HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!
TODAY
LIVE BAND KARAOKE JAM SESSIONS, 7 – 11 p.m. at the Perfect Note.
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.
JOSÉ CARR WITH JAZZ ON FIRST, 7-10 p.m. at Jazzy’s on First Avenue North.
LIVE AT STEEL, 8 p.m. with SHARRON performing and DJ DUBB in the Mix at Steel on First at 23rd Street, downtown Birmingham. Get your live music and dance on every Thursday night.
COMEDIAN PHILLY PLOWDEN at the StarDome, 7 p.m.
THE BUMBS, ANDREW CARTER, and BEAR 13, 9 p.m. at The Nick.
FRIDAY…
AN EVENING OF LOVE WITH BRIAN MCKNIGHT, KELLY PRICE AND CHANTÉ MOORE, 8 p.m. at the BJCC Concert Hall.
DJ CED AT THE TIDE AND TIGER on Graymont Avenue.
FRIDAY UNWIND, every Friday, 7 p.m. at Jazzi’s on 3rd.
COMEDIAN ROD MAN 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.
THE SKELTON, KREW, TAYLOR PHELAN, THE FUTURE and BABES, 9 p.m. at the Nick.
JAZZ TRUMPETER WILLIE BRADLEY, 8 – 11 p.m., at the Perfect Note.
SATURDAY
SICKLE CELL SHOWTIME, Motown Style, 6- 11:30 p.m. featuring RICKEY SMILEY at the Sheraton Grand Ballroom.
BARTOW CLASSIC & CELEBRATION – UAB Men’s Basketball vs. Old Dominion, 7 p.m. celebrating the 1981-82 Eight Team with $2 from each ticket contributed to Gene Bartow Memorial Fund Cancer Research. For more information, call (205) 975-UAB1.
PRE-VALENTINE’S NIGHT SAXOPHONIST MIKE PHILLIPS, 6 – 11 p.m. at the Perfect Note.
RAILROAD PARK is where the fun is Saturday.
DJ CED AT THE TIDE AND TIGER on Graymont.
SOULFUL SATURDAY at Steel 1st and 23rd Club.
SPEEDEALER, MOTHERSHIP, AGAINST THE GRAIN and BEITTHEMEANS, 10 p.m. at The Nick.
COMEDIAN ROD MAN at the StarDome Comedy Club.
SATURDAY NIGHT GET DOWN at Saturn.
SUNDAY
COMEDIAN ROD MAN at the StarDome Comedy Club.
ZACH CANNELLA and INGRID MARIE, 9 p.m. at The Nick.
MONDAY
BIRMINGHAM BANDSTAND, 9 p.m. at The Nick.
CARD PLAYERS SPOT at the TIDE AND TIGER, 6 – 12 p.m.
TUESDAY
WOO AT THE ZOO, 6-9 p.m. at the Birmingham Zoo.
TIDE AND TIGER HOT TUESDAY, 3 p.m. until … on Graymont across from Legion Field with $.50 wings and drink specials until 9 p.m. For more call (205) 503-3880.
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.
COMEDIAN DARREN KNIGHT, 7:30 p.m. at the StarDome Comedy Club.
PLUM BAR on 17th Street, Downtown.
JOSÉ CARR at the Boss Lounge, 8:30 – 11 p.m.
VALENTINE’S FREE SHOW w/ DAN SARTAIN/ BLACK WILLIS and UNDERLAND EXPRESS at The Nick.
WEDNESDAY
WINE AND JAZZ at the Perfect Note.
SHAUN JUDAH, LEON THE GOD, LIGHTVIBEZ and KRONIK PRAHSYS, 9 p.m. at the Nick
COMEDIAN DARREN KNIGHT, 7:30 p.m. at the StarDome Comedy Club.
OPEN MIC NIGHT at the Oak Hill Bar & Grill.
NEXT THURSDAY
CRANFORD HOLLOW and JILL KINSEY at The Nick.
FOR MUSIC LOVERS AND SPOKEN WORD
BO BERRY QUARTET, 7 p.m. to midnight every Friday at Jazzi’s on 3rd.
