Today as part of the Eat Drink Write Food Festival put on by the Bham Library, Slow Food and all the good people who want to bring us healthy food and farming, there will be a screening of a montage of short food-related films by Joe York, filmmaker for the University of Mississippi Center for Documentary Projects. York works with the Southern Foodways Alliance (SFA) and has created SFA films on topics ranging from artisanal cheese producers in the South to the journey of Vietnamese fishermen to the Gulf Coast of Mississippi and Louisiana. Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q will provide refreshments.
16 FRI
How do you think beer and improv poetry mix? Well when Bham Weekly’s Chris Davis (not the other Chris Davis) was coerced against his will into poetry slamming at the library, this is what he came up with: Books on tape, CDs, they are at the back But what about all the forlorn people who want their books on 8-track? The Birmingham Public Library (BPL) hosts another Bards & Brews, the popular monthly poetry slam/beer tasting at the Central Library emceed by poetry slam events director Brian “Voice Porter” Hawkins. September’s Bards & Brews will be on Friday the 16th, NOT the first Friday, and will be part of the line-up for the first annual Eat Drink Read Write Festivalhttp://www. bplonline.org/eatdrinkfest. The September event will feature the winners of past Bards & Brews slams. The first place winner receives $100, second place winner $75, and third place winner $50. We’re also looking for warm-up poets to perform/read original poems related to food and drink. Free the Hops (FTH) will provide information about craft beers. Back Forty Beer Company and Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company will provide beer for sampling. Continental Bakery/ Chez Lulu will donate refreshments. 6:30 p.m.-9:00 p.m. Live music and sign-up is at 6:30 Call time is at 7:00. Free. 205-226-3688
17 SAT
A Saturday should be a big day with a lot of choices, and today you can get real serious and attend a performance of CS Lewis’ novel about a conversation between demons trying to take our souls, or you can go watch the roller derby queens try to knock some teeth loose. The BJCC hosts a national tour performing a limited engagement ofThe Screwtape Letters. This theatrical adaptation of the C.S. Lewis novel about spiritual warfare from a demon’s point of view is set inside a morally inverted universe set in an eerily stylish office in hell. It may remind you of yours. CS Lewis also wrote other famous books like the Chronicles of Narnia and his autobio Surprised by Joy. I think I got surprised by the demon evil twin instead, so maybe I want to check this out before I go skating with the girls. Saturday, September 17, 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets: $29–$89. BJCC, 2100 Richard Arrington Junior Boulevard North. Details: 800-745- 3000; www.screwtapeonstage.com. Plan B: Tragic City Rollers vs. Dixie Derby Girls Double Header: Tragic City Plan B vs Dixie Derby Girls Rocket City Rollers of Huntsville, AL;Tragic City Rollers vs Dixie Derby Girls Raging Rockets of Huntsville, AL $10. 205-534-0166. “Plan B” debut bout starts at 5pm with doors opening at 4. TCR’s “varsity” A team bout starts at 7pm. Zamora Shrine Temple, 3521 Ratliff Road
18 SUN
Did you ever hear of the monk reputed to start Shaolin Kung Fu, who stared at a wall at the Shaolin temple for nine years without speaking till he put a hole in it. That is the legend the Chinese film series has to live up to. The Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest joins the Asian Culture Foundation in presenting a monthly Chinese film festival. The first film is Shaolin Soccer(2002) a Martial Arts Action/Comedy. Mandarin Chinese with English subtitles, PG-13. What do you get when you mix Kung-Fu action with soccer comedy? You get Shaolin Soccer. Stephen Chow, Hong Kong’s top funnyman, wrote, directed, and stars in this comedy take - off of modern martial arts films. Years ago a fateful mistake crippled “Golden Leg” Fung (celebrated character actor Ng Man Tat) and cost him his career. Now a fawning drunk, he works for “Evil Team” coach Hung, who engineered his downfall. Then he meets “Mighty Steel Leg” Sing (Chow), a former Shaolin monk now working as a garbage collector, who is trying to find an application for Kung-Fu in the modern world with no success. After they connect, Sing tries to convince his five Shaolin “brothers” (former fellow monks) to put their talents to use playing soccer. Can they defeat the cheating “Evil Team” to win the National Championships? The Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest proudly partners with the American Asian Culture Foundation to host a Chinese Film Series that meets every second Sunday of each month at 2:00pm in the Library Community Room. A Chinese film will be shown each month. This film series is free and open to all adults. 205-978-0155
19 MON
Project Bandaloop blends dance, sport, ritual and environmental awareness into breathtaking aerial performances, inspired by the possibilities of climbing and rappelling, to craft sitespecific dances. The week in residence at the Alys begins with a yoga class with Project Bandaloop members at 6 p.m. Monday; rehearsals (open to the public) at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; a free 20-minute lunchtime rehearsal at noon Thursday, followed by a free ASC Junior Patrons Happy Hour and Project Bandaloop dress rehearsal at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. For “Outside/In,” the Friday night stage show at 7:30 p.m., experience Project Bandaloop outdoors for the first half, then inside the Jemison Concert Hall the second half. Tickets are $75 VIP, $45, $25; with $15 kid-friendly tickets. VIP tickets include a cocktail party with members of Project Bandaloop. Call 205-975-2787 or visit www. AlysStephens.org.
