GWEN DERU
TODAY…
**READ THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES. Catch up on the news!
**FEBRUARY OPERA SHOTS is TODAY, 6 p.m. at Cahaba Brewing Co. FREE.
**SHELLY FAIRCHILD with JADA CATO at the Nick.
**COMPUTER CLASSES AT THE FIVE POINTS WEST LIBRARY every Tuesday and Thursday.
**MOVIES EVERY THURSDAY at Sidewalk Fest.
**KARAOKE, 5-9 p.m. at Courtyard Alabaster Bar and Grill.
**THIRD THURSDAY BLUES JAM, 7 p.m. at True Story Brewing.
**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.
**TEQUILA THURSDAY at the Vibe Bar & Lounge.
**THROW BACK THURSDAY at Tha Vibe Bar & Lounge, 3801 Richard Arrington, Jr., Blvd.
**FILMMAKER HAPPY HOUR-Every 3rd Thursday, at Sidewalk Film Fest meet with other filmmakers and discuss your newest projects.
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.
**TRIBUTE TO TROMBONE SHORTY AND JEFF BRADSHAW with TROMBONIST CORD BRADLEY at Perfect Note.
**12 ELEVEN with ZYX & BLOOD MOON RIOT at The Nick.
**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…
**MARDI GRAS PAINT AND SIP, 2 p.m. at Cahaba Brewing Company.
**MARDI GRAS CHICKEN PARADE, 4 p.m., at Mom’s Basement, 4411 Third Avenue South, by Redemptive Cycles.
**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!!
**CHEYLOE AND HER SLEEPLESS KNIGHTS WITH LOCAL MAN at The Nick.
**TRIBUTE TO TROMBONIST SHORTY and JEFF BRADSHAW with TROMBONIST CORD BRADLEY at Perfect Note.
**BIG THIEF at Iron City.
SUNDAY…
**WORSHIP AT THE SIXTH, 9:30 a.m. at Sixth Avenue Baptist Church.
**SUNDAY FUNDAY for the grown Folks Kickback at Tha Vibe Bar & Lounge.
**SUNDAY/HAPPY HOUR, 2-5 p.m. at Sidewalk Film Fest.
**SOULFUL SUNDAY with SAXOPHONIST VES MARABLE at the Perfect Note.
**SUNDAY FUNDAY with KYLE KIMBRELL at the Nick.
**CORDUROY BEACH with LADY ELEVEN, RECESS PARTY AND CAMACHO at The Nick.
MONDAY…
**BIRMINGHAM BANDSTAND at the Nick.
**EVERY MONDAY is MONSLAYYY – THE CARIBBEAN WAY, 8 p.m. at the Vault with TRINI and BRENT TRINI-FRESH PIERRE. FREE.
**6 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF BIRMINGHAM BANDSTAND at the Nick.
TUESDAY…
**MARDI GRAS – PHAT TUESDAY EXTRAVAGANZA, 6 p.m. to midnight at the Boutwell Auditorium.
**FAT TUESDAY, 12 p.m. at Avondale Brewing Company.
**COMPUTER CLASSES AT THE FIVE POINTS WEST LIBRARY every Tuesday and Thursday.
**DIAPER GIVEAWAY every Tuesday, 10 a.m. at the Titusville Library.
**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.
**THE MAGIC CITY BLUES SOCIETY presents MISTY BLUES with HURRICANE ELAINE HUDSON & THE FORCE OF NATURE BAND at The Nick.
WEDNESDAY…
**INTERFAITH NOONDAY PRAYER SERVICES every Wednesday, Noon at Linn Park in Downtown Birmingham.
**WORKOUT WEDNESDAY at Five Points West Library at 10:30 a.m. for chair yoga and other chair exercises.
**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.
**EVERY 4th WEDNESDAY at FACE’S LOUNGE KARAOKE hosted by ARETTA, 6:30 p.m. at 7070 Aaron Aronov Dr. in Fairfield.
**THE RESONANT ROGUES with JENNY DON’T AND THE SPURS and G.W.HENDERSON at The Nick.
NEXT THURSDAY…
**READ THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES. Catch up on the news!
**DAMNED TO EARTH with PUDWICH and WITCHDIGGER at the Nick.
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.
