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Well, gang, looks like we've got ourselves another mystery!

Thursday whodunnit: Scott Phillips @ The Raven Bookstore

Born in Wichita, award-winning writer Scott Phillips ("The Ice Harvest") has recently written some of the most acclaimed crime and mystery novels that have won him praise from the New York Times as well as the California Book Award and Edgar Awards, the Hammett Prize and the Anthony Award nominations. At 7 p.m. Thursday, the Raven, 6 E. Seventh St., will host Phillips reading from his most recent book, "Rake."

Thursday toil and trouble: "Macbeth" @ Lawrence Arts Center

The eighth- through 12th-graders of the Lawrence Arts Center's Summer Youth Theater will give a performance of "the Scottish play" at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire St., Doug Weaver directs and choreographs one of Shakespeare's most famous tragedies, full of witches, ghosts, prophesy, curses, murder and vengeance. Tickets are $7.50-$10. Additional shows will be Friday and Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.

Friday opening night: "Ragtime: The Musical" @ Theatre Lawrence

Theatre Lawrence opens its very first show in its brand new building, 4660 Bauer Farm Drive, at 7:30 p.m. Friday with the award-winning musical "Ragtime", based off the book by Terrence McNally. "Ragtime" tells the stories of three early 20th-century families — one African-American, one upper-class and one immigrant — facing everyday struggles with poverty, prejudice and despair, set to the rhythms of Harlem, Tin Pan Alley and Lower East Side music. Tickets are on sale now at the box office or online at theatrelawrence.com.

Friday catch-22: Snowden @ Granada

Snowden is the stage name of singer/songwriter Jordan Jeffares, taken from a character from Joseph Heller's "Catch-22." He made his debut in 2005 with his self-released EP that earned him success in his hometown of Atlanta as well as opening spots for Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Arcade Fire, and the following year his first full-length release, "Anti-Anti," made a splash across the country and had him touring with Kings of Leon in 2007. Snowden will be appearing at the Granada, 1020 Massachusetts St., with Sheppa Peppa and Akkilles at 7 p.m. Friday. Tickets are on sale for $12 at thegranada.com.

It's nice outside! Get out and do something! Climb a mountain! Ride a bike! Go... see a band at the Replay!

Monday: Everest @ The Bottleneck

Formed by L.A. musician Russell Pollard in 2007, Everest caught the eyes of the nation after the release of their second album, "On Approach", then feeling they could do better, left their old label behind and hooked up with Rob Schnapf (whose experience included working with Beck and the Foo Fighters) for their third album, "Ownerless," described as a declaration of independence from the marketers and bigwigs of the music industry. You can hear the fruits of their labor Monday night at the Bottleneck with Old Lights and Dean Monkey and the Dropouts. Tickets are $9-$11. Doors open at 8 p.m.; show starts at 9.

Monday: Lawrence Bicycle Club Summer Fun Ride

The Lawrence Bicycle Club is holding its weekly Summer Fun Ride, beginning this Monday through Aug. 26. The trail begins at 6:30 p.m. at Cycle Works, 2121 Kasold Drive behind Hy-Vee, and goes on a 10-mile ride through Lawrence at a leisurely 10 mph. Helmets are required, and water bottles and spare tubes are recommended.

Wednesday : Bad Veins @ Replay Lounge

Oh, what a roll singer-songwriter Ben Davis is on with his indie-pop music project Bad Veins. Since forming in 2007, they've made two albums and an EP, won the first-ever Target Music Maker Award at the Tribeca Film Festival, and despite one of its members leaving the group in January of this year, they've been touring nonstop all spring, including a stop at the Replay Lounge this Wednesday night at 10 p.m., where they'll be appearing with Texas garage rock band The Rich Hands.

Thursday getaway: Hospital Ships, Cowboy Indian Bear @ Replay

Two Lawrence bands are hitting the road this summer, but not before playing for their hometown fans at the Replay Lounge Thursday at 10 p.m. Hospital Ships will be kicking off a tour of the East Coast, while it's also Cowboy Indian Bear's last show in Lawrence for the season. Missouri's own Lucas Oswald will also be there to help see them off. Admission is $3 for ages 21 and older.

