By Gwen DeRu | The Birmingham Times
WELCOME TO BIRMINGHAM! ENJOY OUR CITY AS YOU ENJOY SIDEWALK FILM FEST!! COME BACK SOON!!
TODAY…
**READ THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES. Catch up on the news!!!
**ALABAMA BLAZIN BINGO, 6 p.m. at Overtime Grill and Bar.
**FILM at Sidewalk Film.
**3RD THURSDAY BLUES JAM, 7 p.m. at True Story Brewing.
**KARAOKE WITH JOSEPH, 7 p.m. at True Story Brewing.
**BEERSIPPERS ALBUM RELEASE SHOW at Saturn.
FRIDAY…
**CONCEPTION, 8 p.m. At True Story Brewing.
**MAGIC CITY MAYHEM featuring LYNAM, VELCRO PYGMIES and more at Iron City.
**MILK & HONEY at Saturn.
**METAL NIGHT with BLOOD AND BRUTALITY, CASKET KIDS and BLOOD STAINED DUSK at The Nick Rocks.
**ROARING 20’s Gatsby Murder, 6:30 p.m .at Arlington historic House and Gardens.
**NORTH MISSISSIPPI ALLSTARS, 8 p.m. at Avondale Brewing Company.
SATURDAY…
**SATURDAY MORNING CARTOONS (FREE), 10 – 11:45 a.m. at Sidewalk Film Fest, 1821 2nd Avenue North, downtown.
**SELF-SOOTHE SATURDAY: ART AND YOGA, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the Birmingham Museum of Art.
**Film: WE STRANGERS, 12:30 p.m. at ASFA Dorothy Jemison Day Theatre.
**COMMUTED a Sidewalk Fest Film, 12:30 – 2p.m. at the Carver Theatre. Sponsored by the Alabama Appleseed Center for Law and Justice.
**JAMMIN’: AN IMPROV JAM, 1-2 p.m. at the ASFA Black Box with live comedy. There are surprise guests, also.
**Film: ERA OCULTA, 3 p.m. at the Carver Theatre.
**ALT ART MARKET, 5 p.m. at True Story Brewing.
**Film: WHERE LIFE BEGINS, 5:15 p.m. at ASFA Black Box. A Senegalese immigrant’s journey to mother-hood takes an unusual turn.
Film: DORIS, 5:15 p.m. at ASFA Black Box. – In Ghana, a young woman struggles with disruptive fits and a growing jealousy toward her friend.
**SECRET SCREENINGS, 5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. at the Sidewalk Cinema Theater B and A. You don’t want to miss these.
**AFTER DARK, 7:45 p.m. at ASFA BLACK BOX with Burn Out, The Rainbow Bridge, Who’s There?, Chairs, Lemon-Aid, Neon Banana, The Others Partners, and Deathless.
**SEAN OF THE SOUTH will sing the National Anthem and throw out the first pitch at the Birmingham Barons baseball game.
**WASHED OUT at Iron City.
**SOULTOPIA at Saturn.
**LATE NIGHT SATURDAY NIGHT with R.1.Y.T. at The Nick Rocks.
**NOLAN’S FLIGHT AND MALICE JACKSON at The Nick Rocks.
**PARTY ON SET! SATURDAY NIGHT at WorkPlay.
**STEPH AND THE WEB, BROTHA JOSH, THE RUGS, 8 p.m. in the Upstairs at Avondale
SUNDAY…
**BLACK LENS DOCUMENTARY, 1:15 p.m. at ASFA BLACK BOX. See the films: Weree, Solace of Sisterhood, Mama’s Sundry, Please Ask For It, Ma njaye Masaala A se ka Wometi (From God to Man), Legacy in the Making: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Empathy in Africa.
**BURGERS, 3 p.m. and EASE BACK 4th SUNDAYS, 5 p.m. at True Story Brewing.
**Film: ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTARIES, 4 p.m. at ASFA Black Box including Tuhaymani’chi Pal Waniqa (The Water Flows Always), Trash & Burn, The Return of Noouhan-Toka’na (Swift Fox), FL*shing Injustice, and TreeHugger.
**Film: PINE GROVE: MORE THAN A SCHOOL- Pine Grove was built in 1917 to educate African American children in the South during the Jim Crow era. The historic schoolhouse is now listed on America’s “Most Endangered Historic Places.”
