By Gwen DeRu
TODAY
SOUND SESSIONS IN THE GRILLE at Iron City.
THE ARCADIAN WILD, THE ELLAMENO BEAT, NICK DITTMEIER & THE SAWDUSTERS at the Nick.
COMEDIAN MICK FOLEY’s 20 YEARS OF HELL TOUR at the StarDome Comedy Club.
FREE DJ NIGHT IN THE SATELLITE with LEE SHOOK, 9 p.m. at Saturn.
ARTSTRAVAGANZA, at Birmingham Art Crawl.
SOUND SESSIONS IN THE GRILL with COTTON BIRD TRIO at Iron City.
MUSIC, COMEDY AND MORE at VIP Lounge in Ensley.
TIM SPINOSI’S COLOSSAL COMEDY SIDE SHOW at the StarDome Comedy Club.
PLUM BAR on 17th Street, Downtown.
FRIDAY
COMEDIAN ROD MAN at the StarDome Comedy Club.
TY SEGALL 8 p.m. at Saturn.
THE VOODOO FIX, THE BUMBS, HOGAN’S GOAT and 7 STONE RIOT at The Nick.
BOY BAND NIGHT at Iron City.
FACEBOOK FRIDAYS, every Friday, at the Legion in Fairfield, 5 p.m. Happy Hour, 7 p.m., Line Dance, 9 p.m., DJ Vick Goes Live and Ladies are free until 10 p.m.
THREE STYLE JAZZ BAND FROM THE UK at Perfect Note.
MUSIC, COMEDY AND MORE at VIP Lounge in Ensley.
TIM SPINOSI’S COLOSSAL COMEDY SIDE SHOW at the StarDome Comedy Club.
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.
SATURDAY
THREE STYLE JAZZ BAND FROM THE UK at Perfect Note.
COMEDIAN ROD MAN 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.
FUTURE PRIMITIVES, THE COLD STARES, THE BROOK & THE BLUFF and SONDORBLUE at The Nick.
ROZ’S HOUSE PARTY, 8 p.m. at Saturn.
SUNDAY
BIRMINGHAM PUNK ROCK FLEA MARKET at TrimTab Brewing Company.
SLOW ART SUNDAY, 2 p.m. at the Birmingham Museum of Art.
SOULFUL SUNDAYS at Perfect Note.
JUSTIN HOWL w/SAM FRAZIER, JR., NEON MOON and JUSTIN NELSON at the Nick.
MONDAY
KARAOKE NIGHTS WITH COMEDIAN RICKEY SMILEY, at the StarDome Comedy Club.
BIRMINGHAM BANDSTAND, 9 p.m. at The Nick.
CARD PLAYERS SPOT at the TIDE AND TIGER, 6 – 12 p.m.
TUESDAY
COMEDIAN JOHN MORGAN at the StarDome Comedy Club.
HAM BAGBY & THE SEIGE, SOUND & SHAPE and THE COLLECTION at the Nick.
CRIT CRUSADERS at Saturn.
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.
WEDNESDAY
CAITLYN SMITH at Saturn.
STONI TAYLOR & MILES OF STONES, MATT WITTE and THE DOZENS at The Nick.
LIVE JAZZ, every Wednesday, at The Marble Ring, 430 41st Street South, Suite B.
WINE DOWN WEDNESDAY, every Wednesday at 30/40 Hookah Lounge.
WINE AND JAZZ at the Perfect Note.
COMEDIAN JOHN MORGAN at the StarDome Comedy Club.
NEXT THURSDAY
SOUND SESSIONS IN THE GRILL WITH BRIAN DUNAGAN at Iron City.
AMPLIFIED HEAT, and ZACH LONGORIA PROJECT at the Nick.
COMEDIAN JOHN MORGAN at the StarDome Comedy Club.
PIGEONS PLAYING PING PONG, FUNK YOU, 9 p.m. at Saturn.
NEXT FRIDAY
COMEDIAN JOHN MORGAN at the StarDome Comedy Club.
HOUNDMOUTH 8 p.m. at Saturn.
THE SOUTHERN BELLES, THE DIRTY LUNGS and STEP SISTERS at The Nick.
