By Gwen DeRu
TODAY
HUMAN BEAT at Saturn.
SOUND SESSIONS IN THE GRILL at Iron City.
TOPSOIL, ICE STATION ZEBRA and EMPIRE SPRINGS at the Nick.
COMEDIAN JUNIOR FROM THE STEVE HARVEY MORNING SHOW at StarDome Comedy Club.
MUSIC, COMEDY AND MORE at VIP Lounge in Ensley.
PLUM BAR on 17th Street, Downtown.
FRIDAY
A NIGHT OF SOUL, JAZZ AND FUN – Mose Stovall is celebrating 49 years, 8 p.m. at the Purpose Center at Dannon with Crowd Control by DJ Mose Stovall. Call (205) 862-4723 for more.
SOULFUL JAZZ FEST- Live in Concert is MAHOGANY SEOUL featuring MARLON BOONE Saxophonist. 8 p.m. at Dannon Project.
ART ON THE ROCKS, 7 – 11 p.m. at the Birmingham Museum of Art.
9th ANNUAL DISTRICT 1 MUSIC FESTIVAL, 5 p.m. at Huffman High School. Free. Open to the General Public.
COMEDIAN GREG MORTON at the StarDome Comedy Club.
THE WILDERNESS, SPUD CANNON, SONDORBLUE and VOLCANIC PINNACLES at The Nick.
RUMBA LATINA: BIRMINGHAM LATIN NIGHT at Saturn.
THE BLACK JACKET SYMPHONY presents PEARL JAM’s “TEN” + NIRVANA’s “NEVERMIND” at Iron City.
SAXOPHONIST RICK PARMA at Perfect Note.
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.
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.
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
KEEPING THE BLUES ALIVE, every Saturday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. on V94.9 FM with Curtis Bell. Request Line (205) 994-8949 (V949).
ALL DAY WHITE PARTY – Dannon Project invites you to the last big all white bash of the summer at 1st and 23rd with DJ Chocolate on the ones and twos. Cash Bar and Hookahs will be available. Come dressed in your best all white attire to see and be seen, 3 – 9 p.m.
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, every Saturday, at Luxe Ultra Lounge, 300 24th Street S with DJ CHOCOLATE.
KEYBOARDIST BOBBY SPARKS OF SNARKY PUPPY at Perfect Note.
SOUND SESSIONS IN THE GRILL at Iron City with ANNA GRACE BEATTY.
KINZIE, EL LAGO, MATCHI, and BIBLE BELT at The Nick.
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.
BIRMINGHAM BLACK PRIDE PARTY & DRAG SHOW at Saturn.
SOUND SESSIONS IN THE GRILL AT IRON CITY.
SUNDAY
IRON CITY BOTTOMLESS BRUNCH.
THE RAQUELS at The Nick.
COMEDIAN DONNIE BAKER at the StarDome Comedy Club.
JAZZ AND FOOD at Perfect Note.
SLOW ART SUNDAY, 2 p.m. at the Birmingham Museum of Art.
SOULFUL SUNDAYS at Perfect Note.
MONDAY
KARAOKE NIGHTS WITH 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
DANNON PROJECT ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT, Tuesday, 8 a.m. at Pine Tree Country Club. Call (205) 451-5177 for more.
SUMMER ICE BREAKER 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.
COMEDIAN GERALD KELLY at the StarDome Comedy Club.
WEDNESDAY
COMEDIAN GERALD KELLY at StarDome Comedy Club.
SOUND SESSIONS IN THE GRILL at Iron City.
MATT CARROLL BAND, PHANTOM PHUNK and RADIO DECAY 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.
NEXT THURSDAY
MARK HOSLER (OF NEGATIVELAND) at Saturn.
SOUND SESSIONS IN THE GRILL at Iron City.
MAGNOLIA MOON, TRAVIS POSEY and CHRIS SIMMONS BAND at the Nick.
COMEDIAN GERALD KELLY at StarDome Comedy Club.
NEXT FRIDAY
COMEDIAN SHERYL UNDERWOOD at the StarDome Comedy Club.
