What’s Good: Feb 27-March 5, 2025
Our weekly guide to what’s going on around Buffalo and in the world of pop culture.
We’ve expanded our sports listings and given them their own space: check out The Sports Page for records, recent scores, and upcoming games from the UB Bulls and every Buffalo pro and semi-pro team.
Thursday, 2/27
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists (Rec Room, 79 W Chippewa St, 7pm, $38.50, 16+)
Hardcore-turned-pop-punk icon Leo reunites with his backing band to perform Shake the Sheets for the album’s 20th anniversary. w/Shonali
Zodiaque Dance Company (Drama Theatre, UB Center for the Arts, 7:30pm, $22/$7 UB students)
UB’s pre-professional dance company celebrates their 50th anniersary with a two-act performance featuring a diverse array of dance styles.
Steph Tolev (Helium, 30 Mississippi, 8pm, $28)
This LA-based Canadian stand-up made her TV debut on Bill Burr’s The Ringers, and Vulture named her a “Comic You Should and Will Know.” She also co-wrote and -starred in the web series Steph & Deb.
The Niceties (Shea’s Smith, 658 Main St, 7:30pm, $19-$50)
An Ivy League professor and her ambitious student debate their clashing worldviews in Eleanor Burgess’ play.
Cats (Shea’s 710, 710 Main St, 7:30pm, $26-$79)
Starring Buffalo presents Andew Lloyd Webbers’ bizarre and beloved feline musical.
Farrow does Rhianna (The Caz, 2221 Seneca St, 7pm, $15)
Local “neo-classic rock” favorites Farrow cover pop superstar Rhianna. w/Jamall Youngblood, Soul of the City.
Spud (Albright-Knox Gallery, 1285 Elmwood Ave, 5:30-7:30pm, FREE)
Fast-pace riot grrl-inspired power trio.
Queen City Roller Derby (Riverworks, 359 Ganson St, 7pm, $22.50)
The Devil Dollies take on the Alley Kats.
Gary Gulman (Asbury Hall, 341 Delaware Ave, 7pm, $35-$45, 16+)
Gulman has appeared in five stand-up specials, including his breakout The Great Depresh, as well as films including Joker and Life & Beth.
Vincent Antone (Iron Works, 49 Illliois St, 7pm, $20adv/$25, 18+)
Multi-instrumentalist Antone creates genre-spanning dance music. w/Wax Future
Lunch Bunch (Sportsmens Tavern, 326 Amherst St, noon, FREE)
Ron LoCurto Band (Sportsmens Tavern, 326 Amherst St, 6pm, $10)
Mr. Conrad’s Rock n Roll Dance Party (The Cave, 71 Military Rd, 7pm, FREE)
Alex McArthur Quartet (Pausa Art House, 19 Wadsworth St, 6:30pm, $16-$19)
Sue Kincaid & Ed Croft (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 6-8pm)
Crespobeats (Electric City, 433 Pearl St, 6pm, FREE)
The WBFO DJ spins in the club every Thursday from 7-9 and then live to air from 9-11.
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 enjoy the show!
Poetry Open Mic & Game Night (Twentysixallen, 26 Allen St, 6pm)
Co-hosted by Sara Ali and Meg Specksgoor
Friday, 2/28
Ground Mass Launch Party (Electric City, 433 Pearl St, 7pm, $20-$57)
Local record label Ground Mass is relaunching, kicking off with a show featuring drum-n-bass artists Gremlinz & esta, as well as local artists Mark Kloud, Steve Cable, Neurokinetic, and Dan Ratel — all featured on Ground Mass’ compilation EP vi-cin-i-ty.
Zodiaque Dance Company (Drama Theatre, UB Center for the Arts, 7:30pm, $22/$7 UB students)
UB’s pre-professional dance company celebrates their 50th anniersary with a two-act performance featuring a diverse array of dance styles.
