TODAY
ALLSTARS COMEDY, MUSIC and POETRY with comedy by COMEDIAN HOLLYWOOD and COMEDIAN SAMMIE, poetry by VOICE PORTER, music by DOUGOUT AND THE PITCH HITTERS featuring MICHAEL YOUNG, Open Mic and more, at the Tide and Tiger on Graymont. Doors open at 7. Show starts at 8 p.m. For more, call (205) 503-3880.
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.
COMEDIAN JOHN WITHERSPOON at the StarDome Comedy Club at 7:30 p.m..
SHARIFF SIMMONS and SOUTHERN PHOENYX at The Nick.
FRIDAY
COMEDIAN JOHN WITHERSPOON at the StarDome Comedy Club.
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.
VULTURE WHALE, WILL STEWART and THROUGH THE SPARKS at The Nick.
ERIC NOLAN at the Perfect Note.
66TH ANNUAL POTENTATE’S BALL with MICHAEL J. BROWN, 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Boutwell Auditorium. Call (205) 301-9063 for more.
SATURDAY
RAILROAD PARK is where the fun is Saturday.
JOHN WITHERSPOON at the StarDome Comedy Club.
SOULFUL SATURDAY at Steel 1st and 23rd Club.
ERIC NOLAN, 8 p.m. at the Perfect Note.
TAYLOR HOLLINGSWORTH COUNTRY WESTERN at The Nick.
MAYDIE’S PARTY at the Tide and Tiger on Graymont.
SUNDAY
SLOW ART SUNDAY, 2-3 p.m. at the Birmingham Museum of Art.
COMEDIAN JOHN WITHERSPOON at the StarDome Comedy Club.
BEN STALETS, JACKSON CAPPS and MY BROTHER THE BEAR at the Nick.
MONDAY
THE WORKSGHY and CAHABE at The Nick.
TUESDAY
TIDE AND TIGER ON THE PATIO, 4 p.m. until on Graymont across from Legion Field.
SMACK DOWN LIVE, 6 p.m. at the Legacy Arena.
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.
READ TURCHI AND THE CATERWAULS and THE GOLDEN MONICA at The Nick.
WEDNESDAY
MASTER PASQUALE with dance classes and music at the Tide and Tiger on Graymont Avenue.
NATE JACKSON at the StarDome Comedy.
CARL RAY and MATT HERRE at The Nick.
FOR WOMEN
WOMEN’S DAY – The president of the Women’s Auxiliary of the Alabama State Convention will be the featured speaker when Broad Street Missionary Baptist Church hosts its annual Women’s Day on next Sunday, Sept. 25.
Maxine Abrams will speak during the 3:30 p.m. program. She is also the vice president of the National Baptist Convention Women’s Auxiliary and a member of Morning Star Baptist Church in Holt, Ala. Women’s Day at Broad Street, located at 121 Morris Avenue North in Birmingham, begins with Sunday School at 9:30 a.m. and continues with morning worship at 11 a.m. Sister Annette Harris is general chairperson, Sister Nancy Crenshaw is program chairperson and the Rev. Truitt Evans Sr. is pastor.
THIRSTY WOMEN’S CONFERENCE – DON’T LET THE STILETTOS FOOL YOU, a three-day women’s conference is dedicated to equipping and empowering women of all ages in Montgomery starting next Thursday, 7 p.m. Pastor Yvonne Jones is Host Pastor. For more information, call (334) 356-7660
FOR MUSIC LOVERS
DOUGOUT AND THE PITCH HITTERS at the Tide and Tiger, 8 p.m. DougOut and the Pitch Hitters have performed with groups from South America, Israel, Europe, and in America. You can see them performing every Saturday at the Avondale Market.
ERIC NOLAN at the Perfect Note in Hoover at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday night. The voice of Eric Nolan was nurtured and developed in Cleveland, Ohio. Eric began singing at the age of 4 and joined The Deltones (a Cleveland singing group as a teenager. Eric realized at the age of 19 that he wanted a career in music. His professional career started when he began singing background vocals for Dennis Edwards of The Temptations in 1984. In 1991, Eric left Cleveland and departed to Detroit, Michigan to form a duet called E & J with songstress, Jeanie Lyles. In 1995, Eric returned to Cleveland and his music career evolved to the next level. After a year of singing background vocals for the Father and Son Tour with Eddie and the late Gerald Levert, Eric auditioned for and nailed the position as the third and youngest member of The Legendary O’Jays.’ The rest is (as they say) history’! For more information, go to www.tkproductionsinc.com.
JAZZ IN THE PARK, HUNTSVILLE in the Big Spring Park, Sunday, 6 – 9 p.m. JAZMIN GHENT and ALTHEA RENE.
JJ GREY and MOFRO are performing their world renowned music at Avondale Brewing next Friday at 9:15 p.m. The music is a soulful blend of blues, Southern rock, folk, gospel, gritty R&B, personal and funk with lyrics and storytelling.