JONNY HAYES & THE LOVESEATS, HAM BAGBY & THE SEIGE and RACHAEL ROBERTS at The Nick.
PINK BOX BURLESQUE: SPACE IS THE PLACE at Saturn.
RUMOURS at Iron City.
IN THE COMMUNITY
ZAPP BAND LIVE, LOGAN THE ENTERTAINER and CHARLESZ AND THE PURPLE LOVE EXPERIENCE, perform at the 9th Annual District 1 Music Festival, Friday, 5 p.m. at Huffman High School (rear Practice Field), 950 Old Springville Road. There will be water slides and more. Bring your lawn chairs. Call (205) 254-2294 for more. This is an annual event hosted by Councilor Lashunda Scales to enhance the quality of life for the citizens at large.
L’CHAIM HONORS JOEL ROTENSTREICH – The Annual L’Chaim event hosted by the Birmingham Holocaust Education Center is honoring JOEL ROTENSTREICH, Sunday, 2:30 – 4 p.m. at the Jemison Concert Hall in the Alys Stephens Center. Featured guests include Steel City Men’s Chorus, with Special musical entertainment arranged by Keith Cromwell, Executive Director, Red Mountain Theatre Company including Vocalists Caleb Clark, Abijah Cunningham, and Jessica Roskin and student performers from TMTS’s Conservatory and more. Kate Cotton and David Silverstein are the L’Chaim Co- Chairs. For more information call (205) 795-4176 or go to www.bhecinfo.org.
“AN EVENING WITH FRIENDS” HEART & SOUL, August 25 at the UAB Alys Stephens Center for Performing Arts is a special event to celebrate work of The Links. It will be an evening of musical entertainment and visual arts. Mrs. Dorothy Rogers Porter will be honored. (Look for more soon.)
FOR GOLF LOVERS: DANNON PROJECT ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT, Tuesday, at Pine Tree Country Club, 5100 Pine Whisper Drive, Birmingham, Al. 35210. Four Man Scramble $125 per player with an 8 a.m. Tee Time with prizes, lunch and gift bags. Contact Kbraden@DannonProject.org or (205) 451-5177 for more.
GROWN AND GREEK WEEKEND – Grown and Greek Weekend is August 23 – 26. There will be Fun and Games on Thursday at Dannon Project, All Black Celebration on Friday at Jazzy’s on 1st, Greeks in the City on Saturday and Divine 9 Sunday. For more, go to www.grownandgreekweekend.com.
PEPPER PLACE MARKET, every Saturday.
FOR ART AND PERFORMING ART LOVERS
AT KESSLER LOFTS
PORTIA WILLIAMS ART SHOWING – Kessler’s Artist featuring original works by Portia Williams is through August 30 at Kessler’s Lofts 3rd Avenue North near 20th Street.
AT THE BIRMINGHAM MUSEUM OF ART
SLOW ART SUNDAY: BOWERY DERELICT, 2-3 p.m.
FOR MUSIC LOVERS AND SPOKEN WORD
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 OUTDOOR LOVERS
SATURDAY DAY HIKE, 9 a.m. – Southeastern Outings River Beach Party, Swim and Picnic at Barton’s Beach in Perry County, Alabama – DETIALS: Enjoy a beach party on a beautiful, fine-grained sand beach in Alabama without having to endure the long drive to and from the Gulf of Mexico. The area is an extensive sand beach on the Lower Cahaba River in Perry County next to the Alabama Aquatic Biodiversity Laboratory (formerly the Marion Fish Hatchery) and Perry Lakes Park near Marion, Alabama. The scenery is spectacular. The floodplain broadens and creates areas of bottomland hardwood forests, oxbow lakes and extensive sand and gravel bars. Bring swimsuit, towel, picnic lunch and drink with you. Wading shoes with substantial soles are recommended. Restrooms are available at Perry Lakes County Park. The hike to Barton’s Beach is easy since the terrain is level and the walk is all on trails. Climb on stairs to the top of the Perry Lakes Park viewing tower, a rebuilt fire tower with gorgeous views high above the tallest treetops in the area. Well-behaved, carefully supervised children age 7 and older able to swim are welcome, but parents are responsible for all risks to their children. All participants must be able to swim to come on this outing! Optional dinner following our day of sunning and swimming. Depart 9 a.m. from McDonald’s Galleria. Info: Dan Frederick, seoutings@bellsouth.net or (205)631-4680.
