By Gwen DeRu
TODAY
COMEDY FOR A CAUSE with JOSH BLUE at Iron City Birmingham.
GUITARIST NORRIS JONES at the Perfect Note.
TAYLOR KROPP, BATTITO, BURNING VINYL, LATE NIGHT w/ GLOSTIK WILLY at the Nick.
COMEDIAN DS SANDERS at the StarDome Comedy Club.
DRIVIN’ N’ CRYIN’, 8 p.m. at Saturn.
COCKTAILS & CONVERSATIONS, every Thursday at Jazzi’s on 3rd.
30/40 HOOKAH LOUNGE, every Thursday, at Luxe Ultra Lounge.
EVERY FIRST THURSDAY: BIRMINGHAM ART CRAWL 2018, 5 -9 p.m. in Birmingham downtown. 120 19th Street North. BIRMINGPRINTS is the featured artist.
JOSE’ 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.
AFTER WORK AFFAIR every Thursday, 4 p.m. at 1st and 23rd.
FRIDAY
COMEDIAN TONY ROBERTS at the StarDome Comedy Club.
TIM SPINOSI’S COLOSSAL COMEDY SIDE SHOW at the StarDome Comedy Club.
GUITARIST NORRIS JONES at the Perfect Note.
FEEDING FINGERS, CAPTAIN KUDZU and WAX FUR at The Nick.
THE UNDERHILLS #1Q50, 9 p.m. at Saturn.
RUMOURS: The Ultimate FLEETWOOD MAC TRIBUTE SHOW 8 p.m. at Iron City.
FUNNY FREE FRIDAYS (Comedy Show) at Good People Brewery, 9- 10:30 p.m.
FRIDAY NIGHT EXPERIENCE at Luxe Ultra Lounge.
JAZZ at FRIDAY UNWIND, 6 p.m. – midnight, at Jazzi’s on 3rd.
LIVE JAZZ at UNWIND FRIDAY, 8 p.m. at Jazzi’s on 3rd with great jazz.
PASSPORTS FRIDAYS, 10 p.m. – 4 a.m. at Legends Sports Lounge with Reggae, Dancehall, Soca, Afro-Beats and Top 40. FREE until midnight.
PLUM BAR on 17th Street, Downtown.
MUSIC, COMEDY AND MORE at VIP Lounge in Ensley.
SATURDAY
SECOND ANNUAL END HEROIN WALK at Railroad Park. For more details about volunteering, for youth or adults, go to www.EndHeroin.org.
UNCF MASKED BALL, 6 p.m. at the BJCC.
COMEDIAN TONY ROBERTS at the StarDome Comedy Club.
EAT DRINK AND RIDE NIGHT FOOD TOUR WITH COMEDIENNE JOY, at 6 – 10 p.m., meet in Brookwood Mall, at Grille 29.
SNV – SATURDAY NIGHT VIBES, 10 p.m. at Platinum.
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, every Saturday, at Luxe Ultra Lounge, 300 24th Street S with DJ CHOCOLATE.
THRONG OF SHOGGOTHS, HIGHER’N HELL and THE FROZEN MEAT SECTION at The Nick.
WASHED OUT, 6:30 p.m. and HOT IN HERRE: 2000s DANCE PARTY, 10 p.m.at Saturn.
SUNDAY
SLOW ART SUNDAY, 2 p.m. at the Birmingham Museum of Art.
SOULFUL SUNDAYS at Perfect Note.
COMEDIAN TONY ROBERTS at the StarDome Comedy Club.
BLACK MASS, LED TO THE GRAVE and THE NEW MASTERS OF EVIL at the Nick.
GIRLS ROCK BIRMINGHAM SHOWCASE, 6 p.m. at Saturn.
MONDAY
KARAOKE NIGHTS WITH COMEDIAN RICKEY SMILEY at the StarDome Comedy Club.
VIRGIL WOLFE W/ CALAMITY, BROTHER BURCH W/ LEON MONEY and HIGH RULE, 9 p.m. at The Nick.
CARD PLAYERS SPOT at the TIDE AND TIGER, 6 – 12 p.m.
TUESDAY
RAGLAND, SAINT APOLLO AND DSM TONES at the Nick.
FIESTA TUESDAY at 1st and 23rd, all night.
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.
PLUM BAR on 17th Street, Downtown.
JOSE’ CARR at the Boss Lounge, 8:30 – 11 p.m.
COMEDIAN DUSTIN DIAMOND at the StarDome Comedy Club.
VINTAGE VIDEO GAME NIGHT, 7 p.m. at Saturn.
WEDNESDAY
TAPE FACE at Iron City.
