THURSDAY, September 2
SELECT YOUR SCENE: Nights at the Firehouse, you’re most likely to see a string of four or five obscure bands with exceedingly esoteric names. The venue has been going strong almost a year now under this regiment—booking shows on four to five days out of the week, cramming the line-up full, and letting loose. So far it’s seemed to work like a charm, enough that the venue can afford to go out of its way this month to arrange some broader, more eclectic events. This Thursday, D.I.Y. Birmingham and the Birmingham Art Collective are teaming up to bring you a night of cool art and chill tunes. Come out and check out the sounds of local favorites Duquette Johnson and Taylor Shaw of Great Book of John before the main act, Paleo, a simple, low-key artist operating somewhere between indie and lounge music. While you’re there, you can walk around and look at some genuinely impressive artwork from Mark Roberts, Dan Gavin, Leah Thornton, Andrew Thompson, Joanna Holloway, Moriah Osborn and more. So come on out to this haven on the edge of town and relax with the “artsy” side of the Firehouse. The night starts at 7 p.m., and goes until 11:30 p.m. The cover is $5. For more information on the event you can go to www.thebirminghamartcollective.com or www.diybirmingham.com. And to learn about more shows at the Firehouse, visit www.myspace.com/springstreetfirehouse.
FRIDAY September 3
NICE AND TIDE-Y: Alabama Football is almost 120 years old now. On one hand, that’s not much time compared to the history of the United States. On the other hand, the legacy of the Crimson Tide is probably better-documented than many periods in our U.S. history. Devote 368 pages to the Tide and Tide alone—you’re bound to have one comprehensive volume. Such is the length of author Winston Groom’s new book, The Crimson Tide National Championship Edition: The Official Illustrated History of Alabama Football. The book takes you from 1892 all the way to the undefeated, championship 2009 season, and in between has enough solid reservoirs of information to keep the average fan satisfied and salivating. Go back all the way through the years and look at any stat from any team, player, coach and fan. If there’s a last-minute, game-winning moment burned into your brain from a match thirty years ago, you’re bound to find it in the pages. According to Amazon.com, the book also contains “two new chapters to cover the ‘dark days’ at the beginning of the 21st century (2001-2006) and the dawn of the Nick Saban era (2007-2010)” with “over 60 new fabulous fullcolor photographs.” The updated edition includes a foreword from Birmingham Weekly’s own Allen Barra. Groom will be at Alabama Booksmith to sign copies this Friday. The event starts at 4 p.m. For more information, call (205) 870-4242, email booksmith@mindspring.com, or visit www.alabamabooksmith.com.
SAURDAY, Sepetember 4
GET RUNNIN’: If you’re one of those people who puts off doctors and exercise, the Ross Bridge 8K Run/Walk & Health Expo on Saturday may be the perfect day for you to rectify it. The event includes a race, with a professionally measured course including a scenic route starting in the Ross Bridge Village Center, carefully patterned after the historic resort style living of early America, and crossing through the six distinctive neighborhoods of the classic American resort town. You’ll also get to travel down activity trails that present a slice of Civil War era history. After watching or taking part in the race, take advantage of quality health services for you and your family including blood pressure checks, blood sugar checks, cholesterol screening, counseling of results with licensed RNs, and a cancer center sponsored by Brookwood Medical Center. There will be vendor booths and snacks available for all the participants. Proceeds will benefit Alabama Teen Challenge, a low cost drug and alcohol recovery program for youth of all ages. Registration closes on September 3 at 3 p.m. The race starts at 8 a.m. Pick up a packet with all the information on September 3 at the TrakShak in Homewood between 11 a.m.-5 p.m. or at Ross Bridge on the day of the race at 7 a.m. Early registration $25; Kids Run $15. For more information, call (205) 647-6563 or visit www.alabamateenchallenge.org/8k.php.
