By Gwen DeRu
TODAY
THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE WITH VOCALIST DOMINIQUE POSEY at Perfect Note.
THE BLAM BLAMS, SUNWEIGHT and MOTHER CETACEA at The Nick.
COMEDIAN WILL JACOBS at the StarDome Comedy Club.
EX HEX and SPIDER BAGS at Saturn.
LIVE BAND KARAOKE OPEN MIC at Perfect Note.
SAXOPHONIST JOSE CARR at Tutwiler Bar and Grill.
LIVE JAZZ EVERY THURSDAY, 9 p.m. at Jazzi’s on 3rd.
MUSIC, COMEDY AND MORE at VIP Lounge in Ensley.
PLUM BAR on 17th Street, Downtown.
LIVE BAND KARAOKE OPEN MIC at Perfect Note.
FRIDAY
MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA at Avondale Brewing Company.
VOCALIST JAZZ McKENZIE at Perfect Note.
MERCURY BLONDE, TOWARD SPACE, BOSS RUSH and BILLIARDS at The Nick Rocks.
FRANK FOSTER, KYLE DANIEL, and BAILEY INGLE at Iron City.
COMEDIAN JOHN WITHERSPOON at the StarDome Comedy Club.
THE REGRETTES and LADY LEGS at Saturn.
UGLY BABY LIVE, 9:30 – 11:30 p.m. at Birmingham Improv Theatre, 2208 7th Avenue South, Birmingham, 35233.
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.
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.
EVERY FIRST FRIDAY AT ZANZIBAR Bar and Grill, 9 p.m.
SATURDAY
BIRMINGHAM FREEDOM FEST, downtown.
MOUNTAIN BROOK VILLAGE’S 18th ANNUAL MARKET DAY, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. in the Village.
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).
GOOD JAZZ with BO BERRY at Jazzi’s on 3rd.
MAX FROST and SWELLS at Saturn.
EVERY SATURDAY AFTER HOURS AT ZANZIBAR INTERNATIONAL BAR AND GRILL, 9 p.m., 2024 Green Springs Highway with Caribbean, African, Latino music, Signature Dish Suya and Drink Specials.
DRUNK BIRMINGHAM MUSIC HISTORY FEST, NOWHERE SQUARES, KINZIE, DREE LEE, at The Nick Rocks.
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, every Saturday, at Luxe Ultra Lounge, 300 24th Street S with DJ CHOCOLATE.
EAT DRINK AND RIDE NIGHT FOOD TOUR WITH COMEDIENNE JOY, at 6 – 10 p.m., meet in Brookwood Mall, at Grille 29. For more www.diningoutwithcomediennejoy.com.
PEARL LOUNGE in West End.
SNV – SATURDAY NIGHT VIBES, 10 p.m. at Platinum.
COMEDIAN JOHN WITHERSPOON at the StarDome Comedy Club.
SEAN MICHAEL RAY presents ANONYMOUS DA BAND at Perfect Note.
BOBBY RUSH at Iron City.SUNDAY
SLOW ART SUNDAY, 2 p.m. at the Birmingham Museum of Art.
SOULFUL SUNDAY with SAXOPHONIST VES MARABLE at Perfect Note.
BATTLE OF THE BLUES BAND at Iron City.
CICADA, KINZIE and LLARKS at the Nick Rocks.
COMEDIAN JOHN WITHERSPOON at the StarDome Comedy Club.
TOM’S GETTING OLD at Saturn.MONDAY
MO MONEY MONDAYS at the Eastside Lounge.
BIRMINGHAM BANDSTAND at The Nick Rocks.
TUESDAY
TASTY TUESDAY, 5 p.m. doors open, (30+ before 9 p.m.) (21+ after 9 p.m.) at Platinum of Birmingham, every Tuesday. Free Dinner buffet for Birmingham’s Best Happy Hour.
FIESTA TUESDAY at 1st and 23rd, all night.
PLUM BAR on 17th Street, Downtown.
JOSE’ CARR at the Boss Lounge, 8:30 – 11 p.m.
COMEDIAN BURPIE at StarDome Comedy Club.
THE PINE HILL HAINTS, SERIOUS SAM BARRETT and TAYLOR HOLLINGSWORTH at Saturn.
FEATHER, CORAL, CALLIOPE PETTIS and ZIIRI at The Nick Rocks.
WEDNESDAY
LIVE JAZZ, at The Marble Ring, every Wednesday, 430 41st Street South, Suite B.
