Well That's Cool

On Friday, August 26th, Well That’s Cool held its 3rd annual Brews Cruise aboardThe Bama Belle.  For those who don’t know, The Brews Cruise is a 3 hour boat ride down the Black Warrior River as local bands play up on the top deck.  The previous two cruises were a great success, and this year’s cruise was no different.

The first band up was The Alabama Shakes!, who put on an incredible performance for those in attendance.  The entire crowd was entertained by the combination of rock, soul, and pure energy given off by the band.  If you ever get a chance to check them out, do so.  You will not be disappointed.

When the boat turned around and started heading back, The Alabama Shakes! turned the stage over to Lee Bains III and The Glory Fires for another round of pulsating and heavy hitting rock.  The two bands provided a great 1-2 musical punch for the evening.

The Brews Cruise wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the two bands along with all the friends and guests on the boat, the great event sponsors, and the fine staff at The Bama Belle.  Everyone helped improve Tuscaloosa with this event, and the stage was set for the inevitable Brews Cruise IV.

For the full gallery of photos from the event, please check out http://www.dsmithimages.com/site/events/well-thats-cool-brews-cruise-iii-8-26-11/1/

Also, please check out The Alabama Shakes! athttp://www.facebook.com/TheShakes and Lee Bains III and The Glory Fires at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lee-Bains-III-The-Glory-Fires/148581995155439 

Enjoy!

-David
DSmithImages
“Modern Photography for Modern Times”
http://www.dsmithimages.com

Popularity: 32% [?]

I know sometimes you ask yourself, what do I do after an evening of rock and roll and nautical debauchery? Tomorrow night following the Rockin Brews Cruise we may have the answer for you. Starting at Ten o’clock at the Green Bar New Orleans based rockers the Revivalists will be on hand to keep the night going. This will be a great way for the recently disembarked passengers of this years Brews Cruise to continue their revelry and an excellent way to get a Friday night started for those who couldn’t be with them on the Black Warrior.
The Revivalists are a fantastic up and coming band that were recently named best emerging artist at Gambit weekly’s Big Easy Awards. They describe their music as a combination of soulful, syncopated rock and earnest songwriting, and according to Rolling Stone the “dash of Dave Matthews” in the lead singers “crusted tenor” and the pedal-steel guitarists’ “distinctive wah wah treated scream” make for a great show. I am not actually sure what the hell a “crusted tenor” is or how much Dave Matthews is contained in a dash, but I have to say I am intrigued, and if your interest is similarly piqued check out their website at www.therevivalists.com. They have tons of audio and video and a blog documenting their travels.

Popularity: 35% [?]

Monday August 22nd

Tour T-Town: Discover Tuscaloosa City Tour – 2:00 P.M. – Ferguson Center Plaza

Student Night at Target: 10:30 P.M.

Tuesday August 23rd

Bama Art House Film Series presents: The Cave of Forgotten Dreams: 7:30 P.M. $5 Arts Council Members, $6 Students/ Seniors, $7 Adults

Trivia Night at The Mellow Mushroom: 7:00 P.M.

25th Anniversary Celebration presented by the Tuscaloosa Sister Cities Commission

Jazz Night at The Alcove

Grindhouse Double Feature + $1.50 P.B.R. at Green Bar – 8:00 P.M.

Wednesday August 24th

Free First Day of Class Breakfast from Chik-Fil-A: 7-10 A.M. – Ferguson Center Plaza

Baptist Campus Ministry Free Steak Lunch: 11:30 – 12:30 P.M.

$2 Pint Night at Wilhagans

Tim Higgins Variety Spectacular at Green Bar

Thursday August 25th

Homegrown Alabama Farmers Market: 3-6 on the grounds of Canterbury Episcopal

Cotton Patch Gospel: 7:30 P.M. at Bama Theater - Tickets are $15 for adults; $10 for seniors and $5 for students

Wilhagans Trivia Night: 8:00 P.M.

“Deep Impressions: Willie Cole Works on Paper” presented by the Sarah Moody Gallery of Art

Coyotes (www.facebook.com/coyotestheband), Megan Jean & The KFB (http://www.myspace.com/meganjeanband) – Green Bar – 9:00 P.M.