IN THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS
Family Yoga in The Gardens – Enjoy this unique opportunity for healthy fun with the family at Birmingham Botanical Gardens. This energetic class will incorporate individual and partner yoga poses for strength and balance, plus breathing exercises to help foster calm and focus. Our garden inspired crafts will assist in cooling the mind and body. Rain or shine! We will move into a classroom if the weather calls for it. August craft: solar art. Saturday. 9-10 a.m.
Photo Talk – Bring your pictures on a jump/flash drive, or on your camera’s memory card, or in print. This group is not a class; it is a casual but informative venue for amateur to expert level photographers to come together to share their ideas, tips, advice, tricks, and knowledge with each other. This group is highly recommended for those who are planning to take or who have already taken digital photography classes offered at the Gardens or other local teaching venues. Sunday. 2-4 p.m.
Wanted: Dead, Not Alive! Non-Native Invasive Plants – What are invasive plants, why are they invasive and how can we manage them? This class will answer these questions and others. Our instructor will give a regional, in-depth and up-to-date perspective on invasive plants, their identification, modes of introduction, effects on native ecosystems and management. The use of various relevant tools will be shown and participants will be able to try using them. The publications A Field Guide for the Identification of Invasive Plants in Southern Forests (USDA & US Forest Service), and the recently published New Invaders of the Southeast (USDA) will be distributed to participants. August 25. 9-1 p.m.
Lunch & Learn: Handbook of Nature Study – The impact of modern society on soil, water and wildlife. For more information and to register online, visit www.bbgardens.org/classes. August 29. 11:30-12:30 p.m.
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
TODAY: COMEDIAN JUNIOR. Kier Spates has appeared on BET’s Comic View, Getting Paid and most recently and regularly you hear him on The Steve Harvey Morning Show as Junior. He truly is a force to be reckoned with. His motto to date is unforgettable. So when you think of this up and coming, stand-up comedic great, please remember his belief that laughter doeth the heart good like medicine and the words of Kier himself – “This Just Got Serious”
THIS WEEKEND: COMEDIAN GREG MORTON. Greg has been described as having “an animated presence.” Not surprising when you read his credentials. Greg worked as an animator on such shows as the Scooby and Scrappy Doo Show and the New Flintstones. His voice-over talents can be heard on such shows as Robocop and Police Academy (the cartoon series). He has directed several Saturday morning cartoon hits including ABC’s Hammerman (MC Hammer) and The Legend of White Fang for HBO.
MONDAY: COMEDIAN RICKEY SMILEY ‘EVERY MONDAY NIGHT’ at the StarDome Comedy Club for Karaoke Nights.
SUNDAY: COMEDIAN DONNIE BAKER Famous for his phone calls on the Bob and Tom Show along with Youtube and Facebook videos, Donnie Baker is a self proclaimed, “natural born Bad A$$!” Whether it’s cussing out his neighbor Mitchell or making threats to his boss Randy, Donnie Baker has a thousand stories loaded with truth. Swear to God! Be sure to check out Donnie Baker live. You’ll have a blast and it’s also STATE LAW!
COMING SEPTEMBER: NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH
8th ANNUAL RECOVERY LUNCHEON – Celebrate National Recovery Month on September 15, 11 a.m. at the Harbert Center for the 8th Annual Recovery Luncheon. Join Pearson Hall, Olivia’s House, Zukoski Center and Fellowship House as they celebrate the successes of the programs. Enjoy a lunch and Silent Auction. Call (205) 923-6552 for more or visit www.adatc.org.
SEPTEMBER 2 – SOUTHERN SOUL & BLUES LOVERS FESTIVAL.
SEPTEMBER 15 – TAJ MAHAL TRIO with JONTAVIOUS WILLIS at Iron City SEPTEMBER 27-29 – SAINT GEORGE’S MIDDLE EASTERN FOOD 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 and gwenderu@yahoo.com.
