What’s Good – September 12-18, 2024
Our weekly guide to what’s going on around Buffalo and in the world of sports and pop culture.
Thursday, 9/12
Nicki Minaj (KeyBank Center, 1 Seymour Knox Plaza, 9pm, $44)
The iconic rapper brings her world tour to KeyBank, just before wrapping up at home in Queens. w/Tyga, Bia, Skillibeng
GWAR (Town Ballroom, 681 S. Main St, 6pm, $44, 16+)
Cancel your plans and go see these demonic monsters who want to destroy the world with the power of their rocking. w/Brujeria, Native Howl, Brat
RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Live (Shea’s, 650 Main St, 8pm, $72-$236)
And for a completely different show about rocking elaborate costumes, come see Season 9 of Drag Race All Stars live on stage!
Newsies (Shea’s 710, 710 Main St, 7:30pm, $54.75)
D’Youville Kavinoky Theatre company presents a stage adaptation of the 1992 movie musical.
Buffalo Bills @ Miami Dolphins
The Bills follow up their opening-day win on short rest against Tua Tagovailoa and the hated Fins.
UB Women’s Soccer @ Colorado College
The undefeated (4-0-1) women’s soccer team is on a 2-game road trip to Colorado.
Jolie Holland (9th Ward, 341 Delaware Ave, 7pm, $33, 12+)
Multi-instrumentalist roots rocker. Tickets are buy-one-get-one free.
Festival of New Trumpet Music (Hallwalls, 341 Delaware Ave, 8pm, FREE)
The UB Music Departent and Hallwalls Contemporary Art Gallery bring NYC’s FONT series to Buffalo.
Pia Fraus (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 8pm, $10)
Estonian shoegaze group. w/Cooler, Managerial, Steve Flato
Doug Yeomans & Sue Kincaid (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 6-8pm)
Bills vs Dolphins Watch Party (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 8pm)
Watch the game projected onto the grain silos! First come first serve, bring your own chairs.
John Lombardo & Joe Rozler (The Cave, 71 Military Rd, 7pm, FREE)
Improv Mixer (Buffalo Improv House, 255 Great Arrow Ave #207, 7:30pm, $5 suggested)
Join in some low-stakes improv comedy, or just sit back and watch!
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)
The Old Man (FX/Hulu)
Jeff Bridges abides, as the retired spy the government wants dead returns for season 2.
Friday, 9/13
Borderland Music & Arts Festival (Knox Farm State Park, 437 Buffalo Road, East Aurora, All Day, $109 single day/$209 weekend)
Three-day music festival featuring The Black Crowes, Cory Wong, The Sheepdogs, and more. Camping passes available. Visit borderlandfestival.com for more info.
Michael Rappaport (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 7:30/10pm, $38)
The longtime standup has also appeared in dozens of movies and TV shows, including True Romance, Friends, Justified, Deep Blue Sea, Prison Break, and The 6th Day.
Newsies (Shea’s 710, 710 Main St, 7:30pm, $54.75)
D’Youville Kavinoky Theatre company presents a stage adaptation of the 1992 movie musical.
UB Cross Country @ Spiked Shoe Invite (University Park, PA)
Penn State hosts the annual track and field invite.
UB Women’s Volleyball vs. Wright State (Columbus, OH)
The 3-4 volleyball team takes on Wright State at the Buckeye Invitational.
An Evening with the Stars (Shea’s, 650 Main St, 7:30pm, $60-$75)
Curtain Up! presents this cabaret, performed in Shea’s petite lobby, which hearkens back to Buffalo’s gilded age.
Twisted (Shea’s Smith Theater, 658 Main St, 7:30pm, $45)
Subtitled The Untold Story of a Royal Vizier, this is a Wicked-style riff on Disney’s Aladdin.
Yige Dong (Hallwalls, 341 Delaware Ave, 4pm, FREE)
The UB Humanities Institute and Hallwalls Contemporary Art Gallery present a conversation with the feminist political scholar, entitled Collective Care and its Discontents: The Politics of Social Reproduction in China under State Socialism.
Eric Huebner Faculty Recital (Lippes Concert Hall, Slee Hall, 7:30pm, FREE)
An all-Austrian solo piano recital, featuring the music of Haydn, Beethoven, Brahms, Webern, Berg, and Schoenberg.
