TODAY
ALL WHITE PARTY at the Tide and Tiger Lounge.
OLIVIA’S HAPPY HOUR, every Thursday at Olivia’s Bar and Lounge with $.50 wings and drink specials, 4 p.m. For more call (205) 326-2881.
LIVE AT STEEL, 8 p.m. with SHARRON performing and DJ CDUBB in the Mix at Steel on First Avenue at 23rd Street, downtown Birmingham. Get your live music and dance on every Thursday night.
THIRSTY THURSDAY at the Baron’s game at Regions Field.
LESTER BIBBS at the StarDome Comedy Club at 7:30 p.m.
CHAPTER: SOUL at The Nick.
FRIDAY
COMEDIENNE JOY at the Perfect Note.
LESTER BIBBS at the StarDome Comedy
FANCY FRIDAYS, 5 p.m. featuring JILLIAN GRAY with YARBROUGH & COMPANY every Friday at Legends on 18th Street North, Downtown. Birmingham. This is an After Work Experience hosted by Keely and Tiger and catered by Chef Jones. Call (205) 212-4406 for more.
PLUM BAR on 17th Street, Downtown.
JASPER COAL/THE ACORN PEOPLE at The Nick.
SATURDAY
COMEDIENNE JOY at the Perfect Note.
LESTER BIBBS at the StarDome Comedy Club.
RAILROAD PARK is where the fun is Saturday.
SOULFUL SATURDAY at Steel 1st and 23rdClub.
THE PEACH KINGS/MOBLEY/RACHAEL ROBERTS at The Nick.
SUNDAY
CIVIL RIGHTS ART EXHIBITION, 3 – 7p.m. at the First World Gallery, 1620 Cherry Avenue.
TRAIN with ANDY GRAMMER at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater in Tuscaloosa.
SLOW ART SUNDAY, 2-3 p.m. at the Birmingham Museum of Art.
JAZZ IN THE PARK, 6-9 p.m. at Linn Park, FAYTH HOPE and FOUR80EAST.
LESTER BIBBS at the StarDome Comedy.
THE DEVY: NELLYS/VOLUNTEERS and A SLIM SHADOW at The Nick.
MONDAY
VANESSA SILBERMAN at The Nick.
TUESDAY
OLIVIA’S HAPPY HOUR, 4 p.m., every Tuesday, at Olivia’s Bar and Lounge with $.50 wings and drink specials. For more call (205) 326-2881.
PLUM BAR on 17th Street, Downtown.
TIDE AND TIGER ON THE PATIO, 4 p.m. until on Graymont across from Legion Field.
BLACK PUSSY/MOTH FACE and SCHOOL KIDS at The Nick.
FOR MUSIC LOVERS
Jazz Guitarist ERIC ESSIX featuring LEONARD JULIEN at the Perfect Note in Hoover at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
JAZZ IN THE JUNCTION is Tuesday, September 13, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. at the Goldstein & Cohen Building in Downtown Ensley. This is a benefit for the Bethesda Life Center, Inc. a health facility dedicated to healthy citizens in the community. Enjoy an evening of food, music and fun.
FOR SPORTS AND OUTDOOR LOVERS
BASEBALL AT REGIONS FIELD – The Birmingham Barons is still strong at the Regions Field, today. THIRSTY THURSDAY returns welcoming the Chattanooga Lookouts to Regions Field for a five game series with a 7:05 p.m. first pitch. Mandi Rae will hit the Birmingham Mountain Radio concert stage prior to first pitch. FRIDAY NIGHT FIREWORKS cap off a Football Kickoff Night with first pitch slated for 7:05 p.m. Fans are encouraged to arrive early to FIAT Friday at the ballpark, as the Barons will be giving away a mini-football to the first 1,000 adults 13 & over. Mascots such as Big Al (Alabama), Aubie (Auburn), Blaze (UAB), Spike (Samford), Cocky (Jacksonville State), and The Hornet (Alabama State) will be on hand throughout the game Friday to help celebrate the start of college football season. Seven-time MLB All-Star and two-time NL MVP Dale Murphy will also visit Regions Field to throw out a ceremonial first pitch. The Atlanta Braves legend will sign autographs on the concourse afterward. SATURDAY NIGHT OF FIREWORKS is a second straight night of fireworks with Pyro Palooza IX following the game. This will be Birmingham’s largest fireworks show this season. Elvis impersonator “Little E” will entertain throughout the game. First pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. SUNDAY MATINEE is when Birmingham and Chattanooga will close their five game series with a Salute to Armed Forces Sunday matinee at 3 p.m. Y.P. MONDAY finale starts at 7:05 p.m. AAA WEDNESDAY is following a Tuesday off day. It will start a five game series against the Generals. For more information, call (205) 988-3200.
