Birmingham’s Top 10 Things to do: May 17th-23rd

Another week, another top 10 list, and this one features everything from concerts to cars to cycling to cardboard armor!  As usual, band links should be assumed to be inappropriate for blaring over computer speakers at work – use headphones instead!

• American Craft Beer Week
• May 15th-21st
  TrimTab is celebrating American Craft Beer Week with a selection of unusual and exceptional alcohol!  Featuring Russian Imperial Stouts, double IPAs, a crawfish boil and a food truck rally, this week is something for beer fans to watch out for.  Thursday night doesn’t even limit itself to beer – partners in booze The Bourbon Underground will raffle off both a bourbon barrel and a bottle of Knob Creek to benefit Crohn’s disease and Colitus research.  Head out, things start heating up at 6PM every night!  Read more

• Ride of Silence
• May 17th

Free
Ride to remember those who have lost their lives in a cycling accident.  Ride to raise awareness for our need for dedicated cycling lanes.  Ride to enjoy the weather.  Ride to celebrate Birmingham’s cycling community.  Ride, then hang out at Dave’s to eat pizza and drink beer!  Cahaba Cycles is hosting this ride through and around Homewood, starting 7PM and accompanied by a police escort.  Read more

• Box Wars make session
• May 18th
• Free
  Box Wars – adults fighting in cardboard armor, because we can!  Come to Red Mountain Makers early and get started on your wargear.  “No winners in Boxwars… only losers,” and being a loser has never been quite as fun as duking it out with cardboard weapons wearing cardboard armor.  Costumes and armor are encouraged to be as elaborate as cardboard can be!  Read more

• Cereus Bright and Carver Commodore
• May 18th
• Free, thanks to Avondale Brewery!
  I’m not normally a huge folk rock guy.  But these guys are fun, listenable, and (I’m going to go out on a limb here since I haven’t actually see a concert before) danceable.  Check my work on that last one, but I’m confident!  They’re playing at Saturn, this Thursday starting 8PM.  Read more

• Third annual Barber-QUE championship
• May 19th-20th

No price listed
Who doesn’t like barbecue?  The $10,000 in prize money is just an excuse: according to organizer Ron Cates “it’s really about more than that; it’s about respect among their peers and having a great time with the barbecue community. We’re all family.”  Cars and cooking can’t be bad!  Read more

• Bike to Work Day 2017
• May 19th
  Cycling is a great way to stay in shape and gain ridiculous leg definition!  Take the extra time to bike to work on Friday, and stop by one of your local coffee shops for a t-shirt and free coffee.  It’s not just worth the extra effort, the extra effort makes it worth doing!  Read more

• McWane After Dark: the Science of Sound
• May 19th

$20-25
I loved going to the McWane Center as a kid (I still love going to see the annual model train exhibit).  Now, the center is starting a series of 21+ programs featuring live performances, fun things to do, and bar service!  This upcoming evening will feature beer tastings, 3 musical acts, and activities focused on sound, like a battle of the bands and a performance from The Audiovore.  Read more

• The Stolen Faces play the Dead’s May 8, 1977 Cornell show
• May 19th

$10
The Grateful Dead will live forever – people will still listen to their albums, play their music, and record other artists’ concerts.  The Stolen Faces will be playing the Dead’s legendary 1977 Cornell concert!  Read more

• 5th Annual Paws and Cars 2017
• May 21st
• No price listed
  Cars and pets are two things that most Americans couldn’t imagine living without.  Support local no-kill shelters, show off your car or motorcycle, and bring your own pet!  The show opens at 11AM.  Read more

• An Evening with Primus
• May 23rd
• From $57
  Psychedelic in every sense of the word, Primus is one of the giants of prog for a reason.  Come spend the night with them at Iron City!  The show starts at 8PM  Read more