Buffalo Music: Shirley Manson of Garbage calls out the music industry; New concert announcements; And plenty of live music on offer all this week in WNY

(Above: AI Design/Collage by Kim 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. Thanks for being here.

Let’s start with a shout-out to Shirley Manson of Garbage, who has always been an awesome, in-your-face front-woman and lyricist, but who upped the ante this week with what she called an “alarm call” to anyone who cares about music as an art form.

Performing in Denver’s Mission Ballroom on October 12, Manson let the crowd know that this would be the brilliant alt-/art-pop band’s final run of shows, noting that the reality faced by touring and recording musicians who aren’t of the stadium-filling mega-star variety – which, let’s face it, means most of the vital, interesting and risk-taking ones, with a few exceptions – is an unsustainable present and an untenable future.

“The average musician makes $12 a month on Spotify,” Manson said. “They’re sleeping in their vans. They’re holding down numerous jobs. They’re playing their guts out every night. The fact that they are not even able to sell a record and it’s taken from them by rich motherf—s on streaming platforms who get paid royally by record labels, who get paid royally by Ticketmaster, who get paid royally by merch companies, who get paid royally — the list goes on and on and on. … They’re all f—ing getting paid, except for the musician.”

A clip of Manson delivering this wake-up call, which she has been offering a version of during each stop on Garbage’s current Happy Endings Tour, went viral, capturing the attention of music-lovers and artists alike, among them Fishbone, who shared the clip and praised Manson for her unflinching candor.

@fishboneband Big ups to Shirley Manson and @Garbage for taking the time at their show in Denver (who we all love and have been great to Us as well) to discuss the reality of being a working musician and band. What she says hits us too… a band for 40+ years that still struggle with the high cost of tickets, high cost of touring from transportation, gas, hotels… but we all keep in keeping on… so when we have “unforeseen circumstances” it just comes down to we can’t afford it all the time and these promoters rely on data… that means “pre sales”… so when bands like us are out there pushing shows months before the date, it’s because the numbers are being watched… when the pre sales don’t show strength… unforeseen circumstances begin to brew from promoters. Bands get a guarantee to get paid and cover touring costs. Band members in the end (if you add up the time) can make below minimum wage, so if sales don’t look great, promoters ask for “reductions” which means taking less for the show that was guaranteed… which means the people that take the hit are the band and the musicians. Why take a “reduction”? Because it’s a business built on relationships. It’s like, do me a solid and i’ll do you one later (questionable), but it’s the game… why do you tour if you are making below minimum wage? Because this is what we were out on earth to do… so when you see merch and it’s $5 more than the last time, or an LP or CD is higher than you wanted, it’s all to make up the difference to make a little extra to stay out in the road… plus, there is a cost for manufacturing, but that’s a whole other post.. thank you Shirley and thank you Garbage for bringing this to people’s attention… keep showing the love , supporting the band and we will have a lot for you in 2026. Gracias.

Sadly, we’re going to see more and more of this, as the current music industry model – the one where corporate hacks make money off of streaming the work of artists to whom they pay a mere pittance, while ticketing monopolies buy up their own tickets to major events and resell them at grossly inflated prices (How the bloody hell is this actually legal?) leaving live music supporters with rapidly diminishing budgets with which to support anyone outside of the mainstream – is, a lot like the United States itself, now comprised of a small percentage of fat cats eager to get fatter by exploiting working folks who either don’t know any better or are so goddamned depressed that they’re willing to drop more than their monthly mortgage payment for a few hours of escapism.

So much winning, amiright?

The good news is, you can still buy local at reasonable prices, and take in a broad swath of interesting, invigorating, non-corporate music, right in your own front yard. Here are a few of my picks for doing just that, this week and beyond.

TONIGHT! TONIGHT! TONIGHT!

BADBADNOTGOOD

Thursday, October 16, 8 pm at the OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino, Niagara Falls, ON, CA. $89-$114 CA

Mumford & Sons

Thursday, October 16, 7 pm at KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY. $32+

“The Wickedest Street in the World”: Songs and Stories from Buffalo’s Underbelly

Thursday, October 16, 7pm doors at The Lounge at Revolution Gallery, Buffalo, NY. $15

Music by The Travesties ft/Sally Schaefer, Tyler Bagwell, and Patrick Jackson
Burlesque Performance by members of The Glam Vamps

Eberwine & Friends

Thursday, October 16, 7 pm at The Cave, Buffalo, NY. $10

New and Noteworthy

Diana Krall

Tuesday, April 7, 2026, 8 pm at the Mainstage Theatre at Univeristy at Buffalo Center for the Arts, Buffalo, NY. $69+. Presale on sale now with code: UBKRALL. Public on sale Friday, October 17 at 10 am.

After Dark & Better Lovers present

Blissmas Eve Preshow ft/Atomic Rule, ZAO, Generation of Vipers, Gloomer

Friday, December 12, 9 pm doors at Buffalo Iron Works, Buffalo, NY. $20/$25

LØLØ w/ Alex Porat

Thursday, November 6, 8 pm at Rec Room, Buffalo, NY. $27.52 – $111.95

The Original Pointless Brothers Band

Sunday, November 16, 5 pm at Sportsmen’s Tavern $15/$20.

