By Gwen DeRu
TODAY
PORTIA WILLIAMS ART SHOWING – Kessler’s Artist Reception featuring original works by Portia Williams is August 9th 5- 6 p.m. at Forstall Art Center, 215, 20th Street North. The viewing is through August 30th at Kessler’s Lofts 3rd Avenue North near 20th Street.
LOOSE LIPS LIP SYNC COMPETITION at Saturn.
SOUND SESSIONS IN THE GRILL at Iron City.
CAVE OF SWIMMERS and THRINE at the Nick.
COMEDIAN WILLIAM LEE MARTIN at StarDome Comedy Club.
COMEDIAN JAMES JOHNSON at StarDome Comedy Club.
MUSIC, COMEDY AND MORE at VIP Lounge in Ensley.
PLUM BAR on 17th Street, Downtown.
FRIDAY
COMEDIAN WILLIAM LEE MARTIN at the StarDome Comedy Club.
TRAGIC CITY, MISS MOJO and DIRTYGIRL at The Nick.
APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION at Saturn.
MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA at Iron City.
SAXOPHONIST J. HENRY at Perfect Note.
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.
TIM SPINOSI’S COLOSSAL COMEDY SIDE SHOW at the StarDome Comedy Club.
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.
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).
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, every Saturday, at Luxe Ultra Lounge, 300 24th Street S with DJ CHOCOLATE.
VOCALIST SELINA ALBRIGHT at Perfect Note.
SOUND SESSIONS IN THE GRILL at Iron City with FRANK JORDAN.
DEAD AFFECT and RICK CARTER at The Nick.
COMEDIAN WILLIAM LEE MARTIN at the StarDome Comedy Club.
EAT DRINK AND RIDE NIGHT FOOD TOUR WITH COMEDIENNE JOY, at 6 – 10 p.m., meet in Brookwood Mall, at Grille 29.
SNV – SATURDAY NIGHT VIBES, 10 p.m. at Platinum.
DK THE DRUMMER AND SUCRE’ at Saturn.
SOUND SESSIONS IN THE GRILL AT IRON CITY featring TOMMY GOES TO H OLLYWOOWD.
SUNDAY
THE ALARM and THE OLD PAINTS at Saturn.
ARC & STONES, SHERMAN EWING and KEVIN DANIEL at The Nick.
COMEDIAN WILLIAM LEE MARTIN at the StarDome Comedy Club.
JAZZ AND FOOD at Perfect Note.
SLOW ART SUNDAY, 2 p.m. at the Birmingham Museum of Art.
SOULFUL SUNDAYS at Perfect Note.
2ND ANNUAL USPA ULTIMATE WARRIOR CLASSIC Iron City.
MONDAY
KARAOKE NIGHTS WITH RICKEY SMILEY at the StarDome Comedy Club.
BIRMINGHAM BANDSTAND, 9 p.m. at The Nick.
CARD PLAYERS SPOT at the TIDE AND TIGER, 6 – 12 p.m.
TUESDAY
FIESTA TUESDAY at 1st and 23rd, all night.
TIDE AND TIGER HOT TUESDAY, 3 p.m. until … on Graymont across from Legion Field with $.50 wings and drink specials until 9 p.m. For more call (205) 503-3880.
PLUM BAR on 17th Street, Downtown.
JOSE’ CARR at the Boss Lounge, 8:30 – 11 p.m.
BRASS TACKS, PHILOS MOORE and TYLER HATLEY at The Nick.
COMEDIAN SIR WALT at the StarDome Comedy Club.
WEDNESDAY
COMEDIAN SIR WALT at StarDome Comedy Club.
SOUND SESSIONS IN THE GRILL at Iron City.
VINTAGE VIDEO GAME NIGHT at Saturn.
BASSHAM at The Nick.
LIVE JAZZ, every Wednesday, at The Marble Ring, 430 41st Street South, Suite B.
WINE DOWN WEDNESDAY, every Wednesday at 30/40 Hookah Lounge.
WINE AND JAZZ at the Perfect Note.
NEXT THURSDAY
HUMAN BEAT at Saturn.
SOUND SESSIONS IN THE GRILL at Iron City.
