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

Opportunities to give back to the music community that nurtures us, Alison Krauss & Union Station announcement, SZA & Kendrick hit the stadium trail, and this week's gig picks

Dec 04, 2024

Happy holidays, Music Lovers.

If you’re reading this in Buffalo, NY, join me in taking a moment to rejoice in the fact that we have a music scene, and an attendant talent pool, that is unusually rich and deep for an area with a population of our size.

In fact, it’s almost comical that a city with a population of 274,000, and an entire metro area population of roughly 885,000, boasts a musical culture, fan base, live music venue variety, and working musician community that rivals a citizenry 5 times our size. (By way of comparison, New Orleans has a metro area population of 1.26 million people, and Austin, TX, boasts in the area of 2.5 million citizens. Believe it or don’t, but our music scene rivals both of these, in terms of talent and diversity.)

The holidays, despite their tendency to tax our already beleaguered monetary budgets, can and should be a time when we give something back to the community that nurtures us, in whatever form that giving might take.

Our venues, our artists, and our music-related foundations are still reeling from the damage inflicted on the music industry by the pandemic, and they could all use our support, our gratitude, and whatever financial backing we might be able to spare.

Bearing that in mind, I’ve assembled here a curated list of a few worthy live music community fundraising efforts that you might consider, while you’re in a reflective mood, focusing on gratitude for the music and arts culture that makes Buffalo a wonderful place to live.

Check ‘em out, give if you can, and share if you’re able…

Terrapin Station Presents: Cool Yule Kickoff Event, to benefit The Sportsmens Americana Music Foundation

Saturday, December 21, Noon - 8 pm, Terrapin Station, Buffalo, NY

Featuring the Little Mountain Band Acoustic Duo performing ‘The Best of Garcia & Kahn,’ a special screening of the ‘Closing of Winterland’ film, refreshments, and a host of basket raffles.

Music Is Art: Eighth Note Membership Circle

From Music is Art: “Your support allows MiA to continue to create opportunities throughout the year, build community, & keep our festival free for all! We invite you to explore the monthly & annual membership options below and decide which level is right for you!”

Heres where you can find the membership options.

Buffalo Iron Works

You can invest in BIW through Honeycomb. Here’s the link to check it out.

Sportsmens Americana Music Foundation

Become a member to support SAMF’s mission to foster music education opportunities for underserved members of our community, while spreading the gospel of Americana music.

Become a member here or donate directly to the foundation.

Junior Jerry Jam Holiday Market Shakedown Street w/Buffalo Dead All-Stars

A benefit for Buffalo String Works and toy drive drop point from 11 am - 2 pm. Santa will be there to collect donations.

Sunday, December 8, 11 am at Asbury Hall in Babeville, Buffalo. $10 adults/FREE for kids

JazzBuffalo

Support the Buffalo Jazz scene by contributing here.

Twenty6 Productions x Step Out Buffalo Toy Drive

All toys will be donated to PUNT Pediatric Cancer Collaborative.

DROP OFF

Before Friday December 6:
Buffalo Iron Works. 49 Illinois Street, Buffalo
Please coordinate with events@twenty6productions.com

Step Out Buffalo’s Fall Makers + Shakers Artisan Market
The Powerhouse - 140 Lee Street, Buffalo, NY 14210
Saturday, Dec 7: 11 am - 5 pm
Sunday, Dec 8: 10 am - 4 pm

JUST ANNOUNCED:

Kendrick Lamar and SZA: 2025 Grand National Tour

Thursday, June 12, 2025, at Rogers Centre, Toronto, ONT, CA. Pre-sale tickets start Wednesday, December 4/General public on sale Friday, December 6. Get tickets here!

Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas - Arcadia Tour

Sunday, September 21, 7:30 pm at Artpark, Lewiston, NY. $49.50 indoor/$35 lawn

Spafford

Tuesday, March 18, 2025, 8 pm at Buffalo Iron Works, Buffalo. $25/$30

Dreamville6 – Celebrating the Music of Tom Petty ft/The Leroy Townes Band and friends

Saturday, February 22, 2025, 8 pm at Buffalo Iron Works, Buffalo. $15

THIS WEEK:

Organ Fairchild Plays Grateful Dead

Saturday, December 7, 8:30 pm at Buffalo Iron Works, Buffalo. $15/$20

The Big Easy in Buffalo NOLA Series:

Tab Benoit w/ Jesse Dayton

Friday, December 6, 7 pm doors at Town Ballroom, Buffalo. $42.75/$62.75

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

FluffDead wsg/Sousaphunk

Friday, December 6, 9 pm at Nietzsche’s, Buffalo. $10

Beebe’s at the Gallery, Hunt Art Gallery, and JazzBuffalo present

ART MEETS JAZZ: “A Charlie Brown Christmas” by Vince Guaraldi ft/ the Ed Croft Trio

