By Gwen DeRu
HAVE A GREAT LABOR DAY WEEKEND!!!
TODAY
VINCAS with ME AND MY KNIFE and JOYBOY at Saturn.
SOUND SESSIONS IN THE GRILL at Iron City.
THE SMOKING FLOWERS, AUSTIN LUCAS and HAM BAGBY at the Nick.
COMEDIAN IAN HARRIS at StarDome Comedy Club.
MUSIC, COMEDY AND MORE at VIP Lounge in Ensley.
PLUM BAR on 17th Street, Downtown.
FRIDAY
COMEDIAN LESTER BIBBS at the StarDome Comedy Club.
LAGOONS, THE PEARL, and MASSEUSE at The Nick.
KLUB MONSTA WITH LOVE MOOR at Saturn.
THE MUSIC COMPANY TRIBUTE TO ARETHA FRANKLIN at Iron City.
DRUMMER JAMES “PJ” SPRAGGINS 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).
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, every Saturday, at Luxe Ultra Lounge, 300 24th Street S with DJ CHOCOLATE.
JUSTICE LEAGUE at Perfect Note.
MAINLINE and JIMMY “DUCK” HOLMES 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.
ALABAMA SEASON OPENER, 7 p.m. at Saturn.
SUNDAY
iPUSH FOODIE, MUSIC AND ART FESTIVAL 2018, 2- 8 p.m. in downtown Ensley with Comedian Narrator BENNIE MAC, Co-Hosts CHRISTIE LEE and SHAWNA LOVES. CEREUS AND THE D.A.M. BAND will be performing for an afternoon of entertainment, good-eats, artistic treats, live hip-hop and R&B performances featuring Birmingham’s rising stars and social media sensations from all over the Southeast. (Go to ipush magazine on Facebook for more.)
2nd ANNUAL SOUTHERN SOUL & BLUES LOVERS FESTIVAL at H & H Farms in Fosters, Alabama,
VITAL 10, 7 p.m. – 12 a.m. at WorkPlay with Dana Woo Woodruff, music and more. Also, celebrating Jarralynne Agee’s birthday.
SLAUGHTER BEACH, DOG with THIN LIPS and HAYDEN CRAWFORD at Saturn.
GOAT AND YOUR MOM and THE PAPER ARMY at The Nick.
JAZZ AND FOOD at Perfect Note.
KEY GLOCK performing Live at Luxe Ultra Lounge, Sunday.
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
GGOOLLDD, THE MAGIC MATH and CAPTAIN KUDZU (Solo)
AN EVENING OF AMBIENCE 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
QUADRAPHONIC DARK SIDE OF THE MOON LISTENING PARTY at Saturn.
ROYAL THUNDER, ADLET, THE GODDAMN RIGHTS and FRIENDSHIP COMMANDERS 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
JOSEPH with KELSEY KOPECKY at Saturn.
THE JOSEPHINES and TAYLOR HOLLINGSWORTH at the Nick.
COMEDIAN JERRY FARBER and JOHNNY PORRAZZO at StarDome Comedy Club.
NEXT FRIDAY
COMEDIAN JERRY FARBER and JOHNNY PORRAZZO at the StarDome Comedy Club.
WILL STEWART, KYLE KIMBRELL and WILDER ADKINS at The Nick.
LIZ PHAIR – AMPS ON THE LAWN with SPEEDY ORTIZ at Saturn.
IN THE COMMUNITY
OUT SPOKEN WITH JOE LOCKETT TV SHOW LAUNCH PARTY – Out spoken TV Show Launch Party, 6:30 p.m. at Aloft Birmingham in Soho Square with Joe Lockett in Homewood, tomorrow, 6:30 p.m. Meet the cast, get to know what Joe is doing with the JOE LOCKETT RADIO SHOW and more.
VITAL 10 – DANA WOO WOODRUFF is hosting VITAL 10, Sunday, 7 p.m. – 12 a.m. at WorkPlay. Great artists will be performing including TIM BASS. Also present will be BENNIE HURST and DJ CJ Tha STICMAN in the Mix.
