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

Extended Edition: What to see over the Memorial Day holiday weekend and beyond

May 22, 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.

This is gonna be a “double-edition” covering the next few weeks as I’ll be out and about (including a trip to see ACDC - look for that show review!)

So let’s get right into it…Some new stuff:

Chris Trapper

Chris will be coming to Sportsmens Tavern on Friday, June 6. Show starts at 9 pm. Get your tickets here. Here’s Chris’s latest video:

The new album, Watching Sparks Fly By, can be streamed here and purchased here!

Congrats to Deshawn “D Ray” Jackson, who has started his own company, Royal Prodigy Entertainment, LLC. D-Ray, one of the funkiest drummers to ever call Buffalo home, is celebrating with the first show under his new company’s umbrella.

Royal Prodigy Entertainment presents:

Prince Earth Day Tribute ft/Universal Phunk, Damone Jackson & The Outcome, and The Unity Band

Saturday, June 7, 7 pm doors at Buffalo Iron Works, Buffalo. $25/$28

New And Noteworthy:

Funtime presents

Gary Numan

Thursday, October 9, 7 pm at Town Ballroom, Buffalo. Tickets on sale Friday, May 23.

Funtime presents

Bob Mould Solo Electric w/J. Robbins

Friday, September 12, 7 pm at Town Ballroom, Buffalo. $53.75/$39.25

After Dark presents:

Blue October

Thursday, November 20, 8 pm at Riviera Theatre, North Tonawanda, NY. $40-$100

Grabbitz

Saturday, October 4, 7 pm at Electric City, Buffalo. Presale Thursday, May 22 at 9 am. Passcode: FLOWERS. Tickets on sale Friday, May 23, 11 am.

Chris Duarte w/ Alastair Greene

DINNER & SHOW: Wednesday, June 18, 6:30 pm doors at The Caz, South Buffalo, NY. $84-$89

Johnny Marr

Thursday, September 25, 8 pm at Electric City, Buffalo. $61.76

Billy Strings

Wednesday, November 11, at Blue Cross Arena, Rochester, NY. $57.50-69.65

After Dark presents:

Peach Pit

Tuesday, September 15, 7 pm at Buffalo RiverWorks, Buffalo. $58.50-$178.30

Craig Finn & The Band of Forgiveness w/James Felice

Tuesday, October 21, 8 pm at Asbury Hall in Babeville, Buffalo. $30/$35

SoleTurn - Live Concert & Video Premier Event

Saturday, May 31, 8 pm at The Caz, South Buffalo. $19

Melvins w/ Red Kross

Friday, September 26, 8 pm at Electric City, Buffalo. $39.36-$92.66

Cannibal Corpse

Tuesday, September 22, 7 pm at Buffalo RiverWorks, Buffalo. $51.66 - $77.29

Next two weeks…

The Sideways w/ Roy G Biv

Thursday, May 22, 6:30 pm doors at The Caz, South Buffalo. FREE - RSVP here.

Thursday Night Live: sallyanndra

Thursday, May 22, 5:30 pm at Wilson Town Square, Knox Building at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum, Buffalo. FREE

The Never-Ending Gig: The Complete Unknowns play the music of Bob Dylan

First Monday of every month, 5:30 pm at Nietzsche’s, Buffalo. FREE

The Strictly Hip

Thursday, May 22, 7 pm doors at The 9th Ward in Babeville, Buffalo. $25

Emo Folk Night: Ian McCuen, The Last Post, Greg Hill, Anybody Else

Thursday, May 22, 7:30 pm doors at Milkie’s, Buffalo. $10

Hall Pass Heroes

Elmwood Village Charter Schools Music Department Fundraiser

Thursday, May 22, 6 pm doors at Duende in Silo City, Buffalo. $20

BTPM Classical Live on Stage #26: The Decho Ensemble

Thursday, May 22, 6:30 pm at 140 Lower Terrace St., Buffalo. FREE but must register to attend.

“The Decho Ensemble will present a concert of works by living composers … and Brahms! Katherine Petersen, Sarah Marchitelli, Jacob Swanson, and Alison d’Amato will be sharing works that blend the sound of voice (soprano) and saxophones in a combination of works written for them and those adapted especially for their ensemble.”