JAZZ TRUMPETER WILLIE BRADLEY, 8-11 p.m., Friday, at the Perfect Note.
PRE-VALENTINE’S NIGHT SAXOPHONIST MIKE PHILLIPS, 6 – 11 p.m. at the Perfect Note, Saturday.
THIS TRAIN: A SOULFUL ALABAMA MUSICAL AND DANCE CELEBRATION, Thursday February 16 at 9 p.m. and Friday February 24 at 10 p.m. on Alabama Public Television Broadcasts.
DOWNTOWN AFTER SUNDOWN, 6:15 p.m. featuring HIGH VALLEY, at the Rogue Tavern on February 28.
NORAH JONES LIVE IN CONCERT, March 3rd at the BJCC.
JAZZ JAM SESSIONS, every Fourth Sunday, 6 p.m. at the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame (Carver Theatre), except for Christmas.
SPOKEN WORD OPEN MIC NIGHT, every Third Sunday, 7 p.m. at the Carver Theatre.
STUDENT JAZZ BAND FESTIVAL, April 20-22 at the Jazz Hall of Fame, Carver Theatre. New Student Roll Call for 2017 Saturday Jazz classes for new students coming soon.
MAKING THE BAND – Platinum of Birmingham is seeking singers, musicians or full bands to perform at the Platinum of Birmingham on weekly basis.
For more information, call (205) 413-9846 by February 12.
FOR THE LOVER IN YOU
WOO AT THE ZOO – The Birmingham Zoo invites guests ages 21 and up to its fourth annual Valentine’s Day event, “Woo at the Zoo,” from 6-9 p.m. on Valentine’s Day. This event will focus on “love” in the animal kingdom. New this year, Woo at the Zoo will be held in the Birmingham Zoo’s Predator Building. Guests are invited to sip and stroll as they enjoy live music, animal encounters and keeper chats. Participants will be able to learn about courtship of different animals, and see what a dating profile may look like for the different animals participating. Guests will enjoy hors d’oeuvres, beer, wine, a souvenir champagne flute and complimentary glass of champagne, and a souvenir photo. For more information, go to www.birminghamzoo.com.
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute is hosting several events during the month of February.
FEBRUARY: BLACK HISTORY MONTH – Theme: Crisis in Black Education
February 16: 6 p.m. – Black History Month Program: A Town Hall meeting about the state of Black Education in Birmingham City Schools. Community Meeting Room.
February 17-19 – “The Green Book” produced by Red Mountain Theatre Company. A play based on the Negro Motorist Green Book, “The Green Book” gives audiences a look back to the era of segregation and the network of people who provided a safe harbor for travelers. BCRI and the Birmingham Holocaust Education Center are partners with RMTC. Tickets available at http://redmountaintheatre.org.
February 23, 6 p.m. – Annual Black History Month Art Contest Winners. Sponsored by McDonalds, 95.7 Jamz and BCRI. Community Meeting Room.
FOR HELPING YOUTH
UNCF MAYOR’S MASKED BALL – The 2017 UNCF Mayor’s Masked Ball will be held February 25, at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex. This annual event, hosted by Mayor William A. Bell, Sr. will focus on providing scholarship funds for area students and operating support to UNCF-member institutions. UNCF President and CEO Dr. Michael L. Lomax will deliver remarks. Jasmine Sanders, co-host of “The D.L. Hughley Show,” will serve as emcee at the event that will feature elegant dining, testimonials by scholarship recipients and entertainment provided by the electrifying S.O.S. Band. This year’s honorees include 2016 UNCF Birmingham Co-chairs, Drs. Robert and Jarralynne Agee, Dr. Peter Millet, former president of Stillman College, and long-term UNCF partner, American Cast Iron Pipe Company. Al Denson, Birmingham-area UNCF campaign chair and president & CEO of Birmingham Airport Authority, serves as honorary chair and Brian Bucher, PNC Financial Services regional president of Alabama serves as corporate chair for this event. For more, call (205) 322-8623.