Weekend daddy issues: 2013 Dad Days Fatherhood Film Festival

Dads of Douglas County and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Douglas County present two film screenings in the media room of the Oread hotel, 1200 Oread Ave., Friday and Saturday evening. Friday night at 7 p.m., they will present "Absent," a documentary about the affect of fatherlessness on people from all walks of life, followed by a discussion with a panel of mentors and local parent leaders. Saturday at 5 p.m., bring the family for a build-your-own-pizza event with the chef at A Slice of History at the Oread, followed by a screening of "Unconditional," a drama based on the life of Elijah's Hope Ministry founder Papa Joe Bradford, starting at 6:30 p.m.

I am the very model of a weekend Best Bet: Pirates of Penzance @ Lawrence Arts Center

The Lawrence Arts Center's Summer Youth Theater presents "The Pirates of Penzance" Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 3 p.m. Director Jennifer Glenn leads a cast of third- through eighth-graders in the SYT's very first Gilbert and Sullivan production, a classic comic opera full of adventure, romance and musical delight. Tickets are $7.50-$10.

Sunday fatherly love: Father John Misty @ The Granada

This Father's Day, after you've spent some quality time with the man who brought you into this world, head down to the Granada, 1020 Mass., at 7 p.m. and spend some time with folk musician and ex-Fleet Foxes member Joshua Tillman, who under his persona Father John Misty is touring with Portland new-age band Pure Bathing Culture, who have a new album coming out in August. Tickets to this all-ages show are $17.

Open up that golden gate, California — here we come!

Monday matinee: Occupy Love @ Liberty Hall

Velcrow Ripper, acclaimed director of Scared Sacred and Take Shelter, returns with a new film, "Occupy Love," which explores recent occurrences of social change from the Arab Spring to the climate justice movement to Occupy Wall Street. The film portrays the events as part of a worldwide revolution of the heart, where millions of people are beginning to realize that the current dominant power structure is depriving them of health, meaning and fulfillment. Films for Action presents a special screening of "Occupy Love" Monday night at Liberty Hall, 644 Massachusetts St., at 7 p.m. Tickets are $4 or $2 with student ID.

Monday redness: Eyeshine @ The Granada

L.A. actor/musician Johnny Yong Bosch and Maurice Salmin formed the pop punk/post-grunge band Eyeshine in 2004. Their following started out modestly with their debut EP and quickly took off after their second album, "My Paper Kingdom," came out in 2006; as of last summer, they have eight. Hear them Monday night at the Granada, 1020 Massachusetts St., along with Riverside, Calif., group No One's Heroes, at an all-ages show beginning at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $10.

Tuesday abstractions: Works of Jen Unekis @ Pachamama's

Jen Unekis was born in sunny So Cal and moved to a 100-year-old farmhouse in rural Kansas at the age of 4, and, despite her house's desperate need of repair, there was never a lack of things for her to explore in her 40-acre homestead. She eventually moved to Lawrence and enrolled at KU, and today she has a decorative interior painting business as well as an art studio, while her work has appeared in the Kansas Visions show and Lawrence's Art in the Park. Unekis' art will be on display at Pachamama's at 800 N.H. beginning with an opening reception Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.

So many things happening this weekend. Here are a few of them:

Thursday pit stop: Black Flag @ The Granada

Black Flag is one of the oldest hardcore punk acts, having formed in 1976, and now its founder/guitarist Greg Ginn and singer Ron Reyes have brought the band back together for a new album and a slew of tour dates in the U.S. and Europe. The American tour kicks off at 8 p.m. Thursday at the Granada, 1020 Massachusetts St., appearing with Good For You, also featuring Ginn and skateboarder/musician Mike Vallely. Tickets to this all ages show are $25 advance and $30 at the door.

Friday revival: CHVRCHES @ The Granada

For the record, the name of this Scottish electro-pop group is pronounced "churches" but spelled with a Roman "v". Chvrches are hard at work right now on their debut album, due in late summer/early fall of this year, but they've found enough time to put together some dates for a North American tour. One of those dates is 8:30 p.m. Friday at the Granada, and will be appearing with Still Corners out of London. Tickets are $13 in advance.

