What’s Good: July 30-Aug 5, 2026
Our weekly guide to what’s going on around Buffalo and in the world of pop culture.
This is week two of the Buffalo Infringement Festival; releated events are listed in purple.
Thursday, 7/30
You Can Call Me Al-lentown (Allentown Music, 497 Amherst St, 2-8pm)
Performances by Green Schwinn, Faerot, Chris Humel, The Cowboy Vampires, and Rob Schmarder.
Endolphins (Milkie’s, 522 Elmwood Ave, 9pm)
w/Mechanical Advantage, Dutch Rocket
Delta Work (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 7:30pm, $37-$57)
The Drag Race Emmy winner hosts a live version of her hit podcast, interviewing Daphne York.
Loe Shimmy (Electric City, 433 Pearl St, 7pm doors/8pm, $48, All Ages)
R&B/pop singer on his Pretty Girls Run the World tour.
Brownman Electryc Trio (Revolver Records, 810 Elmwood Ave, 7pm, $21/$15 student)
Acclaimed electric jazz duo from Brooklyn.
The Dark Road Duo (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 6-8pm, FREE)
Acoustic Americana.
Pine Fever (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 8pm, $10)
w/Irving Klaws, Bloodshot Bill
Lo Blue Flame (Sportsmen’s Tavern, 326 Amherst St, noon, FREE)
Investigative Post fundraiser (Sportsmen’s Tavern, 326 Amherst St, 6pm)
Doug Yeomans w/Sue Kincaid (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 6-8pm)
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, 7/31
Tomahawk (Electric City, 433 Pearl St, 7pm doors/8pm, $48, All Ages)
Supergroup featuring members of Faith No More, The Jesus Lizard, and Battles. w/legendary grunge pioneers Melvins
Eddie Griffin (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 9:15pm, $51-$67)
The veteran stand-up has also appeared in Malcolm & Eddie, Undercover Brother, Scary Movie 3, and Black Dynamite. Early show sold out.
Hot Mama’s Gonna Knock You Out (Hot Mama’s Canteen, 12 Military Rd, 7pm)
Performanes by Dead Musicians Society, Sasha Fleet, Solar Pyramid, The Cowboy Vampires, and Passion Tax.
A Trinity at Trinity (Trinity Church, 371 Delaware ave, 6pm)
Performanes by Alex Glenfield/Ravi Padmanabha Duo, La Marimba, Erica the Ice Dragon.
Garden of Eden (26Allen, 26 Allen St, 8pm)
Buffalo’s Drag Race superstar kicks off a residency. Afterparty set by DJ Brei until 2am.
Queer Stand Up Comedy Night (Mothership571, 571 E. Delevan St, 8pm)
Stand-ups include Johnna Rich, Katarina Valentine, and more.
Emo Night Super Group (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 8pm, $14.42)
With Ryan Ridley of Until I Wake, Noah Rich of Glasswaves, John Halstead of Execution Day, Dominick Villa of Hush Hush, Derek Gregoire of Creating a Sinner, and Zacky Bee.
The Damone Jackson Outcome (Revolver Records, 810 Elmwood Ave, 7pm, $11)
A completely improvised show from Buffalo musicians.
Meadowlark Lime (Milkie’s, 522 Elmwood Ave, 4:30-6:30pm, $8)
The Quentet (Milkie’s, 522 Elmwood Ave, 9pm, $10)
The New Coots (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 6-8pm, FREE)
Blues, murder ballads, and train songs.
The Dave Hill Group (Pausa Art House, 19 Wadsworth St, 7-9:30pm, $13-15)
West coast jazz.
Jim Whitford & Friends (Sportsmen’s Tavern, 326 Amherst St, 5pm, $10)
TJ Zindle & the Sure Things (Sportsmen’s Tavern, 326 Amherst St, 9pm, $10)
w/Doc Z & the Boys
Head to the Roots (The Cave, 71 Military Rd, 8pm)
Essence Unplugged (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 6-8pm)
The Tradesmen (The Caz, 2221 Seneca St, 6:30pm doors/8pm, $15, All Ages)
South Buffalo classic rock and Americana. w/The Coughlin Trio
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.
Good Neighbors (Buffalo Improv House, 255 Great Arrow Ave #207, 7:30pm, $22 adv/$27/$14 students)
A monthly show where improv comedy is inspired by a notable Buffalonian’s stories. This month’s guest: meteorologist Don Paul, raising money for the SPCA.
Indie Summer (Buffalo Improv House, 255 Great Arrow Ave #207, 9pm, $5 suggested)
BIH features independent improv teams all summer. This week: Musical Mashterpiece, and Bad Haircut.
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 8/1
All the Lights Shine Down On Broadway (The Broadway Market, 999 Broadway, 1-5pm)
Performanes by The Heavy Eddys, Lark and the Night Owl, Ian McCuen, Sardine.
Allentown Infringement Picnic (169 Allen Green Space, 169 Allen St, 2-7pm)
Performanes by La Marimba, Different Planets, Whelp, Palomino Eyes.
Wet Dreamland (Mohawk Place, 47 E Mohawk St, 7pm)
Performanes by Erica the Ice Dragon, Get a Round To It, Winning With Art, Glorian, The Mookies, Hooked on Casiophonics, Wet Dreamland: Filthy and Wet, the John Waters Edition
Eddie Griffin (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 7pm/9:30pm, $51-$67)
The veteran stand-up has also appeared in Malcolm & Eddie, Undercover Brother, Scary Movie 3, and Black Dynamite.