20 TUES
This is a good day for blast from the past. Read Ann Rose and then come hear Clyde Bolton talk about life in small southern towns growing up in the 40s and 50s. He was from Statham, Georgia, near Athens, a mean town, but not as mean as Auburn, Georgia. Bolton turned a bad turn into good when he was fired from the Gadsden paper only to become sports columnist for the Bham News for the next 40 years. That seems like 40 years ago. September 20, at 6:00 p.m., at the Clay Senior Activity Center (note location change), an Evening with Clyde Bolton. Mr. Bolton is an awardwinning retired sports columnist with The Birmingham News. He is the author of several works of both fiction and nonfiction. He’ll speak about his latest book--his memoir titled Hadacol Days--and will be available to sign books as well. Copies of the book will be available for purchase for $25.00. Don’t know what Hadacol was? Well me either but I looked it up and it was a cure-all elixir with 12% alcohol, very popular during Prohibition. Refreshments will be served, but unfortunately no Hadacol. For more information, call the library at 205- 680-3812 or e-mail jlee@bham.lib.al.us.
21 WED
The Emmett O’Neal Library in Mt Brook’s Crestline Village is usually not a hotbed of subversion, but at noon today it is all rebellion and destruction. Today’s Brown Bag Lunch film follows the extraordinary efforts to restore both animals and people to the Mesopotamian Marshes destroyed by Saddam Hussein when the inhabitants rebelled against him. You remember our ally Saddam, who we later hanged? Papa Bush encouraged the Marsh Arabs in the South and the Kurds in the North of Iraq to rebel after the first Gulf War and then we stood by while they were raked by Saddam’s helicopter gunships, gassed, etc. But for the Marsh Arabs he went the extra mile. He must not like Cajuns because he went for destroying the whole ecosystem they depend on by draining the marshes. High Noon.
22 THURS
Normally I would say a twilight film in the park sounds good. Railroad Park’s Sunset Cinema will be “The Devil Wears Prada.” OK so it is not Meryl Streep’s finest theatrical tour de force, but it may or may not beat “The Devil Wears Nada” shown under the stars in Railroad Park’s natural amphitheater. Blankets and lawn chairs are encouraged. George’s Boxcar Cafe will be selling snacks including popcorn, nachos, and candy; PLUS they will be serving cocktails! Jim ‘N Nicks will be grilling their famous barbecue and will have other Southern treats. free 7:00 PM- 9:30 PM. Again, as with CS Lewis or roller derby, if you want to follow a more serious bent, do it Birmingham’s oldest cemetery with Operation New Birmingham. ONB’s September City Center 5:05 at historic Oak Hill Cemetery. You’ll have the opportunity to meet some of the famous “residents” of Oak Hill including Louise Wooster, Birmingham’s famous madame and Dr. Luckie, one of our City’s founders. Grab a Good People brew or a glass of wine provided by Alabama Crown while enjoying appetizers by Cantina Tortilla Grill and meeting others who are passionate about creating a vibrant City Center and do it in a cemetary! Just past the FBI Building on 11th Ave North at 19th Street. Free streetside parking available on 11th Ave North. Enter at the 11th Ave gate. $5.05 (plus a small conveninece fee) if purhcased on-line in advance.$10 at the door. 205-34-8797. See where Birmingham’s coonskin pioneers who turned into founding father tycoons are enterred.
