Gwen DeRu
TODAY…
**READ THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES. Catch up on the news!
**THURSDAY NIGHT WORKOUTS with Live Females at the Blu Onyx.
**WORST SPILLS + TREES ON THE MOON at The Nick.
**LIVE KARAOKE SHOWCASE hosted by LOGAN THE ENTERTAINER, every Thursday at Ruth’s Place in Irondale, 2404 Derby Way. DJ MOSE STOVALL is on crowd control.
**EVERY THURSDAY HAPPY HOUR, 5:30 – 9 p.m. at the Kappa Komplex, 45 6th Avenue South.
**KARAOKE, 5-9 p.m. at Courtyard Alabaster Bar and Grill.
**TASTEMAKER THURSDAY – Every Thursday at Blaze Ultra Lounge, 228 Roebuck Plaza Drive, 8 p.m.- 12 a.m. with DJ Ace Twon (95.7 JAMZ) in the mix hosted by Audio Life and GMC Promo.
**THIRSTY THURSDAY at Hookah 114 17th Street No.
**THIRD THURSDAY BLUES JAM, 7 p.m. at True Story Brewing.
**TEQUILA THURSDAY at the Vibe Bar & Lounge.
**THROW BACK THURSDAY at Tha Vibe Bar & Lounge, 3801 Richard Arrington, Jr., Blvd.
FRIDAY…
**QUE’S BAR & GRILL GROOVIN’ on 19th Street in Ensley.
**LIT FRIDAYS WITH RIPCORD, 8 p.m. – 2 a.m. at 4501 Gary Avenue in Fairfield.
**OLD SCHOOL FUNK FEST with DENO POSEY at Perfect Note.
**TODD SNIDER – RETURN OF THE STORYTELLER TOUR at Iron City.
**DAMNED TO EARTH, THE GODDAMN RIGHTS & BIG OAF at The Nick.
**LIT FRIDAYS WITH RIPCORD, 8 p.m. – 2 a.m. at 4501 Gary Avenue in Fairfield.
**FREE HOOKAH FRIDAYS at Blu Onyx, 10 p.m.
**AFRO CARIBBEAN NIGHTS (Every Friday Night) at Ash’s on 2nd, 7 p.m. until with Reggae, Afro Beats, Dancehall and Top 40 Hits.
**FIREBALL FRIDAY at Tha Vibe Bar & Lounge.
**FRIDAY NIGHT RAP, Every 1st and 3rd Friday at Crescent Cultural Center, 1121 Tuscaloosa Avenue, W.
SATURDAY…
**SPRING FLING MARKET, 1-5 p.m. at Ross Bridge
**SATURDAYS IN THE GARDENS at Birmingham Botanical Gardens.
**WINE DOWN HAPPY HOUR, 4 p.m.- 9 p.m. at Saferoom Lounge Bar.
**MS. JOHNNIE AND THE JAMMERS Live After Five, 7-10 p.m. at Bistro on 19th located at 109 19th St. N., Bessemer. EVERY 2nd and 4th SATURDAY!!