The Niceties (Shea’s Smith, 658 Main St, 7:30pm, $19-$50)
An Ivy League professor and her ambitious student debate their clashing worldviews in Eleanor Burgess’ play. Through 3/2
Cats (Shea’s 710, 710 Main St, 7:30pm, $26-$79)
Starring Buffalo presents Andew Lloyd Webbers’ bizarre and beloved feline musical.
Steph Tolev (Helium, 30 Mississippi, 7:30/10pm, $28)
This LA-based Canadian stand-up made her TV debut on Bill Burr’s The Ringers, and Vulture named her a “Comic You Should and Will Know.” She also co-wrote and -starred in the web series Steph & Deb.
Saxsquatch (Iron Works, 49 Illliois St, 7pm, $20adv/$25, 18+)
This viral sensation wails on the sax while in a sasquatch costume. w/DJ Scafetta
Eastman Organists (Lippes Concert Hall, Slee Hall, 7:30pm, $10)
Annual concert featuring highly accomplished students from the Eastman School of Music’s renowned organ studio.
Hal Langfur (Hallwalls Contemporary Art Gallery, 341 Delaware Ave, 4pm, FREE)
Author of the award-winning Adrift On an Inland Sea and The Forbidden Lands gives a talk on colonial powers fostering racial enmity in colonial Brazil, as part of UB Humanities’ Scholars@Hallwalls series.
Jon Lehning Presents Cannonball Adderly (Pausa Art House, 19 Wadsworth St, 6:30pm, $16-$19)
Lehninig performs the music of saxophone legend Adderly.
Sankofa: Black History is World History (Merriweather Library, 1324 Jefferson Ave, 12:30-5pm, $15)
Dive into the rich culture, heritage, and achievements of black communities around the globe, with speeches by African American researcher Chey Winston, historian and TedX speaker Emmanuel Kulu, Jr, and an African drum session.
Will Holton (Albright-Knox Gallery, 1285 Elmwood Ave, 6pm, $30/$25 members)
Buffalo-born singer and saxophonist.
Fourth Friday Reading Series (Dog Ears Bookstore, 688 Abbott Rd, 6pm, $5)
This month’s featured reader is J. Tim Raymond.
Ground & Sky Poetry Open Mic (Caffe Aroma, 957 Elmwood Ave, 8:30pm, FREE)
Hosted by Joel Lesses.
Mardi Gras Boozy Bingo (Riverworks, 359 Ganson St, 7pm, $23-$27)
Dance-offs, singalongs, crowd challenges, prizes, giveaways, and somewhere in between all that, bingo.
Jake Schneider (The Caz, 2221 Seneca St, 6pm, $74)
This singer-songwriter has been touringi the world since the ’70s. Dinner included in ticket price.
Kingz and Thievez (Rec Room, 79 W Chippewa St, 7pm, $20.50, 16+)
Cleveland deathcore band. w/Dishonored, Monomaniac, Morgue Terror
The Garage Doors (The Cave, 71 Military Rd, 8pm, $12.50)
Doors tribute act.
Randle & the Late Night Scandals (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 6-8pm, FREE)
The Kensingtons (Sportsmens Tavern, 326 Amherst St, 5pm, $10)
The Funk Knights (Sportsmens Tavern, 326 Amherst St, 9pm, $10)
Lo Blu Flame (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 6-8pm)
Off the Wall (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 8pm-mid, $15adv/$20)
Local pop-punk band performs as part of Emo Night.
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
Last Breath (in wide release)
Deep sea divers race to rescue a trapped crewmate.
Riff Raff (Transit Center, Walden Galleria)
A crime comedy whose stacked cast includes Jennifer Coolidge, Pete Davidson, Ed Harris, Bill Murray, and Gabrielle Union, and not the Rocky Horror spinoff we were hoping for.