Friday August 26th

HAppy hour dj set with George and Sylvia, The Clemency, the brooms and happy Josh Folmar @ Egans later in the evening.

Well That’s Cool Brews Cruise III: Boat loading from 6:00 P.M. until 6:45 – After Party at The Green Bar with The Revivalist

University of Alabama Press Book Sale: City Fest Lot: 10:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M.

Alabama Soccer vs. Memphis: 7:00 P.M.

Saturday August 27th

The Only Sons @ Egans

Alabama vs. Texas State Volleyball – 7:00 P.M. – Foster Auditorium

Random Conflict, The Original Snakecharmers, and The Andies at Green Bar

Sunday August 28th

UA Remembers: Campus remembrance service for the April 27th tornado – 7:30 P.M. at Palmer Lake

Trivia Night at The Downtown Pub: 7:00 P.M.

Popularity: 23% [?]

photo by Ben Flanagan al.com

*update after publication of our initial story we got a call from the good people saying that there is a grand prize of an additional set of tickets with a parking pass.

We have been pumped about what has been going on at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater. Count us as double pumped about My Morning Jacket, Neko Case and Phosphorescent coming to play a benefit show here in town. You don’t have the money to splurge on tickets right now you say; because lets face it, how could you not get that tattoo of Dark Lord Saban eating an oatmeal cream pie? It’s super roll tide but also ironic enough for the hipsters. Well do we have some good news for you!  Egan’s is giving away a pair of tickets. What do you have to do to get said tickets?  Well, nothing. You just have to show up, sign in and enjoy a beer or two. Here is what Egan’s had to say about the event:

We’ve got two tickets to Friday nights concert at Tuscaloosa Amphitheater and we’re giving them away. Come out to Egan’s Bar Thursday night and sign up for the free drawing. One lucky person will get a pair of tickets shortly after midnight. While you’re there, enjoy $2.50 Tommy Knocker Maple Draft, $3.50 Egan’s High Gravity Drafts, $4 Tallgrass IPA and Buffalo Sweat and $3 Bud Cans. We’ll see you at Egan’s this Thursday and every night.

Popularity: 20% [?]

The Arts Council of Tuscaloosa is bringing something very cool back to the Bama, The Art House Film series. This fall’s series promises to be one of the best yet. It runs Tuesday nights at 7:30PM. The best deal in town for a film on the big screen is at the Bama Theatre where adults can see all nine films for $4.44 a film when you buy a season pass. Adults pay $40 and students/seniors pay $35 for a pass to the entire season. That’s a deal even David Smith can get behind and that’s before the $1 popcorn. The Bama Bar will be running drink specials and open at 6:45 in advance of each show. People sometimes gripe to us about there not being enough cool stuff here in our fair hamlet but this is a prime example of something we need to support. You can get you season passes here. The opening film will be Terrence Malick’s “Tree of Life” and continue through October 11th.

• August 23: The Cave of Forgotten Dreams 
• August 30: The Trip
• September 6: The Names of Love
• September 13: Beginners
• September 20: Terri (who doesn’t like John C. Reilly)
• September 27: Manhattan Short Film Festival
• October 4: Tabloid
• October 11: Submarine

Popularity: 23% [?]

(Note – this blog post will also be appearing at http://blog.dsmithimages.com/2011/08/14/rivals-united-alabama-vs-auburn-alumni-flag-football-game-081311/)

By now, we are all aware of the devastation left by the tornadoes that struck Alabama on April 27th. We are also aware of the immediate outpouring of support and help shown by people not only in this state but throughout the country. An interesting side point to this outpouring was when the incredibly heated Alabama and Auburn rivalry took a back seat as the two fan bases came together to help out across Tuscaloosa and Birmingham. The rivalry had, unfortunately, taken a bad turn in the months leading up to the storm as the bulk of level headed fans on both sides had to deal with the Harvey Updyke nonsense along with a seemingly endless stream of venom spewed on talk radio and message boards.