TORY LANEZ is bringing his I TOLD YOU TOUR to Zydeco in Birmingham. Lanez is joined by JACQUEES and KRANIUM is scheduled to play 76 dates across North America and they are in Birmingham, next Saturday.
SARAH JAROSZ and PARKER LIKKSAP perform at Saturn, next Sunday.
FOR BOOK LOVERS
Birmingham Public Library (BPL)’s Innovative and Cool Awards is a program set up to encourage library staff to come up with unique ideas to serve their communities. Grant recipients for September 2016 are as follows:
- Five Points West Regional Library, “Bubbles at Storytime” – Storytime with a twist: bubbles to keep kids entertained as books are being read to them.
- Avondale Regional Library, “Art Attack” – 4 arts programs during October designed to expose children to different artistic styles including modern color block painting, American folk art, and Aboriginal dot painting. Participants will get canvas artwork to take home.
- East Ensley Branch Library, “KEVA (Knowledge, Exploration, Visual, Arts) Planks” – KEVA planks are think rectangular blocks that can be used to erect structures such as buildings, bridges, and formations. This program will allow patrons an interactive experience for creative exploration and cooperative learning. The idea for the award was brought to the Advocacy Committee by committee member Gwendolyn Amamoo. A committee reviews the selections and forwards their recommendations to the full board for approval. The board anticipates awarding up to $1,900 in new programs this year by Dec. 31, 2016.
RECOVERING THE CLASSICS CONTEST AND EXHIBITION – The Birmingham Public Library Recovering the Classics contest ‘A New Look for an Old Book’ starts today at the Central Library, 2100 Park Place downtown. The goal is to bring an exhibit of redesigned cover posters to each of the 50 states, and Birmingham Public Library (BPL) is representing the state of Alabama. To enter the contest, visit www.bplonline.org/classics. Both the exhibit and contest will run through September 30, 2016. The winners will be announced by Oct. 15, 2016.
FOR SPORTS AND OUTDOOR LOVERS
NASCAR SPEEDS INTO ALABAMA – NASCAR races at Talladega Superspeedway Oct. 21-23 for double elimination Chase weekend. Sunday’s Alabama 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event is the Round of 12 elimination race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint. Saturdays’ fred’s 250 Powered by Coca-Cola is the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Chase in which only six competitors will advance for the championship at the event’s conclusion. Talladega Superspeedway is NASCAR’s “Party Capital” thanks to the track’s infamous infield, which features the traditional Saturday Night concert and the world-renowned Talladega Blvd, home of the Friday evening “Big One on the Blvd” party. Log on to talladegasyperspeedway.com or call 1-877-Go2-DEGA for more information.
FOR LOVERS OF ART AND HISTORY
#BLACKGIRLS$CHANGE: THE HOBSON CITY 9, Cultivating Community and Creating Change exhibition through September 30 at the Paul R. Jones Gallery, 2308 Sixth Street in Tuscaloosa.
UA/UAB STUDIO FACULTY EXHIBITION through September 30 at the University of Alabama Gallery at the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center, 620 Greensboro Avenue in Tuscaloosa, AL 35401. Call (205) 342-2060 for more.
“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
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 CHILDREN
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 COMMUNITY LEADERS
NAACP BIENNIAL ELECTION OF OFFICERS – The Metro Birmingham NAACP Biennial Election of officers and at-large members of the Executive Committee meetings will be held at the Birmingham Public Library, 2100 Park Place downtown, SEPTEMBER 17, 2 p.m. – Election of the Nominating Committee, OCTOBER 15, 2 p.m. – Report of Nominating Committee, petitions and Elections of Election Supervisory Committee and NOVEMBER 5, Noon – 4 p.m. – Election. For more, call Secretary at (205) 714-5860.
FOR COMEDY LOVERS
AT THE TIDE AND TIGER: Every Thursday is ALLSTARS NIGHT. Check out COMEDIAN HOLLYWOOD. Hollywood is one of the best comedians around, whether performing in Hollywood or in Birmingham. He is a comedian with characters that you may have seen but are definitely very funny. He has performed with other comedians, at various venues around the country, writes short films and so much more.
AT THE STARDOME: Every Thursday is Positively Funny Improv. Check out JOHN WITHERSPOON. John Witherspoon has found his niche and become a regular scene-stealer. Witherspoon has performed alongside some of the most talented directors, actors and producers, having starred in such major features as “Uncle Nicky,” “Friday & Next Friday,” “The Ladies’ Man” and “Boomerang,” and made over a dozen appearances on “The David Letterman Show.”
MORE DATES: September 21-25 – JAMES DAVIS, September 30 – October 2 – BRUCE BRUCE, October 5 – CHRIS D’ELIA and November 9 – DREW LYNCH. See you there!
COMING SOON
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.)