Snarky Puppy

Wednesday, April 22, 7 pm at Electric City, Buffalo, NY. $92.15 seats/$61.76

Lotus

Wednesday, December 31, 8 pm at Town Ballroom, Buffalo, NY. $59.40

Twenty6 Productions presents

All You Need Is George: An All-Star Celebration of George Harrison

Thursday, March 5, 2026, 8 pm at Asbury Hall in Babeville, Buffalo, NY. $35/$45

Margo Price

Tuesday, February 24, 2026, 7 pm at Electric City Buffalo, NY. GA floor $166

Sportsmens Americana Music Foundation presents

Bobby Previte’s Second Arrow

Monday, October, 20, 5:30 pm Q&A and 7 pm show at The Cave, Buffalo, NY. $20/$25

After Dark & 103.3 The Edge Present

Say Anything and Motion City Soundtrack wsg/Sincere Engineer

Saturday, February 7, 2026, 6 pm doors at Buffalo RiverWorks, Buffalo, NY. $56-$147

This week…

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

TJ Zindle & The Sure Things w/ Kevin Sampson & the Night Shift

Friday, October 17, 10 pm at Jack Rabbit, Buffalo, NY. $

Grub (Album Release Party) wsg/ U-Lock

Friday, October 17, 7 pm doors at Buffalo Iron Works, Buffalo, NY. $15/$20

Gwen Laster’s New MUSE Trio

Friday, October 17, 8 pm at Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, Buffalo, NY. $25 GA/$20 students or seniors/$18 members

“The members of New MUSE Trio rocket us into the fourth dimension on this beautiful invitation to openness. These 21st century messengers of enlightenment, engagement and healing are firmly rooted in the wisdom of the ancients, but they also pose the fundamental questions we ask ourselves today. What a wonderful source of meditation and artful inspiration and celebration they are, in this world and beyond.” – Grammy Awarding-winning producer Leo Sacks

Fluffdead

Friday, October 17, 9 pm at Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo, NY. $10

Buffalo Music Coalition presents

Saturday Sessions: Randle and the Late Night Scandals

Saturday, October 18, 4-7 pm at Flying Bison Brewing Company, Buffalo, NY. FREE

Star Buds Buffalo 1st Anniversary Party ft/The Girls of Grosh

Saturday, October 18, 2 pm at Star Buds, Buffalo, NY. FREE

Twenty6 Productions presents

Melvin Seals & JGB

Saturday, October 18, 8 pm at Asbury Hall in Babeville, Buffalo, NY. $45.84

Rock for The Cure featuring The Kensingtons w/ Letter To Elise

Saturday, October 18, 7:30 pm at The CAZ, South Buffalo, NY. $25

Great Wide Open – Tom Petty Birthday Party

Saturday, October 18, 8 pm at Buffalo Iron Works, Buffalo, NY. $15/$20

Grosh

Saturday, October 18, 8 pm at Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo, NY. $10

SmokeFace & Witty Tarbox

Saturday, October 18, 8 pm doors at Nietzsche’s, Buffalo, NY. $10

The Waildogs wsg/The Autonomous Vehicles

Saturday, October 18, 7 pm doors at The Lounge at Revolution Gallery, Buffalo, NY. $10

Peace Frog – A Tribute to The Doors

Saturday, October 18, 7 pm at Electric City, Buffalo, NY. $26.74-$75.67

Junior Jerry Jam: Rocktober Super Jam ft/Evan McPhaden, Dave Loss, Ryan Nogle, Joey Lewis, and Joe Bellanti

Sunday, October 19, 11:30 am doors at Buffalo Iron Works, Buffalo, NY. $10/$15

The 22nd Annual Female Musicians Fighting Breast Cancer Benefit

Sunday, October 19, 1 pm doors at Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo, NY. $10

Kagyna Fest!

Sunday, October 19, 1 pm doors (2-8 pm music) at Rain Tree Bar & Grill, Tonawanda, NY. $10

Featuring XOXO Pop Band, Mike & Mandy Music, Little Liar, Bob Lee Acousticness, Gypsy Queen, Sahannah Swatland, IOT, Jamie Holka, The Garage Doors, Cami Clune & Mason, Nashville North, Too Yacht To Handle.

Craig Finn (of The Hold Steady) & The Band of Forgiveness w/James Felice

Tuesday, October 21, 7 pm at Asbury Hall in Babeville, Buffalo, NY. $37.60

Joe Baudo‘s Big Band ft/Denise Beehag

Tuesday, October 21, (every Third Tuesday of the month) 12 noon – 2 pm at Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo, NY. FREE

The Downhill Jam: America’s finest Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater Cover Band

Wednesday, October 22, 8 pm doors at Nietzsche’s, Buffalo, NY. $10

Joe Bellanti’s Best Day Ever Vol. 4

Thursday, October 23, 6:30 pm doors at The 9th Ward in Babeville, Buffalo, NY. $18.54 seated

Wolfman Jack

Thursday, October 23, 7 pm doors at Buffalo IronWorks, Buffalo, NY. $15/$20

Mary Ramsey & Joe Rozler

Thursday, October 23, 7 pm at PAUSA art house, Buffalo, NY. $15/$20 stage area $13/$18 bar area

Slee Beethoven String Quartet Cycle: The Viano String Quartet

October 23–25, 2025 at 7:30 pm in Lippes Concert Hall, Slee Hall, UB, Buffalo, NY. $20. Get tickets here.

*The Viano Quartet will perform the first three concerts in the Department of Music’s annual Slee Beethoven String Quartet Cycle.*

John Brown’s Body w/ Double Tiger

Friday, October 24, 7 pm doors at Buffalo IronWorks, Buffalo, NY. $25/$30

The Strictly Hip

Friday, October 24, 5:30 pm doors at The Caz, South Buffalo, NY. $25-$35

Continental Reunion

Saturday, October 25, 7 pm at Town Ballroom, Buffalo, NY. $32.50

Featuring Nullstadt, Olmsted Dub System does The Clash, Perilous (ft/Pauline), Iron Fist does The Ramones, The Clockers and more.

DJs to include original Continental DJs David Hall, Ken Wolf, and DJ Bud, plus special guest DJs.

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