FOR THE COMMUNITY
AT THE GARDENS
EARTH DAY – Saturday is Earth Day. Earth Day at The Gardens takes place this Saturday, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., and it will include exhibitor booths, a free photo booth, free activities and live music from Tommy Ellison. As one of the top five states for biodiversity, Alabama’s green spaces are inspiring and beautiful thanks to our warm, moist climate and the geological diversity of our state. Birmingham alone is the home to 110 city operated parks, and one public garden: Birmingham Botanical Gardens. It’s also home to another dozen private and publicly held parks and nature preserves that make the Magic City a majestic site for nature lovers. Celebrate our local green spaces, learn how to protect them and the different activities we can enjoy with our family and friends. This year’s featured exhibit is Bib & Tucker Sew Op’s 2018 March Quilt, Environmental Justice and Awareness. From urban greenways to gardens that cultivate native species; from recycling centers and sustainable energy, this quilt is meant to encourage participants to address topics that fall under the umbrella of Environmental Justice for Mother Earth. Bib & Tucker Sew Op’s mission is to cultivate skills and community for those who sew or want to sew (ages 9-99) where everyone can be both a teacher and a student. One dream of the Sew-Op is to facilitate a sewing-based cottage industry that provides income and flexible working conditions for women who head their households. Bib & Tucker is a 501c3 nonprofit organization.
AT THE ALYS STEPHENS CENTER
RONALD K. BROWN’S EVIDENCE – This Thursday through Saturday, in the Sirote Theatre at the Alys Stephens Center, EVIDENCE Dance Company focuses on the integration of African dance with contemporary choreography and spoken word. Brown uses movement as a way to reinforce the importance of community in African-American culture. He is an advocate for the growth of the African-American dance community and is instrumental in encouraging young dancers to choreograph and to develop careers in dance. This performance will feature MARCH, an extraordinary duet set to a speech by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that speaks to the value of a man. And ON EARTH TOGETHER, inspired by and set to the music of Stevie Wonder, is a study in compassion and relationships between individuals and the world around them.
INDIA FEST 2018 – The IndiaFest is now through April 26 at the Alys Stephens Center. The Center collaborates with the UAB campus family and art partners in the Birmingham community to bring an entire month of events honoring the vibrant Indian culture in Birmingham. From Holi celebrations to lectures and films, from yoga to performances by GRAMMY-winning artists, there have been many opportunities in April to immerse yourself in Indian culture. Events are taking place all over Birmingham!
This SATURDAY is India Fest Family Day – Bring the kids and enjoy an afternoon of fun for the entire family!
Activities will include visual arts projects for children, Indian mandala coloring for all ages, Indian Rangoli making in the Art Plaza, (Abroms-Engel Institute for the Visual Arts (1221 10th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35205) FREE and other activities celebrating Indian arts and culture. Monday is Community Yoga: Power Vinyasa Flow – This week, Shawn Galin will teach Power Vinyasa, a rhythmic, energetic, and playful type of yoga that has a strong emphasis on breath and allows beginners, intermediate, and advanced students to be challenged through various postures and movements. You can expect a great cardiovascular and strength building flow combined with breath work to awaken strength, energy, and flexibility. Bring your own yoga mat (or towel).
NEXT THURSDAY – Check out RED BARAAT at a Free Outdoor IndiaFest Party – The place: a club in the middle of Brooklyn renowned for its sophisticated clientele, its receptivity to innovation, and its ideas from abroad. On a small stage in a tight, dimly lit back room, several musicians are whipping a New York City crowd into a frenzy with an unprecedented, high energy, gut-busting fusion of jazz, hip-hop beats, rock muscle, funky go-go, and scalding hot bhangra. A horn section blares, percussionists pound, everybody shouts, and the group’s charismatic leader, Sunny Jain, holds the explosive songs together with rhythms from his dhol – the Indian double-headed drum played slung over the shoulder that provides bhangra with its frenetic heartbeat. And just as it was the month before, the line of patrons who came to this club in Park Slope stretched out the door and down the block because they couldn’t get enough of Red Baraat – a riveting ensemble that NPR has dubbed “The best party band in years.”
YO-YO MA – On May 3rd, Thursday. The many-faceted career of cellist Yo-Yo Ma is a testament to his continual search for new ways to communicate with audiences and to his personal desire for artistic growth and renewal. Mr. Ma maintains a balance between his engagements as soloist with orchestras worldwide and his recital and chamber music activities. His discography includes over 100 albums, including 18 GRAMMY Awards. Yo-Yo Ma joins us for the 2018 VIVA HEALTH Starlight Gala.
