The Athens music scene continues to shine as the papercranes, a band from Gainesville, Fla., lights up the stage of Morton Theater Friday.

Sponsored by several companies and campus programs of Athens, including WUGA-FM, Flagpole Magazine, Morton Theatre Corporation, Athensmusic.net and Athens Regional Medical Center, the Friday night concert at the Morton Theatre is sure to be a spectacular event.

With concerts gracing its stage since 1910, Morton Theatre is a veritable proving ground for new young artists and a venue for the radio program and concert series Athens 441.

Since its restoration in 1993, the Morton Theatre has been able to facilitate modern bands and become a notable performing arts space for touring musicians just like the papercranes.

In honor of this lofty musical venue and in an attempt to keep Athens “the best college music town in the country” (as said in “Rolling Stone”), the stage at Morton Theatre houses a weekly showcase of musical talent from across the nation.

But the members of the papercranes don’t have any problems with playing in such a renowned place.

“We love Athens,” said the band in an e-mail. “Seems to us that amazing musicians tend to gravitate there.”

The group has been to Athens on numerous occasions and not just for concerts.

“We recorded our last record ‘VIDALIA’ there,” the members said.

The papercranes are led by singer Rain Phoenix and includes Michael Tubbs on guitar, Dave Lebleu on drums, Andy Lord on bass, Michael Amish on keyboard and Rob Buono on guitar.

These six musical talents have received many accolades from fans and critics alike since the band formed in 2004.

With this praise in mind, the papercranes is sure to receive a warm welcome in Athens and in Morton Theatre.

“We have many friends there,” the band said.