TOPSOIL, ICE STATION ZEBRA and EMPIRE SPRINGS at the Nick.
COMEDIAN JUNIOR FROM THE STEVE HARVEY MORNING SHOW at StarDome Comedy Club.
NEXT FRIDAY
COMEDIAN GREG MORTON at the StarDome Comedy Club.
THE WILDERNESS, SPUD CANNON, SONDORBLUE and VOLCANIC PINNACLES at The Nick.
RUMBA LATINA BIRMINGHAM: LATIN NIGHT at Saturn.
THE BLACK JACKET SYMPHONY presents PEARL JAM’s “TEN” + NIRVANA’s “NEVERMIND” at Iron City.
FOR THE COMMUNITY LOVERS
FOR GOLF LOVERS: DANNON PROJECT ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT, August 21st, at Pine Tree Country Club, 5100 Pine Whisper Drive, Birmingham, Ala. 35210. Four Man Scramble $125 per player with an 8 a.m. Tee Time with prizes, lunch and gift bags. Contact Kbraden@DannonProject.org or (205) 451-5177 for more.
PILCROW COCKTAIL CELLAR OPENING IN DOWNTOWN – A new place to be – PILCROW COCKTAIL CELLAR. This new speak-easy will be the place to go when you want to enjoy great cocktails downtown. It is hidden beneath Founder’s Station – a clandestine bar serving a full craft cocktail menu specializing in agave spirits. Door is located in the alley behind the Essential. (Look for the neon sign).
GROWN AND GREEK WEEKEND – Grown and Greek Weekend is August 23 – 26. There will be Fun and Games on Thursday at Dannon Project, All Black Celebration on Friday at Jazzy’s on 1st, Greeks in the City on Saturday and Divine 9 Sunday. For more, go to www.grownandgreekweekend.com.
PEPPER PLACE MARKET, every Saturday.
FOR ART AND PERFORMING ART LOVERS
AT KESSLER LOFTS
PORTIA WILLIAMS ART SHOWING – Kessler’s Artist Reception featuring original works by Portia Williams is TODAY, 5- 6 p.m. at Forstall Art Center, 215, 20th Street North. The viewing is August 5 – 30 at Kessler’s Lofts 3rd Avenue North near 20th Street.
AT THE BIRMINGHAM MUSEUM OF ART
SLOW ART SUNDAY: BOWERY DERELICT, 2-3 p.m.
ART ON THE ROCKS, next Friday, 7 – 11 p.m.
FOR MUSIC LOVERS AND SPOKEN WORD
SUNDAY JAZZ, 5 p.m. at the Perfect Note.
SPOKEN WORD OPEN MIC NIGHT, every Third Sunday, 7 p.m. at the Carver Theatre.
A NIGHT OF SOUL, JAZZ AND FUN – Mose Stovall is celebrating 49 years, next Friday August 17, 8 p.m. at the Purpose Center at Dannon with Crowd Control by DJ Mose Stovall. Call (205) 862-4723 for more.
SOULFUL JAZZ FEST- Live in Concert is MAHOGANY SEOUL featuring MARLON BOONE Saxophonist. 8 p.m. at Dannon Project.
MIDTOWN MUSIC FEST in Linn Park, August 10-11 featuring BONEY JAMES, LEDISI, KINDRED THE FAMILY SOUL, DAMIEN ESCOBAR, ORIGINAL BIRMINGHAM ENTERTAINMENT with LOGAN, ALVIN GARRETT, YOUNG VOLKALZ and DOMINQUE POSEY, JOSE CARR JAZZ QUINTET, NOTHING BUT THE SAX featuring DEE LUCAS, TONY EXUM and DONALD HAYES.
FOR OUTDOOR LOVERS
SATURDAY DAY HIKE, 9 a.m. – Southeastern Outings River Float, Picnic, Swim on the Locust Fork River in Blount County near County Line and Trafford
DETAILS: Easy river float on the Locust Fork River. Swimming, sitting in the pools in the river, floating from Vaughn’s Bridge (also called Blaylok Bridge) to the location of the previous Dean’s Ferry Bridge and having fun. Bring a picnic lunch, drink, towel, sunscreen and something to float on such as an inflatable vinyl float or air mattress. You must be able to swim to participate in this outing! Well-behaved, properly supervised children age 8 and up welcome, but parents are responsible for all risks to their children. Bring a friend or several if you wish. People must carpool as much as possible from the meeting place in the morning because of limited parking space. Depart 9 a.m. from the Hayden/Corner Park and Ride. Info: Dan Frederick, email seoutings@bellsouth.net or call 205/631-4680.
