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Puerto Rican and Hispanic Day Parade

[PARADE] Buffalo’s summer parade season is blessed with a lively opener, the Pride Parade, down one city thoroughfare, and a raucous closer, the Puerto Rican and Hispanic Day Parade, which will wend noisily up another this Saturday, August 18. The parade steps off in Niagara Square at 1pm and proceeds up Niagara Street to LaSalle Park, where festivities will have begun the night before and continue through Sunday.

Griffis Sculpture Park Summer Festival

[ARTS & MUSIC FESTIVAL] Sometimes it takes a little reminder to visit Griffis Sculpture Park at least once before summer ends. (Or, for that matter, at least once each season.) That’s what annual Griffis Sculpture Park Summer Festival, which takes place on Sunday, August 19, is meant to be: a reminder. It will remind you of how glorious this season is, how beautiful the hills and forests of Ashford Hollow and surroundings. It will remind you that a life spent in pursuit of and appreciation for art and music is a life well spent.

Julie Lambert

[JAZZ, FOLK, ETC.] Had she remained in Buffalo, East Aurora native Julie Lambert would certainly have become a local music celebrity. Alas for us, happily for Lambert, we lost the singer many years ago to southern France, where she has continued to hone her musicianship and her catalog, which ranges from jazz standards to (very) old as well as newer folk, to originals. Maybe you remember Lambert and her enchanting voice from many moons ago; maybe you never had the pleasure.

Hallwalls Members' Show

The gargantuan annual summer feature Hallwalls Members’ Show. This year, a daunting 168 works by 168 artists. Help is provided, however, by way of an ancillary feature series of artists’ talks, Saturday afternoons, starting at noon, throughout the run of the show. A half dozen 10-minute talks by a half dozen artists, about their piece in the show. What they’re trying to say or do with the piece. How they came up with the idea for it, how they produced it. Whatever.

Bowie Live

[TRIBUTE] It takes some guts to call yourself “the Ultimate David Bowie Tribute,” but that’s just what Bowie Live claims to be. Musician Chris Theoret takes on David Bowie and comes as close as possible to the real deal. Catch Bowie Live at the Tralf this Friday, August 17.

The Tins, Kyle & the Pity Party, Coral Collapse, and First Ward

[INDIE] Local indie rock line ups don’t get much more solid than this. The Tins, recently off the release of their latest, self-titled album take the top slot. They’ll bring with them Kyle & The Pity Party, in from across the state in Kingston, New York. Shoegaze band Coral Collapse and indie rockers First Ward round out the line up for the show this Saturday, August 18 at Nietzsche’s.

Live at Larkin: The Nth Power

[FUNK] Funk band The Nth Power will take the stage at the next edition of Live at Larkin. The soulful three-piece funk group features Nikki Glaspie, who, in addition to touring with the funk band Dumstaphnk, toured the world as Beyonce’s drummer. Catch the Nth Power with Funktional Flow at Larkin Square this Wednesday, August 22 for the free concert.

Shitty in the USA

[FUN] This one kind of speaks for itself. Booze, beach, beats—what else is there really? Music comes from Deadwolf and DJ Crop Top. Dress like you’re at the beach and maybe you’ll win King or Queen in the Shitty Beach contest. Expect drink specials and all that good stuff, and on top of that, feel good that your $5 donation at the door goes to benefit the Pride Center of Western New York. This Saturday, August 18 at Lockhouse Distillery.

Seth Bernard and Johnny Irion

[FOLK] A multitalented singer/songwriter that doubles as an environmental activist, Seth Bernard grew up amid farming culture at Northern Michigan’s Earthwork Farm. His music reflects his background with earthy textures, and his passion for peaceful environmental reform is a recurring theme in his work.

The Lacs

[POP] Love it or hate it, this is what happens when southern country boys grow up listening to hip-hop. The Lacs — short for “loud ass crackers” (le sigh!) – consists of Georgia’s Clay Sharpe and Brian King, and since 2002, they’ve been slinging their genre-busting blend of southern-fried rock and rhymes. Impressively, they’ve cobbled a career on their own terms, self-releasing their first three discs and, most recently, creating their own label: Dirt Rock Empire.

Green Jelly

[PUNK] Over-the-top punk band, Green Jelly, returns to Mohawk Place for a show this Saturday, August 18. Founding member Bill Manspeaker, the only original member of the band, brings his whacky, unorthodox punk band back to his hometown for this one. Formed in Kenmore in the early 1980s, the band grew in popularity after opening for legendary punk bands like the Ramones and the New York Dolls.

Mighty Mighty Bosstones

[ROCK] The Mighty Mighty Bosstones’ 1997 album Let’s Face It was one of the first album’s I ever owned—on CD, of course. I wore that CD out that summer, along with No Doubt’s Tragic Kingdom, while my taste in music developed. I still hear cuts from that record, like “The Impression That I Get” and “Royal Oil” on the radio, which is astounding considering ska music is typically thought of as underground music.

Marcia Ball

[BLUES] Back before Austin, Texas blew up as the progressive oasis and arts capitol of the Lone Star State, Marcia Ball was the front gal for a band called Freda and the Firedogs. Their 1972 debut remains a snapshot of a Southern American culture unadorned by pretenses and airs—a time when a woman singing about sending a guy to “Fist City” if he gets too fresh was considered feminism. It took six years for Ball to release her solo debut, Circuit Queen, and she’s been at it ever since.

Kevin Farley

[COMEDY] There’s no doubt this dude is a Farley. Everything from his barrel chested posture, the tone of his voice, hair, style, and energy—everything about Kevin Farley is recognizable. The younger brother of Chris Farley, Kevin first became known for portraying Doug Linus in the fictional boy band 2ge+her. He also appeared in classic Chris Farley movies such as Tommy Boy and Black Sheep.

O.A.R.

[JAM] With elements of roots rock and pop, and jam band leanings, O.A.R. have been at it for more than 20 years, growing a substantial fanbase as they’ve toured relentlessly. The five-piece jam band from Rockville, Maryland will return to Western New York for a show at Artpark on Wednesday, August 22 on a tour, the namesake of which comes from the band’s new single, “Just Like Paradise.” Support comes from singer/songwriter Matt Nathanson.

Miranda Lambert and Little Big Town

[COUNTRY] As country music summer packages go, this is the big winner for 2018, especially if you’re a fan of harmony vocals over solo showboating. Both critically lauded artists, Miranda Lambert and Little Big Town together tout a combined thirty-six ACM Award wins, twenty-one CMAs, and four Grammy’s. Reigning eight-time consecutive ACM Female Vocalist of the Year, Lambert released the ambitious, 24-song, double album, The Weight of These Wings, in November 2016.

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