**SOLD OUT SATURDAYS at the Blu Onyx Every Saturday.
**CIROC SATURDAYS at Blu Onyx.
**LOVELY WORLD with THE MUMMY CATS at The Nick.
**JAZZ FLUTIST ALTHEA RENE at Perfect Note.
SUNDAY…
**WORSHIP AT THE SIXTH, 9:30 a.m. at Sixth Avenue Baptist Church.
**WOODLAWN STREET MARKET, 12 p.m. at Woodlawn Street Market.
**FOODIES, BEATZ, VIBEZ, 2-9 p.m. at 604 Bar & Lounge at 604 9th St. No.
**SUNDAY HAPPY HOUR with JERROD ATKINS at The Nick.
**GIRLS ROUND with ANGELA LYNN, CHEYLOE MARTIN, SARAH METZGER and host ANNA HOPE at The Nick.
**2 SEXY SUNDAY at the Blu Onyx, 8- 12 p.m.
**SUNDAY FUNDAY for the grown Folks Kickback at Tha Vibe Bar & Lounge.
**SOULFUL SUNDAY WITH SAXOPHONIST DELON CHARLEY at the Perfect Note.
MONDAY…
**EVERY MONDAY is MONSLAYYY – THE CARIBBEAN WAY, 8 p.m. at the Vault with TRINI and BRENT TRINI-FRESH PIERRE. FREE.
**BIRMINGHAM BANDSTAND at The Nick.
TUESDAY…
**INDUSTRY NIGHT TUESDAY at Blu Onyx, 8 p.m.
**EVERY TUESDAY – TRUE STORY BREWING JAZZ SESSIONS, 7- 10 p.m., 5510 Crestwood Blvd.
**TASTY TUESDAYS at Platinum of Birmingham.
**EVERY TUESDAY LIT AND JAZZ with DAVID TALLEY AND FRIENDS, 7 p.m. at Lit on 8th, 518 Rev. Abraham Woods Blvd.
**FAT TUESDAY at Tha Vibe Bar & Lounge.
**LUKAS NELSON WITH DRAYTON FARLEY at Iron City.
WEDNESDAY…
**INTERFAITH NOONDAY PRAYER SERVICES every Wednesday, Noon at Linn Park in Downtown Birmingham.
**OCEANOGRAPHY + CARTERET BANKS with AL COOK at The Nick.
**WEDNESDAYS WEEKLY JAZZ JAM, 7- 10 p.m. at True Story Brewing Company, 5510 Crestwood Blvd. Food until 9 p.m. Music until 10 p.m. and Drink until 11 p.m.
**OPEN BAR WEDNESDAY, 8 p.m. at Blu Onyx.
NEXT THURSDAY…
**READ THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES. Catch up on the news!
**THURSDAY NIGHT WORKOUTS with Live Females at the Blu Onyx.
**CINCO DE MAYO wit DANNY HAMMONS, JERROD ATKINS & RICKY TATE at The Nick.
**BRIAN KELLEY at Iron City.
NEXT FRIDAY…
**QUE’S BAR & GRILL GROOVIN’ on 19th Street in Ensley.
**LIT FRIDAYS WITH RIPCORD, 8 p.m. – 2 a.m. at 4501 Gary Avenue in Fairfield.
**MAMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT at the StarDome Comedy Club.
**TRIBUTE TO JOE AND TANK featuring KUNTRY SOUL at Perfect Note.
**THE BAND KAROLINA with KAYDEE MULVEHILL at The Nick.
FOR YOU AND YOUR ENTERTAINMENT…
**THE BRUNCH DERBY EDITION on May 7 at Michael’s Restaurant featuring live band FLY DAVE AND THE PARTY ROCKERS, DJ CHRIS COLEMAN and DJ DIRTY VEGAS mixing live. The A-List Networking Group LLC, G. Ramsey and Royalty Entertainment brings you the most anticipated event of the Spring Season at Michael’s Restaurant with three party areas: The Rooftop at BAR Sebastian, Inside the Restaurant and The Courtyard, 2-7 p.m. with Brunch and Mimosas served 2-4 p.m. Dress to impress at this High Fashion event.
FOR SPORTS LOVERS…
AT BARBER MOTORSPORTS…
**HONDA INDY GRAND PRIX OF ALABAMA is this weekend, Friday through Sunday. Some of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers include Jimmie Johnson, Romain Grosjean, Scott Dixon, Colton Herta, Alex Paloum Alexander Rossi, Devlin DeFrancesco, Marcus Ericsson, Rinus VeeKay and Conor Daly. TODAY, PNC Bank hosts an in-person book reading with six-time IndyCar championship and PNC Bank No. 9 driver, Scott Dixon, and a classroom of pre-K students at Woodlawn’s James L. Rushton Early Learning Center (ELC). The book reading will both welcome the IndyCar series and PNC partner Chip Ganassi Racing back to Birmingham for Sunday’s Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama. Dixon will read the book Peg + Cat Race Car Problems by Jennifer Oxley & Bill Anderson to children at Rushton ELC to emphasize the importance of numbers and math in a fun, interesting and relatable way. The PNC Bank No. 9 show car will also be on display at the ELC, giving the children an opportunity to see a real race car, and bring the book’s lessons home in a tangible way.
AT TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY…
**Racing Weekend at Talladega Superspeedway – There have been a lot of young drivers doing ‘their thing’ in motorsports racing. Keep your eye on them. Let’s start with this past weekend at Talladega Superspeedway.