FOR MOTORSPORTS LOVERS
TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY’S 12th ANNUAL AWF WILD GAME COOK-OFF – Talladega Superspeedway is hosting some of the best local backyard chefs in the state of Alabama in anticipation of the 12th annual Alabama Wildlife Federation Wild Game Cook-Off on Saturday, March 4. Cook teams will compete in three different divisions – Fish, Fowl and Game. First, second and third place awards will be presented in each division, as well as a “Best Overall Winner.” That team will be invited to the state finals held in Millbrook, Ala., this summer to compete for the title of AWF 2017 Wild Game Cook-Off State Champion. Local media celebrities will serve as the competition’s judges and will be announced in the near future. For more information about tickets, pre-order rides around the track, or to participate as a cook team call the Alabama Wildlife Federation at 1-800-822-9453 or visit their website at www.alabamawildlife.org.
CHARLIE DANIELS BAND AT TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY –The Charlie Daniels Band will perform as the headliner for the traditional Saturday Night Infield Concert, May 6, as part of the much-anticipated motorsports triple-header weekend (May 5-7), featuring the GEICO 500. The country rock legend and longtime NASCAR fan has been a household name since the 1970s. He is known for hits like “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” “Long Haired Country Boy,” and “Uneasy Rider,” but being a devoted fan of racing he even recorded a song about Talladega Superspeedway’s all-time winner and one of his favorite drivers, Dale Earnhardt, Sr. The song is titled “The Intimidator,” which was inspired after Daniels and Earnhardt met for the first time at Talladega’s Alabama 500 on Oct. 15, 2000, the last victory of the iconic driver’s career. The Talladega weekend kicks off Friday, May 5 with a full slate of on-track activity which includes practice sessions for the Sparks Energy 300 and GEICO 500 plus practice, qualifying and the drop of the green flag of the General Tire 200 for the ARCA Racing Series Presented by Menards. The General Tire 200 is set for a 5 p.m. (CDT) start. Friday night the track will host the “Big One on the Blvd” parade and fan competitions, featuring an array of NASCAR drivers and loads of hysterical fun. Saturday’s activities (May 6) feature NASCAR XFINITY and Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series qualifying, along with the start of the Sparks Energy 300 at 12 p.m. (CDT). Later in the evening, the Saturday Night Infield Concert gets underway, featuring The Charlie Daniels Band. Sunday’s GEICO 500 (May 7) is set for a 1 p.m. (CDT) start. For ticket information for all three days of activities, log on to www.talladegasuperspeedway.com or call 1-877-Go2-DEGA.
FOR THE COMMUNITY LOVERS
FREE TAX PREPARATION – SAVEFIRST – The nonprofit’s SaveFirst initiative has started the efforts to provide free income tax preparation services to working families making up to $53,000/year with kids in the home or $20,000/year without kids in the home. Interested individuals should call 1-888-99-TAX-AL for a free appointment. The tax preparation service is aimed at assisting families eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The EITC is the federal government’s largest and most successful antipoverty program for low-income, working families. Impact Alabama’s annual free tax preparation services for working families will be available at five locations in the Birmingham area – Bessemer, Roebuck, Smithfield, West End, and Woodlawn.
TAX SITES INFORMATION:
BIRMINGHAM – SMITHFIELD LOCATION
Birmingham Public Libraries, Smithfield Branch #1 – 8th Ave W, Birmingham, AL 35204
BIRMINGHAM – WEST END LOCATION
Birmingham Public Libraries, West End Branch 1348 Tuscaloosa Ave SW, Birmingham, AL 35211
BIRMINGHAM – WOODLAWN LOCATION
Birmingham Public Libraries, Woodlawn Branch 5709 1st Ave N, Birmingham, AL 35212
BIRMINGHAM – ROEBUCK LOCATION
Springville Road Library 1224 Old Springville Rd, Birmingham, AL 35215
BESSEMER LOCATION
Bessemer Public Library 400 19th St N, Bessemer, AL 35020
FOR BUSINESS LOVERS
BIZWOMEN MENTORING MONDAY – Meet your mentor, April 3, at Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort and Spa.
