The good times are rolling as
patrons of the old Innisfree Irish Pub
give it one last go before this
bar closes at this location forever.

20th annual Realizing the Dream Concert 511 Greensboro Ave, downtown Tuscaloosa AL - Though this memorial concert for Martin Luther King Jr. has been held for the past 20 years, this is the first time I've been ... and I enjoyed it. The concert is a mixture of 7 different local choirs and chorus made up of students ranging in age from middle school to college. The UA's Afro-American Gospel Choir and University Singers delivered especially powerful oratory performances that drew a strong reaction from the crowd. Dr. Aaron L. Dobynes spoke to the audience as the choirs changed and delivered an inspiring performance as well. Hear a feature report by Alabama Public Radio that includes sound from the event. Click here for local Black History Month events. The good vibes I had as I left this event got a strong reality check just a short time later.

Violence on the Strip Univ. Blvd. on the Strip, Tuscaloosa AL. After having such a wonderful experience at the Realizing the Dream concert, I was quickly brought crashing back to reality. The Strip was lit by the flashing lights of police cars and two ambulances. I couldn't determine exactly what happened, but I watched as a young woman was loaded into an ambulance while holding a towel to the top of her head. Police were handcuffing a young man, who was then put in the back of a police car possibly heading to jail. The Strip has a history of being a great place for entertainment, but also a place of violent encounters. In recent years, a man was fatally shot while waiting for take-out food with his wife and two young children. A fight that spilled out of one bar resulted in a fatal stabbing a few blocks away. On other more recent occassions, I have witnessed the sexual harassment of women and cases of overly intoxicated people looking for trouble. The increased police presence helps, but folks will have to strive for a much higher level of personal responsibility to really create a better place to party safely ... and that leads us to the final night at Innisfree in downtown Tuscaloosa ...

Last Night at the old Innisfree 521 Greensboro Ave. downtown Tuscaloosa AL. I like Guiness ... and by default I have been to Innisfree on more than one occassion to enjoy a properly poured pint. But on this night ... well, it was not the scene I expected at an authentic Irish pub. Rap music is on full blast (Gangster's Paradise anyone?) and strobe lights are flashing. The crowd is shoulder to shoulder and everyone seems to be very much in a festive spirit. People are making out at the bar and buying each other drinks. It was somewhat reminiscent of the Last Stand of the Chukker, though on a smaller scale and with no live music. I supposed it's a fitting way for this popular spot to flash out. It will open at its new location on University Boulevard early 2009.