(Photo: Driver Ross Chastain)(Photo Provided)
**GEICO 500 – ROSS CHASTAIN, 29-year old Floridian led only the last lap on Sunday to take his second career NASCAR Cup Series victory. Chastain was running third behind ERIK JONES and KYLE LARSON with one lap remaining. Larson pulled out of line to the outside poised to make a pass for the lead. Jones pulled in front of Larson to block the momentum while Chastain kept his No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet steady below them maintaining pace pulling away to the win as the other two cars lost momentum battling each other. Richard Childress Racing’s AUSTIN DILLON crossed the line in second, followed by Joe Gibbs Racing’s KYLE BUSCH for third and Hendrick Motorsports driver Larson finished fourth. Joe Gibbs Racing driver MARTIN TRUEX, JR. was fifth followed by Jones. Larson’s Hendrick teammate CHASE ELLIOTT, a former Talladega winner, finished seventh, followed by former DAYTONA 500 winner MICHAEL MCDOWELL, Hendrick’s ALEX BOWMAN and Stewart-Haas Racing’s KEVIN HARVICK. Hendrick Motorsports’ WILLIAM BYRON led a race best 38 of the 188 laps and won Stage 2, but finished 15th unable to make up ground after his final pit stop in the dicey closing laps. BUBBA WALLACE, who won last fall at Talladega and led 15 laps on Sunday, won Stage 1 – his first stage win of the season lost positions in the final laps. He was involved in a wreck coming to the checkered flag and finished 17th in the No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota.
**AG-PRO 300 RACE- NOAH GRAGSON —driving for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motorsports—won the Ag-Pro 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series. Gragson grabbed the lead when JR Motorsports teammate Justin Allgaier ran out of fuel as he led the field to the third-overtime restart on Lap 123. Gragson beat JEFFREY EARNHARDT, grandson of seven-time NASCAR Cup champion Dale Earnhardt Sr., who was driving a black No. 3 Chevrolet in a special appearance for Richard Childress Racing. The Mammoth ‘DEGA, NASCAR’s biggest, baddest track, is a 2.66-mile track where Dale Sr. won a record 10 times and Dale Jr. won six. Jeffrey Earnhardt crossed the finish line .131 seconds behind Gragson, who won for the first time at Talladega, the second time this season and the seventh time in his career.
**GENERAL TIRE 200 RACE – NICK SANCHEZ won the General Tire 200 race after a three-wide move to take the race lead moments before a caution flag waved to end the race early, allowing him to win and claim his second ARCA Menards Series victory. The ARCA Menards Series race at Talladega ended nine laps early so Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race could start on time. Prior to a restart with 13 laps left, teams were informed that the next flag – checkered or caution – would end the race. Using a push from COREY HEIM, Sanchez went from fourth to first on the ensuing restart. Heim quickly took the lead while Sanchez got shuffled back while trying to block the top and bottom lines while running third. Sanchez got back in the draft, quickly getting to third in the outside line. While that was happening, DANIEL DYE was at the front of the field trying to pass race leader Heim. He first moved up to the top to block a run by Munford, Alabama native BRET HOLMES before moving low to try and block Heim. The move to block Heim came too late, and Dye spun off the nose of Heim’s No. 20 Venturini Motorsports Toyota. That’s when Sanchez saw his opportunity. Sanchez moved low under Holmes and was able to go three-wide to pass Heim for the lead seconds before the caution was displayed for Dye’s spin, allowing Sanchez to secure the first superspeedway triumph for Rev Racing.THAD MOFFITT, grandson of NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty, made a late run through the field to finish fourth ahead of GUS DEAN in fifth. RAJAH CARUTH, DREW DOLLAR, RYAN HUFF, PARKER CHASE and MAX GUTIERREZ unofficially completed the top-10.
**NEXT UP…Talladega Superspeedway was a dream that came true for Bill France, Sr. to build a track faster and longer than his Daytona International Speedway. Next up for Talladega Superspeedway is the Oct. 1-2 tripleheader NASCAR Playoffs Weekend, featuring the YellaWood 500 for the NASCAR Cup Series, the Sparks 300 for the NASCAR Xfinity Series, as well as the 250-mile NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event. For more information, log onto www.talladegasuperspeedway.com or call 1-877-Go2-DEGA.
FOR OUTDOORS LOVERS…
**SATURDAYCANOE TRIP, Meet 9:45 a.m. with Southeastern Outings Kayak and Canoe Trip, Locust Fork River – DETAILS: A fun outing on Section 1 of the Locust Fork River in Blount County. This stretch is fairly easy and without classified rapids. Along the river, see lots of wildflowers and investigate islands and beaches. Novice canoeists are welcome, but must be partnered with an experienced canoeist in their canoe. If you wish to rent a kayak from the outfitter, please notify Dan Frederick, seoutings@bellsouth.net or phone 205/631-4680 BEFORE April 30 to reserve your boat. Life jackets are required and must be worn. Bring with you 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, thick-soled shoes you don’t mind getting wet (old sneakers work well). Bring at least 6 feet of sturdy cord to tie up your canoe if you don’t already have rope attached to your own canoe. Meet at 9:45 a.m. at the Cleveland Chevron Service Station. Depart from there at 10 a.m. Reservations Required: You are required to contact Dan Frederick by email seoutings@bellsouth.net or call 205/631-4680.