WINE DOWN WEDNESDAY, every Wednesday at 30/40 Hookah Lounge.
WINE AND JAZZ at the Perfect Note.
COMEDIAN BURPIE at StarDome Comedy Club.
NIGHT MOVES, VENTURE BOI and TELEMARKET at The Nick.
BARONESS: GOLD & GREY TOUR 2019 and PALLBEARER at Saturn.
NEXT THURSDAY
IRON MIKE NORTON and JERRY CASTLE at The Nick.
COMEDIAN BURPIE at the StarDome Comedy Club.
TINY DESK CONCERT: THE BEST OF ALABAMA at Saturn.
NEXT FRIDAY
ROB ALDRIDGE AND THE PROPONENTS at The Nick Rocks.
COMEDIAN DARREN KNIGHT’S SOUTHERN MOMMA AN EM COMEDY SHOW at the StarDome Comedy Club.
NITRO COMEDY TOUR at the Star Dome Comedy Club.
SECRET STAGES MUSIC FESTIVAL at Saturn.
FOR MUSIC LOVERS, SPOKEN WORD AND DANCE
PEARL LOUNGE, Saturday, 8 p.m. – 2 a.m. at 3132 Boise Avenue, S.W. Everyone free before midnight, Summer Time Fly attire and soundtrack provided by DJ CHOCOLATE and DJ PAKK. Pearl’s Famous Kitchen will be open. RSVP at www.urbanham.com.
SUNDAY JAZZ, 5 p.m. at the Perfect Note.
SPOKEN WORD OPEN MIC NIGHT, every Third Sunday, 7 p.m. at the Carver Theatre.
SOULFUL JAZZ FEST, August 9 at The Purpose Center at Dannon, featuring Saxophonist DEE LUCAS, SAXOPHONIST MARLON BOONE, FLUTIST SHERRY REEVES and hosted by Aretta Woodruff.
FOR ART AND PERFORMING ART LOVERS
SLOW ART SUNDAY, 2-3 p.m. at the Birmingham Museum of Art.
ART ON THE ROCKS – Art on the Rocks at the Birmingham Museum of Art kicked off in June with visual and performing arts from live music and DJ dance parties to artist demos and interactive mural making. The last date is: August 9, 7-11 p.m.
FOR THE COMMUNITY
WELCOME TO THE COMMUNITY DAY, Saturday, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at Zion Star Missionary Baptist. Free food! Free school supplies! Free men’s business suits and shoes, community and healthcare information.
BIRMINGHAM FREEDOM FEST – Songwriter ALVIN GARRETT and 205 UNITY CHOIR will kick off a new music festival, July 27, at Kelly Ingram Park featuring Ruben Studdard, Musiq and more. The Birmingham Freedom Fest promises to be a unique celebration of heritage and the triumphs of Birmingham’s civil rights history through empowerment and entertainment. Attendees will enjoy thought-provoking forums that will shine a light on issues of equality and civic engagement as well as performances from a variety of musicians throughout the day.
VULCAN COMMUNITY AWARDS – The nominations for the Vulcan Community Awards 2019 will close July 31. Nominations will be accepted in five award categories: Lifetime Achievement, Servant Leadership, Hero, Game Changer and Newcomer. For more details go to www.visitvulcan.com/events/thevulcans/.
MAGIC CITY CLASSIC PARADE REGISTRATION DEADLINE is August 30th.
SPECIAL ELECTION IN BIRMINGHAM – The Birmingham Election Commission has set October 8 as the date of a citywide referendum to renew ad valorem taxes for Birmingham City Schools. For more, call Birmingham City Council, (205) 254-7726.
FOR FOOD LOVERS
GRAND OPENING OF THE PRESERVERY – Birmingham’s newest restaurant in historic Five Points South will celebrate its grand opening today. The Preservery will serve soul food with an international twist for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday with Brunch on Sundays. The Ribbon Cutting will include remarks by Chef Andrea Foster and Steve Alexander Chairman of Five Points Alliance. The Preservery wings were the winner of the 2018 Kickin’ Chicken Wing Fest.
ZANZIBAR BAR AND GRILL – If you love good ethnic food, then Zanzibar Bar and Grill is the place to go every Saturday night. Get your groove on with all kinds of favorite foods from Africa, Caribbean, and more. Enjoy music of all kinds including Caribbean, Soca, African, and Reggae.
