By Gwen DeRu
TODAY
ABC 33/40’s TALK OF ALABAMA CELEBRATING 10 YEARS at the StarDome Comedy Club.
RUSTY SHIPP, HAPPY LEMMY and MILK JUG at The Nick.
HUNDREDS THOUSANDS with MATT BRYANT at Saturn.
SOUND SESSIONS IN THE GRILL at Iron City.
MUSIC, COMEDY AND MORE at VIP Lounge in Ensley.
PLUM BAR on 17th Street, Downtown.
FRIDAY
ON THE BORDER – THE ULTIMATE EAGLES TRIBUTE at Iron City.
COMEDIAN ARSENIO HALL at the StarDome Comedy Club. 
STONED COBRA and THE NEXT APPOINTED HOUR at The Nick.
SAXOPHONIST DANNY KUSZ 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).
GAMEDAY CENTRAL at Iron City.
COMEDIAN ARSENIO HALL at the StarDome Comedy Club.
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, every Saturday, at Luxe Ultra Lounge, 300 24th Street S with DJ CHOCOLATE.
TWIDDLE with THE JAUNTEE at Saturn.
FLUTIST SHERRY REEVES at Perfect Note.
FIST CITY COUNTRY SHOW 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.
SUNDAY
JAZZ AND FOOD at Perfect Note.
SLOW ART SUNDAY, 2 p.m. at the Birmingham Museum of Art.
SOULFUL SUNDAYS at Perfect Note.
TAYLOR PHELAN and JOHN ELROD at The Nick.
VIVA LA DIVA featuring WILLIAM from RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE at the StarDome Comedy Club.
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
GOOD OLD WAR with BETA RADIO and DANNY BLACK 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
TROLL 2 SCREENING with GEORGE HARDY at Saturn.
DESTROYER OF LIGHT, GREAT ELECTRIC QUEST and HEXXUS 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 JULIE SCOGGINS at the StarDome Comedy Club.
FATHER JOHN MISTY and KING TUFF at Iron City.
NEXT THURSDAY
THE GHOST OF PAUL REVERE and STEEL CITY JUG SLAMMERS at The Nick.
MEDIUM CINDY KAZA at the StarDome Comedy Club.
COMEDIAN JULIE SCOGGINS at the StarDome Comedy Club.
JOY with ARLIE at Saturn.
MAYDAY PARADE, THE WILD LIFE, WILLIAM RYAN KEY, OH, WEATHERLY at Iron City.
NEXT FRIDAY
SHAKEY GRAVES and THE WILD REEDS at Iron City.
A COMEDY REVIEW at the StarDome.
COMEDIAN JULIE SCOGGINS at the StarDome Comedy Club.
NERVES BADDINGTON, NOWHERE SQUARES, WILL STEWART and DREE LEER, A Benefit for Magic City Acceptance Center at The Nick.
WHITE DENIM with ROTEM SIVAN at Saturn.
FOR FOOD LOVERS
SAINT GEORGE’S MIDDLE EASTERN FOOD FESTIVAL – A PART OF BIRMINGHAM’S CULINARY EXPERIENCE – It’s that time of year, again. The 37th annual event is this weekend, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 10:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. at the Saint George’s Melkite Catholic Church, 426 16th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35205. Drive through service is 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. Experience a wide variety of Middle Eastern food including baked kibbee, hummus, baklava and more. There will be informative church tours daily, live entertainment on Friday evening, Saturday afternoon and evening, shopping homemade crafts, Byzantine icons, olive wood artifacts from the Holy Land and a church cookbook titled “Our Favorite Recipes”. As Father Justin Rose, newly appointed priest, states in his coming from Southern California, ‘you don’t have to travel to California to get the foods that are available right here in Birmingham.’ For takeout and delivery orders, call (205) 492-9621 or email foodorders@saintgeorgeonline.org. Delivery orders must be placed the day before by 5 p.m. Portion of proceeds benefit several local charities.
