What’s Good: October 10-16, 2024
Our weekly guide to what’s going on around Buffalo and in the world of sports and pop culture.
This week Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center hosts the Buffalo International Film Festival. Individual tickets or festival pass available at buffalofilm.org. Screenings listed in purple.
Thursday, 10/10
Sanda Cisneros (Kleinhans Music Hall, 3 Symphony Circle, 8pm, $16.50-$46.50)
Just Buffalo Literary Center presents a reading by the author, whose coming-of-age novel The House On Mango Street has sold over 7 million copies in 25 languages.
Generation Queer: An LGBTQ History Drag Show (Twenty Six Allen, 26 Allen St, 7-9pm, FREE)
Local drag performers Freddie Hercury, Willa DeWhisp, and Chevon Davis perform and pay homage to queer history.
New Wave (Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, 341 Delaware Ave, 7pm)
Elizabeth Ai’s film looks at Vietnamese-American teenagers’ embracing New Wave music in the 1980s, and then deepens to talk about the generational impacts of the Vietnam War on the Vietnamese-American community.
Vulcandorza (Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, 341 Delaware Ave, 9pm)
Two friends go deep into the Michigan forest to follow through on a disturbing pact. One of them returns home to deal with the legal and emotional repercussions. From Director Joel Potrykuks.
Buffalo Sabres vs Los Angeles Kings (KeyBank Arena, 1 Seymour Knox Plaza, 7pm, $5-62)
Opening day and the Sabres are already 0-2, thanks to their early international games.
UB Women’s Soccer vs Toledo (UB Stadium, 6pm)
The soccer team continues to dominate, piling up an 8-1-3 record and undefeated at home.
Ana Popovic (Asbury Hall, 341 Delaware Ave, 6pm, $42.50adv/$48.50)
This blues singer was called “one helluva guitar player” by no less than Bruce Springsteen. w/David Michael Miller
Ipek Eginli & Steve Baczkowski (Essex Arts Center, 30 Essex St, 8pm, $10-$20 suggested)
Pianist Eginli and saxophonist Steve Baczkowski perform their first collaboration. w/another duo, flautist Lihuen Sirvent and electronic music tinkerer Martin Freeman.
Lyle the Therapy Gecko (Helium, 30 Missisppi St, 8pm, $39)
Lyle Forever became an internet sensation with his podcast Therapy Gecko, and now audiences can ask this unlicensed therapy reptile for life advice.
Neighbor (Iron Works, 49 Illinois St, 7pm, $15adv/$20, 18+)
The jam band comes through town on their Holy Cow! tour. w/Pajamas
Elliot Scozzaro Quintet (PAUSA Art House, 19 Wadsworth St, 6:30pm, $16-$19)
The Quartet celebrates the music of Benny Golson.
Lisa Zelazny (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 6pm, FREE)
Local singer-songwriter.
Mir Ali (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 6pm)
Guitar virtuoso.
WNY Blues Society (Sportsmens Tavern, 326 Amherst St, 7pm, $10)
w/Steve Grills & the Roadmasters
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)
Friday, 10/11
State of the University (Lippes Concert Hall, Slee Hall, 11am)
UB President Satish K. Tripathi gives his 13th annual address.
BIFF Shorts: Reciprocity (Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, 341 Delaware Ave, 2:30-3:45pm)
A program of short films with themes of decolonialism, reciprocity, and gratitude.
Demon Mineral (Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, 341 Delaware Ave, 4:30pm)
The Navajo Nation struggles to restore vital living space in the radioactive desert of the Southwest in Hadley Austin’s documentary. In Navajo & English w/subtitles.
BIFF Shorts: Crossing Paths (Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, 341 Delaware Ave, 6:45-8:45pm)
A program of short films encapsulating all manner of personal encounters.
Children of the Wicker Man (Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, 341 Delaware Ave, 9pm)
The two songs of Robin Hardy, who made 1973 cult classic The Wicker Man, come into posession of his lost papers, and reflect on their relationship with their father while exploring the history behind the film’s infamous production.