PEPPER PLACE MARKET, Saturdays, 7 a.m. – 12 p.m.
SHADES VALLEY PRESBYTERIAN FARMERS MARKET, Wednesdays, 3 – 6 p.m.
MOUNTAIN BROOK PRESBYTERIAN MARKET, Saturdays, 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
2019 BIRMINGHAM RESTAURANT WEEK – The 10th annual Birmingham Restaurant Week (BRW) presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama will be held Friday, Aug. 16 through Sunday, Aug. 25. The 10-day event celebrates the city’s acclaimed culinary culture by offering incentives for Birmingham residents and visitors to dine at their favorite restaurants or try something new, all while celebrating the landmark eateries that helped put Birmingham on the map as one of “The 50 Best Foodie Towns in America” by The Daily Meal. From fine dining to down-home cookin’, food lovers with a taste for adventure can enjoy special lunch or dinner prix-fixe menus. BRW will give 60 restaurants the opportunity to showcase all the ways they are feeding the city – from filling vacant spaces and creating locally sourced dishes to mentoring the next generation of culinary greats.
FOR LOVERS OF THE OUTDOORS
SATURDAY DAY OUTING KAYAK /CANOE TRIP, Meet 9:45 a.m. – Southeastern Outings Kayak/Canoe Trip on the Tallapoosa River at Heflin, Alabama – DETAILS: This section is relatively easy with no classified rapids. This is a scenic stretch of river located in a very rural area. Please note that for this trip you may rent one or two-person sit-upon plastic kayaks and paddles or canoes at the take out from Tallapoosa River Outfitters. Rental fees include life jackets and shuttle service to the put-in. Also the outfitter will shuttle for a fee all private boats used on this outing. If you wish to rent a boat from Tallapoosa River Outfitters, please call Dan Frederick, 205/631-4680. Please note that the outfitter has only 4 two-person canoes, 19 one-person sit-upon kayaks and five tandem (2-person) kayaks for rent, so be sure you call to reserve early. Once all their boats of one type or the other are reserved, there will be no more boats of that type available to rent! After the canoe and kayak trip plans are to go to a restaurant on the way back for dinner. Hot showers are available for $5 at a truck stop by Interstate 20. If you would like to shower, wash up and/or have dinner with us at the restaurant after the canoe trip, please bring a change of clothes and your shower things. Meet 9:45 a.m. at the Leeds Highway 78 gravel parking lot. Plan to depart from there at 10 a.m. Reservations Required: You must contact trip leader Dan Frederick, seoutings@bellsouth.net or phone 205/631-4680 if you plan to come on this canoe/kayak trip. Please advise your name, telephone number, skill level, whether you want to kayak or canoe and whether you are bringing or wish to rent a kayak and whether you need a paddling partner. You may leave a message if you have further questions. Please bring in the boat your picnic lunch, something to drink, and a towel. Put your belongings in a waterproof dry bag in the boat. Wear old shoes you don’t mind getting wet (old sneakers work well). Also bring at least six feet of sturdy cord to tie up your boat. If you have further questions, please call the trip leader.
FOR COMEDY LOVERS…
AT BIRMINGHAM IMPROV EVERY FRIDAY
UGLY BABY LIVE, 9:30 p.m. at Birmingham Improv Theatre, 2208 7th Avenue South, 35233.
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 COMEDY CLUB
TODAY…COMEDIAN WILL JACOBS…An attorney by trade, Will brings his engaging brand of comedy from the courtroom to the comedy club. Audiences will undoubtedly find him funny as charged. Will’s comedic perspective on everything from his career to marriage has made him one of the hottest acts on the comedy circuit today. His comedy has been featured on the FOX TV show Laughs. As a touring comedian, Will performs across the country for clubs, companies, churches and charities. He’s worked with comedy greats like D.L. Hughley and Bob Saget. He is also the host of the Comedy Zone Podcast where he does in-depth interviews with celebrities about their careers and lives away from the spotlight.
FRIDAY, SATURDAY and SUNDAY… COMEDIAN JOHN WITHERSPOON… John Witherspoon is an American comedian and actor who has performed in many television shows and films.
Best known for his role as Willie Jones for the Friday series, Witherspoon has also starred in films such as Hollywood Shuffle, Boomerang and Vampire In Brooklyn.