Aimée Allen Quartet

Friday, May 23, 7 pm doors at PAUSA art house, Buffalo. $20/$15

WBFO presents:

Peter Hook & The Light

Friday, May 23, 7 pm at Electric City, Buffalo. $57.13

J.WAIL Live Band ft/Natalie Cressman (Trey Anastasio Band), David Murphy (formerly of STS9), and members from Mihali Band, Hive Mind, and more

Friday, May 23, 8 pm at Nietzsche’s, Buffalo. $28.42-$33.85

After Dark presents:

Smoking Popes + Off With Their Heads

Friday, May 23, 7 pm at Rec Room, Buffalo. $29.79

Scarlet Begonias

Saturday, May 24, 8 pm at Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo. $15

Shilpa Ray wsg/Evil Things

Saturday, May 24, 7 pm doors at The Lounge at Revolution Gallery, Buffalo. $16.10

Dead on the Hilltop season opener: Little Mountain Band w/Hip Monarch

Saturday, May 24, 3 pm gate at The Hilltop Inn & Grove, Alden, NY. $20

The Legends Series Ep. 1: Bob Dylan Birthday Bash ft/Tyler Bagwell, Beave’s Damn Good Band, Scoot Rankie, The Complete Unknowns, & Robert Zimmerman Philharmonic

Saturday, May 24, 8 pm at Nietzsche’s, Buffalo. $10

Grateful Brunch w/Buffalo Dead All-Stars

Sunday, May 25, 1 pm at Jack Rabbit, Buffalo. Make reservations here.

House Concert with Austin, Texas outsider musician Ralph White w/Tyler Westcott

Sunday, May 25, 5 pm doors, pot-luck picnic and socializing, 7 pm show time at Marty Boratin & Susan Tanner’s House, Hamburg, NY. $10-$20 suggested donation

Tune Into Wellness: A Mental Health Concert ft/Halfstride w/ Pretty Good State University & Blaised and Confused

Sunday, May 25, 6 pm doors at Buffalo Iron Works. $15

Sportsmens Americana Music Foundation benefit:

SAMF FEST: Willie Nile, 10 Cent Howl, Leroy Townes Band and The Love Supreme School

Memorial Day, Monday, May 26, 1 pm gates open at the Sportsmens Park, Buffalo. $20.00 SAMF Members (Availble at Sportsmens box office or with coupon code)/$30 public. Tickets on sale now.

Grace Lougen & Friends ft/Megan Brown, Sue Kincaid, Alex McArthur & Grace Stumberg

Wednesday, May 28, 6 pm doors at The Caz, South Buffalo, NY. $20/$25

The Garcia Project

Thursday, May 29, 7 pm doors at Buffalo Iron Works, Buffalo. $20/$25

Rado w/ Merangutang + Roy G Biv

Thursday, May 29, 7 pm doors at Nietzsche’s, Buffalo. $10 GA Adv/$15 GA DoS, $15 Preferred Adv/$20 DoS

Thursday Night Live: Smac!

Thursday, May 29, 5:30 pm at Wilson Town Square, Knox Building at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum, Buffalo. FREE

Funtime Presents

The Smiths etc, Murmur, Disintegration

Friday, May 30, 7 pm at Town Ballroom, Buffalo. $25

The Ohlson Family Roadshow

From New Orleans.

Friday, May 30, TWO SHOWS: 7 pm and 9 pm at PAUSA art house, Buffalo. $20/$15

Concert Benefitting The 11 Day Powerplay

Performances by Cove & MIll Pirates, DeAnn DiMeo, Goo Grief A Tribute to Early Goo Goo Dolls, Sean Thurman, Dave Thurman and Ken Carrillo

Friday, May 30, 6 pm at Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo. $25

ABtrio & Aircraft wsg/Isaiah Gethers and the Love Supreme School of Music faculty band

Friday, May 30, 8:30 pm doors at Nietzsche’s, Buffalo. $10

Gantzer improv set w/members of Animal Envy, w/Witty Tarbox

Saturday, May 31, 8 pm doors at Nietzsche’s, Buffalo. $10

The Pine Dogs

Saturday, May 31, 3 pm doors at Sportsmens, Buffalo. $20

Buffalo Music Coalition presents:

Fuzzy and The Rustbelts Duo

Saturday May 31, 4-7 pm at Flying Bison Brewing Company, Buffalo. FREE

Moises Borges - A Samba and Bossa Nova Night

Saturday, May 31, 7 pm doors at PAUSA art house, Buffalo. $20/$15

S16 Pride Event:

Buffalo Music Awards: A Tribute to Pop Music

Saturday, May 31, 7 pm at Electric City, Buffalo. $22/$47

Simple Plan w/ We The Kings & Winona Fighter

Sunday, June 1, 6 pm doors at Outer Harbor Live at Terminal B, Buffalo. $58.73/$115.36

June in Buffalo

Sunday, June 1 - Saturday, June 7 at the University at Buffalo North Campus, Buffalo.

Includes seminars, lectures and workshops; Professional presentations; Participant forums and open rehearsals; Afternoon and evening performances open to the public. Senior composers include Peter Gilbert, George Lewis, Karola Obermüller, David Sanford, and Ming Tsao. Get the full festival schedule here.