**KAT HUNTER at The Nick Rocks.
**EVERY 4TH SUNDAY TAYLOR HOLLINGSWORTH at The Nick Rocks.
MONDAY…
**THE MOTH BIRMINGHAM STORYSLAM: HOT MESS at Saturn.
TUESDAY…
**THRA with DEFENSE WOUND and SERAPHIC ENTOMBMENT at Saturn.
BIRMINGHAM SONGWRITER’S ROUND EVERY TUESDAY with SUSANNAH SEALES at The Nick Rocks.
**JOSE CARR EVERY TUESDAY NIGHT at True Story Brewing.
WEDNESDAY…
**THE COLLECTION at Saturn.
**REAL FUNNY COMEDY WEDNESDAYS at True Story Brewing. Sign up at 7:30 p.m.
NEXT THURSDAY…
**READ THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES. Catch up on the news!!!
**BLUES JAM EVERY 3rd THURSDAY, 7- 10 p.m. at True Story Brewing.
**OPEN MIC THURSDAYS with EUNICE ELLIOTT, 7 p.m. at StarDome Comedy Club.
**SISTER CITIES SHOWCASE with COMEDIANS FUNNYMAINE AND JOEY LYCETT – From Birmingham, Alabama to Birmingham UK. Live taping to be aired on Skymax in the UK.
**GLADYS IMPROV at Saturn.
LAST WAVE INDIE NIGHT at the Nick featuring ALEXA FONTAINE, DANNY HAMMONS, COLBY REGISTER & TBA at The Nick Rocks.
NEXT FRIDAY…
**GOGOL BORDELLO at Iron City.
**GIMME GIMME DISCO at Saturn.
THIS WEEK ….
**SATURDAY – 21st ANNUAL TASTE OF 4th AVENUE JAZZ FESTIVAL, 2-10 p.m. in downtown Birmingham, with live music, spoken word, dance, vendors and more.
NEXT WEEK…
**NEXT SATURDAY – JAMAICA BAMA REGGAE BLOCK PARTY, 7 p.m. at Black Creek Tavern in Fultondale, 1731 Decatur Highway. If you love Caribbean food and drink, come and grab a rum punch and pineapple bowl and enjoy the Caribbean Party for Adults ONLY. There will be JERK CHICKEN AND SHRIMP (Specials 7-9 p.m.) Hosted by Rich Muzic, with Island Vibe Beats by TRINI FRESH/DJ PUMPKIN. There is a Limbo Line contest. FOR PARTY BUS INFO, call or text 205-538-1533 OR 205-427-0710. (If you are experiencing any symptoms associated with respiratory illness, including shortness of breath, fever, or cough, they ask that you stay home.
**NEXT SATURDAY – PURPLE MADNESS -TRIBUTE TO PRINCE at Iron City.
ALL WEEK LONG…SIDEWALK FILM FEST – This week through Sunday, is the Annual Sidewalk Film Festival in Birmingham. There will be films of all kinds including documentary, narrative, and shorts of all kind for youth, after dark, Black Lens, animated, music videos and more.
….HERE ARE A FEW PICKED FOR YOU…but don’t take my word, check the full list every day… Go to Sidewalk Film Fest location and the website.
TODAY…
**Black Lens Spotlight Night – The SOUTH GOT SOMETHING TO SAY, 7 p.m. at the Sidewalk Film Center + Cinema. The documentary serves as a nostalgic journey through the evolution of Southern Hip-Hop, resonating with those who grew up in the ‘80s and ‘90s. It captures the essence of an era, blending good times and challenges while celebrating the transformative power of music. It offers a compelling narrative that reflects on both the hardships and triumphs of Southern artists in showcasing their contributions to a genre that shaped a generation. The documentary educates and evokes a sense of cultural pride and musical appreciation.
FRIDAY… (Bessemer Native Andre Holland is in the film.)
**OPENING NIGHT – Film: EXHIBITING FORGIVENESS, 7 p.m. at the Alabama Theatre. The film follows the journey of Tarrell (Andre Holland) a successful Black artist whose life is disrupted by the return of his estranged father, La’Ron (John Earl Jelks) a recovering addict seeking reconciliation. While his mother, Joyce (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor) has forgiven La’Ron, Tarrell grapples with the challenges of forgiveness. The film is directed by Titus Kaphar and blends emotional depth and visual artistry, exploring themes of familial strife and complexities of forgiveness against the backdrop of the contemporary art world. -T.Marie King, Lead Shorts & Black Lens Programmer.