DYS UAB FOOTBALL TICKET GIVEAWAY – DYS is giving Birmingham families and local youth service organizations a chance to cheer on the team this Thursday night at their first home game of the year! The Blazers take on the Savannah State Tigers, TODAY, at Legion Field. Kick-off is at 7 p.m. Beginning today, Birmingham families and organization leaders (Executive Directors, Pastors, Coaches, etc.) can come to the DYS office between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to receive free tickets for the youth they serve. Youth service providers will be required to provide a written request for tickets on the organization’s letterhead. Each organization can receive up to ten (10) free tickets to attend Thursday’s game. Families may receive up to four per household. For more info call (205) 320-0879.
DYS TAKE A CHILD TO THE DOCTOR DAY – Take a Child to the Doctor Day event at the YMCA Youth Center located at 2400 7th Avenue North in downtown Birmingham. Designed to serve uninsured and underinsured youth up to 18 years old, this FREE community event will be held from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Area youth, accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, can receive health screenings in vision, dental, and general health. The services will be provided by medical staff from Children’s of Alabama, UAB Health System – Department of Pediatrics and Focus First. FREE booster seats are back by popular demand at Doctor Day 2018. Safe Kids Alabama at Children’s of Alabama will be giving away FREE child booster seats for children over 40 lbs up to 100 lbs. To secure a booster seat, your child must be present for proper fitting. HIGHLIGHTS: FREE Health Screenings, snacks & beverages, interactive games and prizes, special prize for first 100 youth, Zumba and home fitness ideas, outdoor play yard and more. For more info, call the City of Birmingham Mayor’s Office Division of Youth Services at (205) 320-0879.
PEPPER PLACE MARKET, every Saturday.
SIDEWALK FILM FESTIVAL–Film lovers and tourists from around the world at the 2018 SideWalk Film Festival saw more than 250 films. If you missed it you missed some very good films. One film that you would have enjoyed was “LITTLE MUSIC MANCHILD: THE MALIK KOFI STORY’. Malena Cunningham, a former Birmingham TV Anchor, directed the film. It was about a brilliant, 11 year-old Birmingham native (Kofi) who mastered the cello at a young age surpassing musicians many years his senior. If you saw it, then the music blew you away as well as Kofi’s perspectives. It left you wanting to find out more about him and what makes him tick. Cunningham Anderson’s film won the ‘Jury Prize’. Mario Page was the film’s Director of Photography. Another film, WHITE TIDE: The Legend of Culebra was a documentary directed by Theo Love and featured on Opening Night. The Sidewalk Film Festival celebrated 20 years. Chloe Cook, executive director said the film festival has grown from flat floor, folding chairs and screens on stands to being recognized as “One of the Top 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World” by Movie Maker, “One of the Top 10 Places for a Fabulous Film Festival” by USA Today and “One of the Top 10 Festivals for the Rest of Us“ by TIME.
FOR FOOD LOVERS
iPUSH FOODIE, MUSIC AND ART FESTIVAL – I Push Magazine hosts the first foodie festival, Sunday, 2-8 p.m. in downtown Ensley with DANNI ROSE, CEREUS, DJ CHOCOLATE and more entertainment, good-eats, artistic treats, live hip-hop and R& B performances. Some featured will be Birmingham’s rising stars and social media sensations from all over the Southeast.
CHEERS TO THE COOSA – A farm to table dinner benefitting the Coosa Riverkeeper, September 6th, 6 – 9 p.m. at the Clubhouse on Highland, 2908 Highland Ave. S, Birmingham, AL 35205. An evening of great food and good people to celebrate the Coosa River and the successes of the 2018 Swim Guide season! Chef Miguel A. Figueroa is once again creating a great menu for this event. For more, contact Alice at alice@asanonline.org.
