Where the Bands Are: This Week in Live Music and Concert News

Sick of funding Live Nation? Think local!; Rising jazz star Caity Gyorgy comes to Kleinhans; and a Curated List of Must-See Gigs.

Jun 19, 2025

(Have a cool concert or interesting event you know about? Email all the info and links to jeffmiersmusic@gmail.com to be considered for inclusion in Where the Bands Are.)

Hey there, music-freak family.

A study published by CouponBirds, a platform that collects and shares optimal discount deals at on-line stores, underlines the absurdity of the current major concert market.

Since 1996, concert ticket prices have bloated by an infuriating 428.7%, according to the study. To break that down, this means that a ticket that you purchased for, say, the Kiss reunion tour in 1996, would have cost you in the area of $26, which was the average price for the top 100 tours of that year, according to Pollstar.

Today, that average ticket price is $136.46. Which, as many of you know, is on the lower end of the scale for an arena show.

Most of that bloat has occurred over the past 4 years, during which time prices increased 80.5%. That’s almost 5X the rate of inflation. Yep. During and immediately following the Covid-19 Pandemic. So apparently, the responsibility for rescuing the major concert industry has fallen wholly and directly upon us, the consumers.

If that makes you as sick as it should, rather than stew in your own juices, view this massive attempt at exploiting those of us who spend a good portion of our disposable income on live music as an impetus to show your support on the local level - not just local bands and artists, but local independent clubs, concert venues and festivals that fall outside the purview of Live Nation/Ticketmaster’s economic hegemony.

Here are a few ways you can do just that, this week and in the coming weeks…

New And Noteworthy:

Gov’t Mule w/Big Sugar

Monday, September 1, 6:30 pm at Outer Harbor Live at Terminal B, Buffalo. Presale tickets on sale now, public on sale Friday, June 20 at 10 am.

DSP Shows presents

Fruit Bats (solo)

Thursday, October 30, 8 pm at The 9th Ward in Babeville, Buffalo. $30/$35. Tickets on sale 6/20 at 10 am.

Funtime & Back II Back present

Larry Fleet

Saturday, October 18, 7 pm at Town Ballroom, Buffalo. $37.25

Borderland Late Night Shows at Kissing Bridge

The Sideways - Friday, September 13, 11:30 pm-1:30 am; The Scales - Saturday, September 14, 11:30 pm-1:30 am at the Kissing Bridge Tent & RV Camping.

Summer Concert Series at RiverWorks

Music Is Art Festival 2025: Power to the Players!

Saturday, September 20, 11 am-11 pm. Buffalo’s Outer Harbor Terminal B. FREE.

David Byrne

Thursday, September 25, 7 pm at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre, Buffalo. $

Boney James

Sunday, November 9, 7 pm at Kleinhans Music Hall, Buffalo, NY. Kleinhans Music Hall. $58 - 78.

Melvin Seals & JGB

Saturday, October 18, 8 pm at Asbury Hall, Babeville, Buffalo, NY. $38/$48.

After Dark and MNM present

Marc Rebillet - Places I’ve Never Played & Will Never Play Again Tour

Tuesday, September 30, 7 pm doors at Buffalo RiverWorks, Buffalo.

Funtime Presents & Sportsmens present

Eddie 9V

Sunday, August 10, 7pm at Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo. $25/$30

Beatles Rooftop Tribute ft/The BlackRock Beatles

Wednesday, August 6, 6 pm at Larkin Square/Hydraulic Hearth, Buffalo. $22. Tickets go on sale Monday, June 23 at 8 am. Get your tickets here!

The Big Easy in Buffalo NOLA Series presents

Buckwheat Zydeco, Jr. wsg/Ten Cent Howl

Thursday September 4, 5pm doors at Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo. $15/$20

Tropidelic w/Artikal Sound System, Grieves

Friday, November 21, 6:30 pm doors at Electric City, Buffalo. $30.35 - $68.97

Les Dudek

Saturday, August 2, 8 pm at Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo. $25

GROSH Plays Led Zeppelin

Saturday, July 12, 5 pm gates at Sportsmen’s Park, Buffalo. $20

Black Sabbitch

Friday, August 15, 6 pm doors at Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo. $20

This week…

Music Matters Summer Concert Series: Scarlet Begonias

Thursday, June 19, 7 - 10 pm at Sully’s Harbor Bar & Grill at Harbor Walk, Downtown Buffalo. $10. Get tickets here!

Bluegrass Allstars

Thursday, June 19, noon at Sportsmens Tavern, FREE

Eberwine & Friends

Thursday, June 19, 7 pm at The Cave, Buffalo. $10

Grosh and Leroy Townes Band

Thursday, June 19, 5 pm at Music in the Park, Cazenovia Park, South Buffalo. FREE

Party on the Portico w/Damon Jackson Outcome featuring Myq Farrow Trio

Friday, June 20, 6 - 9 pm at The Buffalo History Museum, Buffalo, NY. $20/10 members - $25/15 members day of

David Cloyd ‘Red Sky Warning’ Record Release Show, with Zak Ward & the Million Dollar Question

Friday, June 20, 9 pm at Duende, Silo City, Buffalo, NY. $15.

Queensrÿche

Friday, June 20, 4 pm doors at Batavia Downs, Batavia, NY. $18.67+

Zuffalo

Friday, June 20, 9 pm at Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo. $10

Star People: The Legacy of Jazz

Friday, June 20, 8 pm at PAUSA art house, Buffalo. $20/$15

Late Night Heartbreak - Emo Tribute Night

Friday, June 20, 8 pm at Nietszche’s, Buffalo. $19.75/$30.40

Featuring: Creating A Sinner - performing Hawthorne Heights
Zackstreet Boys - performing Blink 182
Gumshoe - performing Taking Back Sunday
Forever Warped - performing Fall Out Boy

w/ acoustic sets on the Front Stage by Never Again & Anthony Wachowiak (of Mother Nature's Son)