Sunday curtain-raiser: Theatre Lawrence grand opening

Join Theatre Lawrence for the public grand opening of its new home at 4660 Bauer Farm Drive on Sunday afternoon from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The public is invited to explore the theater through guided tours or on their own, and at approximately 2:15 p.m. the ribbon-cutting ceremony will make it official. Tickets are on sale now for the first show in the new building, "Ragtime", opening June 21.

This week's "Best Bets" sampling celebrates all that is art, film and music.

Monday with the pharaohs: Thieves Guild @ Fatso's

The mysteries of Egypt are here for your perusal — if by "mysteries" you mean "live models" and by "for your perusal" you mean "they pose alluringly while you draw them and have drinks socialize with other local artists." The Thieves Guild art collective present their monthly drink-and-draw get-together Monday night beginning at 7 p.m. at Fatso's, 1016 Massachusetts St., and this month's theme is "Draw Like an Egyptian" featuring Lorie Darlin' and Casey Williams as our very own Cleopatra and Nefertiti. All artists 21 and older bring $5 and your own sketchbooks and art supplies.

Wednesday in the meadow: Foals @ The Granada

Foals are a rock band from Oxford in England who are currently in the North American leg of their world tour to hail their latest album Holy Fire, culminating in an appearance at this year's Bonnaroo Music Festival next week. For now, however, they'll be making a stop at the Granada Theater, 1020 Massachusetts St., Wednesday night with support from Surfer Blood and Blondfire. Doors open at 7 p.m. before the show starts at 8; tickets are $17 advance and $20 at the door.

It's the first weekend of summer (unless you're aware that the summer solstice is three more weeks away, but who cares, really) but we may as well enjoy this warm weather before July hits and we all start melting in our shoes.

All your Thursday are belong to us: Anamanaguchi @ Jackpot

Anamanaguchi hails from NYC with a repertoire of chiptune electronic rock, meaning they mix rock music influenced by Weezer and the Beach Boys with noises from old-school video game consoles, particularly an original NES and a Game Boy. Since their formation in 2004, they have provided music for the video game "Rock Band" and the video game adaptation of the Scott Pilgrim graphic novels, the latter of which debuted at No. 3 on Billboard's Heatseekers chart, and last month have launched a successful Kickstarter campaign for their second album Endless Fantasy. See them Thursday performing with Chrome Sparks at the Jackpot Music Hall, 943 Massachusetts St. Doors open at 9 p.m.; charge is $10 for 21+ and $12 for 18+.

Weekend rhythm is gonna get you: Steve Gryb @ Day Out with Thomas at Midland Railway

Steve Gryb, hailed as the Pied Piper of Percussion, will be at the Midland Railway, 1515 W. High St. in Baldwin City, for a high-energy percussion party during the Day Out with Thomas event Friday through Sunday and June 7-9. This hands-on audience participation show features hundreds of percussion instruments from all over the world, from tambourines to bongos to maracas and more, as kids and adults of all ages play along with Steve during the show and win prizes for participating. Steve will be performing four shows daily at 11 a.m., 12:40 p.m., 2:15 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Saturday summer reading: Friends of the LPL Children's Book Sale

With the launch of this year's Summer in the City reading program, Friends of the Lawrence Public Library is holding a children's book sale at their current location at the old Borders building at 700 New Hampshire St. from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday. Hundreds of children's books are on sale, from 75-cent paperbacks to $1.50 hardcovers. Proceeds will benefit the Lawrence Public Library.

Saturday on wheels: Art Tougeau parade and block party

It's time again for the downtown Art Tougeau parade, a celebration of the merger of art and the automobile. The cars will line-up at 10 a.m. Saturday for check-in, registration and judging. Then the parade will begin at the Lawrence Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire St., at noon and circle downtown Lawrence via 11th and Seventh streets before ending on 10th Street next door to the Replay Lounge, where awards will be presented (which won't be taken seriously — everyone will get an Official Art Tougeau Parade Ribbon) at the after-parade block party with music provided by Das Furbender from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Midweek blues? Not anymore.