My Dead Friend Zoe (Maple Ridge 8, 4276 Maple Rd, Amherst)
An army veteran (Sonequa Martin Green) keeps seeing visions of her killed-in-action best friend (Natalie Morales), and decides to care for her estranged grandfather (Ed Harris) when he’s diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
Chhaava (Elmwood Center, 2001 Elmwood Ave.)
Historical epic based on the life of Sambhajji Maharaj (Vicky Kaushal), the second ruler of the Maratha Empire, adapted from Shivaji Sawant’s novel of the same name. In Hindi with subtitles, check listings.
Mazaka (Elmwood Center, 2001 Elmwood Ave.)
A single father and his son both fall in love, but they discover their paramours are related, and their family disapproves. In Telugu with subtitles.
Mobile Suit Gundam Gquuuuuux: Beginning (Elmwood Center, Transit Center)
A teenager on a space colony’s life is upended when she meets a young Gundam pilot in this big-screen anime. In Japanese with subtitles.
Sabdham (Elmwood Center, 2001 Elmwood Ave.)
A paranormal investigator looks into a series of mysterious deaths at a university. In Tamil or Telugu with subtitles, check listings.
Superboys of Malegaon (Elmwood Center, Transit Center, Walden Galleria)
An aspiring filmmaker assembles a group of friends to make a film for his hometown. In Hindi with subtitles.
Saturday 3/1
Shamrock Run (Louisiana St. & O’Connell St, noon, $40adv/$45)
The annual 8K race through the First Ward. Register at buffaloshamrockrun.com
La Traviata (Kleinhans Music Hall, 3 Symphony Circle, 7:30pm, $16.50-$121.50)
The BPO and Philharmonic Chorus are joined by members of SUNY Fredonia’s Hillman Opera Program to perform Verdi’s scandalous-at-the-time opera.
Zodiaque Dance Company (Drama Theatre, UB Center for the Arts, 7:30pm, $22/$7 UB students)
UB’s pre-professional dance company celebrates their 50th anniersary with a two-act performance featuring a diverse array of dance styles.
Jimmy Vivino (The Caz, 2221 Seneca St, 6pm, $89-$99)
The longtime Conan bandleader leads a night of blues. Dinner included in ticket price.
Cats (Shea’s 710, 710 Main St, 2pm/7:30pm, $26-$79)
Starring Buffalo presents Andew Lloyd Webbers’ bizarre and beloved feline musical.
Steph Tolev (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 7:30/10pm, $28)
This LA-based Canadian stand-up made her TV debut on Bill Burr’s The Ringers, and Vulture named her a “Comic You Should and Will Know.” She also co-wrote and -starred in the web series Steph & Deb.
Parmalee (Town Ballroom, 681 S Main St, 7pm, $40, 16+/12+ w/parent)
The country-rock group comes to down on their Fell In Love With a Cowgirl tour. w/Avery Anna
Level One Student Showcase (Buffalo Improv House, 255 Great Arrow Ave #207, 6pm, $8 suggested)
Improv sketches from BIH’s Level One class.
Various Factors (Buffalo Improv House, 255 Great Arrow Ave #207, 7pm, $12)
A fully improvised Broadway-style comedy musical, followed by live piano karaoke.
MisCast: Broadway in Reverse (The Cave, 71 Military Rd, 7pm, $23)
Proceeds benefit Niagara Pride.
Waste, Ecology, and Sustainability (Rust Belt Books, 415 Grant St, 6pm, FREE)
Poetry reading from poet Joe Hall.
Cousins Trio (Pausa Art House, 19 Wadsworth St, 6:30pm, $16-$19)
Latin jazz, spirituals, bossa nova, and 60s/70s pop.
Emorfik (Iron Works, 49 Illliois St, 7pm, $25, 18+)
Rock-infued EDM. w/SJ, Twopercent, Fraxure
Silent Disco (Electric City, 433 Pearl St, 8pm, $28)
Dance to your own beat, as three different channels of music play on headphones.
