What’s Good – July 4-10, 2024
Our weekly guide to what’s going on around Buffalo and in the world of pop culture.
Note: Most of our fair city’s venues are closed this week, and Hollywood didn’t even attempt a big 4th of July blockbuster, so get outside and enjoy the warm weather, as we celebrate the 248th and final year of American democracy.
Thursday, 7/4
Poetry Open Mic & Game Night (26 Allen St, 6pm)
Co-hosted by Sara Ali and Meg Specksgoor
Karaoke Night (Milkie’s, 522 Elmwood Ave, 9pm)
Friday, 7/5
Tony Roberts (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 7/10pm, $32)
Roberts is described as a comic’s comic, and has appeared on Def Comedy Jam, Comic View, Showtime at the Apollo, and has won BET’s Most Original Comic award.
Doug Yeomans/Jim Whitford/Ray Hangen (Duende, 85 Silo City Rd, 6pm)
A trio of Duende favorites fill in for the postponed Mark Winsick.
Live Band Karaoke (Rec Room, 79 W. Chippewa St, 10pm, $8)
Belt out your favorites in front of a live band.
New Movies This Week
MaXXXine (in wide release)
Mia Goth returns as her character from X in this third installment, who sees her pursuing fame in ’80s Hollywood while a slasher pursues her.
Jurassic Park (North Park Theatre, 1428 Hertel Ave)
Since Hollywood completely dropped the ball this weekend, see the quintessential summer blockbuster on the big screen.
Despicable Me 4 (in wide release)
Have there only been four of these? Feels like twice that many.
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (Netflix)
Eddie Murphy returns after 30 years to the action/comedy franchise that made him a star, with Joseph Gordon-Levitt joining basically anyone who was in the earlier movies whether it makes sense for them to return or not. The New York Times said it “isn’t nearly as woeful as Beverly Hills Cop III,” which is about as much as one can expect after a three-decade absence.
Kill (in wide release)
A pair of commandos face off against an army of bandits on a train to New Delhi. In Hindi w/subtitles.
Saturday 7/6
Martin Amini (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 7:30/10pm, $32)
Amini riffs on growing up half Bolivian/half Iranian, and his 2020 special Son of an Ice Cream Man was filmed at the Kennedy Center.
Katie Weissman Cello Studio Recital (Duende, 85 Silo City Rd, 1-2pm)
A year of students’ hard work comes to fruition with this studio’s year-end cello recital.
Mark Filsinger Trio (Duende, 85 Silo City Rd, 3-5pm)
A trumpet/guitar/bass jazz trio.
The Wazmopolitans (Duende, 85 Silo City Rd, 7-9pm)
A keyboard/guitar/drums jazz trio.
The Wag’s Beatles Spectacular (Iron Works, 49 Illinois St, 7pm, $15adv/$20, 18+)
Celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Fab Four’s arrival in the USA with two sets of Beatles music spanning their entire career, plus a bonus opening set of The Wags playing their own originals.
Get the Led Out (Town Ballroom, 681 S. Main St, 7pm, $25adv/$30, 16+, 12+w/guardian)
Led Zepplin tribute.
Celtic Sessions (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 4pm, FREE)
Sunday 7/7
Star People (Albright-Knox Gallery, 1285 Elmwood Ave, 2-4pm, FREE)
This local jazz group performs arrangements by Bobby Militello.
Jay/Sharptet Quartet (Duende, 85 Silo City Rd, 4-6pm)
Miles Davis-inspired original compositions.
Tuesday 7/9
Counting Crows (Terminal B, 850 Fuhrmann Blvd S. Main St, 6:30pm, $72-132)
This band’s 90s folk rock has aged very well; the singer got rid of his whiteboy dreadlocks, which had not. w/James Maddock.
The Aquabats (Town Ballroom, 681 S. Main St, 6pm, $32, all ages, under 16 w/guardian)
New wave superheroes best known for their campy, Emmy-winning kids show from the early 2010s.
Buffalo’s Funniest (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 7pm, $15, 18+)
The opening round of an annual tournament to find the funniest person in town. Your votes will send winners to the semifinals at the end of July.
Open Mic (Cucina @ Hotel Richardson, 444 Forest Ave, 6-8pm)
This weekly open mic features music, poetry, and comedy. Register at jkonze@douglasdev.com.
The Steam Donkeys (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 6-8:30pm)
Rustbelt Comedy Showcase (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 9pm, FREE)
Spud’s Buds/The Stripteasers (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 10:30pm, $4)
Open Mic Night (Milkie’s, 522 Elmwood Ave, 6-9pm)
Dragula Viewing Party & Drag Show (Milkie’s, 522 Elmwood Ave, 9pm; $10)
Wednesday 7/10
Buffalo’s Funniest (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 7pm, $15, 18+)
The opening round of an annual tournament to find the funniest person in town. Your votes will send winners to the semifinals at the end of July.
Brendan Glosson (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 9pm, $5)
Local fiddler and flatpick guitarist who also plays with Folkfaces.
Comedy Open Mic (Milkie’s, 522 Elmwood Ave, 9pm)
Righteous Villains/Tyler Westcott (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 8pm, FREE)