What’s Good: Oct 31-Nov 6, 2024

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

Thursday, 10/31

Night of the Laughing Dead (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 8pm, $20)
Comics dress up as the departed comics who inspired them, including Don Johnson as Rodney Dangerfield, Jacob Morrison as The Amazing Jonathan, Kyle Turner as Norm McDonald, Katie Scanlon as Joan Rivers, Andrew Joslyn as Louie Anderson, Kyle Tonas as George Carlin, and host Ryan Henry as Patrice O’Neal.

The HU (Electric City, 433 Pearl St, 7pm, $35-$160)
Guttural Mongolian heavy metal. w/The Funeral Portrait

Ride the Cyclone (Black Box Theatre, UB Center For the Arts, 7:30pm, SOLD OUT)
Six Canadian teenager choir singers are given a chance to return to life after dying in a freak rollercoaster accident in this musical.

Dexter and the Moonrocks (Town Ballroom, 681 South Main St, 7pm, $26.50, 16+, 12+ w/parent)
Eastern space grunge. w/Red Leather

Mookie (Milkie’s, 522 Elmwood Ave, 7:30pm, $10)
Indie surf punk. w/Racehearce (psychosurf), Catspurr the Ghost (feral indie), The Foxy Thrills (burlesque)

Randle & the Sunshine Scandals (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 7-9:30pm, FREE)

Righteous Villains (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 6-8pm, FREE)
Chicago-style blues.

Clementine (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 8pm, $10)
w/Twin Affairs, JOEYB, Sunburn

Lo Blu Flame (Sportsmen’s Tavern, 326 Amherst St, noon, FREE)

Takas (Sportsmen’s Tavern, 326 Amherst St, 7pm, $10)

FluffDead (The Cave, 71 Military Rd, 7pm, $10)

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, 11/1

The Nightmare Before Christmas (Kleinhans Music Hall, 3 Symphony Circle, 7:30pm, $26.50-$84.50)
Henry Selick’s stop-motion holiday classic (Tim Burton didn’t direct the film, he just slapped his name on the title), with the score performed live by the Buffalo Philharmonic.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Shea’s Smith, 658 Main St, 7:30pm, $19-$50)
Six quirkly adolescents compete in a spelling bee in this Tony-winning musical comedy. Through 11/17.

Ashley Gavin (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 7/9:30pm, $39)
Gavin has appeared on Netflix Is a Joke, Hulu, and Comedy Central, and hosts the top-charting podcast We’re Having Gay Sex.

Mingus Dynasty Septet (Lippes Concert Hall, Slee Hall, 7:30pm, $20)
The Septet celebrates the legacy of jazz legend (and one-time UB professor) Charles Mingus, preceded by a talk with Sabu Adeyola, a Mingus protege currently on the UB faculty.

Le Youth (Electric City, 433 Pearl St, 7pm, $24-$54)
Electronic DJ known for combining R&B and 90s house. w/Robby East

Stephen Parisi Jr Quintet (PAUSA Art House, 19 Wadsworth St, 6pm, $17-$23)
Buffalo-born composer and bassist, playing all original music.

The Frank White Experience (Iron Works, 49 Illinois St, 7pm, $15adv/$20, 18+)
Tribute to The Notorious B.I.G. w/Felix Free

The Gripers 4 (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 6-8pm)

Vague Questions (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 7-10pm)
The first edition of an experimental interview series with no specific topic, presented on a series of CRT TVs, with an interactive area.

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

Here (in wide release)
Tom Hanks and Robin Wright’s lives as a married couple unfold in one unbroken shot of their home.

Juror No. 2 (not showing in Buffalo)
Clint Eastwood’s latest and possible final film was buried by Warner Brothers, in the latest of a series of baffling business decisions by the studio.

Absolution (Transit Center, 6707 Transit Rd, Williamsville)
Someone once again comes to regret pissing off Liam Neeson in this crime thriller.

Lost on a Mountain in Maine (in wide release)
A 12-year-old becomes separated from his family in a storm, and has to survive on his own in the wilderness with no food or supplies. Based on the true story recounted in Donn Fendler’s 1939 autobiographical book.

Blitz (Apple TV)
A young boy goes on an adventure in London, only to find himself caught in the bombings of the Blitz, as his distraught mother (Saoirse Ronan) searches for him.

