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[ELECTRONIC/DANCE] Italian house producer Alex Kenji is not a physically imposing force behind the decks—he lets his huge tech-house jams carry the weight. The world-traveling DJ, known for jacking house tracks like “Stay With Me” and electro jams like “Everybody Needs Somebody,” will travel up to Buffalo’s Sky Bar on Friday, July 17 with support from Sunglasses Mike.

[COMEDY] Weird Al Yankovic’s career is much more than a few amusing singles 30 years ago. He’s sold a shit-ton of records, won four out of 15 Grammy nominations, and—during the latter half of his career—diversified. He got started in the 1970s with the Dr. Demento radio show in California, and his quick wit has since proven useful in gigs as a voice actor, children’s book author, and director of videos for other artists, including Ben Folds and the Black Crowes.

[INDIE] Lush and dreamy with pockets of rhythmic complexity, Mr. Twin Sister (formerly just Twin Sister) uses modern technology to create a soundscape that recalls the mellow, sax-infused feel of Cocteau Twins’ Victorialand. But don’t get too settled in because just when you think you’ve got the hang of it, something like the recent single “The Erotic Book” completely shifts the sound to New Order’s Bernard Sumner singing on a Remain in Light-era demo with Talking Heads.

[FESTIVAL] Believe it or not, Riff Raff is one the biggest headliners on this year’s Vans Warped Tour. If you’re wondering if this yearly punk rock-based festival has changed over the years, the answer is yes. Where fans once lined up to see bands like NoFX and Rancid and to throw down in the mosh pit, they now file in for electro-rock bands like PVRIS and Drama Club—they’ve even added an electronic-music based stage for some of the bands hosted by Beatport.

[FUNK] Buffalo’s Canalside Concert Series has already been a huge hit, packing fans in the (now) beautiful scenery of the restored Buffalo waterfront. This Thursday, July 16 the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra will perform Buffalo’s All-Star Tribute to Stevie Wonder. The legendary artist’s career was honored at this year’s Grammy Awards. His legacy has influenced just about everyone who has come up through soul, pop, R&B, funk, and more.

[BATTLE] The final act of the Canalside Battle of the Bands series will be held this week. This Friday, July 17, local hip-hop artists will battle for the opportunity to open for En Vogue when they play a free show at Canalside on August 20. Artists will be judged by a panel of local professionals on performance quality, stage presence, and audience engagement. Each participating artist/group receives a $100 stipend just to compete.