Mike (PAUSA Art House, 19 Wadsworth St, 6:30pm, $15-$19)
Adventurous jazz originals and reimagined standards.
Griff Kaz Quartet (PAUSA Art House, 19 Wadsworth St, 6:30pm, $15-$19)
Adventurous jazz originals and reimagined standards.
Sean Rowe (9th Ward, 341 Delaware Ave, 7pm, $20adv/$22)
“Rowe can just crush granite with that voice,” said one critic of the singer-songwriter.
Edreys Wajed: Diaphanous (Hallwalls, 341 Delaware Ave, 7-10pm, FREE)
The opening reception to Buffalo artist Wajed’s exhibitino of large-scale paintings, video clips, and drawings.
The Skiffle Minstrels (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 6-8pm)
Western swing band
Norside Organ Trio (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 8pm, FREE)
Tommy Z (Sportsmen’s Tavern, 326 Amherst Rd, 5pm, $10)
Rabbit Jaw (Sportsmen’s Tavern, 326 Amherst Rd, 9:30pm, $10)
Silent Disco (Iron Works, 49 Illinois St, 8pm, $15adv/$20)
Rock out on headphones to three different mixtapes — emo/punk, country, and hip-hop/EDM.
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
Speak No Evil (in wide release)
A family on vacation get more than they bargained for when a couple invites them to a remote country house, in this remake of the 2022 Danish thriller.
The Killer’s Game (in wide release)
A hit man (Dave Bautista) puts a hit on himself when he’s diagnosed with a terminal illness, and then tries to cancel it when he finds out he was misdiagnosed, in this action-comedy.
My Old Ass (not screening in Buffalo)
A young woman (Maisy Stella) is visited by her adult self (Aubrey Plaza), who arrives from the future to give her life advice in this indie comedy.
Uglies (Netflix)
Based on the postapocalyptic YA novel, and directed by McG (Charlie’s Angels, Terminator Salvation).
The 4:30 Movie (Elmwood Center, Transit Center)
An autobiographical comedy from writer-director Kevin Smith, about a childhood spent sneaking into movies and trying to meet girls.
Ardaas Sarbat de Bhalle Di (Elmwood Center, Transit Center)
People from all walks of life converge on a pilgramage to Sri Hazur Sahib in this drama. In Punjabi with subtitles.
Ajayante Randam Moshanam (Elmwood Center)
Tovino Thomas plays three generations of heroes, who protect the same treasure in northen Kerala in the 1900s, ’50s, and ’90s. In Hindi or Telugu with subtitles, check listings.
The Buckingham Murders (Elmwood Center)
Kareena Kapoor Khan stars as a British-Indian detective who has to solve a child’s murder soon after losing her own child. In Hindi with subtitles.
Mathu Vadalara 2 (Elmwood Center)
Delivery boys-turned-secret agents Babu and Yesu now get forced into a life of crime in this sequel. in Telugu with subtitles.
Saturday 9/14
Borderland Music & Arts Festival (Knox Farm State Park, 437 Buffalo Road, East Aurora, All Day, $109 single day/$209 weekend)
Three-day music festival featuring Caamp, The Wood Brothers, Houndmouth, and more. Camping passes available. Visit borderlandfestival.com for more info.
Cat Power (Fallsview Casino Resort, 6380 Fallsview Blvd, Niagara Falls, 8pm, $66)
The indie chanteuse covers Bob Dylan’s legendary 1966 Royal Albert Hall concert in its entirety.
Michael Rappaport (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 7:30/10pm, $38)
The longtime standup has also appeared in dozens of movies and TV shows, including True Romance, Friends, Justified, Deep Blue Sea, Prison Break, and The 6th Day.
Raise the Roof (Electric City, 433 Pearl St, 6pm, $20-$50)
A benefit for Habitat For Humanity Buffalo, featuring The Plagarists, and The Maleman.
Newsies (Shea’s 710, 710 Main St, 8pm, $54.75)
D’Youville Kavinoky Theatre company presents a stage adaptation of the 1992 movie musical.
UB Fooball @ vs UMass
The Bulls won their home opener, but then got shut out by #9 Mizzou. They try and bounce back at home against UMass. True Blue t-shirt for first 750 students through the turnstiles.
UB Women’s Volleyball vs. Ohio State (Columbus, OH)
The 3-4 volleyball team takes on the home team at the Buckeye Invitational.