**CD RELEASE TOUR with GINO ROSARIO at Perfect Note.
**SUNNY SO BRITE with THE RUGS & JODY NELSON at The Nick.
IT’S 2023! NEWS TO USE…
FEBRUARY IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH …and full of everything!!
EASTER IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER…
**CITY WIDE EASTER CELEBRATION AND FAMILY FAIR, Sunday, April 9, at the Birmingham Crossplex with a powerful word from DR. THOMAS BEAVERS. Starts at 10:30 a.m. with Pre-Celebration live with DJ CHRIS COLEMAN, 11:30 a.m. Celebration Service and 1-4 p.m. Post Celebration with fun rides, food trucks, and games including Mind Winder, Pirates Revenge, Reckless, Wacky Dome and more. Dress down, this is an outside event after service is over. Register at www.beatme2thestar.net.
AT OPERA BIRMINGHAM…
**OPERA SHOTS AND ANNUAL STREET PARTY – Opera Shots are Opera Birmingham’s annual series of casual pop-up concerts throughout the community, held in unexpected places and designed to break down the stereotypes of opera. Opera Shots concerts feature members of the Opera Birmingham Chorus and surprise guest artists presenting an open-mic-style concert of the greatest hits of opera and musical theatre.
-FEBRUARY OPERA SHOTS is TODAY, 6 p.m. at Cahaba Brewing Co. FREE.
-MARCH OPERA SHOTS is March 21, 6 p.m. at Ferus Artisan Ales (Trussville) FREE.
-MAY OPERA SHOTS STREET PARTY is May 7, 5 p.m. on Second Avenue North in front of The Collins Bar. FREE.
**HANSEL & GRETEL is April 21, 7:30 p.m. and April 23, 2:30 p.m. at Dorothy Jemison Day Theater. Enter a fantastical world full of magic, where fairies and angels appear, and an enchanted forest leads two lost children to a candy house where they must escape from a wicked witch. Composer Engelbert Humperdinck’s fairytale opera, Hansel & Gretel, based on the classic story from Brothers Grimm, is perfect for all ages! Featuring a wonderful cast of rising opera stars along with the Opera Birmingham Chorus, accompanied by members of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra.
Hansel & Gretel is sung in German with projected English translations. The performance length is approximately two hours with one intermission.
FOR TENNIS LOVERS…
**FIRST ANNUAL GENE GILYARD DAY – February 26, starting at 12 p.m., is the First Annual Gene Gilyard Day Mixed Doubles Tennis Challenge. The levels: 5.5, 6.5, 7.5, and 8.5. The deadline to register is February 20. For more call 205-215-1712 or 205-746-2438.
BIRMINGHAM’S OWN FRED SHUTTLESWORTH DOCUMENTARY…
If you missed it…The Fred Shuttlesworth documentary is February 22 at Birmingham Southern. Don’t miss it!
FOR OUTDOOOR LOVERS…
**DAYHIKE – SATURDAY, Meet 8:45 a.m. with Southeastern Outings dayhike to view multiple waterfalls in the Bankhead National Forest – Details: This hike offers one of the best kept secrets of the Bankhead National Forest, its magnificent waterfalls. This is a trip you won’t want to miss! See several spectacular waterfalls during the high water season in Alabama with three short hikes off trail and deep in the forest to gorgeous waterfalls with turquoise water that only a few people ever have the opportunity to see. High falls, cascading falls, split falls, and views of more than one waterfall at a time. The first falls will be Holmes Chapel Falls, second will be Coal Mine Falls, and third, walk down to and along Key Mill Branch where the falls have no formal names. This is a guided tour. There are over 100 waterfalls in the Bankhead National Forest. This hike is for experienced hikers (off trail means thru the woods stepping over deadfall and climbing up and down and crossing creeks etc.). Our hike leader has extensive experience hiking in the National Forest and has picked these fairly accessible waterfalls as some of the prettiest with excellent photo opportunities. Bring your camera. Wear hiking boots. Bring a hiking stick, picnic lunch, and water. There is an optional dinner after the hike. Meet 8:45 a.m. at the Hayden/Corner Park and Ride. Plan to depart from at 9 a.m. OR… Meet the group at 9:45 a.m. at the Jack’s on U.S. Highway 278 in Addison, Alabama. Info. and Trip Leader: Doris Hatch, 205/901-8367.
