What’s Good – April 27, 2023
Our weekly guide to what’s going on around Buffalo and in the world of pop culture.
Thursday, 4/27
Chris Kattan (Helium Comedy Club, 30 Mississippi St, 8pm, also Fri 7 & 9:30, Sat 6 & 8:30, $22+)
The Saturday Night Live alum and regular on The Middle plays a series of stand-up shows this weekend.
10th Annual Cherry Blossom Festival (Buffalo History Museum, One Museum Court, 11am-3pm, FREE)
The Japanese Garden in Delaware Park hosts activities including live music, boat rides, taiko drumming, origami, food trucks, a pop-up tea ceremony on the museum’s portico, and the stunning beauty of the park’s cherry trees in full bloom.
Buffalo Chamber Players (Asbury Hall, 341 Delaware Ave, 7:30pm, $25)
Colla Voce, the Chamber Players latest performance, “explores the versatility and power of the human voice,” backed by the chamber music string and woodwind ensemble.
Friday, 4/28
Roller Derby: Alley Kats @ Saucies (RiverWorks, 359 Ganson St, 7-10pm, $15)
Two of Queen City Roller Girls’ teams do battle, and RiverWorks has an arena built just for roller derby.
Born in the EVA (Lafayette Presbyterian Church, 875 Elmwood Ave, 7-11pm, $60)
The Elmwood Village Association, who host musical events including Porchfest and the Bidwell Summer Concert Series, kick off the summer with this fundraiser, which includes a silent auction, an open bar with beer and wine, photo booths, and music from Dozo My Lady and Off the Wall.
Hilario Durán: “Con Tumbao” (PAUSA Art House, 19 Wadsworth St, 7pm, $20)
Durán is one of Cuba’s premier performers of Latin Jazz, and he’s backed by an all-Cuban band.
ComedySportz (Harlem Road Community Center, 4255 Harlem Rd, Amherst, 7:30pm, $15/$12 students)
Two teams compete at improv comedy in this series that runs every Friday night until the end of June.
New Movies This Week
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (in wide release)
Judy Blume’s immortal YA coming of age novel finally gets a big-screen adaptation, as teenage Margaret (Abby Ryder Fortson) goes through her awkward age while adjusting to a move from NYC to the suburbs, while questioning her religious identity in an interfaith household. Supporting cast includes Rachel McAdams, Benny Safdie, and Kathy Bates.
Peter Pan & Wendy (Disney+)
David Lowery (the one who directed The Green Knight and Pete’s Dragon, not the one from Camper Van Beethoven) directs this live-action Peter Pan adaptation, with Jude Law as Captain Hook, Yara Shahidi (Black-ish) as Tinkerbell, and newcomer Alexander Molony as the boy who never grew up.
Polite Society (Elmwood Center, Transit Center, Walden Galleria)
Priya Kansara (Bridgerton) is an aspiring stuntwoman who decides to spring into action quite literally when her sister (The Umbrella Academy’s Ritu Arya) abruptly gets engaged to a man whose family’s motives seem suspect.
Big George Foreman (in wide release)
Khris Davis (Judas and the Black Messiah) stars as the heavyweight boxer who fought Muhammad Ali in the Rumble in the Jungle, retired after nearly dying in the ring, and then staged a comeback and became the oldest heavyweight champ in history.
Saturday 4/29
Larkinville Plogging Run (Larkin Square, 745 Seneca St, 11am-1pm, FREE)
Clean up the town, as the Buffalo Urban Run Series presents an afternoon of Plogging (jogging + picking up trash). The event offers a choice of 3 or 5 mile runs, or a 2 mile walk.
Hooray For Hollywood (Kleinhans Music Hall, 3 Symphony Circle, 7:30pm, $32)
Anthony Parnther, conductor of the Hollywood Studio Symphony, leads an afternoon of music from the silver screen, including themes from North by Northwest, The Mission, Citizen Kane, Vertigo, E.T., and The Mandalorian.
Sunday 4/30
Buffalo Championship Wrestling (American Legion Post, 3210 Genesee St., Cheektowaga, 4-6:30pm, $20)
Chaos in Cheektavegas! 6 matches on the card, with competitors including Delsin “The Calamity” Alekzander, “Rockstar” Bobby Vegas, “Big League” John McChesney, and Madd Dawg.
Buffalo Performing Arts Pop Up (Asbury Hall, 341 Delaware Ave, 4-6pm, $20)
A triple bill that includes Buffalo String Works, Alex McArthur (two time Female Vocalist of the Year in the JazzBuffalo poll), and a capella chorus Vocális.
Fatal Attraction (Paramount+)
Lizzy Caplan and Joshua Jackson headline this TV remake of the 90s thriller, in which a married man has an affair with a woman who becomes increasingly unhinged.
Monday 5/1
Slow Roll (Niagara Square, 65 Niagara Square, 6:30, FREE)
Slow Roll kicks off its tenth season of community bike rides with a 10-mile roundtrip, with stops at Central Terminal, and Johnson Park, then a return to Niagara Square for food and drink vendors and live music.
Tuesday 5/2
Bokyung Byun (Kleinhans Music Hall, 3 Symphony Circle, 7pm, $27/$17 student)
The Centerstage Concert Series welcomes classical guitarist Byun, recent winner of the Guitar Foundation of America Competition.
Wednesday 5/3
Subject Board of Directors Meeting (5:15pm, Google Meet)
Subject is student-run and managed by a non-profit. Our board meetings are open to the public, in case you want to make suggestions or see how the sausage gets made. You can also join our Discord channel to learn more about the site and pitch an article, radio show, or podcast, or otherwise get involved.
The Mid-Week Vibe (9th Ward, 341 Delaware Ave, 8pm, $30)
This month’s vibe is Ladies Night, with comedian Yolanda Smilez, an acoustic performance by Kennedy, and featured artist Joy Little, plus free pizza and wings from Bozzy’s.
Great British Baking Show: Juniors (Netflix)
TV’s coziest cooking show returns with another season of young bakers, aged 9 to 15.
