By Gwen DeRu
TODAY…
**THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE at Perfect Note.
**CHAD WESLEY and MOTHER CETACEA at the Nick Rocks.
**THE WAILERS at Saturn.
**WATCH WHAT CRAPPENS at the StarDome Comedy Club.
**ADULT GAME NIGHT 2020 at Iron City.
**DREAMS OF HOPE premieres at the Alabama Theatre and on PBS TV.
FRIDAY…
**ART AFTER 5: A NIGHT IN WAKANDA, 5 – 9 p.m. at the Birmingham Museum of Art.
**LIT AF TOUR – COMEDIAN MARTIN LAWRENCE AT THE BJCC – The LIT AF Tour, hosted by Martin Lawrence comes to Legacy Arena at the BJCC. Comedians include Rickey Smiley, DeRay Davis, Bruce Bruce and Benji Brown.
**ALVIN GARRETT & LOGAN THE ENTERTAINER – THE AQUARIAN EXPERIENCE at Perfect Note.
**RAQUEL LILY and TRAGIC CITY at The Nick.
**COMEDIAN JAY MOHR at the StarDome Comedy Club.
**MR. MICROPHONE PARACHUTE KARAOKE at Saturn.
**JAZZ at Jazzi’s on 3rd Music Gallery.
**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 JAY MOHR at the StarDome Comedy Club.
**FALSE JASMINE, ALABAMA HEAT, ALEXA FONTAINE and DUJOUR at the Nick.
**SAXOPHONIST MIKE BURTON at the Perfect Note.
**LIVING VENUE YOGA, AMANDA SHIRES and L. A. EDWARDS at Saturn.
SUNDAY…
**SLOW ART SUNDAY, 2 p.m. at the Birmingham Museum of Art.
**Soulful Sunday with SAXOPHONIST DELON CHARLEY at Perfect Note.
**COMEDIAN TIM STRATUM at the StarDome Comedy Club.
**DRAG NIGHT at the Nick.
**THE ROCK AND ROLL PLAYHOUSE PLAYS: MUSIC OF GRATEFUL DEAD FOR KIDS at Saturn.
MONDAY…
**MO MONEY MONDAYS at the Eastside Lounge.
**BOOGIE BOMBERS and 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.
**SUBSTRATE BINGO at Saturn.
NEXT WEDNESDAY…
**COMEDIAN TIM STATUM at the StarDome Comedy Club.
**BARISHI, HEXXUS, ETHER COVEN and OUTLIER at the Nick.
**FLOR, WINNETKA BOWLING LEAGUE and WANDERWILD at Saturn.
NEXT THURSDAY…
**OTIS, ROBERT JON & THE WRECK at the Nick Rocks.
**WALLOWS AT IRON CITY and PENELOPE ISLES at Saturn.
**COMEDIAN FINIS HENDERSON at the StarDome Comedy Club.
** WALLOWS and PENELOPE ISLES at Iron City.
NEXT FRIDAY…
**GROOVE CENTRIC featuring VOCALIST CHAE STEPHENS at Perfect Note.
**GOOD MORNING BEDLAM, HELIOHEART, JOHN ELROD & HALEIGH BLACK at The Nick.
**COMEDIAN FINIS HENDERSON at the StarDome Comedy Club.
**ROMANTICALLY CHALLENGED DATING GAME SHOW at Saturn.
**ABBEY ROAD LIVE presents: ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE at Iron City.
FOR POETRY AND BEER LOVERS…
**BARDS AND BREWS OPEN MIC – Check out Bards and Brews, 6 – 9 p.m. at the Birmingham Improv Theatre, 2208 7th Avenue South. Voice Porter will emcee and host B & B with music by G. I. Magus and various beers to sample.
FOR REGGAE MUSIC LOVERS…
**THE WAILERS at Saturn, TODAY …Have you heard of BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS? The legendary Wailers continue their quest to bring reggae to the forefront of the world’s stage. Led by renowned bassist and founder ASTON “FAMILYMAN” BARRETT and original Wailers guitarist DONALD KINSEY, The Wailers give audiences the opportunity to experience their unique and innovative sound. From 1972 to 1980, Bob Marley & The Wailers performed before millions worldwide.
