Miers on Music: Where the Bands Are - This Week in Live Music and Concert News -

California Dreamin’ at Amoeba, Mingus on my mind, Dweezil’s Rox(apostrophy), and this week’s live music picks!

By Jeff Miers
Above: AI image by Kim Miers

Hey now, Music Lovers.

I’m freshly returned from a rather healing trip to the Los Angeles area to spend time with my son, during which I treated my phone as nothing more than a glorified music-streaming device, ignored my email, and avoided social media like the plague it can often be.

Which is to say that, in essence, I’m feeling recharged, and hopeful about the future once again, despite the ominous humming that seems to be housed in a cloud overhead, suggesting possible impending ill portent. Oh well. So it goes…

My trip included, among many other delightful happenings, a trip to Amoeba Records in Hollywood, the block-length record-head’s Mecca co-founded by Buffalo’s own musical merry prankster, Marc Weinstein. Walking into the place with my son, who’d been there several times since moving to LA, I was immediately overwhelmed. Amoeba appeared to me much like I imagine the inside of my head would appear to a curious phrenologist – meaning, stuffed to the point of exploding with an incredibly broad range of music and music-related ephemera from countless cultures, ages, and idioms. And books. Lots and lots of books.

Th sheer magnitude of Amoeba humbled me, and even now, leaves me at a loss for words. I’ll leave it to this very fine piece from Wax Poetics Magazine to handle it for me.

“In November 2001, Amoeba Music opened their biggest store yet, a temple of modern culture that spanned an entire city block on Sunset Boulevard, in downtown Hollywood. Amoeba Los Angeles featured free in-store performances by everyone from Solomon Burke to Elvis Costello, the Blind Boys of Alabama, Black Flag, Los Lobos, the Roots, John Cale, PJ Harvey, and Nancy Sinatra.”

Oh, and some dude named McCartney played there, too.

A book could be written about Marc Weinstein, Amoeba, and the cultural value of record stores, and who knows, maybe some day I’ll get around to it. At the very least, look for more on the topic right here in the coming days…

***Amoeba Records, Los Angeles, CA, October 25, 2024. Photos by Kim Miers.***

Since landing back here in Buffalo in the wee small hours a few nights back, I’ve had Mingus on my mind. That’s not particularly unusual, nor is it a bad thing. But I’ve been rooting around in the attic of that brilliant man’s brain with noticeable vigor this week, as I prepare for the arrival of the Mingus Dynasty Septet at Lippes Concert Hall in UB’s Slee Hall, on Friday, November 1.

Before this outstanding band performs the music of the mighty Charles Mingus, I’ll be leading a discussion with the bassist Sabu Adeyola, a protege of Mingus and UB faculty member, and Boris Kozlov, bassist and Music Director with the Mingus Septet.

***The bassist, composer, pianist, bandleader and iconoclast Charles Mingus; Bassist, Mingus mentor, and UB faculty member Sabu Adeyola, as photographed by David Moog.***

Mingus’ connection with Buffalo is a significant one. In 1971, the great man was awarded the Slee Chair of Music and spent a semester teaching composition at UB, where Adeyola benefited from his tutelage. That same year, Mingus published his fiery memoir, Beneath the Underdog, and renewed his contract with Columbia Records, the very label that released some of his seminal works, including Mingus Ah Um and Mingus Dynasty, both both of which appeared in 1959. I’m not a big believer in the word “best” when it’s applied to music, but it doesn’t feel like much of a stretch to suggest that these are two of the most incisive and brilliant recordings in the history of jazz.

The Mingus Dynasty Septet is one of three ensembles officially sanctioned by the Charles Mingus Estate, and their intensive focus on exploring the seemingly endless intricacies of this musical giant’s compositions would surely earn the nod fro the man himself. Which is to say that this concert should not be missed. The show kicks off at 7:30 pm on Friday. (If you’re a subscriber and you’d like to attend as my guest, please email me at jeffmiersmusic@gmail.com. I have 5 pairs of tickets to gift!)

In addition to Friday’s concert, a workshop will be open to the public on Saturday, November 2, from 9 to 11 a.m., in Lippes Concert Hall in Slee Hall.

Bliss for Christmas…

Better Lovers, the new band featuring former members, of Buffalo metalcore legends Every Time I Die, released their debut album, Highly Irresponsible, on Friday, and they’ll be ready to (metaphorically) tear your head off with a December 14 show at Buffalo Riverworks (dubbed BLISSmas). Get tickets here!

Buffalo Record Riot!

Saturday, November 2, 10 am – 5 pm at Knights of Columbus, Cheektowaga. General Admission $5/Early Bird $10 (9 am admission)

Time to do some crate-digging, folks!

JUST ANNOUNCED:

Dweezil Zappa – Rox(postrophy)

Tuesday, April 29, 2025, 7 p.m. at Kleinhans Music Hall, Buffalo

Tickets go on sale to the public on Friday, November 1 at 10 a.m. Limited VIP tickets will be available. This is going to absolutely melt all of our faces.