SATURDAY…
**Film: FAMILY TREE, 10 a.m. at the Carver Theatre. Rarely do we get to explore the lives of Black families as they navigate the adversity that comes with generational wealth. This film is a story of the Newby and Williams families as they work to maintain the land their grandparents passed down. Among the challenges they face are corrupt land developers, growing environmental demands and family dynamics. Directed by Jennifer MacArthur. Directed by Jennifer MacArthur.- Patrick Johnson, Shorts Programmer.
**Film: COMMUTED, 12:30 – 2 p.m. at the Carver Theatre. This film is about Danielle Metz’s triple life sentence that was commuted and how she got a rare chance to regain the life and family that she’d been dreaming about in prison. But back home in New Orleans, she steps into a different reality. Commuted traces her journey to find a purpose and love, and to confront the wounds in incarceration that linger after release from prison.
**Film: FOLLOWING HARRY, 5:30 p.m. at the Carver Theatre. This film is a powerful call to action that challenges audiences to reflect on the progress made and the work that still lies ahead in the pursuit of social justice. It is a testament to Belafonte’s influence and a reminder of the importance of continuing the struggle for a just and equitable world. Directed by Susanne Rostock.
**Film: IT WAS ALL A DREAM, 8 p.m. at the Carver Theatre. Thirty years ago, New York University music journalist dream hampton dug into the emerging world of a male-dominated rap scene. She persistently questioned rap icons about the role of female rappers in the industry and captured raw footage from artists like Lil’ Kim, Snoop, Biggie and Dr. Dre. Directed by dream hampton.
SUNDAY…
**Film: MAX ROACH: THE DRUM ALSO WALTZES, 10 a.m. at the Carver Theatre. The film is about a musician whose far-retching ambitions were inspired and challenged by the inequities of society. His stunningly diverse seven-decade career marked him as one of the greatest musical artists of the 20th century – and a pioneering cultural activist – at times when the nation was steeped in racism. Directed by Sam Pollard and Ben Shapiro.
**Film: BLACK TABLE, 12:15 p.m. at the Carver Theatre. This documentary chronicles the experiences of Black students at Yale University during the ‘90s. Against the backdrop of affirmative action debates and cultural shifts of the era, it focuses on a group of students who form a close-knit community around a dining table. Directed by John Antonio James and Billy Mack.
**Film: A SYMPHONY CELEBRATION: THE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA, 2:30 p.m. at the Carver Theatre. With DR. HENRY PANION, III. This was collaboration with Grammy Award-winning artists, an orchestra, and choir featuring members from Historically Black Colleges and Universities and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Directed by Michael Edwards and Henry Panion.
**Film: TUXEDO JUNCTION, 4:45 p.m. at Carver Theatre. The Almost Lost Story of Tuxedo Junction is a feature-length documentary about the rise and fall of a small neighborhood in Alabama that produced some of the finest Black Musicians in American history – who they were, how they came to be and why they should be remembered and celebrated. – Directed by Katie Rogers.
**CLOSING NIGHT – Film: MISSING FROM FIRE TRAIL ROAD, 6 p.m. at the Alabama Theatre. The film is a riveting documentary detailing the case of Mary Ellen Johnson–Davis, a Native American woman who disappeared in 2020. Her story exposes how hundreds of indigenous women continue to go missing in the United States of America., perpetuating trans-generational trauma on Indian reservations.- Sabrina Van Tassel Director.
**Film: SEEKING MAVIS BEACON, 7 p.m. at the Carver Theatre. The film is about the most recognizable woman in technology. Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing taught millions globally, but the software’s Haitian-born cover model vanished decades ago. Seeking Mavis Beacon follows two DIY detectives as they search for the model and pose questions about identity and artificial intelligence. Directed by Jazmin Jones. – T.Marie King, Lead Shorts & Black Lens Programmer.