IN HOOVER
SUNDAY April 22 – “The Blissful Bride Wedding Show ” at the Soriee’ Event Gallery, 213 Lorna Ridge Lane, Hoover, AL 35216, 1 p.m.-4 p.m. The event will feature fabulous giveaways, musical entertainment, a fashion show, and most importantly an opportunity to meet with “brides-to-be.”
SAVE THE DATE
AARP FREE TECHNOLOGY WORKSHOPS – Join AARP, Thursday, at Five Points West Regional Branch library for workshops: Intro to Android Smartphones, 10 – 11:30 a.m.; Beyond the Basics – Android Smartphones, noon – 1 p.m.; Intro to Android Smartphones, 2:30 – 4 p.m.; and Beyond the Basics – Android Smartphones, 4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
54th ANNUAL GREATER BIRMINGHAM MAYORS’ PRAYER BREAKFAST, May 3rd, 7 – 8:15 a.m. at the Harbert Center. Begun in 1964, the breakfast is the longest running citywide event aimed at unifying the Birmingham region through our common unity of faith in God and prayerful support of our Mayors and elected officials. For more info… go to www.info@missionalabama.org. Call (205) 202-6002 or Contact at Frankwoodson.com. Event speakers are: Pastor John C. Cantelow, III, Mr. Tony Cooper, Mr. Tim Alexander are Breakfast speakers and General Charles C. Krulak is the Dinner Speaker.
FOR OUTDOOR LOVERS
SATURDAY DAYHIKE, 8 a.m. – Southeastern Outings Kayak and Canoe Trip, Sipsey Fork River – DETAILS: Scenic Southeastern Outings kayak and canoe trip in the Bankhead National Forest just outside the lovely Sipsey Wilderness in Winston County, Alabama. The river is relatively easy with one class II rapid. The river winds through high rock cliffs lined with overhanging hemlock trees. This is one of the most scenic stretches of river your leader has ever canoed! The scenery is inspiring. After the canoe and kayak trip plan to go to a restaurant for an optional dinner. For $2 you can shower and change clothes at a campground. If you would like to shower and/or have dinner with us at the restaurant, please bring a change of clothes for dinner, your shower things and $2 exact change. Depart promptly at 8 a.m. from the Floor and Décor Store on Green Springs Highway in Homewood or 9:30 a.m. from Jacks in Double Springs. Reservations Required: You are required to contact Dan Frederick, email seoutings@bellsouth.net or phone 205/631-4680. Leave a message on Dan’s answering machine or email seoutings@bellsouth.net.
SUNDAY DAYHIKE, 12:00 NOON – Southeastern Outings Wildflower Walk on the Hillside Glade and at the Bibb County Glades – DETAILS: “A Botanical Wonder,” the preserve in Bibb County is home to 61 rare plant species. The Little Cahaba River, which flows through the preserve, harbors dozens of rare aquatic creatures. The site also includes Brighthope Furnace, the earliest ironworks built in the State of Alabama. This breathtaking site is truly a “lost world” of species. The site is currently the most biologically diverse piece of land known in the state of Alabama. Improved opportunities for compatible recreational and educational uses include improved access, parking, many trails and other facilities. Walk on the Hillside Glade which is directly across the road from the Bibb County Glades. The Myers property is a lovely, open forested area with streams and ravines and cliffs. Walk rated moderate. There are lots of hills. Well-behaved, properly supervised children age 11 and older welcome. There are many steep drop offs and high cliffs with no guard rails at the Bibb County Glades. Depart 12 noon from McDonald’s Galleria. Info: Joe Myers, 205/988-0741 for the Hillside Glade property walk; David Shepherd, 205/240-4681 for the Glades walk.
FOR TEENS AND STUDENTS
TEENS ENGINEERS BHM WORKSHOPS CONTINUE – Free workshops at 11 locations across the City of Birmingham continue through May 3, 2018. Young teens will listen as mentors from the UAB School of Engineering teach them computer coding and other engineering skills. The remaining schedule of Teens Engineer BHM workshops by library location:
TODAY, April 19, 4-5:30 p.m., North Birmingham Regional Branch Library
Tuesday, May 1, 4-5:30 p.m., Southside Branch Library
Thursday, May 3, 4-5:30 p.m., Powderly Branch Library
More spring/summer dates will be added later, so check the BPL events calendar at www.bplonline.org for updates.