FOR BOOK LOVERS…
**SURVIVAL MATH: NOTES ON AN ALL-AMERICAN FAMILY – Author MITCHELL S. JACKSON tells the story of his own family and his tumultuous youth in Portland, Oregon. Part self-reflection and part social critique. Survival Math illuminates the systemic forces of race and class that have shaped the lives of countless disenfranchised Americans, through the history of one family. In four parts, Jackson crafts expansive, multifaceted responses to four questions: Who are we? What have we learned? What have we endured? And how do we proceed? The day-to-day calculations of how to survive in a struggling community loom large over his answers, but so too do poetry, familial love, and a profound rethinking of masculinity and fatherhood. What emerges is a candid, lyrical, and thrillingly alive portrait of a family, a community and a nation that still needs to reckon with its own history. Jackson’s first book THE RESIDUE YEARS was celebrated as a powerful debut that takes a raw, hard look at poverty. It won the Ernest Gaines Prize for Literary Excellence.
FOR THE COMMUNITY…
**AFRICAN CHILDREN’S CHOIR PERFORMS IN BIRMINGHAM AND HUNTSVILLE – Music For Life (MLF)(the parent organization for the African Children’s Choir) works in the African countries: Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda and South Africa. The African Children’s Choir will perform: BIRMINGHAM – March 12, 7 p.m., Greater Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, (205) 925-5972. HUNTSVILLE – March 14, 6 p.m. New Life Seventh-Day Adventist Church, (256) 241-6750. BIRMINGHAM – March 15, 5 p.m., Vestavia Hills Baptist Church, (205) 979-5920. OZARK – March 18, 6 p.m., Ozark Baptist Church, (334) 744-9381. MFLs’ purpose is to help create new leadership for tomorrow’s Africa, by focusing on education. The program features well-loved children’s songs, traditional Spirituals and Gospel favorites. Concerts are free and open to all. A free-will offering is taken at the performance to support African Children’s Choir programs, such as education, care and relief and development programs. Its New Program is JUST AS I AM. For more, go to: www.africanchildrenschoir.com.
**DREAMS OF HOPE DOCUMENTARY AIRS ON PUBLIC TELEVISION – A premiere of DREAMS OF HOPE TODAY. It is an inspiring program that celebrates the unifying power of music and spirit of resilience that will air on public television stations across the country in February. The concert documentary DREAMS OF HOPE tells the story of a historic performance at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, more than 50 years after a hate crime there killed four African American girls. An initiative called Violins of Hope contributed painstakingly restored musical instruments to the event, including violins recovered from Holocaust concentration camps, symbols of resilience in the face of hate, discrimination and racism. Musicians and artists, including some from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, performed and contributed to the creation of the concert and documentary. Directed by filmmaker David Macon and UAB University Professor of Music Henry Panion III, Ph.D., and presented and distributed by American Public Television, “Dreams of Hope” will air on public television stations nationwide for Black History Month (check local listings for airdates). With a captivating storyline written by Macon, “Dreams of Hope” blends concert performance footage with behind-the-scenes interviews chronicling the event’s preparation and reflecting on its significance. The program includes reflections by Richard Arrington Jr., the first African American mayor of Birmingham; Jeffrey and Gail Bayer, co-chairs of Violins of Hope Birmingham; Chris Hamlin, former pastor of 16th Street Baptist; Amnon and Assi Weinstein, founders of Violins of Hope; Panion; violinist Caitlin Edwards, who returned to her hometown of Birmingham to play the Auschwitz violin, originally built around 1850; and Sallie Downs, who spearheaded the initiative to bring Violins of Hope to Birmingham. Concert footage features the premiere of “Dreams of Hope for Solo Violin & Orchestra” by acclaimed composer and conductor Panion, commissioned especially for this concert. Alongside the Dreams of Hope Orchestra, the concert features vocalists Valerie Smith and Lenora Goodman-Panion, dancer Kelsey Ebersold, and the Miles College Choir.
