What’s Good: July 23-29, 2026
Our weekly guide to what’s going on around Buffalo and in the world of pop culture.
Thursday, 7/23
Infringement Festival Opening Cermonies (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 6pm)
Performances include Mini Marching Machine, Divi Rome Trio, Palomino Eyes, Naryan Padmanabha, Makeout Tactics, Danny and the Planets, Endolphins, Curiosity’s End, Green Schwinn.
Castle Black (Mothership571, 571 E. Delevan St, 7:30pm, $10)
Brooklyn post-punk band. w/Kid Tested, Spud
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.
Friday, 7/24
Anatomy of Something Unseen (Rust Belt Books, 415 Grant St, 4-5pm)
One-man longform improv comedy performance.
The House Show (Locust St. Art Center, 138 Locust St, 5-8pm)
DIY punk-themed art show.
Vespers (Trinity Church, 371 Delaware Ave, 6pm)
Performances by Shan, LaLa Buckstar, and Rizzo & Reinhardt
Astronot Junkie (Mothership571, 571 E. Delevan St, 5-8pm, $10)
w/Reflect, Department 9
Lynda Carter Birthday Gala (Revolver Records, 810 Elmwood Ave, 8pm)
Performances by The River Section Duo, Evergreen Echoes, Passion Tax
Hatebreed (Town Ballroom, 681 Main St, 5pm doors, $40, 16+)
Summer Slaughter Tour. w/Incantination, Snuffed on Sight, The Last Ten Seconds of Life, Face Yourself
Marcus D. Wiley (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 7pm/9:15pm, $24-$44)
Wiley is coming off his third hour-long special, Marriage is Major Surgery.
Jessie Elizabeth (9th Ward, 341 Delaware Ave, 7pm doors/8pm, $15adv/$20)
Americana singer and storyteller puts on an acoustic show.
Friday Improv Jam & Happy Hour (Buffalo Improv House, 255 Great Arrow Ave #207, 6:15pm, $5 suggested)
Newcomers are welcome to join in with more experienced performers and come up with a sketch on the spot.
Indie Summer (Buffalo Improv House, 255 Great Arrow Ave #207, 7pm, $5 suggested)
BIH features independent improv teams all summer. This week: Musical Mashterpiece, and Bad Haircut.
Defiant Monkey Improv (Buffalo Improv House, 255 Great Arrow Ave #207, 8:30pm, $12 adv/$15/$10 students)
Interactive shortform improv. w/Unnecessarily Complicated
Turn to Stone (Iron Works, 49 Illinois St, 7pm doors/8pm, $31, 18+)
Electric Light Orchestra tribute
Live Band Karaoke (Rec Room, 79 W Chippewa St, 10pm, $8)
Saturday 7/25
Anatomy of Something Unseen (Rust Belt Books, 415 Grant St, noon-1pm)
One-man longform improv comedy performance.
Dead Musicians Society (Rust Belt Books, 415 Grant St, 1-1:30pm)
Keeping alive the stories of musicians and friends who have passed on.
Park It At the Market (Broadway Market, 999 Broadway, 1-5pm)
Performances by Sasha Fleet, Green Schwinn, LéMonsters, Rob Schmarder.
And We’re Living Here in Allentown (Allentown Music, 497 Amherst St, 1-6pm)
Performances by Rachel L. Johnson, Night Owls, Faerot, Sardine, Andy and the Outpatients.
C’mon Feel the Noize Show (Mothership571, 571 E. Delevan St, 5-11pm)
Performances by Sonic Wranglers, Sonic Archaeology, Justin von Strasburg, (), The Polyester Friends, Dead Nettles, Jake Wark.
LGBTQ Showcase (Twentysixallen, 26 Allen St, 7-9pm)
Performances by spud, My Q Farrow, and Palomino Eyes
Distortion & Symmetry (Allen St. Hardware, 245 Allen St, 8pm-1am)
R&B Pop artist Jay Aquarious presents this intimate showcase.
