Epic Rides brings free live music to Carson City

Three days of mountain bike racing are not the only things the inaugural Epic Rides off-road event is bringing to the capital city. It’s also bringing three days of live music, with bands slated to perform throughout the weekend.

Headlining acts are Afrolicious, an eight-piece California collective, and The Cave Singers, a quartet out of Seattle, Wash.

Both bands will take the main stage in the heart of downtown on Carson Street for two evenings of free live music.

Afrolicious, founded in 2007 in San Francisco, describes its style as “Afro-Disco-Funk-Dub-Electro-Soul-Latin-Brazilian.” The multi piece band uses horns, multiple percussion players and vocalists, as well as keyboards, guitars and a duo of DJs.

Its members are Pleasuremaker, Oz Mcguire, Wendell Rand, Alan Williams, Diamond Vibes, Freshislife, Fabio Reis and John Douglas.

The band will take the main stage on Carson Street at 8:30 p.m. Friday.

The Cave Singers, bringing its foot-stomping sound, will be the main musical event on Saturday. Its members, Peter Quirk, Derek Fudesco, Marty Lund and Morgan Henderson, will perform on the main stage at 7 p.m.

Formed in 2007, the group’s style, rooted in thick drum beats and bass lines, is post-punk and neo-folk.

The Cave Singers have released five albums, the most recent is this year’s “Banshee.” Its latest single is “That’s Why.”

Other free live performances are planned throughout the weekend on the main stage on Carson Street and stages set up at the Brewery Arts Center and on Musser Street.

In addition to the live performances, a free community Klunker Crit will take place at 6 p.m. following the Capitol 15 Fun Ride on Friday afternoon. The Klunker Crit will zip around a course through the west side and Governor’s Mansion. Before Afrolicious takes the stage, the Pro Women will take to the course at 6:30, followed by the Pro Men at 7:15 p.m.

On Saturday, a bike and gear expo will feature free sealant refreshes, demonstrations and contests.

The Shimano Youth Series Kids Fun Ride is planned on Sunday following the Pro Men and Women events at 8:30 and 8:40 a.m.

All funds raised from the event will go to Muscle Powered, the Nevada Interscholastic Cycling League and the Tahoe Rim Trail Association.

“The Carson City Off-Road is the first Epic Rides event to reach capacity in its inaugural year,” said Todd Sadow, Epic Rides president and cofounder. “We’re beyond excited to host the more than 600 mountain bikers and estimated 5,000 total attendees in a historic city with genuine Old West character and world-class mountain biking.”

For more information about the musical acts, go to http://www.epicrides.com/index.php?contentCat=10&contentId=163.