Next Week Today is a selection of our picks from the upcoming week’s events, published every Sunday at 11 a.m. We’ll give you juuuuuust enough detail to whet your whistle, and then let you do the digging. In other words, these are the events we recommend giving a second, perhaps even third glance as you wend your way along the path to entertainment.

It’s August festival time! We’ve got three different festivals this week, two music and one theater. The two-day inaugural Deebs Days fest looks particularly interesting, so make sure you dig into the playlists at the end for some samples.

TUESDAYAugust 16

The Driver Era / Summer Salt / Almost Monday (Iron City, 7:30 p.m.) — Ross Lynch, one half of the band of brothers that is The Driver Era, is a former Disney teen star. But while his collaboration with his sibling Rocky Lynch has the sheen of polish that Disney is known for, this is not the pubescent pop you might assume given the big-D name drop, but rather a funky, sonically diverse mix that hits all sorts of influences on it’s way to the dance floor.

WEDNESDAYAugust 17

Vangelism (The Nick, 10 p.m.) — Vangelism have a pretty great Covid origin story, one which found them running sound gear between two used cars so that they could have mobile isolation booths from which to create safely while evading the Five-0 in a series of out-of-the-way recording locations. Someone ought to make a movie! Anywho, this is crunchy, punk-influenced party rock, ya dig?

THURSDAYAugust 18

Dummy (The Firehouse Community Arts Center, 7 p.m.) — L.A.-based drone-pop band Dummy make music that is simultaneously driving and airy, full to the brim with evolving textures, but executed simply and deftly. There’s plenty of guitar here, and an ever-present organ, but even when they are rocking hard it feels like you could really take a deep breath and just, you know, exist peacefully for a minute.

FRIDAYAugust 19

Deebs Days – Day One (Avondale Brewing Company, 5 p.m.) — Deebs Days is a brand new two-day music festival being held on multiple stages in Avondale and Southside and featuring over a dozen bands. It’s named after progressive rock band CBDB, who are playing both nights, but don’t sleep on Brass Against, headlining the Deebs Stage. Since CBDB has announced that they will be going on indefinite hiatus immediately after the festival, one has to wonder if this fest is going to happen annually, or if it’s more of a farewell celebration. Either way it’s a fun lineup, especially if CBDB’s signature “joyfunk” sound is up your alley.

Deebs Days After Party Featuring CBDB & Friends (Saturn, 10:30 p.m.) — Not content with playing two sets at their namesake festival across the street, CBDB have booked Saturn for the Friday-night after-party, where one assumes the festivities will pick right back up. If you’re already headed to the fest proper, this one is a no-brainer add-on.

SATURDAYAugust 20

Deebs Days – Day Two (Avondale Brewing Company, 12 p.m.) — Day Two brings the meat of the Deebs Days lineup, with 11 bands on two stages. My personal fave of today’s acts is Ladycouch, though it might just be because I think that’s a fine ol’ band name they got themselves there.

Universe Festival (Ghost Train Brewing Co. 3rd Ave, 2 p.m.) — What’s that you say? One music festival a day isn’t enough for you? Well then, you’re in luck! Birmingham’s “first ever EDM festival” is being held today at the OG Ghost Train location. That’s 12 hours of electronic music for you to wiggle and sway to, so go grab your glow sticks and water bottles.

24 Hour Play Festival / Festival at the Festival: A Season 50 Kick Off Party (Birmingham Festival Theatre, 7:30 p.m.) — Much like Sidewalk Cinema’s Scramble events, BFT’s 24 Hour Play Festival sees teams of creative folk rushing to put together the best short plays they can muster in a single day. Come enjoy the fruits of their hurried labor. Happening simultaneously is their season kick-off party Festival at the Festival, woot! So much festival.

“Weird Al” Yankovic: The Unfortunate Return of the Ridiculously Self-Indulgent Ill-Advised Vanity Tour with Special Guest Emo Philips (Alabama Theatre, 8 p.m.) — Weird Al is a cultural treasure, man. Get with the program. Don’t be scared of the silly, the silly is the genius. If you can’t come giggle and sing a little with the master of the song spoof, then you need to dump those grumps.

Nowhere Squares / Boss Rush (The Nick, 10 p.m.) — One of the coolest bands of days gone by shares a bill with one of the coolest new bands on the block at one of the coolest venues this side of the other side. Cool? Cool.