IN THE COMMUNITY
REGIONS INSTITUTE FOR FINANCIAL EDUCATION SERIES IN SEPTEMBER…
TODAY – Retirement Planning, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. Call (205) 996-0884 for more.
OUT SPOKEN WITH JOE LOCKETT TV SHOW, New on Cable TV. Check it out!!!
PEPPER PLACE MARKET, every Saturday.
CELEBRATE NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH
FOR OUTDOOR LOVERS
SATURDAY DAY HIKE ,11:30 a.m.- Southeastern Outings Potluck Picnic Lunch followed by Afternoon Kayak or Canoe Paddle or Afternoon Day hike
WHERE: Lower Fishing Lake (now called Beaver Lake), Oak Mountain State Park, located at the back entrance to the park. DETAILS: Prior to the canoeing and kayaking and hiking, boaters, hikers and other Southeastern Outings people and guests will get together at the Beaver Pavilion near the Flip Side Water Sports office, (FS and formerly the Fishing Center), for a group potluck picnic. Bring a dish of food to share with the group. Bring all food items to this potluck in dishes with a cover on them (think “like Tupperware”.) Please do not bring your food in fast food, cardboard or open containers. You may bring a bag of potato chips, but if you do, you should bring some more substantial food to share in addition. Bring $5/person ($2 seniors and children) park admission fee, a beverage for yourself and folding lawn chairs if you have them. Southeastern Outings will furnish plates, cups, knives, forks, spoons, napkins, and ice. Picnic preparations will begin at 11:30 a.m. Begin eating lunch at 12 noon regardless of whether you are there or not! After lunch you can enjoy boating on the lower fishing lake. You may bring your own boat (no charge) or you may rent a canoe from the park by paying for your rental canoe at the back gate to the park. The park has five tandem canoes for rent. First come, first served. FS has available for rent five solo kayaks and eight paddleboards. Rental rate for either is $20 per hour. Launch our boats about 1:30 p.m. or so at the lake shore. Or, enjoy a moderately easy afternoon hike along the shore of the upper fishing lake (now called Lunker Lake) in the park. Hike departs from the Beaver Pavilion about 1:30 p.m. Participate in the boating or hiking and skip the group picnic or skip the boating or hiking and come just for the picnic. Enjoy the outdoor exercise activities AND the picnic. Meet at the Beaver Pavilion which is almost straight downhill from the back gatehouse entrance to the park. Info: (picnic) Acyenith Alexander (205)529-2253; (boating) Dan Frederick, seoutings@bellsouth.net or phone (205)631-4680; (hiking) Kerry Cooper, kkcooper22@gmail.com or (205)541-5233.
SUNDAY, 2 p.m. Southeastern Outings moderately easy four-mile day hike on the Black Creek Trail in Fultondale, just north of Birmingham – DETAILS: Walk on a rails-to-trails conversion route on an old railroad right of way. The smooth trail is wide and level. No hills! The finely-crushed rock surface trail goes through mostly wooded terrain. No motorized vehicles are allowed on the trail! Well-behaved, carefully supervised children age 7 and up, able to walk four miles without complaining, are welcome on this walk. It is easy, brief, and close to Birmingham. Depart 2 p.m. from Black Creek Park in Fultondale, Alabama.
Trip Leader: Dan Frederick, seoutings@bellsouth.net or (205) 631-4680.
FOR LOVERS OF SPORTS, FOOTBALL, TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY and MAGIC CITY CLASSIC.
TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY RACES – NASCAR Playoff doubleheader weekend, Oct. 12-14. The 2018 Races are coming October 13 and 14. BUT, there is more…NEW! GET READY ALABAMA! The BONEFROG is Coming Back to Talladega Superspeedway March 30, 2019. Bonefrog is the world’s only Navy Seal Obstacle Course Race. Go to www.talladegasuperspeeday.com or www.bonefrogchallenge.com for more.
