It’s hot outside. Again. With a forecast for hot and muggy all weekend. Sorry I’m venting! Can you tell I’m ready for fall? Fall… football, crisp nights where you can grill out, football… OK, I’ll stop. We’ve got to get through August first.
So let’s just go ahead an embrace this heat wave. Today’s list of IN spots are some places to go beat the heat.
Posted in culture
Tagged AL, alabama, Alabama Theatre, beat the heat, birmingham, Cocina Superior, cool options, IN Birmingham, McWane Science Center
And here you thought the Beluga was the only whale currently on Birmingham’s (or at least Larry‘s) mind.
I’d seen Vulture Whale live before and I knew that they had a dedicated following of genuinely cool people. In fact, one of my good friends even provided vocals on one of their album tracks. That’s just it though: I knew OF them.
That all changed when I first met Jake Waitzman and Wes McDonald at the band’s rehearsal space in downtown Homewood. A former car wash with, I’d imagine, a very acoustically-sound practice area down downstairs and a studio equipped with a den upstairs. All of the members of Vulture Whale come with a story.
Posted in music, Uncategorized
Tagged AL, alabama, birmingham, entertainment, interview, music, profile, terminal benefit, vulture whale, Wes McDonald
Grey Watson is an unassuming, young guy with a secret weapon: a very entertaining voice with a surprisingly comfortable southern sensibility. After listening to the three tracks posted on the Sorry Saints’ MySpace page, I met him at Speakeasy one night after a solo set. He performed to support the Birmingham Folk Festival, coming up next weekend (August 2).
First thing’s first: his band, Sorry Saints, are going through a “restructuring” of sorts. With their drummer heading to law school, a shake up is in order in the very near future for Grey, the Matts (both G & M ) and Ben. So, The Terminal Concert on the 26th will be the last chance to see this particular lineup. In fact, soon, the name might even change. They’re a fairly new band whose last show could possibly be only their second. Not for lack of talent or listenability, that’s for sure.
Posted in music
Tagged AL, alabama, birmingham, grey watson, interview, music, sorry saints, the terminal concert
Wild Sweet Orange. Courtesy of the band’s Flickr profile.
Wild Sweet Orange‘s new album We Have Cause to Be Uneasy
The first track is an updated version of their much-touted single Ten Dead Dogs. But as I moved on to the newer tracks, my mind started to race.
This week has been somewhat spotty and the Birmingham scene has taken some days off local music-wise, but Friday makes up for it.
#1: Speakeasy is hosting a Birmingham Folk Festival benefit with some great acts, including a Grey Watson (Sorry Saints) solo set so you can check him out before his band plays The Terminal’s benefit on the 26th. Drop by 1920 3rd Ave N. and enjoy your Friday night.
More after the jump
Posted in music
Tagged AL, alabama, birmingham, Birmingham Folk Festival, music, music week preview, Speakeasy, weekend plans
ABCs – Bethany L King/Flickr
Since I live with someone just learning the English language, I do a lot of ABCs and counting. So here is my 3-2-1 countdown for this weekend.
After many paper cuts and envelope licking, we have finally mailed out all of our ‘Congratulations You’re IN’ letters to IN spots all over town. Each letter came with a large red window decal designating the bar/store/restaurant/etc as IN.
They are already popping up all over town!
Posted in reviews
Tagged alabama, announcements, birmingham, campaign, IN Birmingham, IN spots, Libby Sexton, sticker
Tuesday in Birmingham is a busy day apparently. Here are all the MySpace music links and show info to prove it:
A troubadour trio at Bottletree with headliner Hayes Carll (touring with Conor Oberst among others), John P. Strohm and Bo Butler. Bo, of local Saturdays fame, puts on a great show and will be a perfect compliment to all the guitar-picking and Americana stylings of all tonight’s acts.
Details for show: 18+/9pm/$10
Medeski, Martin & Wood are also playing at WorkPlay tonight. It’s sold out, but if you’ve heard any of Chris Wood’s recordings with his brother Oliver (The Wood Brothers), you’ll know it’s well worth some last-minute sleuthing to find a ticket. It’s so good! It starts at 8, so good luck!
If anyone gets any pictures/soundbytes of either show, let us know.
Posted in music
Tagged alabama, birmingham, Bo Butler, Bottletree, Hayes Carll, John P. Strohm, live music, Martin, Medeski, music, Saturdays, The Wood Brothers, Whitney Sides, Wood, Workplay
In the 1920s and ‘30s, if you wanted your building to have a cool, modern look, you built it in the Art Deco style—all sleek lines, bold forms, and geometric shapes, reflecting the rise of technology. Hot spots for this style included New York, Miami, and Los Angeles, but Birmingham wasn’t left behind.
In fact, one of our Art Deco landmarks was something of a trendsetter. The old Alabama Power Building was praised by the London Daily Express as one of the most beautiful public utility buildings in the world—exciting, huh? But the more interesting fact is that the building was completed in 1925, the year often marked as the beginning of the Art Deco era (though the style had developed in Europe before then). Birmingham’s architects were ahead of the curve.
The Alabama Power Building is still very impressive today, even though its 18th Street location is surrounded by more modern forms of architecture. The façade is full of different shapes and colors, and you can’t help but move your eyes up the front of the building, following the vertical lines right to the rooftop, where you’ll find the golden statue of Electra brandishing her lightning bolts. Imagine how stunning this building looked to Birminghamians when it was new—especially since its neighborhood at the time was mostly residential!
Continue reading
Posted in In Love With
Tagged alabama, Alabama Power Building, architecture, birmingham, Electra, In Love With
WES MCDONALD/SPARROW/JON VOGEL @ Rojo starting at 6 tonight.
I’m out of town again, but we here at the Terminal could not let ourselves off the hook if we missed an opportunity to plug a good friend, Wes McDonald (Vulture Whale, The Ohms), playing a solo acoustic set tonight. Check it out. Great food, awesome beer and 3 awesome acts setting the mood in the side room.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Posted in music, Uncategorized
Tagged 35205, AL, alabama, birmingham, Jon Vogel, music, rojo, Sparrow, Wes McDonald
home/news | culture | opinion | calendar
advertising | contact | archives | subscribe | privacy policy | terms of use
© 2007–2024 bhamterminal.com | about
Design Review Committee disapproves replacement "Sign"
The Terminal: Ten Years Later