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

A Beatle is coming to town, a killer jazz fest in downtown Buffalo, and a full list of recommended gigs for this week!

Jul 16, 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.

Witht he recent news that the much-loved Jazz at the Richardson Complex is not going to happen as planned, some extra attention should be paid to the 21st edition of the Queen City Jazz Fesival, which is taking place on Saturday, July 26 ,in Lafayette Square.

Presented by the Historic Colored Musicians Club & Museum, the QC Jazz Fest has been offering an unfailingly compelling blend of regional, national and international jazz and jazz-based artists for more than two decades, and this year’s lineup - see full details below - is no exception to that enduring rule.

Everyone on the bill is well worth your time and attention, but I’ll plant my flag here for the saxophonist Brent Birkhead, who will be headlining this year’s celebration with the band that bears his surname.

You might know of Birkhead from his work with pianist and composer Walter Kemp III - and I hope you do - but note that that the prodigiously talented Birkhead has also lent his singular saxophone voice to performances by the likes of Lauryn Hill, SWV, Nas, and George Duke. His own work as a bandleader has earned him the praise of, among many others, The New York Times, which claimed him as “one of the most riveting young improvisers in New York,” after he moved there following an impressive tenure in his hometown of Washington, DC.

Check out the full lineup for the 21st Queen City Jazz Festival below. I’ll see you all there…

New And Noteworthy:

Paul McCartney: Got Back

Friday, November 18, 8 pm at Key Bank Center, Buffalo. $$$ (Register here for presale.) Presale tickets on sale now - public on sale Friday, July 18.

Funtime Presents

The Great Train Robbery

Friday, December 26, 7 pm doors at Town Ballroom, Buffalo. $37.25. Tickets on sale now.

Organ Fairchild

Saturday, October 25, 7 pm doors at Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo, NY. $15/$20

The Historic Colored Musicians Club & Jazz Museum presents

21st Queen City Jazz Festival

Saturday, July 26, 1 - 9  pm at Lafayette Square, Buffalo. FREE

The Planet Smashers w/ Working Class Stiffs & Some Ska Band

Wednesday, September 24, 7 pm doors at Nietzsche’s, Buffalo. $23.39

Funtime Presents

Finger Eleven (F11) w/ Alien Ant Farm and BRKN

Thursday, September 25, 6 pm doors at Town Ballroom, Buffalo. Tickets on sale Friday, 7/18.

The Talking Dead Heads

Friday, November 21 and Saturday, November 22, 8 pm at Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo, NY. $20 single night /$30 2-day pass

After Dark Presents

Belmont wsgs/Avoid & Super Sometimes

Sunday, December 7, 6 pm doors at Town Ballroom, Buffalo. Tickets on sale Friday, 7/17.

SPECIAL: Music Matters Summer Concert Series: Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad

Friday, August 1, 7 pm at Sully’s Harbor Bar & Grill at Harbor Walk, Downtown Buffalo. $15.

Funtime presents

The Sword w/Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol & Moon Destroy

Friday, October 17, 7 pm at Town Ballroom, Buffalo. $36.25. Tickets on sale now.

Herbie Hancock

November 2, 7 pm at UB Center for the Arts Mainstage Theatre, Buffalo. $49, $79, $99, $134

Buffalo State Performing Arts Center Great Performer Series Fall 2025:

All shows at 8 pm at the Buffalo State Performing Arts Center, Buffalo, NY. $45/$40

Gaelic Storm Friday, September 5

Lee Ritenour Friday, October 10

Cherry Poppin' Daddies Friday, October 17

Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy Saturday, November 7

Los Straitjackets

Sunday, October 26, 5 pm at Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo. $30

After Dark presents

Guerilla Toss wsg/ Maya Ongaku

Tuesday, September 16, 7 pm doors at Nietzsche’s, Buffalo. $15/$18

DSP Shows presents

Kathleen Edwards

Tuesday, October 14, 7pm doors at Asbury Hall in Babeville, Buffalo. $30/$35.

Spiritbox wsgs/Periphery and Honey Revenge

Saturday, November 29, 6 pm doors, at Buffalo RiverWorks, Buffalo, NY. Tickets $78+.

Vision Video w/ Panic Priest

Thursday, September 4, 7 pm at The 9th Ward in Babeville, Buffalo. $20/$25.

Hibou w/Johnny & the Man Kids and Ian McCuen

Monday, September 15, 8 pm doors at Nietzsche’s, Buffalo. $10/$15.

The Arcadian Wild wsg/Common Man

Thursday, November 13, 7pm doors at The 9th Ward in Babeville, Buffalo. $22/$25.