FOR ART LOVERS
FACES, PLACES RELICS & REMEMBRANCES – Artwork by Dr. Art Bacon showing now through February 25 at the Eastern Shore Art Center, 401 Oak Street in Fairhope, AL 36532. Hours are Tuesday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
ART-BEATS-LYRICS – The Birmingham Museum of Art is hosting the Art-Beats Lyrics on March 10, 7p.m. to 12 a.m. This event will explore Hip Hop and highlight urban art, graffiti, paintings, multi-media, DJ’inj and live music.To register, go tojackHoneyABL.com.
FREEDOM? – An exhibition FREEDOM?, is at the University of Alabama in the Paul Jones Gallery, through April 28.
SLOSS FURNACES: THEN AND NOW – Lawson State College is presenting an exhibition entitled SLOSS FURNACES: THEN AND NOW by Adjunct History Instructor Gregory Wilson. This exhibition is covering the history of Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark and the rise of the Birmingham Industrial District. The exhibition is weekdays, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. until February 28, at the ACATT Building, (Birmingham Campus). For more information, email: gwilson@lawsonstate.edu.
FOR COMEDY LOVERS
AT THE STARDOME:
ROD MAN! Winner of Season 8 Last Comic Standing and has made many other television appearances, including “The Bad Boys of Comedy” for HBO, Martin Lawrence’s “First Amendment” for Starz, Nick Cannon’s “Wild ‘N Out” for MTV, “One Mic Stand” for BET, “The Funny Spot.”
DARREN KNIGHT a.k.a. SOUTHERN MOMMA, at the StarDome Comedy Club on Tuesday and Wednesday. Darren Knight, aka “Southern Momma,” is one of the newest and most popular social media stars, with his Facebook videos generating millions of views from fans all over the country. With his unmistakable southern accent and his hair pulled up in a topknot, Knight has given a voice, so to speak, to southern mamas everywhere. What’s the story behind this 30-year-old man who calls himself “Southern Momma”? It all started nearly a year and a half ago when Knight’s friend showed him a video of someone mocking a soccer mom. It was then and there that the idea for “Southern Momma” was born.
KATT WILLIAMS at the BJCC CONCERT HALL on February 18.
LOVE DON’T PAY NO BILLS SHOW coming February 14th at Bennie Mac’s on 1st.
FOR HELPING YOUTH
TAKE OUT BULLYING – The Jefferson County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. in conjunction with The Alabama School of Fine Arts present “Take Out Bullying.” The Alabama School of Fine Arts Theatre Arts Ensemble uses humor and personal experience to showcase skits which confront teen bullying and other social issues related to teens head on. The event will be hosted by Harmony Mendoza, Meteorologist at WVTM 13. The event is FREE and open to the public. Dates and locations: Corner Middle School – Feb 8 (subject to change), Huffman Middle School – Feb. 28, and Phillips Academy (K-6) – Feb. 28.
AT THE BCRI
Opening of “¡NUEVOlution! Latinos and the New South” through May 31. This one-of-a-kind project will explore the surprising ways that Latinos are shaping the South and the South is shaping Latinos. The heart of the project is a 3,500 sq. ft. bilingual exhibition which explores a topic that many historians consider to be the biggest story in southern history since the Civil Rights Movement. Woolfolk Gallery.
“Helen Keller Student Art Show” January 29 through February 26. The winning entries of art work in various media produced by children of all ages who are visually impaired, blind and deaf/blind in Alabama will be announced and displayed. Milestones Gallery.
COMING SOON
FEBRUARY 10 – BRIAN McKNIGHT, KELLY PRICE and CHANTE MOORE at the BJCC CONCERT HALL.
FEBRUARY 25 – UNCF MAYOR’S MASKED BALL.
MARCH 11 – NATURAL HAIR & HEALTH EXPO at the BJCC.
MARCH 24 – CHRIS ROCK at the BJCC.
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 orgwenderu@yahoo.com.)
