Free Friday Nights at the de Young are back. The museum's launching the sixth season of their weekly event tonight with a French-inspired evening of jazz, absinthe lectures and live painting. 

Unfortunately, you're not allowed to venture to the Post-Impressionism Exhibit (which leaves its rotation on Tuesday), but Friday Night-goers are free to head to the museum's observation towers to enjoy the view (along with beer and wine).

Tonight's opening performers are Le Chat Lunatique, who are headed to SXSW this March and play "filthy, mangy jazz," the type that inspires excessive imbibing. At 7:00 pm, the Koret Auditorium will house a history of absinthe lecture, a nod, no doubt, to the habits of a certain Post-Impressionist painter. And in the Piazzoni Murals room, you can hang out with artists (and sip absinthe) as they paint.

Next Friday's program takes on swing (dance lessons included) and January 28th's, opera (sorry, no lessons here).