What’s Good: August 6-12, 2026
Our weekly guide to what’s going on around Buffalo and in the world of pop culture.
Thursday, 8/6
Nick Thune (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 7:30pm, $33-$45)
Thune’s first comedy album was included in Amazon’s “Best of 2010”, and since he’s appeared in Highway 61 Re; Revisited, Spring Breakdown, Unaccompanied Miners, and has created the web series iThunes and NicksBigShow.com.
Emily Ann Roberts (Town Ballroom, 681 Main St, 7pm doors, $32, 16+)
Country singer and former The Voice contestant. w/SJ McDonald
The Muckers (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 6-8pm, FREE)
Irish-influenced Atlanta folk rockers.
The Mookies (Milkies, 522 Elmwood Ave, 7pm, $10)
w/Alla Prima, Harepin Turn
Guabaza: The Next Wave (Pausa Art House, 19 Wadsworth St, 6pm doors/7pm, $20-$25)
The Hickoids (Sportsmens Tavern, 326 Amherst St, 7pm)
Ed Croft & Tina Williams (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 7pm)
Deadgrass (The Caz, 2221 Seneca St, 5:30pm/7pm, $20, All Ages)
Grateful Dead/Jerry Garcia Band tribute
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, 8/7
Valkyrie International Film Festival (Hallwalls, 341 Delaware Ave, $25/day)
Short films are screened in two blocks, with the second devoted to local filmmakers. 6pm: Repercussions, exception(al), Friends WeHate, We Can Never Go Back, Late Fall. 8:30pm: Awake, Burning in the Garden, Fireball, No Bar, Inward, Babysitting Demons on Maple Street.
Cat Video Fest (North Park Theatre, 1428 Hertel Ave, 1:30/3:30/5:30/7:30/9:20)
Exactly what it sounds like. 5 screenings daily through 8/13.
Silverstein (Terminal B, 850 Fuhrmann Blvd, 7pm doors, $52-$87)
the Camp Screamo Tour. w/Story of the Year, Origami Angel
Lil Duval (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 7pm/9:15, $35-$50)
This stand-up has appeared on Guy Code, Hip Hop Squares, Comic View, Wild ‘n Out, and stars in a new film, The Contract.
Group Art Show (Mothership571, 571 E Delevan St, 6-10pm)
Artists include Lauren Bauer, Chris Chambers, Phillip Mayo, Shanti Morrisey, Grey Reddin, and Roderick Walker.
TV Sleep (Hen House, 690 Hertel Ave, 7pm doors/8pm, $10)
w/Sleep Lost, Bombvest, Void Dogs
Anxious Cricket (Mohawk Place, 47 E Mohawk Pl, 7pm doors/8pm, $10)
w/Paper Tigers, Cowboy Vampires, The Nigh
Steam Powered Giraffe (Electric City, 433 Pearl St, 7pm doors/8pm, $45, All Ages)
Indie rock with a theatrical steampunk aesthetics.
Chris Cain (The Caz, 2221 Seneca St, 5:30pm/7pm, $20-$25, All Ages)
Masterful blues guitarist.
Dizgo (Iron Works, 49 Illinois St, 8pm doors/9pm, $21, 18+)
Electronica-infused jam band. w/Pocketship
Elliot Scozzaro Quintet (Pausa Art House, 19 Wadsworth St, 6pm doors/7pm, $16-$20)
Performing the music of Cannonball Adderly.
Jammy Buffet (Town Ballroom, 681 Main St, 7pm doors, $27, 16+)
Band Named Sue (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 6-10pm, FREE)
Classic country music.
Tough Old Bird (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 7pm)
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, 7:30pm, $5 suggested)
BIH features independent improv teams all summer. This week: Pickle in the Middle, and Glitter Glamour.
Stand Up Comedy Showcase (Buffalo Improv House, 255 Great Arrow Ave #207, 8:30pm, $6.59)
Up-and-coming local stand-ups try out new material, plus an open mic where you can try out your own tight five.
Live Band Karaoke (Rec Room, 79 W Chippewa St, 10pm, $8)
Saturday 8/8
Valkyrie International Film Festival (Hallwalls, 341 Delaware Ave, $25/day)
Short films are screened in four blocks. 1pm: Mystery of the Keeper, Trapos sucios (Dirty Clothes), Miriam, Nina’s Eyes, My Long Covid Story, Kissing the Lipless, Ant Girl, Sugarcrash. 3:30pm: Untamed, Stripper Moms, Cardboard, Wooly Bully, Nunca lleves mahones a una primra cita (Never Wear Jeans on a First Date, Se fue laluz (The Power’s Out). 6pm: The Piano Tuner, Eviction., Bait & Switch, Reminisce, Blessed are the Unclean. 8pm: House Haunting, Specter Nectar and the Death Machine, The Chexorcist, Telaraña, Shift, Dolls and Monsters.
Buffalo is Burning (Electric City, 433 Pearl St, 7pm doors/8pm, $40, All Ages)
Fetish Ball that combines music, performance art, and community.