Peter Hook & The Light

Friday, May 23, 2025, 7 pm doors at Electric City, Buffalo. $$

Venue Presale on Thursday, October 31, 10 am – Code: SPOOKYSZN. General on sale Friday, November 1, 10 am.

After Dark presents:

Bright Eyes

Friday, April 11, 2025, 8 pm at Buffalo River Works, Buffalo. $45/$55. Tickets on sale: Friday, November 1, 10 am. Get them here.

John Vincent III w/ Murdo Mitchell

Tuesday, April 8, 2025, 7 pm doors at Asbury Hall in Babeville, Buffalo. $30/$35. Tickets on sale Friday, November 1, 10 am.

Organ Fairchild Plays Grateful Dead

Saturday, December 7, 7:30 pm doors at Buffalo Iron Works, Buffalo. $20 stage/$15 bar

MnM presents: Lotus

Friday January 24, 7 pm at Town Ballroom, Buffalo. $38.25

The Sheila Divine New Years Eve

Tuesday, December 31, 8 pm at Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo. $30

Star People ft/Alex McArthur

Friday, December 27, 7 pm at PAUSA art house, Buffalo. $15/$20

After Dark & Live Nation present:

Killswitch Engage w/Kublai Khan TX, Fit for a Kin, and Frozen Soul

Wednesday, April 9, 2025, 6:30 pm at Buffalo River Works, Buffalo. $55-$171+. Tickets on sale: Friday, November 1, 10 am. Get them here.

Badfish – A Tribute to Sublime

Friday, February 14, 7 pm doors at Town Ballroom, Buffalo. Tickets on sale: Friday, November 1, 10 am.

Joe Pug

Thursday, March 20, 2025 at 8 pm at The 9th Ward in Babeville, Buffalo. $25

After Dark Presents

K.Flay

Tuesday, March 11, 2025, 7pm doors at Town Ballroom, Buffalo. $38.25-$148.75.

THIS WEEK:

Mingus Dynasty Septet

Friday, November 1, 7:30 pm at UB Slee Hall, Buffalo. $20–$23

The performance will be preceded by a 7:30 p.m. talk moderated by Jeff Miers and featuring Sabu Adeyola, a current UB faculty member and protégé of the late jazz master Charles Mingus.

Bearly Dead

Sunday, November 3, 7 pm at Buffalo Iron Works, Buffalo. $15/$20

Sweet Honey in the Rock and Rickie Lee Jones

Saturday, November 2, 7:30 pm at the Mainstage Theatre, UB Center for the Arts, Buffalo. $49-$89

Halloween Funk Party: The Funk Knights

Friday, November 1, 9:30 pm at Sportsmen’s Tavern, Buffalo. $10

Joan Smith & the Jane Does, The Azures, Little Liar, and Spud

Friday, November 1, 8 pm at Nietzsche’s, Buffalo. $10

Lucinda Williams and her band

Friday, November 8, 7 pm doors at the Town Ballroom, Buffalo. $51

Ben Folds: Paper Airplane Request Tour wsg/Lindsey Kraft

Thursday, November 7, 7:30 pm at the Mainstage Theatre, UB Center for the Arts, Buffalo. $50/$60/$70/$90

Dinner and a Movie: The Nasty Flyers (Phish Tribute)

Wednesday, November 6, 6pm at The Caz, Buffalo. $18-$29

Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra: Rock Hits & Power Ballads

Saturday, November 2, 7:30 pm at Kleinhans Music Hall, Buffalo. $16.50/$119.50

Miller and The Other Sinners

Friday, November 1, 5 pm at Sportsmen’s Tavern, Buffalo. $10

Dizgo w/ Grub & Solar Circuit

Saturday, November 2, 7 pm at Buffalo Iron Works, Buffalo. $15/$20

Control wsg/Watch Your Step, Brother Floyd & The Blessed Sinners

Friday, November 1, 7 pm doors at Mohawk Place, Buffalo. $15

Learn more about CONTROL here!

FluffDead

Thursday, October 31, 7 pm at The Cave, Buffalo. $10

Family Funktion and the Sitar Jams

Saturday, November 2, 7 pm at The Lounge at Revolution Gallery, Buffalo. $10

PA Line, St. Vith, and Strange Standard

Thursday, October 31, 6pm at The Caz, Buffalo. $18-$29

The HU w/The Funeral Portrait

Thursday, October 31, 7 pm doors at Electric City, Buffalo. $35 – $160

A Musical Feast presents ‘The Two Sides of Sax’

Saturday, November 2 at 7:30 pm at Montante Cultural Center, Canisius University, Buffalo. $20/$15/$5

The show will blend elements of classical music with the fiery improvisation. You’ll see and hear Sander Beumer, Hans van Ham, Wildy Zumwalt, Elliot Scozzaro, Stephen Parisi, and George Caldwell.