**COMEDIAN MARTIN LAWRENCE AT THE BJCC – The LIT AF Tour, 
hosted by Martin Lawrence comes to Legacy Arena at the BJCC on Friday. The 25+ city comedy tour follows the much-anticipated release this week of Martin’s new movie, “Bad Boys For Life” co-starring Will Smith, and each night of the tour will feature Martin doing stand-up along with some of his biggest and baddest friends for a killer comedy explosion. Joining Martin on the Birmingham tour stop will be comedians Rickey Smiley, DeRay Davis, Bruce Bruce and Benji Brown.
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 MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY LOVERS…
AT STEPHEN SMITH FINE ART GALLERY…
**ARGH!!! – CARTOON ART SHOW – Stephen Smith Fine Art is proud to host an exhibition of cartoon, animation, and comic art on Friday, 6-9 p.m. in Fairfield. In cooperation with The Salty ’Ham Cartooneetas, the exhibit will feature the work of artists with central Alabama connections, whose work involves cartoon imagery and technique. Cartoon and comic art is now receiving, long delayed, recognition in the fine art community with works selling for record breaking prices at auction and galleries. Alabama has produced numerous talented artists that work in this style. This exhibition promises to be a forward-looking event that will be enjoyable and accessible to all who enjoy whimsical themes and fine craftsmanship. Buy a painting, print, sticker, or mug! Draw in the Doodle Zone! Stand agape at the Animation Wall! There will be go-go dancing. Meet somebody and fall in love! Featuring work by members of the Alabama cartoonist group The Salty ’Ham Cartooneetas: CM Addams, Brian Brasher, Sue Ellen Brown, Jennie Cole, Christopher Davis, Chris Fason, Sean Finn, Charles Fullenwider, Chris Garrison, Andy Gray, Nicole Gunter, Jamison Harper, James Hill, Devonte Holt, Hal Jones, Peyton Knight, Julianne Lett, Sam McDavid, Michael Reuter, Tim Rocks, Chris Screws, Lilly Sherbert, Stephen Smith, Justin Snead, Don Stewart, Keith Thomson, Beverly Toole, Kevin Van Hyning, Jerome Walls, Kevin Webb, Alonzo Williams, Andrew Willmore, Deon Wills, and maybe more! Free and open to the public. For more information call: Stephen Smith (205) 305-1451.
AT BIRMINGHAM MUSEUM OF ART…
Check out five different ways you can celebrate in BLACK HISTORY MONTH, from a night out, to a new work of art. Admission to the Museum is always free
**Come out to the BMA for some after-hours fun on Friday, February 7 for Art After 5: A Night in Wakanda, themed around the award-winning film, Marvel Studios’ Black Panther. Along with a screening of the film, visitors will enjoy the Heart of Wakanda signature cocktail, Afro futuristic sounds by DJ Dolly, Black Panther games, digital tours, and more. Admission is free.
**VISIT AN EXHIBITION – Check out the current exhibition Celestia Morgan: REDLINE, a series of photographs and small sculptures by artist Celestia Morgan that explores housing discrimination in Birmingham. Birmingham-based artist Morgan was raised and currently lives in neighborhoods that were once redlined, inspiring photographs in which she places the silhouettes of those Birmingham neighborhoods against photographs of idyllic blue skies.
**NEW WORK OF ART – See the Museum’s most recent acquisition titled Dejygea by modern artist Mavis Pusey, located in our American galleries. Mavis Pusey was a leading abstract artist whose work went largely under recognized during her long career. After her death in 2019, The New York Times profiled the artist and quoted curator Hallie Ringle, “Black abstract artists, particularly black women abstract artists, were often overlooked or rejected for their stylistic choices, yet Pusey retained a focused thematic vision of her work throughout the entirety of her career.”
**SCAVENGER HUNT OF THE MUSEUM – Have some fun exploring the galleries with a scavenger hunt that highlights some of the most significant works by black artists in our collection. Set up like a Connect Four game, this activity gives the visitor 10 different ways to play! Scavenger hunts can be picked up at either of our two entrances.
**AFRICAN GALLERIES – View a new rotation of works in our African galleries, located on the second floor. Representing artists from many African countries, these galleries contain sculpture, ceramics, paintings, jewelry, masks, and more created by artists living today and hundreds of years ago.