WINE DOWN WEDNESDAY, every Wednesday at 30/40 Hookah Lounge.
WINE AND JAZZ at the Perfect Note.
FRAZIERBAND AND CHESHIRE POSSUM at The Nick.
COMEDIAN KIER at the StarDome Comedy Club.
SATURN BINGO A GO-GO NIGHT, 8 p.m. at Saturn.
NEXT THURSDAY
VINTAGE PISTOL, JAMIE LOU AND THE HULLABALOO, and GHOSTWRITER at the Nick.
COMEDIAN KIER at the StarDome Comedy Club.
TIGERS JAW, 8 p.m. at Saturn.
NEXT FRIDAY
COMEDIAN TJ MILLER at the StarDome Comedy Club.
TIM SPINOSI’S COLOSSAL COMEDY SIDE SHOW at the StarDome Comedy Club.
THE BLACK JACKET SYMPHONY at Iron City.
LOOSE LIPS LIP SYNC COMPETITION, 8 p.m. at Saturn.
CHOIR OF BABBLE, THE JIMJIMS, (THE) DEAD SEA FLOWERS and SMOKING WITH THE BANDIT at The Nick.
FOR FOOD LOVERS
A Taste of Black History with Chef E, Saturday, 11 a.m. at Titusville Branch Library – Join Chef E for a healthy cooking demonstration. This program is free and limited to 25 adults. Call 205-322-1140 to register.
BLAZE PIZZA GRAND OPENING – The first Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza franchise, in Alabama, opened recently in Birmingham at the Waites Building, 707 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd South near UAB. Birmingham’s location is a franchise owned by Mary Lee Hazard and Greg Hazard who will open a second location in Tuscaloosa, Alabama in the near future. The chef-driven menu features salads, blood orange lemonade, s’more pies. Beer and wine will also be available. Guests can choose from Blaze Pizza’s signature pizzas or create their own. The Blaze Pizza chain opened in Irvine, California (2012) and currently has 225 locations in 34 states and Canada. NBA Superstar LeBron James is among the founding investors.
FOR MOVIE LOVERS
BLACK PANTHER is still showing at theaters around town.
FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH
BRENDA’S BROWN BOSOM BUDDIES COMMUNITY FORUM in Honor of Black History at the McAlpine Recreation Center, TODAY, 5:30 p.m.
SAMBA IN THE STREETS OF ALABAMA, a workshop to learn bloco afro and Afro-Brazilian rhythms and dances and demonstration, Saturday, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Ballard House, 1420 7th Avenue, North.
ASK A LAWYER WORKSHOPS – NAACP will host a series of FREE “Ask A Lawyer” workshops, starting Saturday, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Peace Missionary Baptist Church, 1300 10th Street Pratt City. Contact Marshell Jackson Hatcher at (205) 972-8401 for more.
AT THE BIRMINGHAM PUBLIC LIBRARIES
“African Americans in Times of War Spoken Word,” Friday, 3:30 p.m. at Inglenook Branch Library – Recite a poem acknowledging the National Black History Month Theme “African Americans in Times of War” or recite a poem on African American heroes and events. Register in advance at (205) 849-8739.
Crown & Tea Church Hats program, Saturday, 2-3:30 p.m., Pratt City Branch Library-During and after slavery, black women took off their maid and servant outfits and wore decorated hats to church. Join this cherished African-American custom. Adorn your favorite church hat and join others for tea to see who has the best “hattitude.”
Heritage Corner African dance with Ms. Candice, Saturday, 3-5 p.m. at Five Points West Regional Library – Join others for an afternoon of cultural enrichment to explore the art and history of African dance and the history of “stepping.”
The Beyond Kin Project: Making the Slave Connection, Sunday, 2:30 p.m., Linn-Henley Research Building – Project co-founders Donna Cox Baker and Frazine K. Taylor will teach a software method and research techniques for handling the unique complexities of helping African-Americans research their slave connections using common genealogy tools.
Powderly Annual Black History Musical and Program, Tuesday, 5:30 p.m. at Powderly Branch Library-Call (205) 925-6178 for more information.
Share Your Dream, through Wednesday, at East Lake Branch Library – Children and adults are invited to share their dream in writing at East Lake Library. Entries will be added to the library’s Martin Luther King display.
The Race Card (all ages), through Wednesday, Pratt City Branch Library – Discussions about race can often be difficult and enlightening. Express your thoughts on race into one sentence using only six words. Your six-word sentence will be on display on the Race Card Wall.
