Hayley Benton

hbenton@citizen-times.com

1. Downtown gets brassy for the season's first free show

What's that sound downtown? Follow your ears (or cut the guesswork and head straight to North Lexington Avenue) for the very first free favorite of the season. It's Downtown After 5, and it's back for another summer of monthly outdoor concerts, starting May 19 with the High & Mighty Brass Band. Combining New Orleans funk and R&B with afro-beat and hip-hop influences, the group will funk up downtown with opening act Josh Phillips Big Band from 5-9 p.m. Downtown After 5 is hard to miss, with large crowds swarming the closed-off streets and vendors lining the sidewalks with food and drinks. Proceeds from beer wristbands, which are sold for $2 at the event, go toward local nonprofits, and the wristbands allow concert-goers to purchase alcohol from craft beer and wine vendors.

2. Color the RAD at Burners and BBQ

"One of our main goals is to make it so that, when people come down (to the River Arts District), it reflects what’s happening inside the studios," said Burners and BBQ co-organizer and artist Ian Wilkinson. "We want people to unmistakably arrive in an arts district."

At Burners and BBQ, May 19-21, 30 to 50 local, regional and nationally renowned street artists and muralists will come together for a fourth consecutive year to help paint the River Arts District. They won't paint it brown or purple or green — they'll paint it a whole spectrum of colors, slowly turning each nook and cranny in the RAD into a work of art. Come watch the magic happen at 5 Foundy St. at The Wedge's Foundation location and treat yourself to some barbecue from 12 Bones Smokehouse anytime Friday through Sunday. An official art opening and artist meet-and-greet will be held Friday, and Saturday, a graffiti documentary premieres at Grail Moviehouse at 9:30 p.m. Click here for the full story on Burners and BBQ.

3. Catch the carnival that is Tour de Fat

The fun never ends at New Belgium Brewing. The brewery's signature beer, Fat Tire, is the inspiration behind the national event Tour de Fat, back in 2017 for its 18th season — and bigger and bolder than ever. The traveling philanthropic beer, music and bike festival kicks off a 33-show season on May 20 at its brewery in Asheville and wraps up Oct. 7 in Tempe, Arizona. In addition to musical headliners — which, in Asheville, is Third Eye Blind — a touring ensemble of artists, cirque performers and general mayhemists will appear alongside local buskers and street performers. The local carnival benefits Asheville on Bikes and parties from 4-9 p.m. May 20. Tickets are $25 at the gate or online at newbelgium.com.

4. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, best friends forever

A two-person show written by "The Office" star Mindy Kaling and actress/writer Brenda Withers, "Matt & Ben," is up for audiences at the North Carolina Stage Company. "Matt & Ben" first premiered in 2002 and starred its two writers, Kaling and Withers, as Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. The show depicts the duo's relationship circa 1995, when both were struggling actors, and, with some creative liberties, the authors imagine: What if the script for "Good Will Hunting" — for which, in real life, Damon and Affleck won an Oscar — fell from the sky into their laps, literally? Laugh out loud as the BFFs go on a journey to stardom in a performance that won the 2002 New York International Fringe Festival for best overall production.The NC Stage version of the show stars Laura Rikard as Affleck and Anne Thibault at Damon. Tickets range from $16-$34 and are available at ncstage.org or at 15 Stage Lane in downtown Asheville. The performance runs Wednesday to Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., now until June 11.

5. Rock out to a couple of cute couples

If knowing that the guys of Gringo Star are married to the ladies of Shantih Shantih doesn't interest you, feel free to ignore that little fun fact. Both bands stand on their own and put on an awesome psychedelic indie rock show, husband-and-wife gimmicks aside. But, over here at the Asheville Scene, we think it's pretty adorable. Head to the Mothlight on May 24 to see the 1960s surf-rock-inspired Gringo Star and Shantih Shantih, along with Asheville band Shaken Nature. It's going to be a great show, cute or not. The music starts at 9 p.m. Wednesday for $8 in advance at themothlight.com or $10 at the door.