What’s Good – September 7-13, 2023
Our weekly guide to what’s going on around Buffalo and in the world of pop culture.
Thursday, 9/7
The Bones of J.R. Jones w/Benjamin Dakota Rogers (9th Ward, 341 Delaware Ave, 8pm, $17)
The Bones of J.R. Jones is Southern gothic singer-songwriter Jonathon Linabeerry, who went from playing in hardcore bands to being inspired by Alan Lomax’s rural folk recordings. Opening for him is Rogers, a Canadian bluegrass artist.
Star Trek: Lower Decks (Paramount+)
The jokey, animated, and surprisingly great Trek series returns for a fourth season. Look for reviews here on Subject.
Friday, 9/8
Southern Culture On the Skids (Rec Room, 79 Chippewa St, 7pm, $28.50)
This Chapel Hill swamp rock outfit has been bringing their high-energy psychobilly to the masses since 1984, and haven’t slowed down a bit.
Frederick Law Olmstead Gala (South Park, 560 Ridge Rd, 6-9pm, $200)
The 21st Annual Olmstead Parks Conservatory Gala supports the city’s many parks, and includes a cocktail hour, live auction, and dinner.
Moe’s Tavern Pop Up (Steel Leaf Brewing Company, 4545 Transit Rd, Williamsville, noon-9pm, $39)
Woohoo! The Simpsons might be decades past its prime, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun hoisting a cold Duff at Moe’s, as Steel Leaf dresses itself up as the iconic animated watering hole. Costumes encouraged.
Taylor Swift Laser Dance Party (Buffalo Iron Works, 49 Illinois St, 8pm, $20)
Just think, while you’ve been gettin’ down and out about the liars and the dirty, dirty cheats of the world, you could be gettin’ down to this live DJ set of Tay-Tay’s greatest hits, backed by a laser light show.
Dozo My Lady (Buffalo Distilling Company, 860 Seneca, 7-10pm, FREE)
Dozo is a trio who were nominated for JazzBuffalo’s Jazz/Pop Trio of the Year, and they perform as part of Buffalo Distilling’s monthly Jazz Night.
Live Band Karaoke (Rec Room, 79 Chippewa St, 10pm)
Sing the hits in front of a live band, who rotate through genres weekly. Tonight is Pop and Top 40!
The Changeling (Apple TV+)When Apollo (LaKeith Stanfield)’s wife and newborn child disappear, he must search for them in a surreal alternate New York. Look for reviews here on Subject.
New Movies This Week
The Nun 2 (in wide release)
The sequel to 2018’s The Conjuring spinoff sees Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga) again battle a demonic force at a far worse Catholic school than the one that traumatized you as a kid.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 (in wide release)
Writer/director/star Nia Vardalos and romcom staple John Corbett reteam for a second long-delayed sequel to the 2022 surprise blockbuster.
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (in wide release)
Two teenage boys in 1980s Texas fall in love, in this coming-of-age story based on Benjamin Alire Sáenz’s bestselling YA novel.
Sitting in Bars with Cake (Amazon)
Trish Sie (Pitch Perfect 3, Step Up: All In, OK Go’s inventive music videos) directs this story of two twentysomething friends (Yara Shahidi, Odessa A’zion), who decide to start bringing cakes to bars as a way of meeting new people.
Jawan (Elmwood Center, Transit Center, Walden Galleria)
A man driven by vengeance finds himself up against a notorious outlaw who knows no fear. In Hindi w/English subtitles.
Miss Shetty Mr. Polishetty (Elmwood Center, Transit Center)
A feminist in London wants to be single forever; a man in Hyderabad wants to be in a relationship; they somehow get together in this unlikely romcom.
Saturday 9/9
Music Is Art Festival (RiverWorks, Ganson St, 11am-11pm, FREE)
The 21st annual festival includes 250 bands, 150 DJs, art, dance, food, drinks, kids activities, and boat shuttles from River Fest Park, as the Michigan St. Bridge is still closed.
Queen City Architecture 5K (Other Half Brewing, 1 Seneca St, 10am-4pm, TK)
Get a workout while taking a tour of Buffalo’s architectural treasures on this 5K run. Prizes awarded to the top three men and women in several age categories.