Amaran (Elmwood Center, 2001 Elmwood Ave.)
The true story of Major Mukund Varadarajan, who was awarded the Ashok Chakra for valor during a counterterrorism operation in Jammu and Kashmir. in Tamil with subtitles.

Bagheera (Elmwood Center, 2001 Elmwood Ave.)
A cop moonlights as a murderous crime-fighting vigilante. in Kannada with subtitles.

Bhool Bhulaiyya 3 (Elmwood Center, Walden Galleria)
Kartik Aaryan battles two vengeful spirits in a haunted mansion, in the third installment of this horror-comedy series. in Hindi with subtitles.

Bloody Beggar (Elmwood Center, 2001 Elmwood Ave.)
A beggar’s life is turned upside down in Sivabalan Muthukumar’s black comedy. in Tamil with subtitles.

Brother (Elmwood Center, 2001 Elmwood Ave.)
Jayam Ravi is a law school dropout who stands up against injustice in this drama. in Tamil with subtitles.

Godzilla Minus One (Elmwood Center, Market Arcade 8, Walden Galleria)
Celebrate the 70th anniversary of the King of Monsters with a re-release of the latest (and one of the greatest) kaiju films. In Japanese with subtitles.

Lucky Baskhar (Elmwood Center, 2001 Elmwood Ave.)
A broke bank teller tries a risky investment scheme and gets caught up in the world of money laundering. in Telugu with subtitles.

Singham Again (Elmwood Center, Walden Galleria)
When a man’s wife is kidnapped, he must find clues hidded within the Ramayana to rescue her. In Hindi with subtitles.

Saturday 11/2

Ashley Gavin (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 7/9:30pm, $39)
Gavin has appeared on Netflix Is a Joke, Hulu, and Comedy Central, and hosts the top-charting podcast We’re Having Gay Sex.

The Wizard of Oz (Shea’s 710, 710 Main St, 2pm/7pm, $18-$22)
Sacred Heart Academy presents the beloved classic.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Shea’s Smith, 658 Main St, 8pm, $19-$50)
Six quirkly adolescents compete in a spelling bee in this Tony-winning musical comedy. Through 11/17.

Ride the Cyclone (Black Box Theatre, UB Center For the Arts, 2pm/7:30pm, SOLD OUT)
Six Canadian teenager choir singers are given a chance to return to life after dying in a freak rollercoaster accident in this musical.

Indie Author Day (Downtown Central Library, 1 Lafayette Square, 9:15-1:15pm, FREE)
Speakers and panelists discuss how to write a book and get it published.

Sweet Honey In the Rock (Mainstage Thater, UB Center for the Arts, 7:30pm, $49-$89)
A black, female vocal ensemble who explore the history of African-American music through song and dance. w/Grammy-winning songwriter Rickie Lee Jones

Derek Hough Dance for the Holidays (Shea’s Buffalo, 650 Main St, 8pm, $64-$107)
A joyous celebration of the most festive time of year, with dancers and holiday carols old and new.

Rock Hits & Power Ballads (Kleinhans Music Hall, 3 Symphony Circle, 7:30pm, $21.50-$119.50)
The Philharmonic rocks out, with orchestral anthems and power ballads by the likes of Aerosmith, The Cars, and Foreigner, plus ballads from Adele, Gloria Estefan, Whitney Houston, and Bonnie Raitt.

Little Big Town (KeyBank Arena, 1 Seymour Knox Place, 7pm, $29-$239)
Grammy-winning country foursome.

Shaun Murphy (Rob’s Playhouse Theater, 3200 Elmwood Ave, 8pm, $15)
Buffalo-born, NYC-based stand-up comic.

Peekaboo (Town Ballroom, 681 South Main St, 7pm, $38, 18+)
Dubstep and freeform/space bass DJ.

Deviled Eggs-travatanga (Electric City, 433 Pearl St, 5pm, $45-$120/$10 10+under)
Competition for the best deviled eggs in town. Performances by Dellwood and the Nightshades, Randle and the Late Night Scandals. More info at eggsinthebuff.com.

Ouija Macc (Rec Room, 79 W Chippewa St, 10pm, $27, 16+)
The Kicc Da Wiccit Tour. w/Outlawsevensixxteen

The Ha-Ha Show! (Buffalo Improv House, 255 Great Arrow Ave #207, 11am, $12/$8 under 16)
A family-friendly show with improv comedy, made-up songs, and audience interaction.

Student Showcase (Buffalo Improv House, 255 Great Arrow Ave #207, 6pm, $8 suggested)
A showcase featuring Level One improv class performers.

