For only $20 (in advance), you’ll get complimentary “signature” cocktails and hors d’oeuvres while bidding on great art and gift packages donated by local artists and businesses, with all proceeds benefiting Whirlygig, Inc., the nonprofit organization that puts on the monthly First Friday art walk and street festival.

Say what you will about First Friday — there’s ongoing debate about its growth from an art-oriented event to a giant street party — but there is no denying that month after month, no other single force draws SO MANY bodies into the Arts District at one time to enjoy live music, patronize businesses and get out of the suburbs. Whether or not actual art is selling in galleries on that night is irrelevant (but it is, at least out of my wallet!). The mere fact that tens of thousands of people flood the streets around Main Street and Charleston Boulevard for hours on end every First Friday has enabled more and more businesses to open, draw new fans and thrive in the days and evenings between events, and that is something that would not have happened if not for the success of First Friday.

But as someone who has known the hard-working (and oft-maligned) organizers of the event for a long time, I can say if you’ve even attended First Friday once, you’ve reaped the benefits of a lot of others’ sacrifices for the cost of almost nothing, and much like consuming all that public radio programming for “free,” this is the perfect opportunity to give back and say “thanks.” I’ll be there, likely bidding on more art I don’t have room for, so come down and have a cocktail with me. The drunker we get, the higher we’ll bid.

I’m hoping you can help me raise a little bit of cash for a couple of pals who are facing down potential homelessness on March 1 if they don’t come up with a security deposit to move into a new home. Mother and daughter A & K (they’d like to remain anonymous) lost just about everything in a fire in November, and since then, they’ve been staying with a friend, paying rent, but unable to catch a breath to save for a place of their own. But they can’t stay with that “friend” anymore and have run out of options.

I’ve set up a donation button through PayPal. I’m asking that you give as little or as much as you feel comfortable. For a mother and daughter trying to put their life back together, it will make all the difference in the world. I’m throwing in some added incentives: Anyone who donates $10 or more will get sent to them a copy of the first issue of the Omega Comics Presents anthology and a “Giant Robot” print, both signed by yours truly.

Please help me make this happen for them by Monday so they can get back to living. Thank you.

*UPDATE, 2/26/11, 10:19 a.m.: We’ve already raised about 20 percent of the amount needed. Please keep spreading the word and if you’ve already made a donation, thank you.*
*UPDATE 2, 2/27/11, 4:07 p.m.: We’re now up to about 30 percent needed. You guys are doing great, but we have a ways to go before Monday. Please help share this!*
*UPDATE 3, 2/28/11, 1 p.m.: Almost at 40 percent! Please help me write an awesome check today — let’s get this number closer to 100 percent!*

I know this is coming sorta late, even though I’ve known about it for a while, but as we’re merely providing the soundtrack and aren’t really the main draw, I’ll forgive myself a little: My band, As Yet Unbroken, is playing for free tomorrow, Oct. 15, at Studio 8 Ten (810 Las Vegas Blvd. S. in downtown Las Vegas), for the gallery/store’s “Face to Facebook” art show.

Studio 8 Ten is a non-profit art studio and gift shop providing creative, business-based employment to people with disabilities. A percentage of proceeds from the art show will benefit Transition Services, Inc., which runs the studio. There will be works from 30 different artists on display, including AYU bassist Mark T. Zeilman.

Sursum, the electronic rock act featuring Mark and our guitar player Peter Stauber, will warm up the crowd at about 6:30, followed by the room-clearing aggro-rock of AYU at about 7:15. If you like art, music, booze, food and helping people with disabilities, you should totally be there.

Illustration by Michael Todoran

Place Gallery is a scrappy, homespun art gallery and artist studio run by one of my oldest friends, the awesome Gina Quaranto. In recent months, Place, located on Main Street across from the S2 Art Center, has become a favorite among the local underground/low brow/outcast art scene, hosting multiple shows every month, with epic First Friday receptions including artisans, live music, libations and more. It’s technically the first gallery in which I’ve ever formally shown art (in the LVSK8 IV group show). And, sadly, it’s become a victim of multiple factors threatening to crush its already delicate existence.

This summer, the building housing Place has had power and air conditioning problems — not something that a business in the Las Vegas summer can endure. Then, a few weeks ago, an exploding electrical transformer rocked Main Street, damaging businesses for blocks, including Place, which is now missing several window and door panes. The gallery has been temporarily closed due to the conditions, and while insurance will cover replacement of the glass, it won’t do so without a steep $5,000 deductible, which Place just doesn’t have in pocket.

Art Renegades, the collective that organized LVSK8 IV, is moving the skateboard art show temporarily to Todd VonBaastian’s Alios Gallery, a few blocks south of Place at 1221 S. Main St., where a second reception for the group show will be held this Friday. At the same time, a fund-raising event is being held at Alios for Place, called “Picking Up The Pieces.” Details are still being worked out, but there will be some sort of art auction, raffle prizes, bake sale and other fun stuff to raise funds for Place — whether it’s to pay for repairs to the existing location, or help pay for the gallery to move somewhere less volatile.

I donated five of the Giant Robot prints (as seen in my online store) for the art auction, as well as a complete set of comics from Pop! Goes the Icon (including The Utopian #1-3 and Omega Comics Presents #1-2), and I’ll be down there for the benefit auction/reception as well. It starts at 6:30 p.m., and I highly recommend you come down and toss in a few bucks. Great deals on locally grown art can be had. And you can see the monstrosity I painted on a skateboard deck as well.