SUMMER FUN DAYS AT THE ZOO – Half-Price Summer Fun Days on the weekend are almost over. There will be half-price admission, half-price rides, discounted merchandise and $1 hot dogs in the cafes. The Dino Discovery will have a discounted price of $3 every day before it goes extinct on Labor Day. The zoo hours are 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. for the extended summer hours. Enjoy these days this and next weekend. For more, go to www.birminghamzoo.com.
FOR LOVERS OF ART AND HISTORY
FROM CIVIL RIGHTS TO JAZZ AND ON TO BLUES – Artist Cassandra Griffin brings an unforgettable evening of soft chamber music provided to tingle your spirit- visit the First World Gallery for the Opening Reception, Sunday, 3 – 7 p.m. It is an exhibition of a period of civil rights history that you will never stop talking about – one image has one thousand interpretations.
SLOW ART SUNDAY: A DREAM OF ITALY, 2-3- p.m. at the BMA where you can unlock the secret works in the Museum’s collection by cultivating the art of looking slowly.
ART ON THE ROCKS, August 19, 7- 11 p.m. at the BMA.
UA/UAB STUDIO FACULTY EXHIBITION through September 30 at the University of Alabama Gallery. A reception will be held Friday September 2, 5- 8 p.m. at the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center, 620 Greensboro Avenue in Tuscaloosa, AL 35401. Call (205) 342-2060 for more.
TEN ALABAMA ARTISTS EXHIBITION – The Birmingham Public Library (BPL) features the work of 10 Alabama artists, through August 26 in the Fourth Floor Gallery of the Central Library, who are members of the Watercolor Society of Alabama (WSA). The display is in the Fourth Floor Gallery of the Central Library, 2100 Park Place, in downtown Birmingham. FREE. For more call (205) 226-3670.
“DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR & THE CHICAGO FREEDOM MOVEMENT: PHOTOGRAPHS BY BERNARD J. KILEINA Exhibition” is at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute displaying its collection of rare color photos, through December in the BCRI’s Vann Gallery. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Chicago Freedom Movement. These photographs are some of the only known color photographs of Dr. King in Chicago. Bernard Kleina was a priest in Chicago that wanted to get involved in the movement, who removed his collar, picked up his camera and marched.
FOR FOOD LOVERS
CONGRATULATIONS TO GRILLE 29! GRILLE 29 restaurant won the Taster’s Choice award at the Taste of Birmingham, recently, at The Club. The dish that won: pan seared sea scallops topped with bacon jam served over lobster mashed potatoes and a southern chow chow. Congratulations to good food!
BREAKIN’ BREAD 2016 – The 14th Annual Breakin’ Bread is September 25, 1 – 5 p.m. at the Historic Sloss Furnaces. The Birmingham Originals is hosting the Alabama’s premier food festival with the best of Birmingham Culinary talents and celebrating local flavors.
FOR BUSINESS
2016 INNOVATION WEEK – The 2016 Innovation Week Birmingham will kick off next Friday with a block party, 4, 7 p.m. in front of the Good People brewing Company. Food trucks, live music and art will be featured to celebrate innovation and the companies that are helping define our city as a great place to do business. (Look for more next week.)
FOR CHILDREN
TAKE A CHILD TO THE DOCTOR DAY is September 10, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the YMCA Youth Center, 2400 7th Avenue North. Call (205) 320-0879 for more.
DISNEY DREAMERS ACADEMY is taking applications until October 31, for youth ages 13-19 that live in the United States and enrolled in high school grades 9-12. For more go to: disneydreamersacademy.com.
FOR FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT
CREATING AND MANAGING WEALTH – The Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. is hosting a Financial empowerment conference, Saturday, August 27, 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at the Trinity Baptist Church, 900 Graymont Avenue West, downtown, 35204 including financial guidance, on site credit guidance, creating a business plan, investment property and rental property and building wealth (retirement and multiple sources of income). For more, call (205) 781-8181 or email www.akaomicronomega.org.
FOR COMEDY LOVERS
AT THE STARDOME: Every Thursday is Positively Funny Improv. Check out LESTER BIBBS. Lester is one crazy comic! His off-the-hook humor has landed him appearances on BET, HBO, and Showtime, not to mention gigs alongside such well-known comedians as Jerry Seinfeld and Steve Harvey. In addition to Stand-Up, Lester has made his debut in comedy films! He was a title character in the recent movie release, “The Rev Do Wrong Ain’t Right”.
