Where the Bands Are: This Week in Live Music and Concert News
New music alert! Robin Taylor Zander, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, and more; Some new concert announcements; and a curated list of this week's must-see gigs.
(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.
I had big plans over the past two weeks, including a trip to Cleveland to catch AC/DC’s Pwr Up tour, and a slew of shows closer to home. Alas, a pretty brutal strain of the flu had other plans for me, and I missed all of them.
Being bedridden did allow me to dig into some new music, though. I spent some time with the new single from Robin Taylor Zander, the multi-instrumentalist wunderkind son of Cheap Trick singer Robin Zander. “Nobody’s Home” is a slice of ornate power-pop, featuring RTZ handling all of the instruments and vocals, with production by the legendary Jack Douglas - who produced, among many other timeless classics, the debut Cheap Trick album, way back in, ahem, 1976.
This led me back to RTZ’s 2023 debut full-length, The Distance, which dropped in 2023. That whole album is worth your time and attention, if you’re a lover of elegant power-pop with ornate melodies, and sublime singing.
RTZ is a full-time member of Cheap Trick these days, and he’s on the road with the band all summer, including a stop in Toronto opening for Rod Stewart at the Budweiser Stage on July 22.
Check out RTZ’s new single, and share your thoughts…
We’re one week out from the release of the new King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard album, Phantom Island, the band’s 27th (!) effort, and the first KGLW album to feature orchestral arrangements for both strings and horns. Check out this very cool video, a sort of ‘making-of’ montage, and fasten your seatbelts for what is looking like another wild ride with these musical freaks from the land down under. Also note that King Gizz has never played in Buffalo, and while I continue to hold onto the hope that this will change, if you live in Western New York, you’ll have to travel to Philadelphia (July 28), New Haven (July 30), or Queens (August 1 and 2) if you want to catch them this summer .
There’s a whole batch of new releases in the coming weeks that I’m psyched about, including Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s Curse EP; Bruce Springsteen’s Tracks II: The Lost Albums; Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention’s Cheaper Than Cheap: The Soundtrack; The Cure’s Mixes of a Lost World; GoGo Penguin’s Necessary Fictions; Joshua Redman’s Words Fall Short; Alice Cooper’s The Revenge of Alice Cooper; Steve Hackett’s The Lamb Stands Up Live at the Royal Albert Hall; Grant Lee Phillips’ In the Hour of Dust; Neal Casal’s No One Above You; and the Black Keys’ No Rain, No Flowers.
New And Noteworthy:
Music Is Art Festival 2025: Power to the Players!
Saturday, September 20, 11 am-11 pm. Buffalo’s Outer Harbor Terminal B. Free.
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
T-Pain: TP20: Celebrating 20 Years of T-Pain
Friday, October 10, 7 pm at Buffalo Outer Harbor Terminal B Ampitheatre. $69/$178
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
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
This week…
An Evening with Chris Trapper
Friday, June 6, 9 pm doors at Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo. $25/$30
Royal Prodigy Entertainment presents:
Dead on the Farm: Dead Alliance Buffalo
Friday, June 6, 7 pm doors at Becker Farms, Gasport, NY. $10/$15
EXTC (XTC's Terry Chambers & Friends)
Friday, June 6, 6 pm doors at The Caz, South Buffalo, NY. $30-$40
Beü
Friday, June 6, 8:30 pm at McGarret’s, Buffalo. $
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
The Vores and The Horizontal Stripes
Saturday, June 7, 7 pm doors at The Lounge at Revolution Gallery, Buffalo. $10.
June in Buffalo
Through 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.
Lazlo Hollyfeld performs Radiohead - In Rainbows
Saturday, June 7, 7 pm doors at Town Ballroom, Buffalo. $22.50
Ladies First Jazz ft/ vocalist Donna DeLano-Kerr
Saturday, June 7, 8 pm at Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo. $20/$25
Comes A Time For A Friend - Benefit for Matt Brown & Family: Little Mountain Band Trio and Wild Knights
Saturday, June 7, 3 pm (5 pm - Little Mountain Band Acoustic Trio,
7 pm - Wild Knights) at Coconut Grove Pavilion, Main and Transit Fire Department,, Williamsville, NY. $40
Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
Sunday, June 8, 4 pm gate at Sportsmens Park, Buffalo. $60 rain or shine
Kaki King
DINNER & SHOW: Sunday, June 8, 6 pm doors at The Caz, South Buffalo, NY. $89-$99
Grace Stumberg Band & the Twang Gang with special guests
Wednesday, June 11, 5 - 8 pm at Live at Larkin Square, Buffalo. FREE
Steely Dead – A Sonic Fusion of The Grateful Dead and Steely Dan
Wednesday, June 11, 7 pm doors at Buffalo Iron Works, Buffalo. $20/$25
Music Matters Summer Concert Series: Organ Fairchild
Thursday, June 12, 7 - 10 pm at Sully’s Harbor Bar & Grill at Harbor Walk, Downtown Buffalo. $10. Get tickets here!