IN THE GARDENS: Family Yoga in The Gardens – Enjoy this unique opportunity for healthy fun with the family at Birmingham Botanical Gardens. This energetic class will incorporate individual and partner yoga poses for strength and balance, plus breathing exercises to help foster calm and focus. Our garden inspired crafts will assist in cooling the mind and body. Rain or shine! We will move into a classroom if the weather calls for it. August craft: solar art. August 18. 9-10 a.m. Photo Talk – Bring your pictures on a jump/flash drive, or on your camera’s memory card, or in print. This group is not a class; it is a casual but informative venue for amateur to expert level photographers to come together to share their ideas, tips, advice, tricks, and knowledge with each other. This group is highly recommended for those who are planning to take or who have already taken digital photography classes offered at the Gardens or other local teaching venues. August 19. 2-4 p.m.
Wanted: Dead, Not Alive! Non-Native Invasive Plants – What are invasive plants, why are they invasive and how can we manage them? This class will answer these questions and others. Our instructor will give a regional, in-depth and up-to-date perspective on invasive plants, their identification, modes of introduction, effects on native ecosystems and management. The use of various relevant tools will be shown and participants will be able to try using them. The publications A Field Guide for the Identification of Invasive Plants in Southern Forests (USDA & US Forest Service), and the recently published New Invaders of the Southeast (USDA) will be distributed to participants. August 25. 9-1 p.m.
Lunch & Learn: Handbook of Nature Study – The impact of modern society on soil, water and wildlife. For more information and to register online, visit www.bbgardens.org/classes. August 29. 11:30-12:30 p.m.
FOR COMEDY LOVERS
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
THIS WEEKEND COMEDIAN WILLIAM LEE MARTIN In 2016, he was coming off his biggest year ever! He bleeped-out, “Cowboy Bill Martin: Let the Laughter Roll”, curse-word laced, first one-hour television special had just aired on CMT which had over a million viewers. He had become one of Carnival Cruise Lines top rated and most requested acts performing in front of 100,000 people live that year alone. Plus, teaming up with Internet sensation and stand-up comedy newcomer, Chad Prather, he created and launched the wildly successful Kings of Cowtown Comedy Tour. But despite it all, he was not satisfied with the direction his own headlining career had taken.
MONDAY: COMEDIAN RICKEY SMILEY ‘EVERY MONDAY NIGHT’ at the StarDome Comedy Club for Karaoke Nights.
TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY COMEDIAN SIR WALT. Birmingham’s Funniest Comedian is coming to his hometown stage. You’ve seen Sir Walt tear up the stage on BET’s Comic View, Starz’s First Amendment and P Diddy’s Bad Boys of Comedy, as well as clubs and colleges all over the Southeast. His high energy style and dynamic stage presence keeps audiences cheering night after night. He is one of the StarDome’s Favorites so make your plans today.
COMING SEPTEMBER: NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH. 8th ANNUAL RECOVERY LUNCHEON – Celebrate National Recovery Month on September 15, 11 a.m. at the Harbert Center for the 8th Annual Recovery Luncheon. Join Pearson Hall, Olivia’s House, Zukoski Center and Fellowship House as they celebrate the successes of the programs. Enjoy a lunch and Silent Auction. Call (205) 923-6552 for more or visit www.adatc.org.
MORE COMING
AUGUST 19 – IRON CITY BOTTOMLESS BRUNCH.
SEPTEMBER 2 – SOUTHERN SOUL & BLUES LOVERS FESTIVAL.
SEPTEMBER 15 – TAJ MAHAL TRIO with JONTAVIOUS WILLIS at Iron C ity SEPTEMBER 27-29 – SAINT GEORGE’S MIDDLE EASTERN FOOD FESTIVAL
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.