FOR FOOD AND MUSIC LOVERS AND MORE…RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER…JUNE IS NATIONAL SOUL FOOD MONTH….right around the corner… Here is a little for getting you started looking for food recipes and articles on food and plenty of good food…
**CCDN FOOD HUB WEDNESDAY, Every Wednesday of each month in Fountain Heights Old Sardis Baptist Church, 1240 4th Street North, 10 – noon. For more, www.communitycaredn.org.
**ROSS BRIDGE FARMERS MARKET, May 13, 4 p.m.
**THE RISE OF THE PHOENIX – Returning this year is the Central Alabama Caribbean American Organization’s festival with the theme ‘The Rise of the Phoenix’ for this year’s Caribbean Food and Music Festival on June 11 at the DeBardeleben Park in Bessemer. The festival will kick off at 11 a.m. featuring the parade at noon starting at the Bessemer Railway Museum ending at the park. There will be the JUNKANOO BAND of performers from the Bahamas, REVOLUTION BAND and the PANSONIC STEEL BAND. Vendors, dance performances and an African drumming presentation will be a part of this annual event. The festival is scheduled during the month of June in recognition of Caribbean American Heritage Month.
**JUNEETEETH CELEBRATIONS are coming in June. Look for more!
AT SIXTH AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH
…SEE YOU AT THE SIXTH …
**EVERY MONDAY MORNING MEDITATION WITH PASTOR CANTELOW, 7:15 a.m. Contact the church at (205) 321-1136 or (205) 321-1137.
FOR FILM LOVERS…
**MAY AT SIDEWALK with the MAY BOOK + FILM CLUB – MAY 4 – BOOK: I LOST IT AT THE MOVIES by PAULINE KAEL plus FILM: WHAT SHE SAID: THE ART OF PAULINE KAEL with a private screening and discussion at Sidewalk on May 25th, 7 p.m. **MAY 11- BOOK: BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN by ANNIE PROUIX and FILM: BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN with private screening and discussion on June 14, 7 p.m.
**SIDEWALK’S STUDENT WEEKEND is May 13-15. All students can celebrate the end of the semester with Sidewalk with a valid student ID, report card or yearbook.
**COMING SOON: Family Book + Film Club for families with children of all ages. Read the book individually or as a family activity and to the cinema for a private screening and discussion with parents and kids. Family Book + Film Club meets at 10 a.m. Teen Book + Film Club is for teens in middle school and high school to read YA books and come to the cinema to view the film and discuss both works. Teen Book + Film Club will meet at 12:30 p.m. Both clubs will meet on June 4, June 18, July 9 and July 23.
**YOUTH BOARD APPLICATIONS – Calling all rising 9th– 12th graders. If you have interest in filmmaking consider joining the Youth Board. Applications close on May 2.
**FILMMAKER HAPPY HOUR is May 19thevery 3rdThursday, 5-7 p.m. with Movie Trivia at 7-9 p.m.
**SIDEWRITE deadline is extended to May 23. If you have a screenplay that you would like to submit to the screenplay competition, enter now. Accepting short and feature-length screenplays with award for Best Alabama Screenplay, Best Short Screenplay and Best Feature Screenplay.
**OTHER OPPORTUNITIES: Individual Artist Career Opportunity Grant deadline is May 13. Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film deadline is June 1. Creator Fund deadline is Ongoing. Reel-Scout you can join to be listed in the Film Birmingham Crew Database that allows you to be featured across the City of Birmingham and State of Alabama for film production opportunities. For more, go to sidewalkfest.com.
FOR THE YOUTH…
**BACK TO BASICS – A YOUTH SUMMIT, 12 – 2 p.m., May 7, Saturday, at Legion Field. A space where young people may give voice to their reality and obtain the necessary resources to build a future free of violence and illegal drugs. For info on panelists, Q&A session, and employment opportunities, call 205-254-2391.
**SUMMER CAMP – Birmingham Park and Recreation Summer Camp, June 6 – July 30, ages 5 – 12. Educational enrichment, athletics, arts and crafts and more! Call 205-254-2303 for information on a camp near you.
COMING SOON…
**JULY 7-17, 2022 – THE WORLD GAMES are coming. Look for more!
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: gwenderu@yahoo.com and thelewisgroup@birminghamtimes.com.