Rust Belt Rampage (Town Ballroom, 681 Main St, 5pm doors, $28, 16+)
Hard rock festival featuring Exham Priory, Greywash, Vertigo Child, Kendall Cage, Creating a Sinner, March Lions, Eye Opener.
Broken World (Iron Works, 49 Illinois St, 11am doors/noon-10pm, $18, 18+)
A mental health music festival (formerly known as Taco Fest), to raise money for suicide prevention. Lineup TBA.
Collie Buddz (Electric City, 433 Pearl St, 7pm doors/8pm, $38, All Ages)
Bermudan Reggae/Dancehall artist.
Queer Youth Art Festival (Buffalo Toronto Public Media, 140 Lower Terrace St, 10am-4pm, FREE)
Showcase for art and creativity by queer youth (ages 12-18), as well as crafts, workshops, and community resources. Free, but must reserve ticket.
Various Factors (Buffalo Improv House, 255 Great Arrow Ave #207, 9pm, $22adv/$27/$14 student)
A fully improvised Broadway-style musical comedy. Live piano karaoke afterwards.
Griff Kaz Quartet (Pausa Art House, 19 Wadsworth St, 7-9:30pm, $18-20)
Featuring Lindsey Holland, Jazz for the Robot Apocalypse
Paul Todaro & the Standards (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 3-5pm)
80s Alternative Night (Sportsmen’s Park, 334 Amherst St, 4pm doors/6pm, $28.50)
Tribute bands The Smiths etc, Disintegration, and The Killing Moon.
Tracks In the Dust (The Caz, 2221 Seneca St, 5:30pm doors/7pm, $20, All Ages)
CSNY 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 8/2
Franz Ferdinand (Electric City, 433 Pearl St, 7pm doors/8pm, $62, All Ages)
Glasgow’s dancy post-punk band that had a hit with “Take Me Out”.
Spoken Word on the West Side (Westside Stories, 398 Grant St, 1-4pm)
Readings by Dead Musicians Society, Spanish Made Easy, MC Vendetta, and a reading from The 1001 Nights.
Closing Ceremonies (Milkie’s, 522 Elmwood Ave, 5pm)
Wrap up the Infringement Festival with Mini Marching Machine, Glorian, A Poco Pequeño Puppet Party, LéMonsters, Bloodthirsty Vegans, and Whelp
SAMFest (Sportsmen’s Park, 334 Amherst St, 1pm doors/2pm, $23)
Featuring Lilly Hiatt, Twang Gang, and more.
Le Youth (Riverworks, 359 Ganson St, 6pm, $54)
Electronica DJ and producer.
Gigi LeFlair (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 7pm, $33-$43)
This comic combines sharp wit and southern charm.
Movie Matinee (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, noon-3pm)
Movie TBA.
Dr. Jazz & the Jazz Bugs (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 3:30-5:30pm, FREE)
We’re not sure but we think they play jazz.
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 8/3
Mannequin Pussy (Electric City, 433 Pearl St, 7pm doors/8pm, $69-$99, All Ages)
Noisy indie punk band. Prices are for 2-person tables; single tickets seem to be sold out. w/Lip Critic
The Complete Unknowns (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 6-8pm, FREE)
Bob Dylan covers.
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 8/4
Holy Roller (9th Ward, 341 Delaware Ave, 7pm doors/8pm, $15adv/$20)
Virginia southern rock up-and-comers.
Fruition (Sportsmen’s Tavern, 326 Amherst St, 7pm, $25)
Three songwriters trade off in a 5-piece Americana outfit.
Teachers Are Writers (Just Buffalo Literary Center, 468 Washington St, 5-6:30pm, FREE)
Writing workshop for teachers, w/Kara Pranikoff.
The Garcia Project (Iron Works, 49 Illinois St, 7pm doors/8pm, $32, 18+)
Jerry Garcia Band tribute that re-creates classic setlists from 1976-1995.
Make Me Smile (The Caz, 2221 Seneca St, 5:30pm doors/7pm, $12, All Ages)
Chicago tribute (the soft-rock band, not the city)
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 8/5
Riki Rachtman (The Caz, 2221 Seneca St, 5:30pm doors/7pm, $25-$30)
The former host of Headbanger’s Ball is on a spoken word tour telling tales of rock and roll sleaze and debauchery.
The Mid-Week Vibe (9th Ward, 341 Delaware Ave, 7pm doors/8pm, $30)
Legendary local talent including DJ Hassan, acoustic performance by Ali Critelli, and featured artist Victor Johnson.
Noah Richardson (Rec Room, 79 W Chippewa St, 7:30pm, $21)
Philly singer-songwriter touring behind his third album, Dead To Me.
Chat Perchés (Squeaky Wheel, 2495 Main St, 7pm, suggested donation)
A screening of Chris Marker’s 2004 film Chat Perchés (The Case of the Grinning Cat), preceded by Serge Avedikian’s haunting animated short, Chienne D’histoire (Howling Island).
Open Hours (Just Buffalo Literary Center, 468 Washington St, 6:30-8pm, FREE)
A dedicated place to focus on your writing.
Tyler Westcott (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 9pm, FREE)
Tom Robert (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 6-8pm)
Comedy Open Mic (Milkies, 522 Elmwood Ave, sign up 7pm, show 9:30pm)