Eid Fest (Buffalo Central Teminal, 495 Paderewski Dr, 11am-2pm, FREE)
Celebrate Buffalo’s Bengali population with music, food vendors, clothing, and jewelry for sale.
Bubblefest (Buffalo Museum of Science, 1020 Humboldt Parkway, 10am-4pm, $22 adults/$19 under 17)
A celebration of bubble science (and playing in bubbles!) includes bubble pools, frozen bubbles, bubble cubes, and bubbles stretching over 25 feet long!
Good Neighbors (Buffalo Improv House, 255 Great Arrow Ave #207, 7:30pm, $22adv/$25)
An improv show inspired by Buffalonian’s true stories, with special guest food writer (and UB professor) Andrew Galarneau.
Twisted (Shea’s Smith Theater, 658 Main St, 7:30pm, $45)
Subtitled The Untold Story of a Royal Vizier, this is a Wicked-style riff on Disney’s Aladdin.
Bored Teachers: The Struggle Is Real (Shea’s, 650 Main St, 7:30pm, $41-$71)
This comedy tour of classroom teachers-turned comics is back with new material.
Earl/Thomas/Gray Piano Trio (PAUSA Art House, 19 Wadsworth St, 6:30pm, $12.50-$16)
With James Earl Benders on bass and David Thomas Phillips on drums.
Ian McConnell (Rec Room, 79 W Chippewa St, 6pm, $21, 16+)
Ed Sheeran-like singer-songwriter.
The Hey Nonny Nonnys of the Royal Consort (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 1-2pm)
Local baroque ensemble playing quartets by Quantz and Jenkins.
Sam Marabella (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 7-9pm)
Roots country, jazz, and blues.
The Hip Experience (Iron Works, 49 Illinois St, 8pm, $20, 18+)
Tragically Hip cover band.
OOP! (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 9pm-mid, $10adv/$15)
Only Odd Performances — DJ sets, plus performances by Little Mx. Bunny, Marzipan, and Ricky Moral-Less.
Dr. M Jazz Combo (The Cave, 71 Military Rd, 7pm, $24)
Jazz of the 60s and 70s.
Argyle Street Band (Sportsmen’s Tavern, 326 Amherst Rd, 3pm, $10)
Chris Beard (Sportsmen’s Tavern, 326 Amherst Rd, 8pm, $15)
Shrek Rave (Town Ballroom, 681 S Main St, 8pm, $25)
For some reason this Shrek-themed dance party is back.
Bidwell Parkway Farmers Market (Bidwell Parkway, 8am-1pm)
Fresh produce and locally-sourced goods, Saturdays through 11/23.
Celtic Sessions (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 4-7pm, FREE)
Sunday 9/15
Borderland Music & Arts Festival (Knox Farm State Park, 437 Buffalo Road, East Aurora, All Day, $109 single day/$209 weekend)
Three-day music festival featuring Dark Star Orchestra, Marcus King, The Wailers, and more. Camping passes available. Visit borderlandfestival.com for more info.
Shelter (Rec Room, 79 W Chippewa St, 4-10pm, $38, 16+)
A reunion show for the legendary hardcore band. w/Spaced, Mil-Spec, Do Crime
UB Women’s Soccer @ Northern Colorado
The undefeated (4-0-1) women’s soccer team finishes their Colorado road trip.
UB Women’s Volleyball vs. Miami (Columbus, OH)
The 3-4 volleyball team takes on U of Miami at the Buckeye Invitational.
Newsies (Shea’s 710, 710 Main St, 2pm, $54.75)
D’Youville Kavinoky Theatre company presents a stage adaptation of the 1992 movie musical.
Twisted (Shea’s Smith Theater, 658 Main St, 7:30pm, $45)
Subtitled The Untold Story of a Royal Vizier, this is a Wicked-style riff on Disney’s Aladdin.
Vivo (Shea’s, 650 Main St, 2pm, FREE)
A screening of Dreamworks’ 2021 animated musical, starring Lin-Manuel Miranda and Zoe Saldaña, as part of Shea’s Free Family Film series.
Chad & JT (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 7pm, $33)
The stars of Netflix’s upcoming Chad and JT Go Deep are “activists” behind such causes as erecting a Paul Walker statue and saving house parties.