Wednesday, December 11, 6 pm at Beebe’s at the Gallery and the C.Stuart and Jane H. Hunt Gallery, Buffalo. $20

‘Twas the Funk Before Xmas ft/Eric Crittenden, DP, DJ Sike, Rod Bonner, Chuck Northington, Marshall Badger & more

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

Tom Hambridge & The Rattlesnakes

Saturday, December 7, 8 pm at Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo. $25

Music on the Sculpture Terrace: Naryan Padmanabha 

Friday, December 6, 5:30 pm at the Sculpture Terrace, Gundlach Building, Buffalo AKG Art Museum, Buffalo. FREE with pay-what-you-wish

Mindi Abair’s “I Can’t Wait For Christmas Tour” ft/Lindsey Webster and Marcus Anderson

Friday, December 6, 8 pm at Buffalo State Performing Arts Center, Buffalo. $40/$45

I Feel the Earth Move: Christina Custode Plays the Music of Carole King

Thursday, December 5, 7 pm at Pausa Art House, Buffalo. $15

The Bells of Buffalo: A Bells of Dublin Tribute Show

Saturday, December 7, 3 pm matinee (8 pm SOLD OUT) at The Caz, South Buffalo. $20-$24

Almost Queen

Friday, December 6, 7 pm doors at Asbury Hall in Babeville, Buffalo. $35/$49.50

Armani Works, Deshawn “D Ray” Jackson, and Zuri Elise Appleby

Thursday, December 5, 9 pm at Allen Street Hardware, Buffalo. FREE

Miller and The Other Sinners Happy Hour

Friday, December 6, 5 pm at Sportsmen’s Tavern, Buffalo. $

Buffalo Music Coalition presents:

Saturday Sessions: Greg Klyma ft/Jamie Sunshine, Colin Brydalski, and Brendan Gosson

Saturday, December 7, 4 pm at Flying Bison Brewing Company, Buffalo. FREE

Tim Britt Band, Michael DeLano

Wednesday, December 11, 6 pm doors at The Caz, South Buffalo. $12.50

Aaron Ziolkowski

Thursday, December 5, 7 pm at Buffalo Distilling Co., Buffalo.

The Funk Knights

Friday, December 6, 8 pm at Molly Maguires, Buffalo.

Punk Rock Holidays w/ Pilot Field, Wild Once, Skyway, and PGSU

Friday, December 6, 7 pm doors at Mohawk Place, Buffalo. $10

Bumpin Uglies w/ Pasadena and Joint Operation

Thursday, December 5, 6 pm doors at Buffalo Iron Works, Buffalo. $23/$25

Amherst Symphony Orchestra - Winter Storm Warning

Sunday, December 8, 3 pm at Amherst Middle School, Buffalo. $23/$25

Thursday Night Live: Davey O.

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

Joe Krown Trio + 1, featuring Papa Mali

The Big Easy in Buffalo NOLA Series, Thursday, December 12, 7 pm at The Cave, Buffalo, NY. FREE

The Strictly Hip

Friday, December 6, 6:30 pm doors at The Caz, South Buffalo. $24

Jason Being / Button & Gregg (of Growl Bear)

Wednesday, December 11, 9 pm at Nietzsche’s, Buffalo. $10

PLEASURE P

Saturday, December 7, 7 pm doors at Showplace Theater, Buffalo. $28.52-$45.50

Hail! Fredonia Records presents

THE CAVE SHOW ft/Modyst Vibes, Spiria, and Hitgrl

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

Autonomous Vehicles and Dellwood & the Nightshades

Saturday, December 7, 5 pm at Buffalo Distilling Co., Buffalo

Geno McManus

Saturday, December 7, 7:30 pm at RationAles, Williamsville, NY

The Pickle Mafia

Thursday, December 5, 6:30 pm doors at The Caz, South Buffalo. $24-$29

VINYL NIGHT: DJ DLL spinning LIVE Grateful Dead

Saturday, December 7, 8 pm at Black Dots, Buffalo. FREE

COMING UP:

Gantzer Does Pink Floyd

Tuesday, December 31, 8 pm at Town Ballroom, Buffalo. $33.25

Musicians of Buffalo: Christmas Rocks Concert 2024 w/Billy Sheehan, Jessie Galante, Bobby Lebel

Saturday, December 14, 7 pm doors at Asbury Hall in Babeville, Buffalo. $30 GA/$40 reserved

After Dark presents

BLISSMAS 2024 w/ Better Lovers wsg/Converge, Fleshwater, Twitching Tongues, Dying Wish, Teenage Wrist, Anxious, Atomic Rule

Saturday, December 14, 1 pm at Buffalo RiverWorks, Buffalo. $45

Miers on Music

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