What’s Good: October 24-30, 2024
Our weekly guide to what’s going on around Buffalo and in the world of sports and pop culture.
Thursday, 10/24
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.
Zodiaque Dance Company (Drama Theater, UB Center For the Arts, 7:30pm, $22/$7 UB students)
UB’s pre-professional dance company performs modern, contemporary, jazz, African, tap, and more.
Seuls (Alone) (Journey’s End Refugee Services, 2495 Main St, 7-9pm, $25/$10 virtual/$100 festival pass)
Part of the ongoing WNY Refugee Film Festival’s monthly screenings.
UB Women’s Tennis @ MAC Fall Championships (Oxford, OH)
Esme Andresen and Jagmeet Kaur compete for UB in singles.
UB Women’s Soccer vs Ohio (UB Stadium, 6pm)
Two draws last week have the soccer team at a still-dominant 9-1-5.
Will Burkart (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 8pm, $28)
LA-based stand-up, actor, and sparkling water afficionado.
Land Trust Fall Fest (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 6-9pm, $50)
Benefit for the Buffalo Niagara River Land Trust. Music food, raffles, first drink free, costumes encouraged.
Prairie Pavement (Milkie’s, 522 Elmwood Ave, 7:30pm, $10)
Local power-pop favorites. w/Romcom Victims, Night Owls, Karma Queen
Buffalo State Jazz Ensemble (Buff State Performing Arts Center, 1300 Elmwood Ave, 7:30pm, FREE)
Elliot Scozzaro/Hartwell Hospice Band (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 9pm, FREE)
Live jazz. Both acts are listed for 9-midnight, so we’re not sure who’s on first, or if only one is performing.
Swinging Cool (PAUSA Art House, 19 Wadsowrth St, 6:30pm, $18-$24)
JazzBuffalo presents a program celebrating the era of swing and cool jazz.
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
Friday, 10/25
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.
Zodiaque Dance Company (Drama Theater, UB Center For the Arts, 7:30pm, $22/$7 UB students)
UB’s pre-professional dance company performs modern, contemporary, jazz, African, tap, and more.
The Phantom of the Opera (Westminster Presbyterian Church, 724 Delware Ave, 7:30pm, FREE)
A screening of the 1925 silent film, with an improvised score performed by Garrett Martin on the church’s refurbished pipe organ.
UB Women’s Tennis @ MAC Fall Championships (Oxford, OH)
Maria Glowacka and Jagmeet Kaur team up for UB in doubles, while the winners of yesterday’s singles matches meet in the quarterfinals (and the consolation bracket)
UB Men’s Tennis @ MAC Invitational (Kalamazoo, MI)
As of press time, the MAC Conference has not listed a schedule or list of competitors.
UB Women’s Volleyball @ Central Michigan
Volleyball are 12-11, but 8-2 in the Conference, as they compete today and tomorrow in a row against MAC rivals Central Michigan.
Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes (Town Ballroom, 681 S Main St, 7pm, $68, 12+)
Springsteen-adjacent band who have been playing the Jersey Shore for nearly 50 years.
Big Jay Oakerson (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 7:30/10pm, $33)
The in-demand comedian has appeared on This Is Not Happening and Louie, and co-hosts SiriusXM’s The Bonfire.
Buffalo Philharmonic (Kleinhans Music Hall, 3 Symphony Circle, 10:30am, $16.50-$74.50)
The BPO performs Debussy’s Clair de Lune, Roberto Sierra’s Concierto para Violín y Orquesta, and Schubert’s Symphony No. 9 in C Major, nicknamed “The Great.”
Big Wigs (Shea’s 710, 710 Main St, 8pm, $63-$94)
Vegas-style drag show starring Ms. Kasha Davis from Drag Race and Aggy Dune.
David Jonathan & the Inner City Bedlam (The Caz, 2221 Seneca St, 8pm, $29-$42)
Local soul music outfit. w/Saranaide
Elizabeth Mazzolini (Hallwalls, 341 Delaware Ave, 4pm, FREE)
The UB Humanities department presents a talk on the Three Mile Island disaster, from the author of the forthcoming American Toxic.
The Galaxy’s Weirdest Disco (Milkie’s, 522 Elmwood Ave, 8pm, $15adv/$20)
Vinyl DJs, drag queens, and burlesque performers.