Susan Peters Jazz Band (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 4-6pm)
F.L.U.I.D. (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 6pm-mid)
Dr. Jazz & the Jazzbugs (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 3:30-5:30pm, FREE)
We’re not sure but we think they might play jazz.
Anne Philippone (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 6-8pm, FREE)
Barrelhouse blues and boogie piano.
Jazz Cache (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 8:30pm-midnight, FREE)
Live music from a rotating cast of Buffalo jazz musicians.
Monday 9/16
Local H (Rec Room, 79 W Chippewa St, 7pm, $34, 16+)
Venerable 90s grunge rockers. w/Radkey
Leigh Stoner (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 6-8pm, FREE)
Songwriter Showcase (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 8pm0mid, FREE)
Singer-songwriters from 8-9, and then an open mic for the rest of the evening.
Tuesday 9/17
Spoon (Electric City, 433 Pearl St, 7pm, $42-$84)
The Austin indie rockers are touring behind their Memory Dust EP. w/A Giant Dog
Lake Street Dive (Terminal B, 850 Fuhrmann Blvd, 8pm, $25)
This group straddles the lines between jazz, folk, and soul music.
Pile (Iron Works, 49 Illinois St, 8pm, $18adv/$22, 18+)
This scorched-earth hard rock band is touring behind their eighth album. w/Oceanator
Mark Jacobs (Hallwalls, 341 Delaware Ave, 7pm, FREE)
Niagara-Falls born author Jacobs reads from his new book Silent Light, about an American working on an African offshore oil platform and getting involved in the illicit diamond trade.
Baudo Big Band (Sportsmen’s Tavern, 326 Amherst Rd, 5pm, FREE)
Twang Gang (Sportsmen’s Tavern, 326 Amherst Rd, 6pm, $10)
Steam Donkeys (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 6-8:30pm, FREE)
Long-serving “cosmic Americana” group
Rust Belt Comedy Showcase (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 9-10pm, FREE)
Rotating cast of local stand-ups.
The Stripteasers (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 10pm-mid, $4)
Weekly burlesque show.
Open Mic (Cucina @ Hotel Richardson, 444 Forest Ave, 6-8pm)
This weekly open mic features music, poetry, and comedy. Register at jkonze@douglasdev.com.
Open Mic Night (Milkie’s, 522 Elmwood Ave, 6-9pm)
Wednesday 9/18
I Heard It Through the Grapevine (Hallwalls, 341 Delaware Ave, 7pm, FREE)
Screening of the 1982 documentary, in which James Baldwin reflects on his life during the Civil Rights Movement.
The Interrupters (Town Ballroom, 681 S Main St, 6pm, $37)
LA ska/punk band. w/Crazy & the Brains, Murphy’s Law
Blessthefall (Rec Room, 79 W Chippewa St, 6pm, $37, 16+)
Phoenix metalcore band. w/Destroy/Create, HUSH HUSH, Fight From Within
STRFKR (Electric City, 433 Pearl St, 7pm, $29-$89)
Danceable, anthemic pop. w/Happy Sad Face
Kingdom Come (Iron Works, 49 Illinois St, 7pm, $20, 18+)
The band’s first single “Get It On” was a #4 hit in 1987, and the following year they were touring alongside Van Halen and Metallica. 30+ years later, they’re still rocking hard. w/Hywater
Al Wilkerson (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 8pm, $31)
Wilkerson’s current tour has taken him to the Limestone Comedy Festival, Nashville Comedy Festival, and Atlanta’s West End Comedy Festival.
Kaley Elle (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 6-8pm)
Tyler Westcott (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 7-9pm, FREE)
Henry’s Summer Kitchen (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 9pm-mid, FREE)
Joe Baudo Jazz Quintet (Sportsmen’s Tavern, 326 Amherst Rd, noon, FREE)
Dillon Whitford Band (Sportsmen’s Tavern, 326 Amherst Rd, 6pm, $10)
Comedy Open Mic (Milkie’s, 522 Elmwood Ave, 9pm)
Agatha All Along (Disney+)
Three years after Kathryn Hahn’s scheming witch became WandaVision‘s breakout character, she returns with a spinoff, that adds a perfectly cast Aubrey Plaza as a rival witch. But can they pull off the magic trick of getting people to care about Marvel’s TV output again?