CLASSIC KICKOFF – The football season is here. October 25, 5 
p.m. is the MAGIC CITY Classic Kickoff Block Party, Concert with YUNG VOKALZ, JUST A FEW CATS, and KEKE WYATT. There will be food trucks, entertainment and more.
FOR ART AND PERFORMING ART LOVERS
NEW EXHIBITION – PAINTING AT UAB – Also Friday, a new exhibit, Painting at UAB, featuring students of UAB professor Gary Chapman, will debut at the Central Library 4th Floor Gallery in the East Building of the Central Library, 2100 Park Place. The exhibit is through Oct. 25, 2018.
CELEBRATING BLACK ARTISTS OF ALABAMA – REVEL IN DIMES, October 26-27 in Tuskegee, Alabama featuring LONNIE B. HOLLEY with JAH RICHIE, H2O, SMOOTH RAS, BAYOU DRED, CULTURE DRED and THEOLA BRIGHT. The ART EXHIBITION and Reception, Friday, October 26th, 5 – 9 p.m. and Festival and Artist Village, Saturday, October 27th, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. The Festival will be held at 1370 County Road 36, Tuskegee, Alabama off Franklin Road. For more information, go to www.artnnaturefest.splashthat.com.
AT THE LIBRARY
BARDS AND BREWS – Bards & Brews, the popular spoken word poetry-craft beer event, will return to the Central Library with a poetry slam on Friday, Oct. 5.
AT THE BIRMINGHAM MUSEUM OF ART
SLOW ART SUNDAY, 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.
BLUESMAN TAS CRU AT DANIEL DAY GALLERY – Bluesman Tas Cru has just released a new full-length album called Memphis Song. He will be performing at Daniel Day Gallery & Melody in Birmingham on October 7th, at 2 p.m.
AT JAZZ IN THE PARK
September 30 -JAZZ IN THE PARK HUNTSVILLE, Big Spring Park East, 6-9 p.m. with CARMEN LUNDY and THEO CROKER.
October 7 – JAZZ IN THE PARK ALABASTER, Municipal Complex, 6-9 p.m. with BLENDJAZZ and PHIL DENNY.
October 14 – JAZZ IN THE PARK MOUNTAIN BROOK, Emmett O’Neal Library, 5-8 p.m. with DANIEL “JOSE” CARR and VANN BURCHFIELD.
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 ARSENIO HALL. Arsenio Hall made history in the early ’90s as the first national African-American late night TV talk show host. Aimed at a hip, young demographic, “The Arsenio Hall Show” was famous for its trademark “woof woof” audience chant and never-know-who-might-stop-by guest list. The show ran from 1989 to 1994 and boasted memorable moments, some of which have become a part of pop culture lore: Bill Clinton playing the saxophone during the ’92 campaign; Magic Johnson’s first interview after being diagnosed with HIV; and Hall’s tense show the night the Los Angeles riots broke out.
SUNDAY
VIVA LA DIVA featuring WILLIAM from RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE….Viva la Diva is an extravaganza of glitz and glamour! The Magic City’s finest Drag Queens bring a splash of Vegas to the StarDome for this high energy spectacular. Have dinner and drinks while you enjoy the Divas’ dazzling, jaw-dropping performances. Don’t forget to honor the drag show tradition and bring cash to tip your showgirls for a raucous good time.
MONDAY
COMEDIAN RICKEY SMILEY ‘EVERY MONDAY NIGHT’ at the
StarDome Comedy Club for Karaoke Nights.
NEXT FRIDAY
A COMEDY REVIEW AT THE STARDOME – A fundraising event for Carin Mayo, Candidate House District 43 and Suzanne Coleman, Candidate House District 15 featuring comedians JP Laffsum, CeCe Pickett and Deno Posey.
COMING SOON
OCTOBER 21 – KICKOFF TO CLASSIC – THE ROOFTOP EXPERIENCE
OCTOBER 26-27 – CELEBRATING BLACK ARTISTS OF ALABAMA
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.
