By Gwen DeRu
TODAY
REVERSELS, THE DIAMONDS VEHICLE, COREL and BLACK PLASTIQUE at the Nick Rocks.
PHUTUREPRIMITIVE AN-TEN-NAE at Saturn.
COMEDIAN JEFF ALLEN at the StarDome Comedy Club
FRIDAY
JOHN OATES AND THE GOOD ROAD BAND at the Lyric Theatre.
MR. MICROPHONE PARACHUTE KARAOKE at Saturn.
AIR SEX WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS at The Nick.
COMEDIAN MARLON WAYANS at StarDome Comedy Club.
NEVERMIND – NIRVANA TRIBUTE BAND at Iron City
VOCALIST CAMERON SCOTT – DRU HILL AND JODECI TRIBUTE at Perfect Note.
JAZZ at Jazzi’s on 3rd Music Gallery.
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
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 at Jazzi’s on 3rd.
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.
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, every Saturday, at Luxe Ultra Lounge, 300 24th Street S with DJ CHOCOLATE.
SNV – SATURDAY NIGHT VIBES, 10 p.m. at Platinum.
COMEDIAN at StarDome Comedy Club.
THE RUGS, TRENT IN THE TREES, ALEXANDER ISIAH and FRANK at the Nick.
SAXOPHONIST ALEX D BANKS – STEVIE WONDER TRIBUTE at the Perfect Note.
THE HIGH DIVERS and CICADA RHYTHM at Saturn.
SUNDAY
SLOW ART SUNDAY, 2 p.m. at the Birmingham Museum of Art.
Soulful Sunday with FLUTIST SHERRY REEVES at Perfect Note.
COMEDIAN at the StarDome Comedy Club.
THE VAN ALLEN BELT, SOUL DESERT and CAPTAIN KUDZU at the Nick.
THE ROCK AND ROLL PLAYHOUSE PLAYS: THE MUSIC OF THE BEATLES FOR KIDS 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.
PLUM BAR on 17th Street, Downtown.
JOSE’ CARR at the Boss Lounge, 8:30 – 11 p.m.
PALE BLUE DOT, VITAL, BIBLE BELT and JUCO at the Nick.
COMEDIAN AARON WEBER at the StarDome Comedy Club.
MICHAL MENERT and LATE NIGHT RADIO at Saturn.
NEXT WEDNESDAY
TURKUAZ and NEAL FRANCIS at Saturn.
COMEDIAN AARON WEBER at the StarDome Comedy Club.
NEXT THURSDAY
AN EVENING w/GREENLEAF HUSTLE at the Nick Rocks.
SPACE TYGER and PIP THE PANSY at Saturn.
COMEDIAN GREG MORTON at the StarDome Comedy Club.
NEXT FRIDAY
SYLVIA ROSE NOVAK, JANET SIMPSON and KAYDEE MULVEHILL at The Nick.
COMEDIAN GREG MORTON at StarDome Comedy Club.
THE MOLLY RINGWALDS at Iron City.
FUNK YOU and FLOW TRIBE at Saturn.
FOR MUSIC LOVERS, SPOKEN WORD
JAZZ at Jazzi’s on Third.
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 THE COMMUNITY
ALABAMA MULTICULTURAL NIGHT OUT – Join Alabama Multicultural Night Out at the Pizitz Food Hall, Every Second Friday night.
OPERA BIRMINGHAM 2020 – Opera Birmingham’s 2019- 2020 season continues with Independence Eve on January 24 & 26, Cinderella on March 20 & 22, and the 42nd Annual Vocal Competition on May 16 & 17. For more information regarding Opera Birmingham and upcoming performances, visit OperaBirmingham.org or call 205-322-6737.
FOR BOOK LOVERS
I AM ALFONSO JONES – The book I AM ALFONSO JONES is a graphic novel written by TONY MEDINA, illustrated by STACEY ROBINSON & JOHN JENNINGS with the Foreword by BRYAN STEVENSON. Alfonso Jones can’t wait to play the role of Hamlet in his school’s hip-hop rendition of the classic Shakespearean play. He also wants to let his best friend, Danetta, know how he really feels about her. But as he is buying his first suit, an off-duty police officer mistakes a clothes hanger for a gun, and he shoots Alfonso. When Alfonso wakes up in the afterlife, he’s on a ghost train guided by well-known victims of police shootings, who teach him what he needs to know about this subterranean spiritual world. Meanwhile Alfonso’s family and friends struggle with their grief and seek justice for Alfonso in the streets. As they confront their new realities, both Alfonso and those he loves realize the work that lies ahead in the fight for justice. In the first graphic novel for young readers to focus on police brutality and the Black Lives Matter movement, as in Hamlet, the dead shall speak – and the living yield even more surprises.
