What’s Good – July 11-17, 2024

Our weekly guide to what’s going on around Buffalo and in the world of pop culture.

Thursday, 7/11

The Tea Party (Terminal B, 850 Fuhrmann Blvd S. Main St, 8pm, $78)
This Canadian alt-prog band were multiplatinum sellers in the 90s, and reunited in the 2010s. w/Headstones, The Trews, Human Kebob

Out and About Podcast (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 7:30pm, $49)
Attend a live taping of the show, in which hosts Pat McAuliffe and Joey Camasta riff on gay culture and a wide array of trending topics.

Root Shock (Iron Works, 49 Illinois St, 8pm, $15 adv/$20, 18+)
Conscious, soulful, and healing music. w/Strange Standard

Davey O (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 6-8pm)
Award-winning roots music singer-songwriter.

Harmonia Vocal Jazz Ensemble (Asbury Hall, 341 Delaware Ave, 6:45pm, $20/$10 student)
One of Buffalo’s finest choral groups.

Improv Mixer (Amy’s Place, 3234 Main St, 7:30pm, $5 suggested)
Get teamed up with veteran improv performers and make some comedy, or just sit back and watch the show!

Poetry Open Mic & Game Night (Twentysixallen, 26 Allen St, 6pm)
Co-hosted by Sara Ali and Meg Specksgoor

Karaoke Night (Milkie’s, 522 Elmwood Ave, 9pm)

Friday, 7/12

Hallwalls 50th Annual Members Exhibition (Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, 341 Delaware Ave, 7-10pm, through 8/30)
An opening gala for this summer-long exhibition of work by local artists.

Deray Davis (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 7:30/10pm, $51)
Davis won Comedy Central’s Laugh Riots competition, performed in the Cedric the Entertainer Festival, and has had roles in the Barbershop trilogy, Semi-Pro and 21-Jump Street, and will be the host of VH1’s upcoming Hop Hop Squares revival.

Underground Blo Christmas in July (Riff City, 166 Chandler St, 8pm, $23adv/$33)
This “rebel dance company” puts on a racy show, including Stacy Van Blacrom, LaLa, Hannah Lippincott, T.E.I.N., Paige Pensgen, and aerialist Amanda Reed.

When We Were Warped! (Rec Room, 79 W Chippewa St, 8pm, $10)
Featuring Off the Wall!, Uncovered, Amateur Hockey Club.

Kat Wright (9th Ward, 341 Delaware Ave, 7pm, $20adv/$25)
Wright usually tours with a 7+ piece soul band, but for this tour she’s stipping down to a trio.

Saranaide (PAUSA Art House, 19 Wadsworth St, 6:30pm, $16-19)
Afro-Latino Night.

The Skiffle Minstrels (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 6-8pm)
Western swing dance band.

Professor Louie & the Crowmatix (The Cave, 71 Military Rd, 8pm, $24)

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

Fly Me to the Moon (in wide release)
This comedy in which Scarlett Johansson prepares to fake the 1969 moon landing in case Channing Tatum’s real-life astronaut can’t pull off the real thing is no doubt going to stoke another round of conspiracy theories.

Longlegs (in wide release)
An FBI agent (Maika Monroe) has to track down an elusice serial killer (Nicolas Cage) she discoveres a personal connection to.

Dandelion (Elmwood Center, Walden Galleria)
A singer-songwriter and a guitaris meet at a gig in South Dakota, in Nicole Riegel’s indie drama.

Touch (Quaker Crossing, 3450 Amelia Dr, Orchard Park)
A widower tries to find his first love, 50 years later, in this Icelandic drama.

Bharateeyudu 2 (Elmwood Center, Transit Center, Walden Galleria)
Kamal Haasan returns as an aging vigilante in this action movie. Playing at Elmwood and Transit in Telugu under this title, at Elmwood Center in Hindi as Hindustani 2, and at all three theaters listed in Tamil as Indian 2.

Sarfira (Elmwood Center, 2001 Elmwood Ave)
Pilot-turned-businessman Akshay Kumar (in his 150th film!) tries to make airlines affordable to low-income people in this drama based on G.R. Gopinath’s memoir. in Hindi w/subtitles.