Kountry Wayne (Kleinhans Music Hall, 3 Symphony Circle, 7:30pm, $16.50-$46.50)
Wayne was named one of Variety‘s 10 Comics To Watch, has appeared on Wild ‘N Out, and co-hosts BET’s I Love Us.
Kyle Kinane (Helium, 30 Missisppi St, 7:30/10pm, $34)
Kinane’s a veteran standup with three Comedy Central specials, an set on Netflix’s The Standups, and apperances on Love, Those Who Can’t, Drunk History, and Paraside PD.
Gershwin & Respighi (Kleinhans Music Hall, 3 Symphony Circle, 10:30am, $16.50-$74.50)
Pianist Joyce Yang and the Buffalo Philharmonic perform Ibert’s Escales, Respighi’s Vetrate di Chiesa, and Gershwin’s Concerto in F Major for Piano and Orchestra.
Rick Wakeman (Electric City, 433 Pearl St, 7pm, $45-65)
The Yes keyboardist plays some of his favorites from across his varied decades-long career.
Protest the Hero (Rec Room, 79 W Chippewa, 6pm, $34, 16+)
The Volition X Tour. w/’68, Kaonashi
Ricky Montgomery (Town Ballroom, 618 S Main St, 7pm, $38, 16+)
The One Rick to Rule Them All Tour. w/Ray Bull, The Burkharts
Chris Trapper (9th Ward, 341 Delaware Ave, 7pm, $20adv/$25)
Songwriter and storyteller raised on John Prine and Kris Kristofferson.
Buffalo Sabres vs Florida Panthers (KeyBank Arena, 1 Seymour Knox Plaza, 7pm, $5-62)
UB Volleyball @ Miami-Ohio
After a 7-game losing streak earlier in the season, Volleyball have turned things around and have won their last 4, to bring the season up to 8-10.
Neville Francis Band (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 6-8pm, FREE)
Reggae happy hour!
John Lehning (PAUSA Art House, 19 Wadsworth St, 6:30pm, $15-$19)
The saxophonist celebrates the music of Chris Potter.
Yellow Thumper (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 9pm, $8adv/$10)
w/Valentin Prince, Jacob King & Friends
The Skiffle Minstrels (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 6pm)
Western swing, country, and blues.
Tommy Z Band (Sportsmens Tavern, 326 Amherst St, 5pm, $10)
Loaded & Gorgeous (Sportsmens Tavern, 326 Amherst St, 9pm, $10)
Geezer (Iron Works, 49 Illinois St, 7pm, $10adv/$15, 18+)
A tribute to both Green Day and Weezer, for people who are nostalgic for 1994 specifically.
The Scales (The Cave, 71 Military Rd, 8pm, $15)
Phish tribute
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
The Apprentice (in wide release)
Sebastian Stan plays a notorious game show host-turned-politician-turned-convicted-felon in his younger, more idealistic days as a crooked NYC developer, whose friendship with McCarthyite lawyer Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong) set him on a dark path.
Piece by Piece (in wide release)
The fifth Lego animated film is, astonishingly, a Pharrell Williams biopic.
My Hero Academia: You’re Next (in wide release)
The latest big-screen installment of the long-running anime series about super-powered high schoolers, who now have to stop a mysterious giant fortress and a man who resembles the former “Symbol of Peace.” In Japanese with subtitles.
Terrifier 3 (in wide release)
A killer clown bounces back fromd decapitation to continue terrorizing a young woman in writer-director Damien Leone’s ongoing horror series.
Lonely Planet (Netflix)
A newly single novelist (Laura Dern) finds an unexpected connection with a younger man (Liam Hemsworth) at an idyllic writers retreat.
Look Back (Elmwood Center, 2001 Elmwood Ave.)
Two very different small-town girls share a passion for drawing manga. In Japanese with subtitles.
Vettaiyan (Elmwood Center, Transit Center)
A cop (Rajinikanth) investigating a drug dealer involves a much bigger web of corruption. In Telugu with subtitles.
Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video (Elmwood Center, 2001 Elmwood Ave.)
A newlywed couple scramble to recover their private sex tape when the recording gets stolen in writer-director Raaj Shaandilyaa’s latest comedy. In Hindi with subtitles.
Saturday 10/12
Nickel City Comic Con (Buffalo Niagara Convention Center, 153 Franklin St, 10am-6pm, $40/$60 for 2-day pass)
Kinane’s a veteran standup with three Comedy Central specials, an set on Netflix’s The Standups, and apperances on Love, Those Who Can’t, Drunk History, and Paraside PD.
BIFF Shorts: Racial Justice in View (Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, 341 Delaware Ave, 11:45-2pm)
A program of short films exploring racial and social justice.
BIFF Shorts: Hustles (Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, 341 Delaware Ave, 2:15-4:15pm)
A program of short films about forgers, scrappers, and scammers.
BIFF Shorts: Comedies + Dramadies (Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, 341 Delaware Ave, 4:30-6:30pm)
A program of comedic short films.
Lesvia + Testude Hermanni (Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, 341 Delaware Ave, 6:45pm)
Director Tzeli Hadjidimitriou takes a nostalgic look at her Greek hometown of Eressos, and her life as a lesbian from the actual Isle of Lesbos. In Greek w/subtitles.
Tallywacker (Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, 341 Delaware Ave, 8:45pm)
A rock musician with a bone disease has to choose between touring through adversity, or staying home with his protective mother in director Brendan Boogie’s new film.
UB Football vs. Toledo (UB Stadium, noon)
An up-and-down season continues, following a 47-3 loss to UConn that leaves the Bulls 3-2.
UB Swimming vs. Cornell (Alumni Arena Natatorium, noon)
Swimming and Diving start off their 2024-25 schedule.
UB Women’s Tennis @ ITA Regionals (Harvard, Boston, MA, through 10/15)
#7 seed Maria Glowacka and #49 Esmee Andresen compete in the Round of 128 to start the weekend-long tournament.
UB Soccer @ Bowling Green
UB Volleyball @ Ball State
Two road games against division rivals in two days.
Kyle Kinane (Helium, 30 Missisppi St, 7:30/10pm, $34)
Kinane’s a veteran standup with three Comedy Central specials, an set on Netflix’s The Standups, and apperances on Love, Those Who Can’t, Drunk History, and Paraside PD.
The Ha-Ha Show! (Buffalo Improv House, 255 Great Arrow Ave #207, 11am, $8adv/$10/pwyc)
A family-friendly variety show featuring comedy, made-up songs, and audience interaction.
Student & Community Showcase (Buffalo Improv House, 255 Great Arrow Ave #207, 7pm, $8adv/$10/pwyc)
Improv comedy by BIH’s level 2 improv class, and the Defiant Monkey improv troupe.
Yngwie Malmstein (Electric City, 433 Pearl St, 7pm, $34-99)
The Swedish guitarist’s guitarist brought classical chops to heavy metal.
King Falcon (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 9pm, $10)
Psychedelic NYC band touring behind new album. w/Deadwolf, Little Liar
Bear Grillz (Town Ballroom, 618 S Main St, 7pm, $34, 18+)
The Underland Part II Tour. w/Vastive, Perry Wayne
Dave Schiavone & Harry Graser (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 1-2pm)
Classical and jazz on saxophone and piano
The Cousins Trio (PAUSA Art House, 19 Wadsworth St, 6:30pm, $12.50-$15)
Mood Swingers (The Cave, 71 Military Rd, 8pm, $10)
Argyle Street Band (Sportsmens Tavern, 326 Amherst St, 3pm, $10)
Too Yacht to Handle (Sportsmens Tavern, 326 Amherst St, 8pm, $15)
Yacht rock covers. w/Tom Petty tribute band
Monkeys on a String (Iron Works, 49 Illinois St, 7pm, $20adv/$25, 18+)
Dave Matthews Band tribute.
Mark Winsick (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 7pm)
Covers on guitar.
