What’s Good: July 17-23, 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, 7/17
Acoustik Ruckus (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 6-8pm)
Comedy at the Caz (The Caz, 2221 Seneca St, 6:30pm doors/8pm, $15)
A night of stand-up, featuring Blacknell da Hoodstarr, Countryboi Efudge, Chris Goodknews, Izzy the Comedian, Terre King, and Gary Wallace.
Yaadcore (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 8pm, $15adv/$20)
Jamaican reggae singer comes to Buffalo.
SPUD (The Cave, 71 Military Rd, 7pm, $12.40)
w/A Very Special Episode, Velvet Bethany
Cannonball Meets Coltrane (Pausa Art House, 19 Wadsworth St, doors 6:30pm, 7pm, $16-$18)
A tribute to two jazz icons.
Jim Lauderdale (Sportsmens Tavern, 326 Amherst St, 7pm, $25)
Singer-songwriter Elvis Costello called, “a man of great style, an exceptional songwriter, and a tremendous singer.”
Matt & Liv (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 6-8pm)
Acoustic folk & Celtic.
The Improv Mixer (Buffalo Improv House, 255 Great Arrow Ave #207, 7pm, $5 suggested)
Newcomers and experienced performers are all welcome to participate in improv sketch comedy or just watch.
Cagematch!!! (Buffalo Improv House, 255 Great Arrow Ave #207, 9pm, $6.54)
Two improv comedy teams compete for your votes! The winner returns next week.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+)
The best of the recent crop of Trek shows returns for a third season. Look for reviews here on Subject.
Friday, 7/18
Michael Blackson (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 7pm/9:15pm, $44-$59)
“The African King of Comedy” has appeared on Wild N’ Out, Hip-Hop Squares, Next Friday, Coming 2 America, and hosts the podcast Modasucka.
Carl Payne (9th Ward, 341 Delaware Ave, 7pm/9:30pm, $35-$53)
Stand up comedian and actor known for his roles on The Cosby Show, Martin, and Young Dylan.
Tayler Holder (Iron Works, 341 Delaware Ave, 7pm doors/8pm, $25adv/$30, 18+)
TikTok’s most-followed country artist.
Improv Collider (Buffalo Improv House, 255 Great Arrow Ave #207, 7pm, $10 adv/$12/$6.50 student)
An hour of long-form improv comedy.
Good Neighbors! (Buffalo Improv House, 255 Great Arrow Ave #207, 8pm, $22adv/$27/$13.50 student)
Improv sketches based on a story told by a guest — namely Haunted History Ghost Walks host Mason Winfield.
The New Friday Mixer (Buffalo Improv House, 255 Great Arrow Ave #207, 9:30pm, $5 suggested)
Newcomers and experienced performers are all welcome to participate in improv sketch comedy or just watch.
Rick Holland Little Big Band (The Caz, 2221 Seneca St, 6:30pm doors/8pm, $25)
The trumpeter leads his band through swing-rooted jazz. Featuring vocalist Lindsey Holland.
Uncle Ben’s Remedy (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 8pm, $10)
w/TJ Zindle, Kevin Sampson & the Night Shift
Will Blanda Band plays the music of Leigh Stoner (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 6-8pm)
Thomas Marinaro Quartet (Pausa Art House, 19 Wadsworth St, 7pm doors/8pm, $17-$29)
Dark Star Orchestra (Terminal B, 850 Fuhrmann Blvd, 7pm, $58-$115)
Grateful Dead cover band.
Live Band Karaoke (Rec Room, 79 W Chippewa St, 10pm, $8)
New Movies This Week
Eddington (in wide release)
Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal are a small-town sherrif and mayor who square off amid the COVID panemic, in Ari Aster’s dark comedy from A24.
I Know What You Did Last Summer (in wide release)
The horror franchise gets a reboot, with Madelyn Cline and Chase Sui Wonders trying to hide a terrible secret, and Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. returning to pass the torch.
Smurfs (in wide release)
Somehow they’ve managed to make an even worse Smurfs movie than the previous entries. Pity the overqualified cast, which includes Maya Erskine, John Goodman, Dan Levy, Natasya Lyonne, Nick Offerman, Sandra Oh, Amy Sedaris, Octavia Spencer, and Hannah Waddingham.
Ekka (Elmwood Center, 2001 Elmwood Ave.)
In Kannada with subtitles.
Jujutsu Kaisen: Hidden Inventory (North Park Theatre, 1428 Hertel Ave.)
Sorcerer friends-turned-enemies Satoru and Suguru must work together to protect a young girl pursued by a cult in this anime.
Junior (Elmwood Center, 2001 Elmwood Ave.)
A young man’s search for meaningful memories transforms his relationship with his father. In Telugu with subtitles.
Kothapallilo… Okappudu (Elmwood Center, 2001 Elmwood Ave.)