TUESDAY and WEDNESDAY…COMEDIAN BURPIE… Burpie is known for his high energy fast paced style of comedy. His jokes, his sarcastic real life stories keep crowds engaged and laughing while he’s performing. While he never thought about doing stand up comedy, Burpie was told by a woman he worked with that he should try it because she thought he was hilarious which jump started his career. The first time he hit the stage he got a standing ovation and since then he’s been on tour with the likes of Capone Lee, Ms Pat, Cipha Sounds, & Nene Leakes to name a few. He was a finalist in Kevin Hart’s Miller Lite comedy search & a semifinalist in the bay area black comedy competition. Since starting stand up he has become a cast member on Nick Cannon presents Wild n Out, MTV’s Joking Off, and Worldstar tv. “The Tragedy is not death but life without purpose.”
NEXT THURSDAY AND FRIDAY…. COMEDIAN DARREN KNIGHT’S SOUTHERN MOMMA AN EM COMEDY SHOW… Bang Productions presents Darren Knight’s Southern Momma An Em Comedy Show produced by John Edmonds Kozma featuring COMEDIANS RED SQUIRREL and GARY CARGAL with DJ SLIM MCGRAW. Darren Knight, aka Southern Momma from Munford, Alabama, is the fastest rising comedian in American history. In just a few short months, he has cultivated a massive online presence, accumulating over a half a billion views across multiple social media platforms. Darren takes his persona to the stage, selling out theatres and casinos nationwide. He’s been compared to Jeff Foxworthy, as the next star of redneck comedy. Dee Jay Slim McGraw bred on music that’s slow roasted and deep-fried like his Southern roots! Slim McGraw has opened for Brett Eldredge, Lee Brice, Randy Houser, Dylan Scott, and shared the stage with The Chainsmokers, Calvin Harris, Nelly, Flo Rida among others. When in Nashville you can find him on Broadway playing at Jason Aldean’s Rooftop Bar, Luke Bryan’s 32 Bridge and Florida Georgia Line’s FGL House. Back home in Charlotte, the non-stop DJ is a resident at Whisky River owned by NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt, Jr. He recently was honored to perform at Dale Jr.’s retirement party with Kid Rock, Cole Swindell & Billy Currington.
NEXT FRIDAY AND SATURDAY…NITRO COMEDY TOUR… Bang Productions presents the “NITRO COMEDY TOUR” the craziest comedy show in America starring Comedians Catfish Cooley & Andrew Conn. John Edmonds Kozma produces the show. COMEDIAN CATFISH COOLEY brings high energy comedy to his southern following with a punch. Don’t judge a book by its cover — he’s not just a guy drinking hot sauce and chugging whiskey, he’s a real storyteller with a positive message. You may recognize him from when he was featured on Tosh.O. He’s been compared to Larry the Cable Guy and the happiest redneck SOB you ever did meet! COMEDIAN ANDREW CONN, a Kentucky native, recently started dominating the stage with his playful personality and comical facial expressions. Conn experienced a defining moment in his career when the Nitro Comedy Tour sold out the Hard Rock Casino with 2,500 people in Tulsa, Okla. The crowd quickly recognized him as a rising super star in comedy that resembles that of a redneck Jim Carrey. When Andrew isn’t busy sharing his offbeat, true-life experiences center stage, he’s sharing his comedic journey through unfiltered videos that are sure to make you laugh. Keep an eye out for Andrew Conn because he’s the next big star in comedy.
NEXT SATURDAY COMEDIAN SIR WALT… Birmingham’s Funniest Comedian is coming to his hometown stage. You’ve seen Sir Walt tear up the stage on BET’s Comic View, Starz’s First Amendment and P Diddy’s Bad Boys of Comedy, as well as clubs and colleges all over the Southeast. His high-energy style and dynamic stage presence keeps audience cheering night after night. He is one of the StarDome’s Favorites so make your plans today.
COMING SOON
AUGUST 16-25 – 2019 BIRMINGHAM RESTAURANT WEEK.
AUGUST 17 – THE DIRTY GUV’NAHS LIVE IN CONCERT at the Avondale Brewing Company.
AUGUST 18 – L’CHAIM at the Alys Stephens Center.
SEPTEMBER 1 – THE 85 SOUTH SHOW at the Alabama Theatre.
SEPTEMBER 15 – WOLDER WOODS LIVE IN CONCERT at WorkPlay Theatre
SEPTEMBER 28 – FIESTA 2019 in Linn Park.
NOVEMBER 30 – DECEMBER 5 – 3rd ANNUAL ALUMNI GETAWAY CRUISE.
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.
