Red Wanting Blue.  Don’t miss out, be sure to come downtown for drinks, food and fun!