FOR BUSINESS LOVERS…
**BIRMINGHAM URBAN LEAGUE IS HOSTING THE PRATT CITY BUSINESS ASSOCIATION INTEREST MEETING. The March 14 meeting is 6-7 p.m. at Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church of North Pratt, 1330 Beall Street. If you are looking for support and to be involved with a team that protects your business, the Pratt City Business Association is preparing to form a board of dedicated individuals with your best business interest at heart.
FOR MEN AND WOMEN…
**BARBERSHOP TALK is a discussion about relationships and mental health February 26, 4-6 p.m. at Trim Salon & Grooming Lounge, 2200 2nd Avenue N. Free food, vaccinations and health screenings.
FOR MUSIC LOVERS…
**LITTLE BIG TOWN: FRIENDS OF MINE TOUR – The tour will kick off in Birmingham at the BJCC Concert Hall on April 13 with Emmy Award-winning group, Little Big Town consisting of members KAREN FAIRCHILD, PHILLIP SWEET,
KIMBERLY SCHLAPMAN and JIMI WESTBROOK.
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 ART AND PERFORMING ART LOVERS…
AT BIRMINGHAM MUSEUM OF ART…
**NOTINEE DARSHAN DANCE PERFORMANCE, February 26, 2 – 4 p.m.
**HAND-HELD: THE FOUR SEASONS IN CHINESE PAINTING through March 5.
**WAYS OF SEEING: SPORTS AND GAMES through May 21.
**WALL-TO-WALL: RICO GATSON through July.
**LOVE OF ART – The Birmingham Museum of Art (BMA) is calling on art lovers across the city to pay a visit to its galleries during the month of February with its ‘I Heart Art’ campaign. NOW through February 28, visitors may pick up paper hearts at both Museum entrances and leave them by their favorite works of art while they walk around the galleries. In an Instagram experiment, visitors will be able to see which pieces are the most beloved as art accumulate ‘likes.’ BMA is one of the few art museums of its kind in the country to offer free admission to the general public with objects dating back 5,000 years to the present day. Its global collection offers the opportunity to explore the world through art made in Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. The galleries are refreshed with different rotations and exhibitions that focus on compelling themes or genres.
EXHIBITIONS include: Light Play, Expanding Darshan: Manjari Sharma, To See and Be Seen, Ways of Seeing: Sports and Games, and Wall to Wall: Rico Gatson. While at the BMA check out the Museum Shop and then come to the Wednesdays at the BMA.
AT ALYS STEPHENS CENTER…
**MONDAY – RITUAL + COMMUNITY HEALING.
**NEXT THURSDAY – RANKY TANKY with LISA FISCHER.
**FEBRUARY 28 – TAKE AN ARTPLAY CLASS.
**MARCH 19 – PATTI LABELLE.
**THROUGH MARCH 25 – DONTE K. HAYES – OBJECTS OF TOMORROW.
FOR FILM LOVERS…
AT SIDEWALK FILM FESTIVAL…
**25th SIDEWALK FILM FESTIVAL is AUGUST 21-27 in the Downtown Birmingham’s Historic Theatre District.
FOR LOVERS OF FASHION…
**CAMILLE ANTHONY SWIM FASHION SHOW, March 10, 6 p.m. at Rosewood Hall in Homewood.
**COMING SOON!!!…Look for SLOSS.TECH – JUNE 9, 2023!
Well, that’s it. Tell you more ‘next’ time. People, Places and Things by Gwen DeRu is a weekly column. Send events, your things of interest and more to my emails: gwenderu@yahoo.com and thelewisgroup@birminghamtimes.com.