FOR BOOK LOVERS…
**BOOK: NIGHT FLYER – HARRIET TUBMAN and the FAITH DREAMS of a FREE PEOPLE by Author TIYA MILES. The book explores Tubman’s Spiritual life, inner world and intimate relationships. Tubman was an abolitionist, hero and addressed slavery to freedom. A little history for you.
**BOOK: IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK by author JAMES BALDWIN. Baldwin is well known for many books. This book is set in the 1970s Harlem and is a love story about the relationship between Tish, a pregnant 19-year-old and Fonny, her finance’ a 22-year-old sculptor. The book explores two Black families that are trying to survive against the odds of a deeply racist criminal justice system where Fonny is falsely accused of rape and being arrested.
FOR YOUTH…JOBS AND CAREERS…
**LEAD EARLY BIRMINGHAM 2024-2025 COHORT APPLICATION deadline is August 30. Apply at www.bhamyouthfirst.or/leadearly. This is for families and children ages birth through five. To learn more visit bhamyouthfirst.org/leadearly-birmingham/ OR call 205-320-0879 OR email: dys@birminghamal.gov.
**SAFE HAVEN INITIATIVE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM is Monday through Wednesday for grades K-5 beginning September 9, 3:30- 7 p.m. that will provide reading initiative, chess club, homework help, creative writing and tutoring. It will be in Central Park, Ensley, Memorial, Hawkins, Fountain Heights, or ML King. Call 205-254-2391 for location and more information. This is a Birmingham Parks and Recreation After School Program.
**FALL TRADE EXPO 2024 – Looking for career opportunities? Then this is for you. UAB’s TRIO Educational Opportunity Center’s Fall Trade Expo 2024 is September 5, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. with plumbing, GED, CNA, PST, CDL, Cosmetology, welding and more, at the Birmingham downtown Library, at 2100 Park Place North. Sign up for a trade or apply for a job. For more information, contact Rico Drakes at 205-224-7571 or rdrakes@uab.edu.
**STRIVE BIRMINGHAM, a 10 week, NO COST PROGRAM to start a career in Healthcare and Office Operations. Program includes training, certifications and job placement assistance, earn-as-you-learn incentives for students and lifetime support services for graduates. Strive helps people facing the biggest societal barriers to employment obtain the training and support they need to build a career. Visit www.strive.org/birmingham OR contact birmingham@strive.org.
**BETTERHELP – Think Big Foundation and BetterHelp are bringing you free therapy. Betterhelp removes the traditional barriers to therapy to give everyone access to affordable and convenient mental health care – 100% online. Think Big Foundation has partnered with BetterHelp to offer 3-months of free therapy to support you and give you a head start on your mental wellness journey. Starting therapy for the first time is something to be proud of, but it can also feel daunting. Here are a few reminders about the process: Your therapist isn’t here to judge you. BE honest and be authentically you. It’s ok to start therapy even if you feel like you don’t have lots to talk about. Figuring out your goals is part of the process. Your therapist cares about who you are and how you’re doing. The relationship between you is where a lot of the most important work happens. Switching therapists is totally ok. You can switch anytime and as many times as you need to find the right fit. Go to betterhelp.com/voucher and type in: think-big. Have a question? Email contact@betterhelp.com.
**BIRMINGHAM CAREER CENTER WORK BASED LEARNING is short-term training on the job for young adults. Employers benefit also. Information of what or how you can help is available. Young adults develop occupational skills through worksite instruction & supervised job tasks in a structured, paid work experience. (Earn while you learn.) It is available to in-school and out-of-school youth and can be part time, full-time, internship, summertime and more. Go to the Birmingham Career Center, 3216 4th Avenue S, Birmingham, 35222 OR Call 205-582-5200. TODAY!
**BE THE PEACE COMMON GROUND INITIATIVE will help empower youth in Birmingham City Schools. Common ground is a restorative justice program.
**BROOKS LAW GROUP CAR ACCIDENT SCHOLARSHIP is accepting application for their annual Car Accident Scholarship. It is open to high school seniors and undergraduate students. The deadline for applications is December 31. The scholarship amount that will be awarded is $1,000.
Well, that’s it. Tell you more ‘next’ time. People, Places and Things by Gwen DeRu is a weekly column. Send your contact info with your events, your things of interest and more to: gwenderu@yahoo.com and thelewisgroup@birminghamtimes.com.
