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

Alex Van Halen's 'Brothers,' 'Songs For A Lost World,' and an abundance of highly recommended gigs in the coming week & beyond

Nov 14, 2024

Hey now, Music Lovers.

Anyone else feeling like the world has become a bit surreal? Or like you’re walking around as if disembodied, observing the world, but not actively involved in it?

No? It’s just me? Ok, then. Never mind…

Music always makes me feel tethered to something solid, and thank whatever you believe in, there’s plenty of it out there this week and throughout the rapidly approaching holidays.

Before we get deep into that, let me share - apropos of nothing, but with the hope that you’ll at least find it interesting - some of what I’ve been getting into recently.

First off, I just finished reading Alex Van Halen’s excellent memoir, Brothers. It’s a beautiful book that offers a raw take on a bond born in adversity, one that flowered into an all but telepathic musical synergy, and seems to have endured beyond the corporeal absence of Alex’s brother Edward, who died in October of 2020.

Alex worked with Ariel Levy Brothers, who writes for The New Yorker, to craft a tome that is at turns witty, deeply moving, and heartbreaking in a visceral manner.

And hey, this feels like a good time to ruminate on the fact that Alex and Eddie Van Halen were immigrants, who arrived in this country at the ages of 8 (Alex) and 6 (Eddie), unable to speak the language, and ill-equipped to deal with the abuse hurled their way by folks who had a problem with their mix of Dutch and Indonesian ethnicity - a particularly brutal fact, considering that the family had fled the Netherlands to avoid just such persecution.

Music became shelter from the storm for the siblings, just as it had been for their jazz clarinetist father, Jan. And oh, what a glorious racket these brothers made…

Please give this book a read. You needn’t be a huge fan of Van Halen (the band) in order to fall in love with it. But it sure as hell doesn’t hurt…

I’ve also been loving Songs Of A Lost World, the profoundly awesome new album by The Cure. It’s incredible that, 46 years into their career, Robert Smith and co. are releasing an album that deserves to be regarded as one of the band’s most ambitious, grandiloquent, and, yes, best. (I’d place this new one second after 1989’s Disintegration, personally. It’s that good.) Give it a spin, but be careful - it’s pretty dark in there…

Finally, moe. has released a new single, ‘Ups & Downs,’ previewing their 14th album, ‘Circle of Giants,’ which arrives on January 31st. The band also announced a host of tour dates, with guest Karina Rykman. You can check the tour dates here.

More GRAMMY nods for JoAnn Falletta and the BPO

For the second year in a row, the BPO and Music Director JoAnn Falletta have been recognized in the Best Orchestral Performance, this time for the Naxos label release Kodály: Háry János Suite. The Orchestra also received a nod in the Best Classical Compendium for their Foss: Symphony No. 1 recording. Both albums were produced, engineered, and edited by Bernd Gottinger. The Grammy Awards ceremony takes place on February 2nd.

Samara Joy, on her way to Center for the Arts in December, gets 2 GRAMMY Nominations

Already a Grammy winner, jazz vocalist Samara Joy has been nominated for two more awards this year, in the categories of Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best Jazz Performance, for her seasonal-themed EP, A Joyful Holiday.

Joy - along with Shedrick Mitchell (piano), Eric Wheeler (bass), Charles Haynes (drums), and members of her family, including her father, Antonio - will be performing A JOYFUL HOLIDAY featuring Samara and the McLendon Family at UB’s Center for the Arts on Tuesday, December 17. You can get tickets here.

JUST ANNOUNCED:

The Historic Colored Musicians Club & Jazz Museum presents: Jazzmeia Horn

Saturday, November 23, 6 p.m. at Villa Maria College Auditorium, Buffalo, $25/$50/$55

Buffalo Music Club & Kleinhans present: ‘Twas the Funk Before Xmas

Saturday, December 7, 8 pm, The Mary Seaton Room in Kleinhans, Buffalo. $40

Classic Vinyl Live! with Jeff Miers: The Strictly Hip performs The Tragically Hip's classic album UP TO HERE

Monday, December 9, 7 pm at Sportsmen’s Tavern, Buffalo. $20

Prior to the show, there will be discussion with Jeremy Hoyle, prize giveaways, and a screening of my pre-recorded interview with the Tragically Hip’s Gord Sinclair.

Advanced tickets are encouraged for this one… Get them HERE!

EXPERIENCE HENDRIX Tour: ft/ Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Marcus King, Eric Johnson, Devon Allman, Noah Hunt, Ally Venable, Chuck Campbell & Calvin Cooke of the Slide Brothers, Mato Nanji, Dylan Triplett, Henri Brown, Chris Layton, and Kevin McCormick

Sunday, March 23, 2025 at 7 pm at Kleinhan’s Music Hall, Buffalo. $$

The Experience Hendrix Tour comes to Buffalo 56 years to the day since Hendrix’ March 23, 1968 performance at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium.

Tickets go on sale this Friday, November 15 at 10 am.

Petros Klampanis

Friday, February 14, 2025, 7 pm at The 9th Ward in Babeville, Buffalo. $45/$51. Tickets on sale Friday, November 15 at 10 am.

THIS WEEK:

After Dark Presents:

Jae Skeese

Thursday, November 14, 7 pm doors at Rec Room, Buffalo. $20.55

Harvest Sum 20th Anniversary: The Old Sweethearts, Sleeping Kings of Iona, TVMTN, Johnny Nobody, RBATO, Strange Acres, Bearhunter, Lower Pony

Saturday, November 16, 7 pm doors at The Cave, Buffalo. $10

(Read a preview by Kevin Hosey on BuffaloHive here.)