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 10/13
Buffalo Hive Fall Fun-Raiser (9th Ward, 341 Delaware Ave, 3-7pm, $35)
Support local independent journalism, as community news site Buffalo Hive has a post-launch fundraiser, with music from Comienzos, spoken word performances by Yamilla Tate and Ben Brandise, and food from Bocce Club Pizza.
RiverJam (RiverWorks, 359 Ganson St, 2pm, $40)
Local music festival featuring Andy Frasco & the U.N, Spafford, Magic Beans, Roy G Biv, Tsavo Highway, KimonoFox.
Nickel City Comic Con (Buffalo Niagara Convention Center, 153 Franklin St, 10am-4pm, $40/$60 for 2-day pass)
Kinane’s a veteran standup with three Comedy Central specials, an set on Netflix’s The Standups, and apperances on Love, Those Who Can’t, Drunk History, and Paraside PD.
Diary of an Elephant Orphan (Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, 341 Delaware Ave, noon)
South African director Hermien Roelvert-van Gils’ documentary visits an home for baby elephans, who are increasingly orphaned when their parents are killed by poachers or their habitats are encroached on.
BIFF Shorts: Young Adult (Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, 341 Delaware Ave, 2:15-4:15)
A program of short films exploring teen dreams and drama queens.
BIFF Shorts: Personal and Political (Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, 341 Delaware Ave, 4:15-6)
A program of short films telling fiction and nonfiction stories about people trapped between politics around the world.
BIFF Shorts: In Retrospect (Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, 341 Delaware Ave, 6:15-8:15)
A program of short films about moving on from the past.
La Laguna del Soldado (Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, 341 Delaware Ave, 8:15)
Director Pablo Alvarez-Mesa explores the oral history of the Páramo region of Colombia, in the winner of Hot Docs’ Best Canadian Feature Documentary award. In Spanish with subtitles. Screened with Huli, Daniel Croix’s 12-minute short about a boxer who finds connection and purpose after relocating from NYC to Hawai’i.
UB Women’s Soccer @ Ball State
The Soccer team had their first loss of the season last week, to Western Michigan, but bounced back at home against Northern Illinois, and hope to improve their already-dominant 8-1-2 record in Muncie.
Kyle Kinane (Helium, 30 Missisppi St, 7pm, $34)
Kinane’s a veteran standup with three Comedy Central specials, an set on Netflix’s The Standups, and apperances on Love, Those Who Can’t, Drunk History, and Paraside PD.
Gershwin & Respighi (Kleinhans Music Hall, 3 Symphony Circle, 2:30pm, $16.50-$74.50)
Pianist Joyce Yang and the Buffalo Philharmonic perform Ibert’s Escales, Respighi’s Vetrate di Chiesa, and Gershwin’s Concerto in F Major for Piano and Orchestra.
Tommy Orange (Kleinhans Music Hall, 3 Symphony Circle, 8pm, $16.50-$46.50)
Just Buffalo Literary Center presents a reading by the author, whose novel Wandering Stars was longlisted for the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize.
Demon Hunter (Rec Room, 79 W Chippewa, 7pm, $40, 16+)
w/War of Ages, Opponent
Doused in Death III (Milkie’s, 522 Elmwood Ave, 1:30pm, FREE)
All-day metal festival, with Polyester Friends, Mental Anguish, Morgue Terror, Anthropic, Brotality, Krist, Lord Loss, and One Way Terror
Celebrating the Music of Steve Earle (Sportsmens Tavern, 326 Amherst St, 3pm, $10)
The Wazmopolitans (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 6pm)
Latin jazz, blues funk, and more.
Jay Race’s Almost D.A.B. (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 11pm, $10)
River Jam afterparty, featuring supergroup of local Grateful Dead cover bands.
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 10/14
Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson (Kleinhans Music Hall, 3 Symphony Circle, 7:30pm, SOLD OUT)
The famed astrophysicist and host of Cosmos discusses the universe.