FOR MOVIE LOVERS
BLACK PANTHER is still showing at theaters around town.
FOR ART AND PERFORMING ART LOVERS
AT THE BIRMINGHAM MUSEUM OF ART
A WEATHER EYE: DUTCH PAINTERS INVENT ATMOSPHERE, TODAY, 6-7 p.m. Join the principal lecture of the exhibition ‘OPULENCE IN DISGUISE: THE NETHERLANDS” GOLDEN AGE’, featuring John Walsh, Director Emeritus of the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles.
TEEN NIGHT: OUT OF THIS WORLD, Friday, travel through space and time. The Museum will be open late exclusively for high school students. Bring your friends to create galactic art, venture through a time-travel scavenger hunt, and learn art history hacks from Teen BMA members. Enjoy free pizza, snap pictures in a cosmic photo booth, and dance the night away at an interstellar dance party with DJ New Era!
SLOW ART SUNDAY, 2-3 op.m. at the BMA, with Docent Margaret Harrill leading a discussion on Nymphes et Faunes by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot.
CHAPTER 05: HANK WILLIS THOMAS, Tuesday, 6-7 p.m. Years after its debut, the BMA is bringing back on view Priceless, a work created by Third Space artist Hank Willis Thomas after the death of his cousin Songha Willis. Join us as we invite community leaders to talk with the artist about his personal experience that influenced the work, why Priceless struck such a chord in our community, and the effects of gun violence on our city today. This is a community conversation about art, loss and gun violence. Free.
AT UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA GALLERY
A HARDER TASK THAN MAKING BRICKS WITHOUT STRAW, an exhibition of artworks from the DOUG McCRAW COLLECTION, through April 30 at the University of Alabama Gallery, 620 Greensboro Avenue.
FOR MUSIC LOVERS AND SPOKEN WORD
AT WORKPLAY
SOUL BAND DURAND JONES & THE INDICATIONS – The Soul band will be performing at WorkPlay, this Friday. Jones was recruited to write and arrange horn parts for the IU Soul Revue but when the act fell short of singers, he was asked to step up to the mic. Fronting the Revue also brought him into contact with the future members of The Indications who all began writing and recording on a trusty TASCAM 4-track. Four years performing together onstage had schooled the musicians to play live and loud while the immersion in classic soul taught them the craft of songwriting and arranging.
SUNDAY JAZZ, 5 p.m. at the Perfect Note.
SPOKEN WORD OPEN MIC NIGHT, every Third Sunday, 7 p.m. at the Carver Theatre.
NEON MOON – Performing at the Nick this Sunday, Neon Moon is a husband and wife Country and Americana duo that formed after completing a 52 week songwriting project in which they wrote and posted a song a week for a year. Since then they have put out an EP and two music videos.
BIRMINGHAM MUSIC CLUB 2018 Season
THE PARLOR CONCERT featuring THE DANIEL SZASZ & FRIENDS STRING QUARTET, April 29, 2:30 p.m. at The Club House on Highland, 2908 Highland Avenue.
OPERETTA SPECTACULAR! GREAT MOMENTS OF LIGHT OPERA OVER THE CENTURIES, June 8-7:30 p.m., June 9-7:30 p.m. and June 10-2:20 p.m. at the Alys Stephens Center’s Sirote Theatre.
FOR COMEDY LOVERS
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
THIS WEEKEND: COMEDIAN 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.”
COMEDIAN RICKEY SMILEY ‘EVERY MONDAY NIGHT’ at the StarDome Comedy Club for Karaoke Nights.
COMING SOON
APRIL 28 – THE CALIFORNIA HONEYDROPS at Zydeco.
MAY 5 – A-LIST TALK DERBY TO ME BRUNCH and NETWORKING MIXER at Michael’s Restaurant.
MAY 5-6 – YO-YO MA at Alys Stephens Center.
JUNE 16 – LOCAL 2018 CELEBRATE EVERYTHING ALABAMA at Alys Stephens Center.
AUGUST 3-4 – SECRET STATES a musical discovery Festival.
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.
