I've not spent nearly enough time enjoying First Fridays this summer. I live only blocks from the Crossroads Arts District, yet I seldom make it down there to admire the galleries that have survived the neighborhood's renaissance, to shop the artisans and crafters who table the alleys, or to eat from the food trucks that line the streets. I haven't even gone to see the musicians that perform on patios and in parking lots. While I haven't roamed the Crossroads, on its periphery, in an area that shouldn't be but is, stands the DIY Stray Cat Film Center, the even more DIY Turnsol Books, and the still more DIY Blackcat Vinyl. Somehow it was this new frontier that got me out on a First Friday for a free three-band bill.

The night opened with From Me. The trio is led by Logan Park (vocals/guitar) with Logan Gillespie (bass) and Dane Bridges (drums) backing him up. It's a pop/rock act. One with a bit of '90s feel. One with a clean and accessible sound. The band doesn't really sound like The Rembrandts, yet that's how I think of it. Or like Deco Auto drained of its pop punk coloring. It's a friendly sound that was able to attract several families with small children. Park's parents even showed up unannounced from Jefferson City. Park rewarded them with a fun half-hour set. Even at the monitor-less bookstore turned venue, his voice was strong and clear, lending itself to the slow tempos that the act favors. Park's dexterous and aggressive guitar solos were impressive, if a bit jarring, but these forays up the neck of his guitar allowed Gillespie's chiming bass to really pop. Bridges is new to the group – at least since the last time I saw them. He's a low-key drummer, carrying water but not making a splash. His decision to push the band into a cover of "Stars" (by Hum) had the most impact on the set. Although missing the original's two-guitar heft, it was enough to delight Brian Hurtgen of Major Matt Mason USA, who sang along with every word. While From Me has only released a couple of digital singles, it does have shirts – they feature a photo of Park's departed pet. First Fridays on the western frontier are weird.

The bookstore was hot. I doubt its old windows still open. Between acts I stepped outside for air, but I was only met by the busy traffic of Broadway. Four blocks away pedestrians had commandeered streets, but not over here. Two doors down Los Tules turned off its lights just as I remembered their vegan avocado enchiladas. On my way back in I held the door allowing the families that had come to support From Me to exit. It was nearly 10pm.

The bill continued inside with Major Matt Mason USA. I suspect the trio has been around for five years. As frontman Matt Roth told me, the crew just enjoys playing together too much to break up. That is everyone's gain. Roth is backed by bassist Dane Bridges (double duty!) and drummer Brian Hurtgen. It's an indie rock band though it's often light on the rock. Its songs are warm and familiar, following standard structures, but always teetering on some edge. Most of that is due to Roth. There's a nasal rasp to his vocals that would never work for pop, but add the authenticity and honesty required for this project. His electric guitar has a growl to it even when he's just picking fragments of arpeggios. In Schwervon he frequently stomped on pedals and allowed his guitar to roar furious riffs. That doesn't happen often in Major Matt Mason USA, making each occurrence a cheer-worthy punctuation mark. As usual, Roth spoke casually with the audience. Someone who didn't know him would assume he was high as he mused on what the headliner's name – Phase Distorter – might mean. As he pondered the cosmic possibilities, someone shouted out that it was from a video game. That sent Roth crashing back to earth and the threesome into its next song. While the band have released a handful of digital singles, Roth has not been prolific. One song was introduced as a "newer" song, which he then noted meant "two or three years old." But a legitimately new song or two did make it into the set, and someday there will be a record, and you'll want to buy it to unpack everything that Major Matt Mason USA has to teach us.

The audience continued to dwindle as the night wore on. The families were long gone, and the friends that had come by the bookstore as a nightcap to their First Friday activities soon followed suit. Remaining were a dozen music fanatics who had decided that this was their Friday night plans. It was dark outside and the lights in the room were turned off making browsing the stacks impossible. A portable lighting rig shone brightly on the corner of the room that contained the low stage. Turnsol was now a rock club, and the audience was ready for its headliner.

Phase Distorter was ready too. The local foursome features vocalist/guitarist Nick Rogers, rhythm guitarist James Levisee, bassist Duncan Parks, and drummer Jason Rabuck. That group brings a variety of influences to the band, and nothing appears to be off limits. When I asked Rogers about this later, he explained, "More is more. That's the formula." The quartet's half-hour set nailed that. There were elements of alternative rock, grunge, psych and more in the set. Sometimes these influences blended, sometimes they were laid bare and obvious. There was a playfulness to the act's songs and a Cake-like sarcasm too. Rogers offered lots of leads and several solos, many replicating new wave tones. His playing in single "Lamp Post" favorably recalled early INXS. Levisee complements Rogers as a true rhythm player, driving the songs forward with constant and quick strumming that was often locked in with the bass and drums. Parks offered some backing vocals. Rabuck hit an ugly accent splash that would thrill any death metal horde. Phase Distorter reached its finale under flashing lights and a blanket of volume. Like the other performers, the quartet has a handful of digital singles out. They also have shirts that aren't memorials. If you want to catch the band live, keep an eye on the Rino calendar as it's their regular haunt. And barring that, you can always do your shopping on Bandcamp.

As I pulled out my earplugs and packed up my camera, I wondered if this counted as a First Friday outing at all. I hadn't walked in the street, bumping into masses of Kansas Citians that I don't normally encounter. I hadn't made small talk with a vendor selling earrings that I had no use for, nor purchased a Dole Whip from a trailer attached to a buzzing generator. And at no point in the night was I in danger of stepping in vomit. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that my night was just like most of my nights – seeing three familiar bands and then coming home. It was too late to head to the belly of the Arts District this time, but October 4th isn't that far away. Do you think I could get my ears pierced by then?