BLACK HISTORY IN THE MAKING – Alabama’s own DARRELL “BUBBA” WALLACE, JR. became the first African American since 1969 to drive in NASCAR’s most iconic race, the DAYTONA 500 recently. Fans can follow his journey to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in “Behind the Wall: Bubba Wallace,” a new docu-series on FACEBOOK WATCH. It is an eight part series that will chronicle Wallace’s road to Daytona International Speedway – from his earliest racing days to his debut in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series as the New frontier driver of the No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Richard Petty Motorsports.
FOR THE COMMUNITY
SECOND ANNUAL END HEROIN WALK at Railroad Park. FREE! For more information, go to the facebook page for details about the walk, www.EndHeroin.org if interested in volunteering, resources and more for students as well as adults or go to www.apcbham.org.
STEP 1-2-3: MENTOR FOR LIFE CONFERENCE – Step 1-2-3: Mentor for Life will host their inaugural conference, #IAMLOST: How to Secure the Bag, for youth and adults on March 2, Friday, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. at The District Room. The conference will focus on empowering those who are in their final steps of obtaining their degree or education and are unsure of the next step. The conference will feature a keynote address from Chaucer Barnes, Chief Audience Officer at Translation LLC and United Masters, and testimonials featuring Kezia Williams, Herschell Hamilton, and Jessika Banks. The conference looks to give attendees a chance to learn and connect with other like-minded individuals in the community. Call (612) 701-2947 for more.
SAVEFIRST INITIATIVE – FREE TAX PREPARATION – 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. The SaveFirst initiative will provide free income tax preparation services to working families making up to $54,000/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.
FOR OUTDOOR LOVERS
SATURDAY DAY HIKE, 10 a.m. – Southeastern Outings River Ramble Barton’s Beach and Perry Lakes Park near Marion in Perry County, Alabama – DETAILS: Barton’s Beach. The area is an extensive sand and gravel beach on the Lower Cahaba River in Perry County near Marion, Alabama. Where the river floodplain broadens and creates areas of bottomland hardwood forests, oxbow lakes and extensive sand and gravel bars there. Several trees in the park have been designated as Alabama State Champion Trees. The park lakes support a large heron rookery along with an abundance of songbirds. A 100-foot tall canopy birding tower allows for an exciting view of the forest and oxbow swamps. Hikes at Barton’s Beach and Perry Lakes Park are easy since the terrain is level and the walks are all on trails. The two properties adjoin each other so as to walk readily back and forth between them. Well-behaved, properly supervised children age 7 and older are welcome. The very special, optional dinner will begin at 5 p.m. It will be the Low Country Boil supper, an annual event in Marion that is perfect following the day of hiking. The dinner is informal and will be held at the historic Marion Female Seminary Building in Marion. The menu is boiled shrimp (which you peel & eat), potatoes, corn, coleslaw, bread, and your choice of a multitude of homemade desserts. Musical entertainment will be provided for your enjoyment at the upcoming shrimp boil February 24, 2018
after our hike. Price for the meal is $20 flat charge to benefit the Perry County Historical and Preservation Society. For more information concerning the dinner, call Kay Beckett, president of the historical society, at (334)683-8250 or 334-292-0319. Depart 10 a.m. from McDonald’s Galleria For info. on the hike, contact Dan Frederick, (205) 631-4680 or seoutings@bellsouth.net.
FOR MUSIC LOVERS AND SPOKEN WORD
CLASS IS IN SESSION – SATURDAY JAZZ GREATS: LEARN HOW TO PLAY JAZZ FROM THE PROS, Saturday. Do you know an aspiring young musician who wants to play jazz? Class is in session. Orientation is ongoing for a limited time.
*SUNDAY JAZZ, 5 p.m. at the Perfect Note.
*SPOKEN WORD OPEN MIC NIGHT, every Third Sunday, 7 p.m. at the Carver Theatre.
FOR COMEDY LOVERS
AT IRON CITY TODAY
COMEDY FOR A CAUSE, 5:30 p.m. at Iron City Birmingham with food, friends and great comedy.
AT GOOD PEOPLE BREWING EVERY FRIDAY
FUNNY FREE FRIDAYS (COMEDY SHOW), 9 – 10:30 p.m., at Good People with Birmingham’s finest comedy show at a brewery. It’s free and features the best comedians from around the country.
AT THE STARDOME
FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY
COMEDIAN TONY ROBERTS, No Stranger to TV and Film, as an actor Tony has toured with a major theatre play, has been cast in a sketch comedy pilot for CBS entitled, JUST ADD WATER and has appeared in half a dozen movies. As a host, Tony recently hosted the vh1 pilot “Dance Slam Cam, ” and a Guest Lead in “Nite Tales” for BET and recently sat on the couch as a guest on The Monique Show. Keep an eye on Tony Roberts, America’s next great talent!!!!
