David Byrne Announces new album and Shea’s Buffalo Show; Melvin Seals & JGB Will Play Asbury Hall in the Fall; and a Curated List of Must-See Gigs.

By Jeff Miers

(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.

File this one under “Reasons To Be Cheerful…”

On Tuesday, David Byrne announced the impending arrival of a new album, and an accompanying tour to support it. Happily, that tour includes a stop at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre on September 25.

This is the first major concert slated for Shea’s in a good while, and a true thrill for Byrne fans, who last found their man in Buffalo when he launched his American Utopia Tour at UB’s Center for the Arts on March 6, 2018. That tour would go on to yield both a Broadway show and a film, and the accompanying album would eventually earn Byrne a slew of awards, including multiple Grammys.

It will surprise no one that Byrne’s new effort, the intriguingly titled Who Is the Sky?, is an ambitious affair that finds the iconoclastic solo artist and Talking Heads founding member pushing his personal boundaries in an ongoing effort to evolve as a songwriter, musician and record-maker.

Toward that end, Who Is the Sky?, which will drop on September 5, is produced by Grammy-winning pop auteur Kid Harpoon (Harry Styles, and tons more), and its 12 songs are bolstered by arrangements that come courtesy of New York-based chamber ensemble Ghost Train Orchestra., a 16-piece strings and brass outfit.

Byrne called in some folks he’s worked with in the past, as well as some first-time collaborators. St. Vincent, Paramore’s Hayley Williams, The Smile drummer Tom Skinner and American Utopia percussionist Mauro Refosco all appear on Who Is the Sky?.

When Byrne hits the road, his touring band will include 13 musicians, singers and dancers, some of whom you might recognize as members of the American Utopia band. As was the case during that unforgettable 2018 show at UB’s Center for the Arts, the whole ensemble will all be mobile throughout the live show.

Tickets go on sale on Friday, June 13 and can be purchased at the Shea’s Box Office or online at https://www.sheas.org/performances/david-byrne/. Fans can sign up for the artist presale now through June 12 at 10 pm HERE.

In the meantime, he’s a taste of what we can expect at the Shea’s show, in the form of “Everybody Laughs,” the first single and video from Who Is the Sky?.

Also announced this week is the return of the mighty Melvin Seals & JGB to Buffalo. Legendary gospel-soul-rock-blues organist and Jerry Garcia Band alum Seals will be joined by guitarist John Kedlecik, bassist John-Paul McLean and drummer Jerry Hoenig for an 8 pm, Saturday, October 18 stop at Asbury Hall.

General On-Sale is this Friday, June 13. GA tix are priced $38 advanc e, $48 day-of-show. There’s also a pre-sale on Thursday, June 12, beginning at 10 am. (Password: TRUCKIN).

New And Noteworthy:

Music Is Art Festival 2025: Power to the Players!

Saturday, September 20, 11 am-11 pm. Buffalo’s Outer Harbor Terminal B. FREE.

Bachman-Turner Overdrive

Monday, November 3, 7:30 pm at West Herr Riviera Theatre, North Tonawanda, NY. $93-$143 Presale tickets on sale – use code: HEYYOU.

Boney James

Sunday, November 9, 7 pm at Kleinhans Music Hall, Buffalo, NY. Kleinhans Music Hall. Pre-sale is on now – use code SLOWBURN. General on-sale kicks off at 10 am on June 12. $58 – $78.

TURNSTILE w/ Mannequin Pussy, Speed, and Jane Remover

Sunday, September 21, 7 pm at Outer Harbor Live at Terminal B, Buffalo. Use code: SENECA25 for presale tickets.

After Dark and MNM present

Marc Rebillet – Places I’ve Never Played & Will Never Play Again Tour

Tuesday, September 30, 7 pm doors at Buffalo RiverWorks, Buffalo. Tickets on sale Friday, June 13 at 10 am.

Funtime Presents & Sportsmens present

Eddie 9V

Sunday, August 10, 7pm at Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo. $25/$30

Beatles Rooftop Tribute ft/The BlackRock Beatles

Wednesday, August 6, 6 pm at Larkin Square/Hydraulic Hearth, Buffalo. $22. Tickets go on sale Monday, June 23 at 8 am. Get your tickets here!