The Mood Swingers (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 7-9pm)
The Upstate Connection (PAUSA Art House, 19 Wadsowrth St, 6:30pm, $16-$18)
Songbirds (Iron Works, 49 Illinois St, 7pm, $15adv/$20, 18+)
Fleetwood Mac 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
Venom: The Last Dance (in wide release)
Chiwetel Ejiofor, Juno Temple, and Rhys Ifans join Tom Hardy for this MCU-adjacent sequel.
Conclave (in wide release)
Ralph Fiennes is a cardinal who must organize the next Pope’s election, but one of the candidates — and the deceased pontiff — has a terrible secret.
Your Monster (Walden Galleria)
A young woman reeling from a cancer diagnosis meets an oddly charming monster who lives in her closet in this horror romcom.
Let’s Start a Cult (Transit Center, 6707 Transit Rd, Williamsville)
A man who misses out on his cult’s mass suicide tries to rebuild the flock.
Don’t Move (Netflix)
A serial killer injects a woman with a paralyzing drug, and she must get away before her body completely shuts down.
Time Cut (in wide release)
A high school student finds a time machine, and travels back to the year her sister was murdered.
Pottel (Elmwood Center, 2001 Elmwood Ave.)
A man is driven out of his hometown by caste politics, but is treated differently when he returns after a spiritual awakening. In Telugu with subtitles.
Saturday 10/26
Hamilton (Shea’s Buffalo, 650 Main St, 2pm/8pm, $59-179)
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s smash hit about the man on the ten dollar bill comes to Buffalo.
Zodiaque Dance Company (Drama Theater, UB Center For the Arts, 7:30pm, $22/$7 UB students)
UB’s pre-professional dance company performs modern, contemporary, jazz, African, tap, and more.
UB Women’s Tennis @ MAC Fall Championships (Oxford, OH)
The singles and doubles semifinals, and the doubles consolation matches.
UB Women’s Volleyball @ Central Michigan
The second of two matches against MAC rivals Central Michigan.
Buffalo Sabres vs Detroit Red Wings (KeyBank Arena, 1 Seymour Knox Plaza, 1pm, $5-62)
After a rough start, the blue and gold have improved to 3-4-1.
UB Football @ Ohio
The Bulls dropped to 4-3 after a close, high-scoring loss on Homecoming, so a road win against a division rival would be welcome.
UB Swimming & Diving @ Eastern Michigan
Big Jay Oakerson (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 7:30/10pm, $33)
The in-demand comedian has appeared on This Is Not Happening and Louie, and co-hosts SiriusXM’s The Bonfire.
Here Come the Mummies (Electric City, 433 Pearl St, 7pm, $32-$97)
Terrifying funk from beyond the grave! w/The Toxhards
Buffalo Philharmonic (Kleinhans Music Hall, 3 Symphony Circle, 7:30pm, $16.50-$74.50)
The BPO performs Debussy’s Clair de Lune, Roberto Sierra’s Concierto para Violín y Orquesta, and Schubert’s Symphony No. 9 in C Major, nicknamed “The Great.”
Kleinhans Interior Tour (Kleinhans Music Hall, 3 Symphony Circle, 1pm-2:30pm, $9)
See one of Buffalo’s architectural treasures up close with this in-depth tour.
The Ha-Ha Show! (Buffalo Improv House, 255 Great Arrow Ave #207, 11am, $12/$8 16-under, all ages)
A family-friendly improv comedy show, including sketches, made-up songs, and audience interaction.
The Musical Improv Mixer (Buffalo Improv House, 255 Great Arrow Ave #207, 6pm, $5 suggested)
Anyone’s welcome to join in to try their hand at improv comedy and improv comedy songs.
Community Night (Buffalo Improv House, 255 Great Arrow Ave #207, 7pm, $8 suggested)
Local improv groups perform, including UB Improv, Cheese & Slackers, and Dingo Daddo.
Shitty Hauntings (Iron Works, 49 Illinois St, 7pm, $10adv/$15, 18+)
Roving party Shitty Hawkins puts on an early Halloween event, with live performers, DJ sets, party favors and prizes, and a dance-off. Proceeds benefit The Pride Center of WNY.
Halloween Covers Show (Milkie’s, 522 Elmwood Ave, 8pm, $10)
Local artists cover Metallica, B-52s, The Damned, Gin Blossoms, and Dashboard Confessional. Costumes encouraged.
Bryan Eng Trio (PAUSA Art House, 19 Wadsowrth St, 6:30pm, $23-$35)
Eng honors his inspirations, incluing Nat King Cole and Harry Connick Jr, while performing originals from his latest album, A Few Days with You.