BPO: The Music of Queen

Friday, November 15, 7:30 pm at Kleinhans Music Hall, Buffalo. $27-$98.50

Featuring Bradley Thachuk, conductor, MiG Ayesa, vocals, George Cintron, guitar, background vocals, Dan Clemens, bass, background vocals, Powell Randolph, drums, background vocals, and Justin Avery, keyboard, background vocals.

The Smithereens w/guest vocalist Robin Wilson

Wednesday, November 20, 7:30 pm at Riviera Theatre, North Tonawanda, NY. $39

Chuckie Campbell Presents: Hip-Hop is Revolution

Thursday, November 14, 7 pm doors at The Caz, South Buffalo. $15-$29

lespecial + Doom Flamingo

Friday, November 15, 7 pm doors at Buffalo Iron Works, Buffalo. $25/$28

Classic Rock By The River 2.0: Scott Celani Bands’ Paul McCartney Tribute, American Doors, Tequila Sunrise, Analog Kids, and Gypsy Queen

Saturday, November 16, 4:30 pm at Buffalo RiverWorks, Buffalo. $25/$35

Lazlo Hollyfeld

Friday, November 15, 8:30 pm at McGarret’s, Buffalo. $5

John Bacon Jr. Quintet

Friday, November 15, 8 pm at Black Dots, Buffalo. $10

Shaky Stage & The Steam Donkeys

Saturday, November 16, 8 pm at Sportsmen’s Tavern, Buffalo. $10

Thursday Night Live: George Kane Quartet

Thursday, November 14, 5:30 pm at Wilson Town Square, Knox Building, Buffalo AKG Art Museum, Buffalo. FREE

Black Sabbath Tribute Night

Saturday, November 16, 8 pm doors at Nietszche’s, Buffalo. $10

Will Downing with his full band, wsg/Will Holton

Thursday, November 14, 6:30 pm doors at Kleinhans Music Hall, Buffalo. $66/$56

Max Childs w/ Letter To Elise & Roy G Biv

Friday, November 15, 7 pm doors at The Caz, South Buffalo. $18-$29

Ryan Montbleau Band w/ The Rollin’ Rust

Saturday, November 16, 7 pm doors at Buffalo Iron Works, Buffalo. $20/$25

Alex McArthur Quartet

Friday, November 15, 7 pm doors at PAUSA art house,Buffalo. $15/$13

Davey O.

Thursday, November 14, 6 pm at Duende at Silo City, Buffalo.

Cris Jacobs w/ The Way Down Wanderers

Thursday, November 14, 7 pm doors at Buffalo Iron Works, Buffalo. $25/$30

The Whiskey Daredevils w/Abandoned Trains

Friday, November 15, 7 pm doors at The Lounge at Revolution Gallery, Buffalo. $10 Cover

PastMasters: Celebrating the Music of The Beatles

Saturday, November 16, 3 pm at Sportsmen’s Tavern, Buffalo. $20

Funk Knights

Saturday, November 16, 8 pm at 42 North Brewing Company, East Aurora, NY.

Buffalo Music Coalition presents:

Saturday Sessions: Creek Bend

Saturday, November 16, 4 pm at Flying Bison Brewing Company, Buffalo. FREE

McCarthyizm & Crikwater

Saturday, November 16, 7 pm doors at The Caz, South Buffalo. $18-$29

Sunday Jazz: The Wazmopolitans

Sunday, November 17, 4 pm at Duende at Silo City, Buffalo.

Dueling Pianos Band

Friday, November 15, 6:30 pm doors at Rec Room, Buffalo. $5 Standing Room Only

The Batavia NY Record Riot: 35+ tables of LPs, CDs & 45s

Sunday, November 17, 10 am - 5 pm at Batavia Downs, 8315 Park Road in Batavia NY. $5/$15 9 am early admission

Soul Butchers wsg/ Super Destroyers

Saturday, November 16, 7 pm doors at The Lounge at Revolution Gallery, Buffalo. $10 Cover

Katy Miner: Serenading the Moon

Saturday, November 16, 6:30 pm doors at PAUSA art house, Buffalo. $15-$13

Minuets & Mimosas: Jon Lehning + Harry Graser

Saturday, November 16, 1 pm at Duende at Silo City, Buffalo.

Slee Beethoven String Quartet Cycle, Part I: Dali Quartet

Thursday, November 14 - Saturday, November 16, 7:30 pm at Lippes Concert Hall, Slee Hall, University at Buffalo. $20/FREE to UB Students

Saranaide w/Jon LoRusso

Friday, November 15, 8 pm at 42 N@The Flats, Buffalo.

Caz Brunch feat. JT3

Sunday, November 17, 11:30 am doors at The Caz, South Buffalo. $39-$45

Hippies & Cowboys w/ Tim Britt & Calico Mantra

Tuesday, November 19, 8 pm doors at Nietszche’s, Buffalo. $10/$15

CAZ House Band ft/Johnny Hart

Monday, November 18, 6:30 pm doors at The Caz, South Buffalo. $10

Art Meets Jazz: Vanessa Vacanti

Wednesday, November 20, 6 pm at Beebe's at the Gallery, Buffalo. $20

COMING UP:

Funtime Presents:

Miers on Music

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