Just a Farmer (Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, 341 Delaware Ave, 12:30pm)
When a woman’s husband dies suddenly, she’s left caring for his acoholic father, their two young children, and a failing farm, in Australian director Simon Lyndon’s film. US Premiere.
BIFF Shorts: Migrations (Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, 341 Delaware Ave, 2:30-4:15pm)
A program of short films telling diasporic tales from around the world.
Film Is Dead. Long Live Film! (Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, 341 Delaware Ave, 4:30pm)
Peter Fllyn’s documentary explores the often secretive world of private film collectors, condemned as pirates by some, but determined to preseve rare physical media.
Ava (Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, 341 Delaware Ave, 6:30pm)
Ava has to navigate senior year of high school after the death of her best friend, in Martin R. McGowan’s drama. Screened with This Crowded Room, a short film from Rafael Burgos Nieves, in which a couple look back after death on their lives together and love of dance.
BIFF Shorts: Twisted (Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, 341 Delaware Ave, 8:45-11pm)
A program of uncomfortable short films to close out the festival.
Buffalo Bills @ New York Jets
No better balm for two back-to-back losses than a primetime game against the hapless division rivals.
Jungle Steve (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 6-8pm, FREE)
Songwriter Showcase (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 8pm-mid, FREE)
Singer-songwriters from 8-9, and then an open mic for the rest of the evening.
Tuesday 10/15
Jeff Tweedy (Buff State Performing Arts Center, 1300 Elmwood Ave, 6:30pm, $58-91)
The Wilco frontman and prolific songwriter performs solo.
Hamilton (Shea’s Buffalo, 650 Main St, 7:30pm, $59-179)
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s smash hit about the man on the ten dollar bill comes to Buffalo. Through 10/27.
Johnny Manchild & the Poor Bastards (Rec Room, 79 W Chippewa, 6pm, $21, 16+)
The Volition X Tour. w/Cat Ridgeway, The Tourists
Ryan O’Flanagan (Helium, 30 Missisppi St, 7pm, $25)
This comic and actor has appeared on New Girl, Abbott Elementary, Dave, American Dad! and The Orville.
John Craigie (Asbury Hall, 341 Delaware Ave, 7pm, $25adv/$30)
Portland-based singer-songwriter. w/Tré Burt
Baudo Big Band (Sportsmens Tavern, 326 Amherst St, noon, FREE)
Twang Gang (Sportsmens Tavern, 326 Amherst St, 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)
A rotating cost of some of WNY’s best comics.
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 10/16
Hamilton (Shea’s Buffalo, 650 Main St, 7:30pm, $59-179)
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s smash hit about the man on the ten dollar bill comes to Buffalo. Through 10/27.
Jon Meacham (Mainstage Theater, UB Center for the Arts, 7pm, $30-50/$5 UB Students)
The Pulitzer Prize-winning presidential historian and former Newsweek editor speaks as part of UB’s Distinguished Speakers Series.
Buffalo Sabres @ Pittsburgh Penguins
Beyond Standard (Helium, 30 Missisppi St, 7pm, $25)
Live jazz from the Dominic Missana Trio, and stand-up comedy from Clayton Williams, Gary Wallace, Kevin Thomas Jr, Christina L, and host Mark DeBonis.
David Nihill (Town Ballroom, 618 S Main St, 7pm, $45-49, 16+, 12+w/parent)
Comedy and reading recommendations on Nihill’s Shelf Help tour.
James Ilgenfritz & Matthew Goodheart (Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, 341 Delaware Ave, 8pm, $15/$12 students)
The bass and piano jazz duo are joined by drummer Ravi Padmanabha.
Vine Brothers (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 7-9pm, FREE)
Americana and folk on guitar, mandolin, and upright bass.
Material (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 9pm, FREE)
Electronic band from Minneapolis.
Joe Baudo Jazz Quintet (Sportsmens Tavern, 326 Amherst St, noon, FREE)
Dillon Whitford Band (Sportsmens Tavern, 326 Amherst St, 6pm, $10)
Comedy Open Mic (Milkie’s, 522 Elmwood Ave, 9pm)