Michael McNeill & Alex Hughes (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 1-2pm)
Piano & flute duo.
Tom Stahl and the Dangerfields (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 6-8pm)
Original folk rock.
49 Winchester (Town Ballroom, 681 S Main St, 7pm, $26.50, 16+)
Leavin’ This Holler tour. w/Corb Lund
Gypsy Queen (The Cave, 71 Military Rd, 8pm, $18)
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)
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (Apple TV+)
Linus’ faith in the Great Pumpkin is tested, in this beloved holiday classic.
Sunday 10/27
Hamilton (Shea’s Buffalo, 650 Main St, 1pm/7pm, $59-179)
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s smash hit about the man on the ten dollar bill comes to Buffalo.
Zodiaque Dance Company (Drama Theater, UB Center For the Arts, 2pm, $22/$7 UB students)
UB’s pre-professional dance company performs modern, contemporary, jazz, African, tap, and more.
Buffalo Bills @ Seattle Seahawks
Another win for the red white and blue last week, as new WR Amari Cooper has the offense humming again. Seahawks beware!
UB Women’s Tennis @ MAC Fall Championships (Oxford, OH)
The singles and doubles championship.
UB Women’s Soccer @ Miami-Ohio
Ahmed Al-Kadri (9th Ward, 341 Delaware Ave, 7pm, $25-35, 18+)
This Yemeni-born, LA-based comic acts on the series David Diamondhands, and is touring behind his YouTube special Special Not Special.
Buena Vista Social Orchestra (Electric City, 433 Pearl St, 6pm, $44-$84)
Key players from the Buena Vista Social Club celebrate that group’s legacy.
Dave Landau (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 7pm, $28)
This everyman comic mines humor from his transformation from addict to family man.
ferð við Norðrsaer (Hallwalls, 341 Delaware Ave, 1-8pm, FREE)
Photographer Chris Behrend’s show translates to “Journey to the North Sea,” and showcases his work shot in Greeland, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands. Video screenings at 1:30, 4, and 6, with Q/A at the early and late show.
Buffalo State Honor Band and Choir (Buff State Performing Arts Center, 1300 Elmwood Ave, 4pm, $7)
Adam LaGreca (Milkie’s, 522 Elmwood Ave, 7pm, $8)
Album release mini-tour for Make It Breezy. w/Goodbye Metro, Mikee Strongmen
Dr. Jazz & the Jazzbugs / Jake McKelvie (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 3:30-5:30pm, FREE)
Both acts are listed for 3:30-5:30, not sure which one will show up. McKelvie has two openers: Rattlesnake Jake, and Johnny and the Man Kids.
John Bacon Jazz (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 4-6pm)
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 10/28
Tom Robert (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 6pm, FREE)
Buffalo Sabres vs Florida Panthers (KeyBank Arena, 1 Seymour Knox Plaza, 7pm, $5-62)
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 10/29
Trixx (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 7pm, $33)
This comic won 2018’s World Series of Comedy, and won the 2021 Bostom Comedy Festival.
Jeris Johnson (Rec Room, 79 W Chippewa St, 6pm, $31, 16+)
Pop/metal singer. w/Freak, Blackswan
The Dreamboats (Iron Works, 49 Illinois St, 7pm, $20adv/$25, 18+)
This Canadian quartet recaptures the spirit of early rock and roll.
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.
Karaoke (Milkie’s, 522 Elmwood Ave, 8pm)
Wednesday 10/30
LP Giobbi (Electric City, 433 Pearl St, 7pm, $26-$86)
Pianist, DJ, and “remix powerhouse” comes through town on The Way Back Home Tour.
Lady Bunny (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 7pm, $33, 18+)
NYC drag legend and sharp-witted comic, in a show aptly named Don’t Bring the Kids.
Buffalo Chamber Players: Inventions (Asbury Hall, 341 Delaware Ave, 7pm, $28adv/$32)
The BCP open their season with works by Mozart, Isabella Leonarda, Caroline Shaw, and Buffalo-based composer Caroline Mallonee.
The Autonomous Vehicles (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 7-9pm, FREE)
Live “jazzy funk blues.”
Djug Flutie & the Flakey Jug Band (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 9-midnight, FREE)
Comedy Open Mic (Milkie’s, 522 Elmwood Ave, sign up 7pm, show 9:30pm)