MORE DATES: August 2-3 – COUNTRY COOL, August 12-14 – LESTER BIBBS, August 26-28 – MIKE EPPS, September 1-4 – STEVE W. BROWN, September 8-11 – GARY CONRAD, September 16-18 – JOHN WITHERSPOON, September 21-25 – JAMES DAVIS, September 30 – October 2 – BRUCE BRUCE, October 5 – CHRIS D’ELIA and November 9 – DREW LYNCH. See you there!
FOR HEALTH AND CARE GIVERS
BETHESDA LIFE CENTER ‘JAZZ IN THE JUNCTION’ – The Bethesda Life Center is hosting’ Jazz in the Junction’, September 13, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. The Jazz event is a benefit to raise funds and health awareness to the community with music, food and fun.
HOSPICE CARE AND HOW IT CAN HELP – The Pratt City Branch Library, 509 Dugan Ave. in Birmingham, is hosting a free workshop. Gentiva Hospice will lead the free workshop “Learn About Hospice Care and How It Can Help You,” providing valuable tips on how to avoid caregiver stress and burnout. Ms. Melanie Johnson will be at Pratt City, today, 11 – 11:45 a.m. for a seminar giving information on elderly abuse and warning signs to look for. In the workshop, Ms. Johnson will share tips on how to look for changes associated with aging or declining health. The Pratt City Library will also host workshops on women’s self-defense and elderly abuse. Call (205) 226-3746 for more.
FOR LOVERS OF STYLE AND FASHION
BIRMINGHAM FASHION WEEK! – Birmingham Fashion week is here in two weeks….August 25-27 at the Boutwell Auditorium. See local and national designers, local and national boutiques, rising design stars, emerging designers with models, make-up and hair artists competing as they showcase their talents on the runway. For more information, go to www.bhamfashionweek.com.
BIRMINGLAM – RED HOT ON THE RUNWAY – The BirminGLAM will be a glamorous night of entertainment at the historic Boutwell Auditorium on Sunday, September 11 beginning at 5 p.m. with red carpet arrivals that include regional press, media, bloggers, athletes, local celebrities, models from the LEEU Talent & RADAR Man agencies including CBS 42 News Anchor SHERRI JACKSON, Hot 107.7 FM Personality DJ CHOCOLATE, Make Up Artist NADIA TELLIS, Celebrity Designer PERRY VARNER and many more. This is a fabulous HIV Awareness Event in Birmingham, Alabama designed to inspire Communities of Color to get tested and features six Birmingham based black Designers. This event is presented by HIV prevention Network and will raise awareness, advocacy and activism relating to HIV in our local area. For more, call (205) 718-6437 or (205) 369-4032.
COMING SOON
AUGUST 17 – NETWORK AFTER WORK, 6-9 p.m. at 2901 Second Avenue South.
AUGUST 18 – VINO & VAN GOGH, 6 p.m. at Iron City, a benefit for UCP of Greater Birmingham.
AUGUST 18 – ESTELLE WITHERSPOON DINNER by the Federation of Southern Cooperatives Land Assistance Fund.
AUGUST 20 – BENNIE MAC’S COMEDY SHOW, 9 p.m.
AUGUST 20 – AUTISM SHINES GALA, 6 p.m. Silent Auction , with Dinner and Live Auction at 7:30 p.m. at the Birmingham Marriott 280.
AUGUST 20 – EVO 2016 5K FIT CHALLENGE at Sloss Furnace, 9 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.
AUGUST 27 – FASHION WEEK at the Boutwell Auditorium.
AUGUST 31 – RENSHAW DAVIES, the New Orleans folk and roots duo, at The Nick, 10 p.m.
SEPTEMBER 4- LABOR DAY GOLDEN CLASSIC at Legion Field.
SEPTEMBER 8 – SKY IS THE LIMIT FUNDRAISER.
SEPTEMBER 8-10 – SAINT GEORGE MELKITE CATHOLIC CHURCH MIDDLE EASTERN FOOD FESTIVAL
SEPTEMBER 13 – JAZZ AT THE JUNCTION FUNDRAISER, a Bethesda Life Center fundraiser.
SEPTEMBER 24 – TORY LANEZ at Zydeco. Check out his I Told You Tour.
SEPTEMBER 25 – BREAKIN’BREAD 2016
SEPTEMBER 29 – SOUTHERN WOMEN’S SHOW 2016.
OCTOBER 22-23 – TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY’S Alabama 500 and fred’s 250 Powered by Coca-Cola, the most anticipated NASCAR Chase Elimination races of 2016.
Well, that’s it. Tell you more next time.
(People, Places and Things by Gwen DeRu is a weekly column. Send comments to my emails: thelewisgroup@birminghamtimes.com or gwenderu@yahoo.com.)