Lil Duval (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 7pm/9:30, $35-$50)
This stand-up has appeared on Guy Code, Hip Hop Squares, Comic View, Wild ‘n Out, and stars in a new film, The Contract.
BoDeans (Asbury Hall, 341 Delaware Ave, 7pm doors/8pm, $40)
Roots-rock mainstays celebrating 40 years performing.
Kendall Farrell (The Caz, 2221 Seneca St, 6:30pm/8pm, $15)
Farrell went from being Vermont’s Funniest Comedian to an NYC mainstay.
Arrangements (Mothership571, 571 E Delevan St, 7pm, $10)
Album release party for Arrangements Play Their Instruments. w/softwheres, JABS
We Were Blank (Hen House, 690 Hertel Ave, 7pm, $10)
w/Pretty Good State University, Department9, Imperfect
Unicorn Paradee/Frunkle’s Friends (Buffalo Improv House, 255 Great Arrow Ave #207, 6:15pm, $12adv/$15/$10 students)
Unicorn Parade performs an improvised play; Frunkle’s Friends is a three-person improv group.
Naryan Padmanabha (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 3pm-5pm)
Fusion sitar.
Mark Winsick (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 7pm)
Justsam (Mohawk Place, 47 E Mohawk Pl, 7pm doors/8pm, $10)
w/Skyway, Mother Nature’s Son
Funky Ducks (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 8pm)
w/Evan Laedke Band.
Walter Kemp 3 (Pausa Art House, 19 Wadsworth St, 6pm doors/7pm, $17/$30-$40 w/food)
Modern jazz & special Cuban cookout menu.
Michael Delano Band (Revolver Records, 810 Elmwood Ave, 7pm doors/8pm, $11adv/$15)
Igor & the Red Elvises (Sportsmens Tavern, 326 Amherst St, 8pm)
Nine Inch Nullz (Iron Works, 49 Illinois St, 8pm doors/9pm, $21, 18+)
Nine Inch Nails tribute featuring members of Kurt and the Loders and Grosh.
Karaoke (Milkie’s, 522 Elmwood Ave, 8pm)
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 8/9
Valkyrie International Film Festival (Hallwalls, 341 Delaware Ave, $25/day)
Short films are screened in three blocks. 1pm: The Audition, YAPs, I am not afraid, Mélisande. 4pm: Georgina, Mulata, Recao, Los changos, En duda, siempre a la izquierda (When In Doubt, Go Left). 6pm: Jameela, festival awards
Lil Duval (Helium, 30 Mississippi St, 7pm, $35-$50)
This stand-up has appeared on Guy Code, Hip Hop Squares, Comic View, Wild ‘n Out, and stars in a new film, The Contract.
Johnny Manchild and the Poor Bastards (Rec Room, 79 W Chippewa St, 7pm, $21, 18+)
The Grateful Dans (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 6-8pm, FREE)
This jam band is not, despite the name, a Dead cover band.
Ultrabomb (The Cave, 71 Military Rd, 7pm)
The Susan Peters Jazz Band (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 4-6pm)
Get the Led Out (Town Ballroom, 681 Main St, 7pm doors, $32-$38, 16+)
Zepplin cover band.
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 8/10
Valkyrie International Film Festival (Hallwalls, 341 Delaware Ave, $25/day)
Short films are screened in two blocks. 6pm: myself & I; Basedball; The Girl, The Hare, and The Sun; Cosmos; Moral of the Story. 8pm: Home, Planet Heart, The Hitman’s Laundromat, Nastell.
Comienzos (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 6-8pm, FREE)
Accordion-marimba-bass Latin music trio.
Bird Soup Comedy Open Mic (Hen House, 690 Hertel Ave, 6pm sign-up/7pm, FREE)
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 8/11
Valkyrie International Film Festival (Hallwalls, 341 Delaware Ave, $25/day)
A block of short films and a full-length feature. 6pm: The Paradox Payout; The Showffeür; Close Your Eyes, Forever Hold Your Peace. 8pm: Turn Up the Night.
Of Virtue (Rec Room, 79 W Chippewa St, 6:30pm, $27.52, 18+)
w/Savage Hands
Rhythm & Sound (The Caz, 2221 Seneca St, 5:30pm/7pm, $14, All Ages)
Ambient world music.
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 8/12
Alexisonfire (Terminal B, 850 Fuhrmann Blvd, 6pm doors, $77-$124)
Performing Crisis for the album’s 20th anniversary. with Buffalo hardcore legends Snapcase, and Spaced.
Big Daddy Rich Rogermoser (The Caz, 2221 Seneca St, 5:30pm/7pm, $12-$15, 18+)
Laid back island music from Key West.
Tyler Westcott (Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, 9pm, FREE)
Taproom Trivia (Duende, 85 Silo City Row, 6-9pm)
Comedy Open Mic (Milkies, 522 Elmwood Ave, sign up 7pm, show 9:30pm)