Various Factors (Buffalo Improv House, 255 Great Arrow Ave #207, 7pm, $18/$12 students)
Fully improvised Broadway-inspired comedy. musical. Piano karaoke afterparty.

Stew Cutler and Friends (PAUSA Art House, 19 Wadsworth St, 6:30pm, $17-$23)
Purist sould and blues, from a guitarist who performed on the score for The Irishman.

Dizgo (Iron Works, 49 Illinois St, 7pm, $15adv/$20, 18+)
Electronic-influenced jam band. w/Grub, Solar Circuit

Michael Mendoza (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 1-2pm)
Classical guitar.

Sam Marabella (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 6-8pm)
Roots, country, jazz, and blues.

Halloween Jeopardy (Milkie’s, 522 Elmwood Ave, 6-7pm, FREE)
Spooky-themed trivia night.

Bidwell Parkway Farmers Market (Bidwell Parkway, 8am-1pm)
Fresh produce and locally-sourced goods, Saturdays through 11/23.

Sunday 11/3

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Shea’s Smith, 658 Main St, 2pm, $19-$50)
Six quirkly adolescents compete in a spelling bee in this Tony-winning musical comedy. Through 11/17.

Ashley Gavin (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 7pm, $39)
Gavin has appeared on Netflix Is a Joke, Hulu, and Comedy Central, and hosts the top-charting podcast We’re Having Gay Sex.

Ride the Cyclone (Black Box Theatre, UB Center For the Arts, 2pm, SOLD OUT)
Six Canadian teenager choir singers are given a chance to return to life after dying in a freak rollercoaster accident in this musical.

Struggle Jennings (Electric City, 433 Pearl St, 7pm, $25-$60)
Struggle carries on the tradition of his step-grandfather Waylon, but is also an old friend and collaborator of JellyRoll. w/The Native Howl, Huey Mack

Jay/Sharptet (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 4-6pm)
Miles Davis-inspired originals.

Bearly Dead (Iron Works, 49 Illinois St, 6:30pm, $15adv/$20, 18+)
Grateful Dead cover band.

Anne Philippone (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 6-8pm, FREE)
Barrelhouse blues and boogie piano.

Jazz Cache (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 8:30pm-mid, FREE)
Live music from a rotating cast of Buffalo jazz musicians.

Monday 11/4

Pink Skies (Rec Room, 79 W Chippewa St, 10pm, $21, 16+)
“Psychedelic bad boy.” w/Gabacho, Asalone

Christopher Paul Stelling (The Cave, 71 Military Rd, 7pm, $18)
Atlanta-based songwriter who’s performed at Newport Folk Festival.

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 11/5

Brown Bag Concert (Lippes Concert Hall, Slee Hall, noon, FREE)
Informal 45-minute concert by students and faculty where patrons are invited to bring a bag lunch.

Buff State Percussion & West African Drumming Ensemble (Buff State PAC, 1300 Elmwood Ave, 7:30, FREE)
The two ensembles join forces to explore drum techniques and layered rhythms.

Silver Arrow Band (9th Ward, 341 Delaware Ave, 7pm, FREE)
A free gig where the band works out new and old material.

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 11/6

The Mid-Week Vibe (9th Ward, 341 Delaware Ave, 7pm, $30, 16+)
This months vibe celebrates the Scorpios in the house, with comedy by Yolanda Smilez, an acousting performance by Eric “EO” Oliver, and featured artist Victor Johnson.

3rd Doctors of the World (Kleinhans Music Hall, 3 Symphony Circle, 7:30pm, FREE)
The Philharmonic performs with doctors from around the world, as a benefit for Healing Arts. The show is free, but tickets must be reserved in advance at bpo.org, and donations to Healing Arts are welcome.

The Stars with Guitars (Mainstage Thater, UB Center for the Arts, 7:30pm, $34-$64)
An all-acoustic night of country music, featuring Scotty McCreery, Chris Lane, Matt Stell, Tigirlily Gold, and Drew Baldridge.

Fiona Cauley (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 8pm, $31)
This quick-witted Nashville comic and frequent guest on Kill Tony turns her dark sense of humor towards being disabled.

Tom Robert (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 6-8pm)
Traditional blues, folk, and country.

Comedy Open Mic (Milkie’s, 522 Elmwood Ave, sign up 7pm, show 9:30pm)

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