On Saturday August 13th, former players from both Alabama and Auburn came together at Spain Park High School in Hoover to put on a charity flag football game to benefit tornado relief across the state. The heated rivalry between the two teams took a back seat again as both fan bases got a chance to see the old timers have a little fun on the field and represent their schools once more.

With Governor Robert Bentley flipping the coin and other dignitaries surrounding the sideline, the event turned out to be a pleasant success for those in attendance. Some players had definitely lost a step or ten, while others looked incredibly sharp. I was on hand to photograph it for Wellthatscool.com so there was a definite focus on the Alabama side of things since, after all, Tuscaloosa is home.

The game itself was a back and forth encounter, but the ending saw Alabama prevail. Andrew Zow threw the game winning touchdown pass and two point conversion to secure the 42-41 victory. Former Alabama great Siran Stacy was named the M.V.P. of the game, but honestly, everyone that participated should be commended and thanked. The media on hand should also be commended for making it a point to celebrate the atmosphere at the game, while condemning the few idiots on both sides who try to ruin this rivalry for everyone. Is the Alabama/Auburn rivalry heated? Absolutely. It always will be. Does that mean either side has to resort to desperate measures to get ahead? Not at all. Settle it on the field and be done with it.

After the game, a colleague got to interview former Alabama great Wesley Britt for a few moments. Wesley and his family were in the direct path of the storm, and thankfully, they made it through unscathed. Hearing him recount that and life in general after playing in the NFL for a few years definitely put things in perspective.

If you want to check out the full gallery of photos from this event, you can do so by visiting http://www.dsmithimages.com/site/events/rivals-unite-for-recovery-8-13-11/1/

Please continue to remember and support the people impacted by the events of April 27th. Recovery isn’t just limited to rebuilding structures. Remember those that will forever be changed by what happened.

-David

Popularity: 34% [?]

In it’s relatively short time in Tuscaloosa, The Alcove has established itself for having one of the better overall beer selections in town.  If you’re a beer fan and have taken a trip to The Alcove recently, you probably have noticed a pleasant new addition.  The bar has recently doubled the number of beer taps available from 6 to 12.  Owner Chad Smith believes it will allow the bar to present a better variety of draft beer selections in not only The Alcove but Tuscaloosa in general.

(Photos courtesy of David A. Smith/DSmithImages)

The bar had a previous capacity of 9 taps, but going to 12 will make it much easier to keep certain staple flavors available while putting new flavors on a rotational and seasonal basis.  The new taps are just one change customers will be seeing in the coming weeks.  To celebrate the bar’s anniversary, The Alcove will be rolling out a new mobile menu designed for smart phones.  Starting on September 1st, when people go to visit http://alcovetavern.com on a mobile device, they will be shown the bar’s full beer and mixed drink menu.  The bar will also be celebrating its new physical expansion that week.

The current 12 beers on tap at The Alcove are listed below.  Stop by and check them out… you definitely won’t be disappointed.

(Note, beer menu is subject to change at any time):

-Good People Pale Ale
-Big Al’s Summer Ale
-Mojo Rising Double IPA
-Rumble Oak Aged IPA
-Aventinus Eisbock
-Sword Swallower Lager
-Abita Andygator
-Yazoo Dos Perros
-Magic Hat #9
-Terrapin Hopsacutioner
-Highland Oatmeal Porter
-Lazy Magnolia Southern Pecan

Please check out The Alcove at http://alcovetavern.com/Home.html

Popularity: 13% [?]

Shelveless and Silly

As some of you may know C.R left Tuscaloosa a while back to work on his graduate degree in scenic Laramie WY. His story’s would bring a tear to our eye but our boozing with him would bring a smile to our face. One thing we did not know about however was his song writing. This song is a love letter back to all us here in Tuscaloosa. Thanks C.R make us proud and shit! Even if your picture makes us think of a younger undreaded singer of Korn. Just kidding, kinda.

Popularity: 12% [?]

We knew it would happen but this year we sold out in a day and a half. Sorry for those that wanted to come but please look for more events from Well That’s Cool in the future. Also keep your ear to the ground there might be a give away or a return ticket in the future.

Popularity: 8% [?]