If you can’t make it to the event, donations are being accepted online as well.

One of the charities I’ve very visibly supported for longer than I can even remember is Aid for AIDS of Nevada, a Las Vegas-based nonprofit whose mission is to provide “support and advocacy for adults and children living with and affected by HIV/AIDS in Southern Nevada.” How does AFAN do this? By working to reduce HIV infection through prevention education, providing services to those affected by the disease such as housing, transportation, food, nutritional counseling and legal assistance.

Every year around tax time, AFAN holds AIDS Walk Las Vegas, which serves both to bring awareness to the community and to raise beaucoup fundage for the organization. This year’s walk — the 20th annual — is being held on April 25, and as always, your pal Pj will be walking. It’s more like a big block party than a boring old charity walk — there’s live entertainment, vendors, colorful characters, food and drinks, and, of course, thousands of energized, awesome people ready to take to the streets of downtown Las Vegas.

I kindly request (and slightly urge) you to help the cause by either a) sponsoring me as a walker or b) joining our team and walking with us. I’d prefer “b,” but will definitely take “a!” This year, I’m walking on the Harrah’s Entertainment/Penn & Teller team, which means that for every dollar you guys donate on my behalf, Harrah’s will match that donation! Isn’t that cool? IT IS.

So I hope to either see you at 8 a.m. on April 25 at the World Market Center, or see your name pop up in my donation page “Honor Roll.” Thanks! In the meantime, enjoy a slideshow of photos from the 2008 AIDS Walk:

Buy this comic or the terrorists win.

I don’t need to tell you about the devastation that’s wracked Haiti (more than usual) in the wake of this week’s 7.0-scale earthquake. What I am asking is for you to help me help the survivors by donating to Save the Children, one of my favorite charities who does continuous work in the field there — and whose own staff in Haiti has been affected.

You COULD do that on your own, but I’m going to offer added incentive by tossing in a comic book. Yep. It’s simple: Pre-order the debut issue of Omega Comics Presents, the new comic anthology series I’m publishing starting next month, and I donate 100 percent of the proceeds to Save the Children. To sweeten the deal, I’ve knocked 50 cents off the cover price and am waiving shipping charges. So your $3 goes to Save the Children’s relief efforts in Haiti, and in a few weeks you get a signed comic book and letter of appreciation from me.

DO IT NOW. CLICK HERE.

Thanks.

Nevada Cancer Institute director Dr. John C. Ruckdeschel and Ricardo's of Las Vegas owner Bob Ansara

Last Thursday, Sara and I went to Ricardo’s of Las Vegas, a long-time local favorite for pretty decent Mexican food. The restaurant had teamed up with Nevada Cancer Institute for “Dine for the Cure,” an event held to raise money for the local nonprofit. Ricardo’s owner Bob Ansara pledged to donate 30 percent of all proceeds from that evening to NVCI.

When we were there at about 7 p.m., it was definitely more packed than usual for a Thursday night. I figured that was a good sign, and that the donation to NVCI would be significant, at least $1000 (OK, ANY amount is significant, I know, but this is a business donation from a big event, not a personal thing). But according to the publicist for the event, Ricardo’s donation (thus far, not sure why there’s no final tally after four days) is just over $500.

Unless I’m crazy with the math, $500 is 30 percent of about $1667. For Sara and I, dinner (two entrees, no appetizers, one beer) was about $40. There were some big parties in there that night, but even averaging $40 per meal over the four hours of the event, that’s only approximately 41 meals. Really? Come on, there had to be that much being consumed in just the hour we were there.

Those numbers just don’t line up. I’ve never run a restaurant, but if just over $1500 is your take on a “special,” busy weeknight, then I can’t imagine you’re making enough to keep your doors open regularly. I worked at a movie theater in high school, and I’m pretty sure our nightly take on the concession stand was that much.

Well, either way, we had a good meal for a good cause, and it was very cool of Mr. Ansara to do this (blatant PR grab notwithstanding), but let’s double-check those numbers!

The greatest band on Planet Earth will rock you Saturday, Feb. 7 at the Freakin' Frog. Can you afford to miss it?

1. Shop for cancer research. Recession be damned, Juicy Couture is opening a new retail location in the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. And if you shop at the 4,800-square-foot boutique during opening weekend this Thursday through Sunday (Feb. 5 to 8), Juicy will donate 10 percent of your well-spent cash to the Nevada Cancer Institute.
2. Feed a starving artist. First Friday is this week, but as usual, real art lovers know the good stuff happens the day before. So get your fill of the best local, national and international art on Thursday, Feb. 5 with an opening reception at Trifecta Gallery, a closing reception at Naomi Arin Contemporary Art and the two-year anniversary of Danny Roberts’ Damned Ink Studios.
3. Get drunk for public television. We all grew up watching Sesame Street, Electric Company and 3-2-1 Contact, and we’re much better human beings for it. So help ensure the next generation of boob-tubers has the same opportunity and get yourself liquored up at the same time at Southern Nevada Public Television’s 20th Annual Splendor in the Glass Benefit Wine & Beer Tasting on Saturday, Feb. 7 at the Las Vegas Hilton.
4. Channel your inner groupie. What better way to cap off your Saturday night than with live, original rock ‘n’ roll and the largest selection of beers this side of the Mississippi? I don’t know. So be at the Freakin’ Frog at 10 p.m. to catch Think, Fractured and As Yet Unbroken — yes, that last one is my band, and you will love it. If you don’t, you hate America and the terrorists win.