The Big Easy in Buffalo NOLA Series presents

Buckwheat Zydeco, Jr. wsg/Ten Cent Howl

Thursday September 4, 5pm doors at Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo. $15/$20

Tropidelic w/Artikal Sound System, Grieves

Friday, November 21, 6:30 pm doors at Electric City, Buffalo. $30.35 – $68.97

T-Pain: TP20: Celebrating 20 Years of T-Pain

Friday, October 10, 7 pm at Buffalo Outer Harbor Terminal B Ampitheatre. $69/$178

Les Dudek

Saturday, August 2, 8 pm at Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo. $25

GROSH Plays Led Zeppelin

Saturday, July 12, 5 pm gates at Sportsmen’s Park, Buffalo. $20

Black Sabbitch

Friday, August 15, 6 pm doors at Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo. $20

Funtime presents

Gary Numan

Thursday, October 9, 7 pm at Town Ballroom, Buffalo. $46.75

Funtime presents

Bob Mould Solo Electric w/J. Robbins

Friday, September 12, 7 pm at Town Ballroom, Buffalo. $53.75/$39.25

This week…

Music Matters Summer Concert Series: Organ Fairchild

Thursday, June 12, 7 – 10 pm at Sully’s Harbor Bar & Grill at Harbor Walk, Downtown Buffalo. $10. Get tickets here!

The Big Easy in Buffalo Summer Concert Series Presents: James Andrews & The Crescent City All Stars with Spy Boy Al Polite (NOLA classics) and the George Caldwell Trio

Wednesday, June 18, 5 pm at Larkin Square, Buffalo, NY. Free.

A Full Lineup of Big Easy In Buffalo summer concert events can be found here.

Funtime presents

Get the Led Out

Thursday, June 12, 7 pm at Town Ballroom, Buffalo. $32.25/$37.25

Music in the Park: Folk Faces and Uncle Ben’s Remedy

Thursday, June 12, 5 pm at Cazenovia Park, South Buffalo. FREE

The Sadies

Thursday, June 12, 7 pm doors at Buffalo Iron Works, Buffalo. $15/$20

Thursday & Main: Handsome Jack w/Witty Tarbox

Thursday, June 12, 5 – 8 pm at Fountain Plaza, Downtown Buffalo. FREE

The Return of Captain Trips

Thursday, June 12, 7pm at The Cave, Buffalo. $15

Root Cellar – Release Show for new album, Fermentations

Friday, June 13, 8 pm at The Lounge at Revolution Gallery, Buffalo. $10.

Perfume Genius w/urika’s bedroom

Friday, June 13, 7 pm at Electric City, Buffalo. $45-$128

Buffalo Music Coalition presents

Bruce Springsteen: The Seeger Sessions ft/ Captain Tom and the Hooligans

Friday, June 13, 7 pm at West Falls Center for the Arts, West Falls, NY. $20

Little Mountain Band

Friday, June 13, 9 pm doors at Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo. $10

moe. and Umphrey’s McGee

Friday, June 13, 5 pm doors at Sharkey’s Event Center, Syracuse, NY. $56.58

Rockin’ at the Buffalo AKG 2025: The Beaches, The Trews, and Menno Versteeg of Hollerado

Saturday, June 14, 5 pm at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum, Buffalo. $62.50 (all incl)

STAVO performs Rush’s Moving Pictures

Saturday, June 14, 6:30 pm doors at The Caz, South Buffalo. $15. Use promo code CAZSOCIAL5 for $5 off tickets!

Urban Achievers, the Living Braindead, Wolf Tickets

Saturday, June 14, 8 pm doors at the Milkie’s, Buffalo. $10

Tony Derosa

Saturday, June 14, 9 pm at RationAles, Williamsville, NY. FREE

PastMasters (music of the Beatles)

Saturday, June 14, 7:30 pm at Diamond Hawk Golf Course and Pub, Cheektowaga, NY. $10

Steve Earle: Fifty Years of Songs and Stories w/ Jeff Crosby

Sunday, June 15, 7 pm doors at Asbury Hall in Babeville, Buffalo. $45/$55

Porchfest Preview: Unplugged at Kenmore Farmers Market

Sunday, June 15, 9 am: Mike and Ryan; 10 am: Pour La Nuit; 11 am: Dellwood and the Nightshades; 12 pm: Drive; at Kenmore Farmers Market, Kenmore.