GRAZE BIRMINGHAM – The 4th Annual Graze Birmingham farm-to-fork fundraiser is scheduled Sunday, September 9th, 5-8 p.m. in the backyard at Avondale Brewing company. Graze: Birmingham is a farm-to-fork picnic in which attendees “graze” on a wide variety of dishes, each produced by a different local farmer + local restaurant pair. Add in some picnic blankets, live music, and delicious local beverages… and it’s a picnic you don’t want to miss! For more, contact Alice at alice@asanonline.org.
FOR ART AND PERFORMING ART LOVERS
AT KESSLER LOFTS
PORTIA WILLIAMS ART SHOWING – Kessler’s Artist featuring original works by Portia Williams is through Friday at Kessler’s Lofts 3rd Avenue North near 20th Street.
AT THE BIRMINGHAM MUSEUM OF ART
SLOW ART SUNDAY, 2-3 p.m.
FOR MUSIC LOVERS AND SPOKEN WORD
KLUB MONSTA with LOVE MOOR, tomorrow, 8 p.m. at Saturn, KLUB MONSTA – Hailing from Birmingham Alabama, just a group of young men trying to formulate good music over great production from a talented core of refreshing producers. LOVE MOOR – Love Moor is a powerful NeoSoul artist who builds beautifully crafted, revealing songs that revolve around themes of sexuality, nostalgia, abandonment, and self love. Her music is infused with R&B and Hip Hop overtones and often references New Jazz and her island roots.
SUNDAY JAZZ, 5 p.m. at the Perfect Note.
SPOKEN WORD OPEN MIC NIGHT, every Third Sunday, 7 p.m. at the Carver Theatre.
2nd ANNUAL SOUTHERN SOUL & BLUES LOVERS FESTIVAL at H & H Farms in Fosters, Alabama, Sunday, starring MOSE STOVALL, RONNIE BELL, TUCKA, CALVIN RICHARDSON, SIR CHARLES JONES, BIG RO WILLIAMS and MS ARETTA.
OBAMA FELLOWS
APPLICATIONS FOR THE NEXT CLASS OF OBAMA FOUNDATION FELLOWS ARE NOW OPEN – The Obama Foundation is seeking its next Obama Fellows. Deadline is September 18th. They’re looking for 20 rising stars from around the world who are working alongside their communities to solve important public problems in creative and powerful ways. The two-year, non-residential program offers hands-on training, leadership development, and a powerful network to equip Fellows to scale the impact of their work. They’re searching for candidates who are civic innovators, discipline-diverse, at a tipping point in their work, not yet connected to the networks they need to advance their work, and motivated by the powerful desire to help others. You can learn more about what they look for when selecting Fellows by going to: www.obama.org.
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 IAN HARRIS. A fascinating and funny mix of spot-on impressions and clever, cutting-edge comedy, Ian Harris’ act has landed him appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Comedy Central, as well as two hour TV specials! His first “Critical & Thinking” (2014), AXS TV called “A truly masterful hour of wit, humor and derisive jabbing.” His second special “ExtraOrdinary” (2017) is just that “extraordinary”! A top headliner for over 20 years, Ian was named #25 on Entertainment Journal’s Top 100 Comedians list, was a semi-finalist in Comedy Central’s “Laugh Riots Competition” and dubbed “Top Character Comedian in Town” by Backstage West. He has also been heard on Playboy Radio and regularly on SiriusXM Raw Dog. Ian is also one of the top Voice Over artists in Hollywood, having provided voice talent to clients such as FOX, Disney XD, DirecTV, Bravo, Fuel, the FOX series “Bones” and narrated the music driven show “Mad Genius” on Fuse TV.
COMEDIAN LESTER BIBBS. Lester is one crazy comic! His off-the-hook humor has landed him appearances on BET, HBO, and Showtime, not to mention gigs alongside such well-known comedians as Jerry Seinfeld and Steve Harvey. In addition to
Stand-Up, Lester has made his debut in comedy films! He was a title character in the recent movie release, “The Rev DoWrong Ain’t Right”.
MONDAY: COMEDIAN RICKEY SMILEY ‘EVERY MONDAY NIGHT’ at the StarDome Comedy Club for Karaoke Nights.
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.
COMING SOON
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.
