Buffalo Music: Dali Lama’s meditations set to music! Mohawk Place update! Steve Hackett comes to Kleinhans! Stereolab! Gary Numan! So much GOLD!

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-loving friends.

Every week, I do my best to preface this curated listings round-up with something positive to share, taking a page from David Byrne’s pandemic-era Reasons to Be Cheerful journal series. Implicit in this is my own tendency to attempt to look for light in the darkness, and I don’t care what your political beliefs are, the fact is that we are living through some seriously dark times, in this country and around the world. Music can’t necessarily change any of this, but it can certainly act as a balm to our psychic wounds, a temporary escape, and a reminder of our deeper purposes and our better selves.

Bearing all of this in mind, the release of Meditations: Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama , a new album that marries spoken reflections with music and celebrates the Dali Lama’s lifelong message of peace, compassion, kindness, and hope, certainly caught my eye and commended my ear.

The album of serene, meditative, but also virtuosic music features the Dalai Lama alongside sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan, multi-Grammy and Emmy Award–winning producer, author, and composer Kabir Sehgal, and acclaimed sarod virtuosos Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash. The thematic connective tissue of Indian classical music runs throughout the album, and the addition of guest artists, including Andra Day, Ted Nash, Debi Nova, Maggie Rogers, Tony Succar, and Rufus Wainwright commingles diverse musical traditions such as soul, jazz, pop, Latin, and singer-songwriter with that thematic core. The musical sum total is at once stunning and serene, and offers a beautiful sonic bed for the Dali Lama’s profound message of hope. If you’re at all a fan of David Sylvian’s meditative works, a la Camphor and Words With the Shaman, you might dig this.

Amjad Ali Kahn, His Holiness the Dali Lama, Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash.

Mohawk Place!

Here’s a little photo montage representing the progress the Mohawk Place Music & Arts Team is making as they prepare to reopen the historic venue this Fall. If you want to help out, support is most definitely still needed, and you can pitch in right here. Viva la Mohawk!

The Music & Arts Team at work preparing Mohawk Place for its reopening.

TONIGHT! TONIGHT! TONIGHT!

Joss Stone

Wednesday, October 1, 7:30 pm at UB Center for the Arts Mainstage Theatre, UB North Campus. $50, $60, $70, $90.

New and Noteworthy

Funtime presents

Willie Nile w/Kenny Roby

December 5, 2025 7 pm at Town Ballroom, Buffalo, NY. $44.55 seated/$36.55 standing

Twenty6 Productions presents

Saxsquatch

Friday, February 27, 2026, 7 pm at Town Ballroom, Buffalo, NY. $27.80

The 12th Annual Witches Ball: Creature Feature

Saturday, October 25, 7 pm at The Statler, Buffalo, NY. $61/$189.

Featuring performances by The Floyd Concept, Off the Wall, DJ Nicholas Picholas, DJ Nor.th Star, silent disco, and more, plus a costume contest with $1,000 in prizes.

The 12th Annual Witches Ball takes place at The Statler on October 25.

Classic Vinyl Live with Jeff Miers: Black Sabbath’s Paranoid and other ‘70s Sabbath favorites

Chat and Q&A, followed by live performance featuring Josh English, Jeff Hypnarowski, Jeff Miers, Ethan Weissman, Avery Weissman, special guests Satan and Stu Weissman

Monday, October 27, 7 pm at The Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo, NY. $15.

Natalie Cressman & Ian Faquini Album Release

Friday, October 17, 7 pm at PAUSA art house, Buffalo, NY. STAGE AREA : $20/$25 dos BAR AREA: $15/$20 dox

Shakedown Citi

Wednesday, October 15, 7:30 pm doors at Nietzsche’s, Buffalo, NY. $10/$15

Keb’ Mo’

Saturday March 7, 2026, 7pm doors at Asbury Hall in Babeville, Buffalo. GA Seated $59.50, Limited Reserved Gold Circle Seating $75. Venue Presale on sale now – password: CROSSROADS. GA Tickets on sale 9/26 at 10 am.

Eric Church wsg/Ella Langley

Friday, February 13, 7:30 pm at KeyBank Center, Buffalo. Presale begins October 2nd at 10am. General Public tickets go on sale October 3rd at 10am.