SUNDAY, September 5
TABLA TIME: Come experience some Indian jams. Part of the Birmingham Museum of Art’s Indian Classical Music Series and organized by the Indian Culture Society, the concert will feature award-winning artists Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt and Pandit Subhen Chatterjee, presenting a musical program on modified guitar and tabla. Bhatt is a Grammy Award Winner, and has been hailed by Acoustic Guitar Magazine as “one of the greatest and most expressive slide players in the world.” Times India went so far as to call him the “God messenger of Indian classical music.” With praise like that, how can you stay away? The event goes from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., and it’s totally free. For more information, call (205) 254-2571 or visit www.artsbma.org.
MONDAY, September 6
B’HAM FOR BINGO: Bingo has been getting a lot of flack as of late for a game that’s usually championed by senior citizens and requires absolutely no skill of any sort whatsoever. I feel for the lone bingo player who’s never even heard of electronic bingo and just wants to gamble peacefully. Luckily, there are still opportunities to do that. On the first Monday of each month, Birmingham AIDS Outreach will be organizing a Bingo game in the basement of the Birmingham AIDS Outreach building. They’ve dubbed this weekly event, simply enough, “Bingo 4 BAO.” Every week, each game will be sponsored or supported by a local organization—a business or group of individuals. Cash prizes are awarded to the winner in each game. You are welcome to bring your own beer. They won’t mind, but there will be a refreshment area with drinks for purchase, just in case. According to the BAO website, “Each Bingo Night consists of a set of five games with one or more additional quickie games. The first “set” of Bingo cards is $15, or two sets for $20. Quickie game cards are $1 each.” They highly recommend that you reserve a seat by contacting Karen Musgrove at (205) 322-4197. Contestants must be 19 years of age or older to enter the Bingo hall. For more information, visit the BAO website at www.birminghamaidsoutreach.org.
TUESDAY, September 7
CAUSE FOR CAUSE: I can’t tell you how often I hear something like this: “If we all were to give [x amount] to [x cause] for [x amount of time] until [x date], we could save the world.” Now, I’m not debating whether or not these people are right. In fact, we probably could save the world with some of their ideas, if that wasn’t all they were—ideas. When someone tells me they know the way to fix things, they never discuss execution, implementation—a starting point of any sort. I think we as a philanthropic race could do a lot more to simplify the charity process. And on that note—take a look at “Dine for the Cure.” Starting this Thursday, Zea Rotisserie & Grill at Colonial Brookwood Village will be giving back to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the self-proclaimed “global leader of the breast cancer movement” and “the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists.” Through October 5, every time you print out a flyer and bring it to your server, Zea Rotisserie & Grill will donate 10% of that purchase to the cause. Now I don’t know about you, but to me that sounds like a pretty good simplification. It’s of virtually no cost to you, and all it takes is visiting www.zearestaurants.com/site. php?pageID=120, downloading their flyer, and eating a delicious meal.
WENESDAY, September 8
HEAVY METAL HARPS: I have to admit, when I listen to the music of Metallica, the first thing that crosses my mind is not an overwhelming desire to hear it arranged for harp. That is, however, apparently what Ashley Toman thought when she formed Harptallica in 2006 while studying at the Eastman School of Music. Initially she had intended to only arrange the song “Fade to Black” for two harps, but before she knew it she had ended up with a nine-song disc and demands for a tour. The group has since expanded its repertoire to include works of heavy metal greats Black Sabbath, Megadeth, and Iron Maiden. Harptallica are bringing their act to The Nick, and will take the stage at 10 p.m. Tickets are $5. For more information visit www.harptallica.com or www.thenickrocks.com.
THURSDAY, September 9
ALABAMA, COMPOSE YOURSELF: Though it continues to amaze some, I am no longer surprised by the quality of artistic output in Alabama, and Birmingham in particular. Case in point: The opening concert of the 2010-2011 season of the Birmingham Art Music Alliance (BAMA), a program that will showcase a diverse selection of works. This is BAMA’s sixteenth season showcasing new music by Alabama composers. BAMA continues to promote Alabama’s contribution and commitment to the creation and performance of new music throughout local communities and elsewhere, and so it’s only fair that we scrape some quarters out of the couch and support them by experiencing the works they have to offer. The event will be held at the Brock Recital Hall at Samford University at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $6, $3 with a student ID and free for UAB students. For further information visit artmusic.org or email pricewm@uab.edu.
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