COMEDIAN RICKEY SMILEY ‘EVERY MONDAY NIGHT’ at the StarDome Comedy Club for Karaoke Nights.
TUESDAY: COMEDIAN DUSTIN DIAMOND. He played the bad guy on Celebrity Fit Club and has been hailed as the “Dark Prince of Comedy”. Dustin Diamond is a pop culture icon, and is best known for his role as Screech on Saved by the Bell. Dustin played Screech through all 10 seasons of the show, and to this day, Saved by the Bell is still seen in syndication 16 times per week in 105 countries. For the past 17 years, Dustin has toured the world as a stand-up comedian. His act is suitable for the now grown-up fans of Saved by the Bell. It is adult-oriented, hilarious, and definitely not the same squeaky-clean, Saturday morning comedy that he spent 10 years doing as Screech. In his act, Dustin touches on life’s most important topics – grandma porn, farts, and the secrets of the female sex.
FOR ART AND PERFORMING ART LOVERS
AT THE BIRMINGHAM OF ART
SLOW ART SUNDAY, 2-3 p.m. at the Birmingham Museum of Art with Master Docent Julia Stork leading a discussion on WOMEN IN A GREEN COAT by BETTY GRISHAM.
ART AFTER 5: MARCH MADNESS, March 2, 6-9 p.m. at the BMA.
SIXTEENTH EIVOR AND ALSTON CALLAHAN ASIAN ART LECTURE, March 2, 6-9- p.m. at the BMA. Free. Art Historian John Seyller will illuminate the career of a previously unknown Mughai court painter, Abd al-Karim, who until recently was only known as the Bodleian Painter. Seyller will demonstrate how under the master Farrukh Beg, Abd al-Karim affected traditions of paintings in Bijapur and went on to create a lasting legacy for his work.
HOLI: A FESTIVAL OF COLOR March 10, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the BMA. FREE. Join the Indian Cultural Society for the 8th Annual Holi Festival, the Indian celebration of color. It will feature music, dance, food, henna, art-making and gallery exploration. Wear something that you don’t mind having to wash as at the end of the day guests gather outside for the throwing of powdered colors to welcome the spring season.
AT UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA GALLERY
NOW THROUGH MONDAY – BLANKET SERIES BEYOND THE SURFACE – The University of Alabama Gallery presents ‘Blanket Series Beyond the Surface’, the artwork of KEVIN COLE at 620 Greensboro Avenue, Tuscaloosa, 35401.
A HARDER TASK THAN MAKING BRICKS WITHOUT STRAW, an exhibition of artworks from the DOUG McCRAW COLLECTION, March 2 – April 30 at the University of Alabama Gallery. Opening Reception is March 2, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at the Gallery in Tuscaloosa, 620 Greensboro Avenue.
AT THE BCRI
MLK TAPESTRIES BY PETER SIS – Ireland-based Bill Shipsey is a human rights activist, artist event promoter and producer, barrister, and the founder of Art for Amnesty-Amnesty International’s global artist engagement program. Since 2012 he has conceived and commissioned 12 monumental memorial tapestries. These tapestries are on permanent loan at various airport and museum locations around the world. Three new Peter Sis-designed tapestries honoring Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S. are on display at the Civil Rights Institute in Birmingham. These tapestries are at the BCRI through March 16.
TEXTURES OF JAZZ”: THREADS OF CHANGE – A new art exhibit, “Textures of Jazz: Threads of Change,” by Leanna Leithauser Lesley, will debut at the Central Library downtown on run now through March 31.
FOR BOOK LOVERS
WHY ARE THEY FOLLOWING ME? – Author DR. JOYCE GILLIE GOSSOM’s book ‘Why Are They Following Me – How to Lead More Effectively’ is an easy read, fun, straightforward, insightful and motivating book. The book is not your typical leadership book, includes personal stories that really bring home the meaning of true leadership. You can relate to it from your personal experiences or know someone that it reminds you of them. Her examples make it an easy read. It can be for anyone whether a leader (or teacher) of any organization including corporate America. It should become a resource for anyone who wants to be a leader or become a better leader. The helpful and practical advice is what one can relate to in life to make a positive difference in their business, institution or company.
COMING SOON
MARCH 10 – CHARLIE WILSON, TYRESE and EN VOGUE LIVE IN CONCERT at The Legacy Arena (BJCC)
MARCH 22 – MAX DIVERSE BUSINESS EXPO at the Doubletree Hilton
MARCH 25 – ROMEO AND JULIET at Samford University Wright Center.
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.)