GRAND THEFT HORSE – The Book GRAND THEFT HORSE is a graphic novel written by G. NERI and illustrated by CORBAN WILKIN. Gail Ruffu was a rookie trainer known for her unconventional methods and ability to handle dangerous horses. When she became part owner of an untamed thoroughbred named Urgent Envoy, everything changed. After Urgent Envoy showed real promise, her co-owners forced Gail to speed up training and race him too early, causing the horse to develop a hairline fracture. Refusing to drug the horse to keep him running, Gail lost Urgent Envoy to her partners, who pushed him even harder. One more race would kill him. When nobody heeded her warnings, Gail had to act. So on Christmas Eve, she rescued her own horse. A modern-day outlaw, Gail evaded private investigators and refused to give the horse up. Blacklisted by the racing world, she learned the law at night to take on a powerful L.A. attorney determined to crush her in court. As she stood up for her humane treatment of racehorses, she also faced down the system that caused their deaths. G. Neri, the author, retells the life of his cousin Gail, a pioneer who challenged the horse-racing world for the sake of one extraordinary horse.
FOR OUTDOORS LOVERS
SATURDAY DAY HIKE, Meet 8:45 a.m. Southeastern Outings Day Hike at Brushy Creek and Sougahoagdee Falls, Bankhead National Forest – DETAILS: The hike will be six miles long and is rated moderate to a beautiful trail which runs from the Brushy Creek Bridge along the creek. Observe about nine waterfalls on this route. See lovely cliffs, hemlock trees, canyons and perhaps some additional waterfalls. If time permits, visit the nearby natural bridge (not the one at the town of Natural Bridge) in the Natural Bridge Recreation Area of the Bankhead National Forest. Carefully-supervised, well-behaved children age 8 and older welcome. Bring a picnic lunch and water. Optional dinner after at a delightful Italian restaurant in Double Springs. Meet 8:45 a.m. at the Hayden/Corner Park and Ride. Plan to depart from there at 9 a.m. Or you may meet the group at 9:20 a.m. at the Mile 300 Rest Area on I-65. Info: Dan Frederick, seoutings@bellsouth.net or phone 205/631-4680.
SUNDAY DAYHIKE, Meet 12:45 p.m. with Southeastern Outings Second Sunday Day Hike in Oak Mountain State Park – DETAILS: Enjoy a moderate four-mile walk in the woodlands near Birmingham on a Sunday afternoon. This is an excellent outing for introducing your friends to Southeastern Outings and for making new friends who enjoy the outdoors. Parts of this hike may be off the color-coded trails. There will be some ups and downs. Well-behaved, properly supervised children age 8 and up able to walk the distance of about four miles and complete the hike are welcome. Share an adventure! Bring a friend. Meet at 12:45 p.m. in the Oak Mountain Park office parking lot. Plan to depart at 1 p.m. Bring $5/person ($2 seniors) park admission fee plus your drink. Info: David Shepherd, 205/240-4681.
FOR ART AND PERFORMING ART LOVERS
SLOW ART SUNDAY, 2-3 p.m. at the Birmingham Museum of Art.
FOR FOOD LOVERS
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.
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
FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY… COMEDIAN MARLON WAYANS…Marlon Wayans is an actor, producer, comedian, writer and film director. His films have grossed more than $736-million in domestic box office, an average of nearly $50-million per outing. As a stand-up comedian, he is selling out nationwide and adding shows every weekend. He hit a career milestone with his highly anticipated first-ever stand-up comedy special “Woke-ish” which premiered on Netflix in February of 2018.
TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY…COMEDIAN AARON WEBER… Aaron is a stand-up comic born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama. After barely graduating from Notre Dame in 2014, Aaron moved to Nashville and started doing stand-up. Since then, he’s become a regular at Zanies Comedy Club and has performed in venues/clubs all over the Southeast. In 2018, Aaron competed in the Laughing Skull Comedy Festival in Atlanta and helped break the Guinness World Record for Longest stand-up comedy show. He has performed comedy alongside John Crist, Nate Bargatze, Henry Cho, Jim Norton, Bert Kreischer, Bruce Bruce, Kathleen Madigan, Joey Diaz, Sinbad, Ali Siddiq, Jay Pharoah, John Witherspoon, Emo Phillips, Jake Johannsen, Luenell, Kevin Pollak, Pauly Shore, and Damon Wayans Jr.
NEXT THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY…COMEDIAN GREG MORTON…AMERICA’S GOT TALENT!! His slapstick, physical, style, improvisational skills, and talent for mimicry create a show that leaves audiences gasping for breath. Greg regularly headlines in Las Vegas, and Atlantic City showrooms and can be heard on the nationally syndicated radio program, The Bob & Tom Show, as well as at their live concerts, the “Bob & Tom Comedy All Stars Tour.” One of Greg’s musical parodies, which has been gaining momentum online, sung to the tune of “Candyman,” is his own Obama Man.” Currently the song has logged over 3 million hits on You Tube.
COMING SOON!!!
JANUARY 19 – WALE at Iron City
FEBRUARY 6 – THE WAILERS at Saturn
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.