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy's Wild & Swingin' Holiday Party

Tuesday December 16, 7:30 pm at West Herr Riviera Theatre, North Tonawanda, NY. $56.90

Grateful Shred

Tuesday, October 28, 7 pm at Electric City, Buffalo. $36.01-71.55

The Motet w/ Michael Wilbur

Tuesday, November 4, 8 pm at Buffalo Iron Works, Buffalo. $27/$30

This week…

Live at Larkin: 716 Day Salute to Rick James & B-Lo Funk w/Critt & Universal Phunk

Wednesday, July 16, 5 pm at Larkin Square in Larkinville, Buffalo. FREE

7/16 Show w/Chirp, Tsavo Highway, and Loaded & Gorgeous

Wednesday, July 16, 6:30 pm doors at Nietzsche’s, Buffalo. $7.16

Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra

Wednesday, July 16, 7 pm at Front Park, Buffalo. FREE

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue w/JJ Grey & Mofro and Dumpstaphunk

Thursday, July 17, 6 pm at Artpark Amphitheater, Lewiston, NY. $26/45.50/55.50

Music Matters Summer Concert Series: Little Mountain Band plays The Band and Little Feat

Thursday, July 17, 7 pm at Sully’s Harbor Bar & Grill at Harbor Walk, Downtown Buffalo. $10. Get tickets here!

Jim Lauderdale w/Bill Smith

Thursday, July 17, 7 pm at Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo. $25

Marc Lingle w/members of Hot Club of Buffalo

Thursday, July 17, 8 pm at The Lounge at Revolution Gallery, Buffalo. FREE

Yaadcore

Thursday, July 17, 8 pm at Nietzsche’s, Buffalo, NY. $15/$20.

Thursday & Main: Grosh wsg/Diyené

Thursday, July 17, 5-8 pm at Fountain Plaza, Downtown Buffalo, NY. FREE

Hippies & Cowboys

Friday, July 18, 10 pm at Jack Rabbit, Buffalo, NY.

Dark Star Orchestra

Friday, July 18, 7 pm at Outer Harbor Live at Terminal B, Buffalo. $58-$114

Party on the Portico: the Funkensteins ft/ nico zarcone

Friday, July 18, 6 - 9 pm on the back porch of The Buffalo History Museum, Buffalo. Presale: $20/$10 members. Day of: $25/$15 members.

Uncle Ben’s Remedy, TJ Zindle & The Sure Things, Kevin Sampson & The Night Shift

Friday, July 18, 8 pm at Nietzsche’s, Buffalo. $10

Rabbit Jaw

Friday, July 18, 6-9 pm on the patio at The Lounge at Revolution Gallery, Buffalo. FREE

The Skiffle Minstrels

Friday, July 18, 8 pm at Penny Lane, Clarence, NY. $5

Saturday Sessions: Jenuine Cello

Saturday, July 19, 4-7 pm at Flying Bison Brewing Company, Buffalo. FREE

Scarlet Begonias w/ Beü

Saturday, July 19, 4 pm at The Hilltop Inn and Grove, Alden, NY. $20/Kids FREE

Grace Potter and JohnnySwim

Saturday, July 19, 7 pm at Artpark Ampitheater, Lewiston, NY. $28-$56.

Young the Giant

Saturday, July 19, 8 pm at Seneca Niagara Event Center, Niagara Falls, NY. $$55, $75, $95, $125

Kim Mitchell

Saturday, July 19, 7:30 pm at West Herr Riviera Theatre, North Tonawanda, NY. $59

2nd Annual Orchard Park Jazz Festival: George Caldwell Septet ft/Sophie Meinel performing the music of Stevie Wonder, Mark Filsinger Quintet ft/Dave Schiavone, Guabaza, and Nolan Vitko Big Band

Saturday, July 19, 4 - 9 pm at Quaker Arts Pavilion, Orchard Park, NY. FREE

Boomerang!

Saturday, July 19, 8 pm at Penny Lane, Clarence, NY. $5

Native-Connection.org presents

Rhythmn & Roots: the Legendary Wailers ft/ Junior Marvin, Organ Fairchild, Tony Duncan, Neville Francis & the Riddim Posse, Tonemah, Jacob Rickard, Eat Off Art, Ashley MacDonald, Slyboots

Saturday, July 19, 2 - 11 pm at Academy Park, Lewiston NY. FREE GA/VIP tickets for front of stage.

YYNOT - Rush Tribute

Saturday, July 19, 8 pm at Buffalo Iron Works, Buffalo. $20/$25

Passed Out w/Aircraft

Saturday, July 19, 7 pm doorsat The Lounge at Revolution Gallery, Buffalo. $10

BPO Irish Legacies Concert at AKG

JoAnn Falletta leads a chamber ensemble of BPO musicians in Irish Legacies, a unique multimedia concert collaboratively presented by the BPO, Buffalo AKG Art Museum, and the University at Buffalo Libraries

Saturday, July 19, 3 pm at at the AKG’s Lipsey Auditorium, Buffalo AKG Art Museum, Buffalo, NY. FREE with ticket reservation.