Locals get the wrong idea when a man chases a dancer through their town, purely for business reasons. In Telugu with subtitles.
Saiyaara (Elmwood Center, 2001 Elmwood Ave.)
Ahaan Panday and Aneet Paada star in this romantic drama. In Hindi with subtitles.
Sarbala Ji (Elmwood Center, 2001 Elmwood Ave.)
A wedding doesn’t go as planned in this comedy. In Punjabi with subtitles.
Tanvi the Great (Elmwood Center, 2001 Elmwood Ave.)
A young woman on the autism spectrum wants to follow in her late father’s footsteps and join the army. In Hindi with subtitles.
Saturday 7/19
51st Annual Members Exhibition (Hallwalls Contemporary Art Gallery, 341 Delaware Ave, 7-10pm, FREE)
Museum supporters can exhibit their own work in this annual, non-juried exhibition.
Megan Moroney (Terminal B, 850 Fuhrmann Blvd, 6:30pm doors/8pm, $110-$169)
The country star comes to town on her Am I Okay? tour. w/Danielle Bradberry
Michael Blackson (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 7pm/9:30pm, $44-$59)
“The African King of Comedy” has appeared on Wild N’ Out, Hip-Hop Squares, Next Friday, Coming 2 America, and hosts the podcast Modasucka.
Prairie Pavement (The Caz, 2221 Seneca St, 6:30pm doors/8pm, $10)
High-energy local indie-rockers. w/Washington Highway
Hearts & Hand Grenades (Rec Room, 79 W Chippewa St, 6:30pm, $20-$26, All Ages)
Local hard rock band. w/Donny Alberts
The Harold (Buffalo Improv House, 255 Great Arrow Ave #207, 7pm, $8 adv/$10)
BIH’s Level 4 students perform improv comedy in the classic Harold format.
Musical Improv Mixer (Buffalo Improv House, 255 Great Arrow Ave #207, 8pm, $10 suggested)
Newcomers and experienced performers are all welcome to participate in musical improv sketch comedy or just watch.
Fever Pitch String Quartet (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 1-2pm)
Adriano Sica (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 6-8pm)
Rockabilly and boogie woogie.
Walter Kemp 3 & Co. (Pausa Art House, 19 Wadsworth St, 7pm doors/8pm, $16-$19)
YYNOT (Iron Works, 341 Delaware Ave, 7pm doors/8pm, $20adv/$25, 18+)
Rush tribute act.
Celtic Sessions (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 4-7pm, FREE)
Traditional Irish music.
Black Rock Arts (Black Rock Arts, 43 Hamilton St, 11am-3pm, FREE)
The new artist-run gallery is open to the public every Saturday.
Sunday 7/20
The Cold Stares (The Caz, 2221 Seneca St, 6:30pm doors/8pm, $19)
No Depression called them a “roots-rocking firestorm”. w/GROSH
Chuck Prophet and His Cumbia Shoes (Sportsmens Tavern, 326 Amherst St, 2pm doors/4pm, $30)
Prophet infuses traditional Latin American cumbia with punk and surf music.
William Elliott Whitmore (Rec Room, 79 W Chippewa St, 7pm doors/8pm, $22.66, 16+)
Blues/country/folk singer.
Council (The Cave, 71 Military Rd, 4pm, $12.40adv/$15)
w/Uncanny Valley
The Wazmopolitans (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 4-6pm)
Three at Home (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 2-4pm)
Banjerdan (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 4-6pm)
Ann Philippone (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 6-8, FREE)
Barrelhouse piano.
Jazz Cache (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 8:30pm-mid, FREE)
A rotating cast of Buffalo’s best jazz musicians.
Karaoke Night (Twentysixallen, 26 Allen St, 6pm)
Monday 7/21
Will Blanda Trio (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 6-8pm)
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 7/22
Travis Holp (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 7:30pm, $44-$54)
This comic is also a psychic medum, healer, and spiritual teacher.
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)
Wednesday 7/23
The Buffalo Hive Birthday Celebration (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 6-8pm, FREE)
Celebrate the independent arts publication’s anniversary. Live music from Maria Sebastian.
Samantha Crain (9th Ward, 341 Delaware Ave, 7pm doors/8pm, $18adv/$22)
Choctaw country-folk singer-songwriter.
Celt Division (Iron Works, 341 Delaware Ave, 7pm doors/8pm, $15adv/$20, 18+)
Irish punk/folk group.
Cami Clune music video release (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 6pm doors/7pm, $10/$15 under 21)
Debut of Clune’s first music video, for her song “Summer Fantasy”, plus performance.
Thor Platter (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 9pm)
Karaoke Night (Twentysixallen, 26 Allen St, 6pm)
Comedy Open Mic (Milkie’s, 522 Elmwood Ave, sign up 7pm, show 9:30pm)