Tuesday concert: Tuesday Concert @ Lawrence Arts Center

Kelly Werts makes his first appearance in the Lawrence Arts Center's Tuesday Concert series. Werts is well-known for playing his guitar alongside country and folk acts like The Plaid Family and The Sons of Rayon, as well as solo performances all over Kansas and Missouri, keeping the old songs alive for listeners young and old. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. with a one-song opening act by host Larry Carter; the show at the Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire St., is free.

Tuesday is coming from inside the house: Horror Remix @ The Bottleneck

It's all the best parts of obscure horror cinema, without all of the boring talking bits, red herrings and chases in-between. Horror Remix takes these forgotten movies and cuts out all the filler, leaving the moments that make these films so endearing. Horror Remix at the Bottleneck, 737 N.H., starts at 8 p.m., and it's not for the squeamish... or those under 18.

Wednesday beeping noises: Afrolicious @ The Bottleneck

Whether as a DJ duo or a 10-piece band, Afrolicious comes to the Bottleneck, 737 N.H., Wednesday as one of the top live/electronic groups on the San Francisco scene, having played at several legendary venues alongside such bands as Ghostland Observatory, Jimmy Cliff and Thievery Corporation. The doors open at 8 p.m., and the 18+ show, also featuring DJ Kimbarely Legal, starts at 9 p.m.

One, two, weekend's coming for you...three, four, better lock your door...

Friday OMG: NIGHTMARES @ Inge Theater

With everything that we know, and how quickly we gather information these days, are we still capable of being overwhelmed? This is the question posed in KU alumnus Adam R. Burnett's critically-acclaimed play "NIGHTMARES: a demonstration of the Sublime," a performance piece situated between terror and comedy, from the poets and authors of the summer of 1816 to backdrops of Henry Fuseli paintings, that confronts the anxiety of facing nature and ourselves amid the technology of the 21st century. Brooklyn's Buran Theatre presents this original play this Friday and Saturday at the Inge Theatre, inside Murphy Hall on Naismith Drive on KU campus, this Friday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for this 18+ show are $5-$25.

Friday at the gym: Muscle Worship @ Replay

Do you like loud music? Do you like recordings of loud music? Do you want to buy recordings of loud music? Well, the Lawrence post-punk rockers of Muscle Worship will be happy to oblige you this Friday at the Replay Lounge, 946 Mass., with a 10 p.m. show to mark the release of their first vinyl LP. Truck or Dead Horse and Monsoon Lazer will be along to ensure the doors will be sufficiently blown off.

Saturday burning: Ashes to Immortality @ Jazzhaus

Ashes to Immortality just came from playing at this year's Festy Fest, and boy are their arms tired! ... OK, I don't know why I thought that joke would work, and to be honest they were playing near Linwood Road, which isn't that far away from here...well, anyway, if you missed that and still want to hear them, they'll be at the Jazzhaus, 926 1/2 Mass., this Saturday at 10 p.m. Charge is $5 at the door.

You might need some tissues for this one.

Monday physical: Dr. DeVito @ The Jackpot 5/20

Dr. Devito may have been born from a Bakersfield, Calif., garage just last summer, but they’ve quickly put out two EPs and played plenty of shows in their hometown. And now they’re taking the show on the road with a nationwide summer tour that includes a gig at the Jackpot Music Hall, 943 Mass., Monday night, appearing with Ask an Adult and Wire & String. Charge is $3 for 21+ and $5 for 18+.

Tuesday hibernation: Panda Circus @ The Bottleneck 5/21

Well, as the sayings go, to everything there is a season, and all good things must come to an end. And after almost six years, two albums, a KJHK Farmer's Ball trophy, and many, MANY live shows, the end has come for Lawrence's own Panda Circus. Their final show happens at the Bottleneck, 737 N.H., Tuesday night at 8 p.m. But they assure you they will not go quietly — they've brought in Not a Planet from Kansas City to help them go out with a bang.

Wednesday unplugged: Acoustic Jam Session @ The Jazzhaus 5/22

Wednesday nights at the Jazzhaus, 926 1/2 Mass., it's their weekly Acoustic Jam Session, hosted by local singer/songwriter Tyler Gregory. Drop in, enjoy $2.75 Boulevard pints, $3.25 call whiskeys, and $4.50 glasses of wine, and if you've got a guitar, get up on stage and play a few bars. The festivities begin at 10 p.m.; cover charge is $2.