Broadway Bares All (Hot Mama’s Canteen, 12 Military Rd, 10pm)
Musical theater burlesque with The Glam Vamps, The Francis Bacon Experiment, and more.
The Afters V.2 (Iron Works, 49 Illinois St, midnight, $31, 18+)
Bass artists DJ Scafetta, Odin, and Pitlord.
Marcus D. Wiley (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 6pm/8:30pm, $24-$44)
Wiley is coming off his third hour-long special, Marriage is Major Surgery.
End of the Line (Iron Works, 49 Illinois St, 7pm doors/8pm, $26.50, 18+)
Allman Brothers Band tribute.
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 7/26
The Lawn Disco (169 Allen Green Space, 169 Allen St, 3pm-7pm)
Comedy improv show from 3-4, followed by performances from Curiosity’s End, Palomino Eyes, and BloodThirsty Vegans.
Opening Reception for Infringement Art (Mothership571, 571 E. Delevan St, 3-7pm)
Art show w/complementary refreshments, plus performances by Andy and the Outpatients, Night Owls, Shan, and La Marimba.
Rust Belt Literary Extravaganza (Rust Belt Books, 415 Grant St, 1-5pm)
Presentations include 7 Folktalkes from 7 Countries (1pm), MC Vendetta (2pm), Spanish made easy (3pm), A History of the Chihuahua (3:30pm), and How to Make Your Own Comics (4pm)
Mariah the Scientist (Terminal B, 850 Fuhrmann Blvd, 8pm, $50-$65)
Postponed from 6/6, original tickets will be honored.
Marcus D. Wiley (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 7pm, $24-$44)
Wiley is coming off his third hour-long special, Marriage is Major Surgery.
Jason Salmon (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 7pm, $13-$43)
This comic has appeared on Orange is the New Black, 30 Rock, and in Red Dead Redemption 2, and has a standup special, Biscuits and Gravy, on YouTube.
The Horn Collective (9th Ward, 341 Delaware Ave, 6pm doors/7pm, $40)
The first installment of an ongoing series.
Ann Philippone (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 6-8pm, FREE)
Solo 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, 9:30pm)
Monday 7/27
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.
Monday Night Foosball (Riverworks, 359 Gansom St, 6pm warmups/7-9pm, $10)
Weekly foosball tournament; free trial week for newcomers, $80 15-week season pass. buffalofoosball.com
Tuesday 7/28
Sneer at the Tigers and Llamas, Oh Night (Allen St Hardware, 245 Allen St, 7-11pm)
Performances by Paper Tigers, Brutal Llama, The Sneers, and The Nigh.
Fill Up Your Canteen (Hot Mama’s Canteen, 12 Military Rd, 7pm)
Performances by Chris Humel, the Heavy Eddys, TJ Zindle, Palisade.
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 7/29
Reflections on International Tiger Day (Amy’s Place, 3234 Main St, 8pm)
Performanes by Different Planets, Reflect, The Water Dogs.
So Inapropriate (Milkies, 522 Elmwood Ave, 6-8pm)
Performances by Velvet Bologna, Prattletales, Yes I Am Staring At Your Boobs (In 3-DD)
Cyanotype Workshop (Locust St. Art Center, 138 Locust St, 5-8pm, suggested donation)
Learn cyanotype printmaking.
Short Story Open Mic (Crane Library, 633 Elmwood Ave, 4-6pm)
A Midsummer Night’s Draw (Hallwalls, 341 Delaware Ave, 7pm)
Live drawing rally and silent auction.
Jameel Key (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 8pm, $26-$38)
Buffalo’s Funniest Person 2017 has been a regular at Helium since it opened in 2013.
Push th’ Lil’ Daisies (Iron Works, 49 Illinois St, 7pm doors/8pm, $21, 18+)
Ween tribute band.
Comedy Open Mic (Milkies, 522 Elmwood Ave, sign up 7pm, show 9:30pm)