Gruvology Reunion (Sportsmens Tavern, 326 Amherst St, 8pm, $15adv/$20)
Stephen and Titus (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 3-5pm)
Divi Romē Band (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 6-8pm)
Celtic Sessions (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 4-7pm, FREE)
Sunday 3/2
La Traviata (Kleinhans Music Hall, 3 Symphony Circle, 7:30pm, $16.50-$121.50)
The BPO and Philharmonic Chorus are joined by members of SUNY Fredonia’s Hillman Opera Program to perform Verdi’s scandalous-at-the-time opera.
Zodiaque Dance Company (Drama Theatre, UB Center for the Arts, 2pm, $22/$7 UB students)
UB’s pre-professional dance company celebrates their 50th anniersary with a two-act performance featuring a diverse array of dance styles.
The Niceties (Shea’s Smith, 658 Main St, 7:30pm, $19-$50)
An Ivy League professor and her ambitious student debate their clashing worldviews in Eleanor Burgess’ play. Through 3/2
Matt Nathanson (Asbury Hall, 341 Delaware Ave, 7pm, $45-$155)
Nathanson is an acclaimed singer-songwriter whose 2013 album Last of the Great Pretenders hit #1 on the iTunes Alternative Album chart, w/Rachael Yamagata
Pure Ink Poetry Slam (Em Tea Coffeecup Café, 80 Oakgrove Ave, 4pm, $5 for poets, $10 for participants)
An open competition with no specific themes. Signup at 6, readings start at 6:30. Cash prize for the winner.
Dreamville Reprise (Sportsmens Tavern, 326 Amherst St, 4pm)
Tom Petty tribute
Harmolodics (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 4-6pm)
The 97th Annual Academy Awards (ABC)
Conan O’Brien hosts the always-overlong, often-dramatic awards.
Monday 3/3
WWE Monday Night Raw (KeyBank Center, 1 Seymour Knox Plaza, 7:30pm, $56-$326)
The Road to Wrestlemania goes through Buffalo. Tonight’s card includes Xavier Woods, Rey Mysterio, AJ Styles, Sami Zayn, Jey Uso, Seth “Freakin” Rollins, Liv Morgan, Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley, and World Heavyweight Champion Gunther.
High Fade (The Caz, 2221 Seneca St, 6:30pm, $10)
Scottish high-energy funk band on their first American tour.
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 3/4
The Wiz (Shea’s, 650 Main St, 7:30pm, $55-$107)
The beloved reimagining of The Wizard of Oz, in its first national tour in 40 years. Through 3/9.
Mariee Siou (9th Ward, 341 Delaware Ave, 7:30pm, $20adv/$25)
Siou has been a neo-folk mainstay since he 2007 debut, Faces in the Rocks. w/Donnie Coco, Erik Kramer
The Moon City Masters (Iron Works, 49 Illliois St, 9pm, FREE, 18+)
Brooklyn -based duo with a funky classic rock sound. Free show after the Sabres game.
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 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.
Karaoke (Milkie’s, 522 Elmwood Ave, 8pm)
Daredevil: Born Again (Disney+)
Everyone’s favorite Marvel Netflix series gets an MCU-approved reboot.
Wednesday 3/5
The Wiz (Shea’s, 650 Main St, 7:30pm, $55-$107)
The beloved reimagining of The Wizard of Oz, in its first national tour in 40 years. Through 3/9.
The Mid-Week Vibe (9th Ward, 341 Delaware Ave, 7pm, $30, 16+)
This month’s vibe features a set by DJ Hassan, comedy from Yolanda Smilez, and award-winning vocalist and bassist Carlton Wilcox.
Open Mic Night (Helium, 30 Mississippi, 7pm, FREE (reservation needed))
Over 20 comedians perform.
Tom Robert (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 6-8pm)
Comedy Open Mic (Milkie’s, 522 Elmwood Ave, sign up 7pm, show 9:30pm)