Fitness on the FIeld (Ralph Wilson Stadium, 1 Bills Drive, Orchard Park, 8am-2pm, $10)
Just because you didn’t make the Bills’ 53-man roster doesn’t mean you can’t work out on the field. A day of fitness and spin classes, with a new workout every hour, on-field kids’ activities, healthy snacks, and photo ops with Billy Buffalo.
Hatebreed w/Terror, Vein.FM, Jesus Piece (Town Ballroom, 681 Main St, 5:30pm, $32.50)
Hatebreed headlines a night of hard rock as part of their Rise of Brutality 20th Anniversary Tour.
Natalie Cressman & Ian Faquini (PAUSA Art House, 19 Wadsworth St, 7-9:30pm, $15)
Singer and trombonist Cressman toured for 12 years with Trey Anastasio; now she and guitarist Faquini celebrate the great Brazilian songbook.
Lost Kings (Rec Room, 79 Chippewa St, 9pm, $24.50)
Lost Kings spin as part of Rec Room’s DJ series. With special guests Biacco & Danny Delta.
Chest Fever (Iron Works, 49 Illinois St, 7pm, $20)
This San Diego-based tribute to The Band recreates a classic live performance from Watkins Glen.
Sunday 9/10
Fucked Up w/Kiwi Jr. (Rec Room, 79 Chippewa St, 7pm, $20)
The non-radio-friendly indie rockers are touring behind their new album, One Day.
Monday 9/11
First Responders Ride (Buffalo Fire Museum, 1850 William St, 6:30-10pm, FREE)”
This week’s Slow Roll group bike ride starts off at the city’s Fire Museum, and honors our first responders. The 10 mile roundtrip includes two stops, and ends with an afterparty with food, drink, and music.
Bills Block Party (Rec Room, 79 Chippewa St, 6pm, $10)
Chippewa shuts down between Delaware and Franklin so the Bills Mafia can come out in full force to watch the boys in blue smack down the Jets on two giant screens. Admission includes entry to bars all up and down the block.
Argentine Tango (River Fest Park, 249 Ohio St, 6:30-9:30pm, FREE)
Learn some Argentinian-style tango and listen to some great music at this free event.
Tuesday 9/12
Everclear w/The Ataris (Town Ballroom, 681 Main St, 7pm, $40)
Portland rockers Everclear are celebrating their 30th anniversary as a band, and the release of a new album this week, Live at the Whisky A Go Go.
Raya and the Last Dragon (Olmstead Park, 84 Parkside Ave, 8pm, FREE)
See Disney’s 2021 animated fantasy adventure as part of Olmstead Park’s Free Family Movie Night.
The Used w/Sleeping with Sirens, Dead American (RiverWorks, 359 Ganson St, 6:30pm, $39.50)
Utah screamo band The Used is touring behind their new album, Toxic Positivity.
Jon Cleary & the Absolute Monster Gentlemen (Iron Works, 49 Illinois St, 7pm, $22)
Clearly was raised in rural England, but grew up loving New Orleans music, and plays Crescent City standards on piano and guitar.
Wednesday 9/13
Of Montreal w/Locate S,1 (Iron Works, 49 Illinois St, 7pm, $25)
This Elephant 6-affiliated band are in fact from Athens, GA, like all good indie-pop bands, and bring their theatrical, psychedelic live show to Iron Works.
SciNight: Physical Physics (Buffalo Museum of Science, 1020 Humboldt Pkwy, 6-7pm, $30)
The museum stays open late for the 18+ crowd, showing off experiments and large-scale demonstrations built around understanding matter and energy and how they interact.
The Other Black Girl (Hulu)
A book publisher’s only black employee is encouraged when they hire another black woman, but soon starts to find her new colleague may have a hidden agenda, and the company may be hiding secrets.
Friday 9/15-Sunday 9/17
Borderland Music & Arts Festival (Knox Farm State Park, 230 Knox Road East, East Aurora, Fri/Sat/Sun 6-10pm, $80) The three-day lineup of more than 20 bands on two stages includes Phish’s Trey Anastasio, local jam band legends Moe., Goose, Dawes, Farrow, and this being Buffalo, includes a Sunday afternoon tailgate party when the 1pm NFL games are on. Visit the festival’s web site for more info.