FOR OUTDOORS LOVERS…
**SATURDAY DAY HIKE – Meet 9:45 a.m. with Southeastern Outings Weekday Hike at Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve – DETAILS: Join SEO for a moderate, approximately four-mile, big loop hike on the lovely, well-maintained trails in the 1000+-acre Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve, one of the largest in-city nature preserves in the country. See remnants of old iron ore mining operations which took place on the mountain. Stop by and visit three old iron ore crushers, stop by the entrances to three, different types of iron ore mines, walk around the new wetlands area, see a real artesian well which still emits copious amounts of water, and view foundations for ore car hoists and various water tanks. This trip will involve some elevation gain hiking between the lower sections of the park to the top of Ruffner Mountain. Bring your picnic lunch and drinking water with you. Meet 9:45 a.m. at the Ruffner Mountain Nature Center Pavilion. Plan to depart from there at 10 a.m. Info: David Shepherd, davidshep2@yahoo.com or 205/240-4681.
**SUNDAY DAY HIKE, 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 without complaining and complete the hike are welcome. Share and bring a friend.
Meet at 12:45 p.m. in the Oak Mountain Park office parking lot. Plan to depart from there at 1 p.m. Bring $5/person ($2 seniors) park admission fee plus your drink. Info: Randall Adkins, 205/317-6969.
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 SATURN…
**UGLY BABY COMEDY, next Saturday.
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…
**THURSDAY… WATCH WHAT CRAPPENS…Watch What Crappens started as a lark sometime in 2012 by Ben Mandelker and Ronnie Karam. The two friends just happened to like talking about shows they watched the night before. So did lots of others, and their audiences grew and grew. Now represented by APA, which also reps Here’s The Thing with Alec Baldwin and The Ladygang, they decided to give live theater a go in 2017. The duo was featured at the 2018 Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal, where they’ll be back next summer. Bustle called Watch What Crappens “dependably fantastic”; The Huffington Post declared Crappens the “go to podcast for all things Bravo”; and Buzzfeed ranked the show on its list of “22 Fantastic Podcasts To Make Your Commute Less Shitty.” Watch What Crappens is available on iTunes, Google Play, Soundcloud, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, Spotify, and anywhere else where podcasts are found. The podcast airs five times a week.
**FRIDAY AND SATURDAY… COMEDIAN JAY MOHR…Comedian, actor and best selling author, Jay Mohr has been performing stand-up comedy since he was 16 years old. With a career that has spanned over three decades, Jay has become an artist that is very difficult to define. Never wanting to rest on his accomplishments, Jay has always pushed himself to be more than just a comic. Jay Mohr is the rarest of entertainers. After 25 films and starring in his own groundbreaking series produced by Joel Silver and the late Ted Demme (Action) he starred in the CBS scripted comedy Gary Unmarried, which was critically acclaimed and was on for two seasons.
**SUNDAY AND NEXT WEDNESDAY…COMEDIAN TIM STATUM…Birmingham native who will keep you in stitches with his southern style humor and storytelling. Tim incorporates real-life stories of growing up in the country with classic stand-up comedy to provide a hilarious evening.
**NEXT THURSDAY THROUGH NEXT SUNDAY…COMEDIAN FINIS HENDERSON…
Finis Henderson’s show brings a TRIBUTE of six decades of iconic music stars from the classics like Frank Sinatra, Micheal Jackson, Mick Jagger, Drake, The Weeknd, Ed Sheeran Bruno Mars with the sounds and mannerisms of the acts that are accurate to be uncanny. A former Motown recording artist, with his own hit Skip to my Lou, Finis covers all genres of music from pop to country to opera. An all-around entertainer like his Godfather, the great Sammy Davis Jr, Finis’ show encompasses impressions, song, comedy, and dance. This total entertainment experience has made Finis a favorite act for corporate events, casinos and cruise lines across the globe.
COMING SOON!!!
**MARCH 14 – UNCF MAYOR’S MASKED BALL at Sheraton Birmingham Hotel.
**APRIL 10 – THE ZOMBIES at Iron City.
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.