Funtime presents
Get the Led Out
Thursday, June 12, 7 pm at Town Ballroom, Buffalo. $32.25/$37.25
Music in the Park: Folk Faces and Uncle Ben’s Remedy
Thursday, June 12, 5 pm at Cazenovia Park, South Buffalo. FREE
The Sadies
Thursday, June 12, 7 pm doors at Buffalo Iron Works, Buffalo. $15/$20
Thursday & Main: Handsome Jack w/Witty Tarbox
Thursday, June 12, 5 - 8 pm at Fountain Plaza, Downtown Buffalo. FREE
Root Cellar - Release Show for new Album, Fermentations
Friday, June 13, 8 pm at Revolution Gallery, Buffalo. $10.
Buffalo Music Coalition presents
Bruce Springsteen: The Seeger Sessions ft/ Captain Tom and the Hooligans
Friday, June 13, 7 pm at West Falls Center for the Arts, West Falls, NY. $20
moe. and Umphrey’s McGee
Friday, June 13, 5 pm doors at Sharkey’s Event Center, Syracuse, NY. $56.58
Coming up…
Rockin’ at the Buffalo AKG 2025: The Beaches, The Trews, and Menno Versteeg of Hollerado
Saturday, June 14, 5 pm at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum, Buffalo. $62.50 (all incl)
STAVO performs Rush’s Moving Pictures
Saturday, June 14, 6:30 pm doors at The Caz, South Buffalo. $15. Use promo code CAZSOCIAL5 for $5 off tickets!
Urban Achievers, the Living Braindead, Wolf Tickets
Saturday, June 14, 8 pm doors at the Milkie’s, Buffalo. $10
Steve Earle: Fifty Years of Songs and Stories w/ Jeff Crosby
Sunday, June 15, 7 pm doors at Asbury Hall in Babeville, Buffalo. $45/$55
Music Matters Summer Concert Series: Scarlet Begonias
Thursday, June 19, 7 pm at Sully’s Harbor Bar & Grill at Harbor Walk, Downtown Buffalo. $10. Get tickets here!
Faster Pussycat w/ Supersuckers, The Rumourz, & The Lonely Ones
Tuesday, June 24, 7 pm doors at Buffalo Iron Works, Buffalo. $30/$35
Talking Dead Heads
Wednesday, June 25, 5 - 8 pm at Live at Larkin Square, Buffalo. FREE
Dameronia’s Legacy All-Stars feat. Jon Gordon/Gary Smulyan/The Hasselback Family/Kirk MacDonald
Thursday, June 26, 6:30 pm doors at PAUSA art house, Buffalo. $30/$25
Music Matters Summer Concert Series: The Strictly Hip
Thursday, June 26, 7 pm at Sully’s Harbor Bar & Grill at Harbor Walk, Downtown Buffalo. $10. Get tickets here!
Tugboat Annie w/Black Jacket, Stress Dolls, Gathering Ground
Saturday, June 28, 7 pm at Electric City, Buffalo. $26.74-$75.67
Too bad u got the flu. Sorry to hear u missed those shows. Would have liked to have heard what u thought of AC/DC. I’d like to see them one last time. But don’t know if I want to pay whatever the arenas or stadiums are charging. But the main reason I’m fearful of going is I can’t see Brian’s voice holding up at all. I’ve heard some of the clips too from some friends. Not in good form. Maybe I’ll change my mind over time. Cheers! Chris.
Definitely enjoyed this. I live in South Carolina and cant enjoy this but Thursday June 12th at SPORTSMENS in Buffalo the great KEVIN GORDON is playing. He is a fantastic songwriter and performer and if y’all arent familiar with his music check this out for reference
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=gfzUEkn6EiM&si=mJIwMKlAVSFFt5Ae