Nick Blaxton is a fan of the Uptown Concert series.

“I love being outside. I love listening to good music live,” he said of the free concerts, which run in the summer and fall in downtown Columbus.

Blaxton has also played on the downtown stage several times as the drummer for Big Woody and the Splinters. The band opens the concert series this Friday at 7 p.m.

“We play everything from AC/DC to Led Zeppelin to Faith Hill,” Blaxton said. “We’re an enjoyable listening band.”

The free concerts are scheduled for most Friday evenings in September and October. The bands playing the Uptown series are mostly local -- Peggy Jenkins and the Bizness, The Relics, Whisky Bent and Classic Addict are also set to perform this fall.

“We’ve got so much local talent here,” said Richard Bishop, president of Uptown.

Bishop said the Friday concerts are “family entertainment,” and attract people of all ages to downtown.

Blaxton said playing the outdoor concerts is an enjoyable experience.

“It involves the whole town,” he said. “It’s an outdoor event. The kids get up and dance around the stage.”