[COMEDY] Faux guru (or is he for real? Who knows!) JP Sears wants to take you on a spiritual journey—a quest, a voyage. The internet comedian turned on stage personality is a self-proclaimed emotional healing life coach and if you don’t watch out, you might just come away from his show a little more enlightened. Check him out this Thursday, July 19 through Saturday, July 21 at Helium Comedy Club.
[ROCK] Fresh off a series of dates with the Avett Brothers and The Magpie Salute, which included at least one show that was dedicated to Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon (dubbed for these purposes Dark Side of the Mule), Gov’t Mule comes to Artpark for a show on Tuesday, July 24.
[PUNK] Canadian hardcore punk band D.O.A., lead by Joey “Shithead” Keithley, are on tour in celebration of 40 years as a band. The Sudden Death Records band formed in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1978 and have released handfuls of albums, most famously Hardcore 81, a seminal record in the hardcore scene. The band comes to Mohawk Place for a show this Saturday, July 21 with support from New York City’s The Turbo A.C.s and Buffalo’s G.O.A. and Pure Heel.
[POP] The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra will set up at Canalside for a special show this Saturday, July 21. Led conductor Stefan Sanders, the BPO will perform songs from popular movies including Harry Potter, Star Wars, the Incredibles, Hook, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Ghostbusters.
[POP] You can bet that this will be one of the more popular Live at Larkin concerts this summer. The downtown concert series continues with a special tribute to Prince and Michael Jackson. Eric Crittenden will lead his band through some of the biggest hits of all time, Wednesday, July 25 at Larkin Square.
[FUNK] The Elmwood Village Association’s Summer Concert Series continues this week with a concert from funky indie rock band Randle and the Late Night Scandals. Expect a mix of rock ’n’ roll, blues, and funk from the eclectic group, this Tuesday, July 24 at Bidwell Park.
[BLUES] As far as blues music goes, Kenny Wayne Shepherd has been at the head of a new generation inspired by classic guitarists like Stevie Ray Vaughn and B.B. King. The 41-year-old guitarist and songwriter comes to Buffalo for a concert at Canalside on Thursday, July 19 as part of the Canalside Live concert series. He’ll be joined by Grammy-nominated blues singer/songwriter Beth Hart.
[HOUSE] If you’re into deep house, do yourself a favor and check out DaRand Land’s S&T Podcast mix from last year, which is up on his Soundcloud page. This guy absolutely personifies deep house throughout the hour long mix, moving from moody esotericism, to locked up grooves, and deep, rapturous synths. Land has been a presence in the house music scene since the late 1990s, moving from his hometown of Buffalo to Detroit and back again.
[ROCK] There are a lot of fakers out there, but the Struts don’t seem to be one of them. The glam-rock band from Derby Derbyshire, England bring an enthusiasm and energy to their live shows that just feels authentic—inspired by bands like Aerosmith, Queen, and Def Leppard—from their 1970s inspired glam rock getups to their orgasmic guitar solos. Their hits, like “Could Have Been Me” and “Kiss This” from their 2014 debut full length album, Everybody Wants, don’t seem pre-packaged or cookie cutter radio-fodder but solidly constructed pop-rock with some heart.
[AMERICANA] Even if you don’t think you know who Jim Lauderdale is, you’ve likely heard his music in your travels—maybe even on ABC’s “Nashville.” Nearly 30 albums in and he’s proven himself an Americana master of twang, associating with other revered players like Buddy Miller, Roddy Crowell and the boys from Hot Tuna.
[BLUES] Louisiana native Maggie Koerner has been working hard the last few years building a following for her blues-tinted songwriter fare. In 2016, she released the Dig Down Deep EP, which showcased her gift for organic, earthy singing, delivered with a touch of southern drawl. Sometimes the best way to get a feel for a new artist’s style is to hear them cover a song you’re already familiar with – so check out Koerner’s take on Sheryl Crow’s “The Difficult Kind” from 1998’s The Globe Sessions.
[PUNK] The final edition of the Vans Warped Tour comes through Western New York on Wednesday, July 25 at Darien Lake. For those of us who grew up on emo and pop-punk, it’s obviously the end of an era which began in the mid-1990s. Billed as “punk rock summer camp,” and launched by Kevin Lyman in 1995, the tour has hosted everyone from NoFX to Eminem, eventually making its way to London, Australia, and Japan.
[POP] Things that make ya go “hmmm:” Either of these artists could have toured by themselves this summer, but have instead decided to package it up with a curious co-bill dubbed The Adventures of Kesha and Macklemore. Okay, we’ll bite. So, upon closer inspection, it’s not that random. They both had gimmicky breakthroughs — her with “TiK ToK” and him with “Thrift Shop” — and have since gone on to represent empowerment, pride and independence in a series of turns that only modern American pop could deliver. Kesha’s lawsuit against Dr.
[ROCK] Grammy nominated (yep) hard rock band, Alien Ant Farm return to Buffalo for a show at Buffalo Iron Works on Tuesday, July 24. Since their break-out hit, a nu-metal cover of Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal” in 2001, the band has released a few sporadic albums, their last being 2015’s Always and Forever.
[INDIE] Once in a great while I’ll hear an indie-band with those tricked-out, over-produced, precision-tuned vocals and I won’t be able to resist. Knox Hamilton’s “Washed Up Together” is one of those rare happenings. A trio from Little Rock, Arkansas, the men of Knox Hamilton (Boots Copeland on vocals, bass and guitar, Drew Buffington on guitar and Cobo Copeland on drums) have been making music together for quite some time considering that Boots and Cobo are brothers.
[ROCK] Jenny Lewis’s musical journey is a captivating one for those willing to listen. Her last album, 2014’s The Voyager, found her still signed to Warner Bros. – an awesome show of faith for a major label since Lewis’s albums aren’t huge sellers.