Ucha Dar Babe Nanak Da (Elmwood Center, 2001 Elmwood Ave)
A couple navigates the big questions about God and true love. in Punjabi w/subtitles.

Saturday 7/13

Deray Davis (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 4/7:30/10pm, $51)
Davis won Comedy Central’s Laugh Riots competition, performed in the Cedric the Entertainer Festival, and has had roles in the Barbershop trilogy, Semi-Pro and 21-Jump Street, and will be the host of VH1’s upcoming Hop Hop Squares revival.

Buffalo Ska Fest (Iron Works, 49 Illinois St, 5-11:30pm, $40, all ages before 8pm, 18+ after)
Lineup includes Against All Authority, Folly, The Code, Working Class Stiffs, The Abruptors, Stop the Presses, Do It With Malice, Pwrup, The Chemical Imbalance, The What Nows?!, Turkey Blaster Omega

Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears (9th Ward, 341 Delaware Ave, 7pm, $25)
This gutbucket blues guitarist has played with the greats of soul and garage rock. w/Shane Guerrette

The Taxpayers (Rec Room, 79 W Chippewa St, 6pm, $25, 16+)
w/Smitten For Trash, Dollar Sign$

Student Showcase (Buffalo Improv House, 255 Great Arrow Ave #207, 6:15pm, $5adv/$10)
Students from BIH’s Musical Improv Comedy class perform. Stick around for Various Factors (see below) for another $10.

Various Factors (Buffalo Improv House, 255 Great Arrow Ave #207, 6:15pm, $15adv/$20)
A fully improvised Broadway-style musical comedy, followed by audience karaoke with a live piano player.

What Lies Below (Riff City, 166 Chandler St, 6pm, $25adv/$30, 18+)
The band performs Darker Colors in its entirety. w/Monument Of a Memory, Tim the Truth, Katspo

Stone City Affair (Electric City, 433 Pearl St, 7pm, $50-75)
w/Kenny Hawkins & the All Star Band

Dr. M Jazz Combo (PAUSA Art House, 19 Wadsworth St, 6:30pm, $15-18)
The combo performs “Jazz Rubato,” jazz ballads sung rubato backed by one musician, mixed up with full band up-tempo arrangements.

Fever Pitch String Quartet (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 1-2pm)
The quartet performs both classical and contemprary favorites.

Tough Old Bird (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 7-9pm)
Two songwriting brothers from rural WNY. w/Jungle Steve

Toronzo Cannon (The Cave, 71 Military Rd, 7pm, $30)

Celtic Sessions (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 4pm, FREE)

Sunday 7/14

Deray Davis (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 7pm, $51)
Davis won Comedy Central’s Laugh Riots competition, performed in the Cedric the Entertainer Festival, and has had roles in the Barbershop trilogy, Semi-Pro and 21-Jump Street, and will be the host of VH1’s upcoming Hop Hop Squares revival.

Uncle Lucius (Iron Works, 49 Illinois St, 8pm, $20 adv/$25)
This Austin roots-rock band are back on tour after a five-year hiatus. w/Uncle Ben’s Remedy

Ethereal Comb (Casa di Francesca’s, 2022 Seneca St, 7pm, $15, all ages)
w/Monomaniac ,Spooky Visions

Susan Peters Jazz Band (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 4-6pm)

Tuesday 7/16

Silver Arrow Band (9th Ward, 341 Delaware Ave, 7pm, FREE)
A free showcase of new and old material, with a Q&A with the band.

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.

The Dangerous Summer (Rec Room, 79 W Chippewa St, 6pm, $22, 16+)
w/Bad Luck, Rosecoloredworld, The Weather Might Say Otherwise

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 7/17

moe. (Terminal B, 850 Fuhrmann Blvd S. Main St, 8pm, $45-77)
This jam band mainstay started out at UB and make a triumphant return home. w/Best. Summer. Ever., Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country

Collective Action (Area 54, 3234 Main St, 7pm, $15 or pwyc)
Hardcore show, w/Cloned Apparition, Robbery Club, Seconds Left

Brody Schenk, Peter Latona, & SarahRose Marie (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 7pm, $5)

Comedy Open Mic (Milkie’s, 522 Elmwood Ave, 9pm)