The NABC Weekend: Music, fried chicken and a long, cool one.

Cask-conditioned Beak's Best Bitter has returned to Bank Street Brewhouse just in time for the weekend, and we'll be pouring Progressive Pints elsewhere in town and on the road, too.

FRIDAY the 15th

Tonight (Friday, August 15), New Albany’s Bicentennial Park Summer Concert Series continues with Same As It Ever Was, a Talking Heads tribute band. Gates open around 5:00 p.m., and music starts at 6:00 p.m. Production Simple provides the overview:

Love The Talking Heads? Same As It Ever Was does it right. This 7-piece outfit of Knoxville musicians came together out of their mutual love and respect for the music of the Talking Heads in the summer of 2004 and have not looked back since. Over the years the band has performed extensively, and now nearly have the entire Talking Heads catalog at their fingertips; They bring the excitement and energy of everything from '77 to Naked, and all the B-sides in between. Same As It Ever Was strives to maintain the integrity of the Talking Heads' groundbreaking music, while bringing their own panache to the game. Whatever you're your level of familiarity with Talking Heads, you can expect to have an unforgettable time with Same As It Ever Was!

Note that following the cancellation of last week's concert owing to the threat of inclement weather, there will be an expanded season finale next week (August 22), with Bookshelf being joined by Humming House and Nick Dittmeier. This show should last until 10:30 - 11:00 p.m., and provide another hour and a half for beer sales. Providentially, NABC will be there to offer accompaniment to the music. Our recently updated selection is Naughty Girl, Action! Pale Ale, Community Dark and Frankensteiner. The latter is our newly released Hefeweizen, or Bavarian-style, wheat ale.

Also remember that when patronizing Bank Street Brewhouse before or after the show, or any other time, Wick's Pizza will deliver anything on its food menu to BSB, and give you a generous 20% discount on the order. We're appreciative to Wick's for this generous standing offer, which might well be the finest deal in town.

SATURDAY the 16th

We're excited to host the second in a (hopefully) ongoing series of pop-up restaurants at Bank Street Brewhouse: Danny Joe’s “Nashville Style” Hot Fried Chicken pop-up kitchen comes to Bank Street Brewhouse on Saturday, August 16.

It's for one night only; no reservations, and first come, first served. Better yet, as can be attested following a brief pre-sampling session yesterday, Chef Dan Thomas's spicy fried chicken pairs quite well with Progressive Pints. Food sales begin at 5:00 p.m., and will continue until 10:30 p.m. or depletion.

Also on the 16th, there'll be music at Bank Street Brewhouse, from 8:00 p.m., outside at Lloyd’s Landing. This week's band is Ragged But Right. Coming next week on August 23 is the ever-popular Five Foot Fish. Also slated to appear on the 23rd is mobile wood-fired pizza ...  but more on that later.

SUNDAY the 17th 

On the road: Dig IN is held at White River State Park in downtown Indianapolis, and may be the best food/beer pairing event you haven’t heard about.

“Dig IN invites local farmers, chefs, brewers, vintners, and food enthusiasts around the table to indulge in the tastes of Indiana. If there is a heart in the Heartland, Indiana is it, and Dig IN brings our state’s rich agricultural heritage into focus with a celebration of the farm to fork experience.”

NABC’s Blake Montgomery will be on hand, serving Black & Blue Grass. Meanwhile, back in New Albany, Bank Street Brewhouse opens at 12:00 noon on Sunday.

Bring a picnic basket, pack in carry-outs or order delivery, and pair our Beers of Proven Merit with the very best food from local eateries ... well, at least those open on Sunday. Always remember that Indiana does have carry-out beer sales on Sunday: At Hoosier craft breweries. For carry-out wine on Sunday, visit our friends at River City Winery or Indiana's many other artisanal wine makers.

To be reminded of why Indiana's alcohol laws governing beer temperature and daily availability came to be, visit the Indy Star: Will Indiana ever expand Sunday alcohol and cold beer sales?