Buffalo Music: Flea gets freakier, Claypool digs for gold, a few short Road Trip recommendations, some new show announcements, and this week’s must-see picks!

(Above: AI design 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.)

Greetings, fellow music freaks!

I love stumbling upon new sounds that thrill me, or at the very least, offer a pleasant distraction from the mundane and the terrifying alike. That happened a few times over the past week. In one instance, a musician I thought had long ago made the parameters of his artistry plain, surprised me with a new offering.

We know Flea as the tube sock-sporting, funkified whirling dervish slapping the 4-string with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I have a lot of respect for that band, but if I’m being honest, they stopped surprising me a long time ago, even though they are still a sure bet on the concert stage. Flea, it turns out, is not a fan of stagnation, which I suppose isn’t much of a shock, considering his well-documented love for jazz and his equally well-documented restlessness.

Flea dropped a new song, dubbed “Traffic Lights” – a collaboration with Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, who he worked with in the past, on the Atoms for Peace project – and it’s weird and pretty wonderful. The song is the second single to offer an inkling of what’s to come on Flea’s forthcoming new album, Honora, due March 27. (The first single, “A Plea,” came out in December, and it’s a total freak-show. I mean that as a compliment, naturally.)

Check out the videos for both “Traffic Lights” and “A Plea” below. And if they offer you any kind of dopamine rush, you might consider grabbing tickets for Flea and the Honora Band: The Honora Tour, which is coming to The Opera House in Toronto, Ontario on Saturday, May 9. Presale tix on sale now – general public tickets go on sale this Friday.

Claypool Gold 2026: Coast to Coast Summer Tour

Primus, Claypool Lennon Delirium, and The Frog Brigade!

Well, this news made me downright giddy. The Wizard of Weird, Les Claypool, announced on Tuesday that he will hit the road this Summer with an ambitious triple-bill he’s calling (aptly) Claypool Gold.

Apparently inspired by last year’s Sessanta Tour, which found A Perfect Circle, Puscifer and Primus joining together to celebrate Maynard James Keenan’s 60th trip around the sun, Claypool Gold will feature a whole lotta Les – three of his most artistically successful projects (Primus, The Lennon Claypool Delirium and the Flying Frog Brigade) will perform nightly on a 25-date summer tour.

This one promises to be a full-bore face-melter. Sadly, there’s no Buffalo stop on the books, at least not yet. But there are a few road trip options, including a June 12 gig at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, as well as stops at the Stone Pony Summer Stage in Asbury Park, NJ on June 13, and in Boston, Mass, Columbus, OH and Chicago, IL. Check out ticket info for the whole tour right here. And give a listen to a delicious (and timely) brand new track from the Claypool Lennon Delirium below.

Here are some other notable shows just a hop, skip and jump away from Buffalo-proper that may not have been on your radar:

Billy F Gibbons and the BFG Band

Wednesday, February 4, 8:30 pm at The Avalon Theatre at Niagara Fallsview Casino, Niagara Falls, ONT, CA. $50+

Queensrÿche wsg/ Quiet Riot

Friday, February 27, 8 pm OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino, Niagara Falls, ONT, CA. $72+

Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit

Friday, March 1, 7 pm OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino, Niagara Falls, ONT, CA. $66+

Warren Haynes Band

Tuesday, March 3, 8 pm at Kodak Center Theater, Rochester, NY. $50+

Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt

Tuesday, March 10, 7:30 pm at Kodak Center Theater, Rochester, NY. $75+

Cheap Trick

Saturday, April 4 , 8 pm at Seneca Niagara Event Center, Niagara Falls, NY. $74+

Clutch w/Corrosion of Conformity and JD Pinkus

Sunday, April 11, 7:30 pm at Kodak Center Theater, Rochester, NY. $50+

Jon Anderson and The Band Geeks

Sunday, April 26, 8 pm at Kodak Center Theater, Rochester, NY. $75+

Joe Jackson + Band

Saturday, May 16, 8 pm at Kodak Center Theater, Rochester, NY. $62+

Jack Johnson wsg/Hermanos Gutiérrez

Wednesday, July 1, 7:30 pm at CMAC, Canandaigua, NY. $63+

Alison Krauss and Union Station

Friday, July 24, 7:30 pm at Chautauqua Institution Amphitheater, Chautauqua, NY. Get tickets.

Saturday, July 25, 7:30 pm at CMAC, Canandaigua, NY. Get tickets.

Blues Traveler, Gin Blossoms wg/Spin Doctors

Sunday, August 9, 6 pm at CMAC, Canandaigua, NY. Presale tickets on sale now. Public tickets on sale Friday, January 23 at 10 am.

I was looking forward to the Viavattine Bros – Celebrating The Brecker Brothers stone-cold classic 1978 album Heavy Metal Be-Bop at The Caz on January 21. Unfortunately, the show has been postponed. The Caz tells me that a new date is forthcoming. I’ll let you know when that happens right here in WTBA. In the meantime, check out an absolute burner from that timeless album below.

New and Noteworthy

John Legend: An Evening of Songs & Stories

Wednesday, April 22, 8 pm at Shea’s Performing Arts Center, Buffalo, NY. Presale starts Wednesday, January 21 at 10 am. General public sale on Friday, January 23 at 10 am.

Tori Amos wsg/Bartees Strange (solo)

Tuesday, August 4, 7:30 pm at Artpark Mainstage Theater, Lewiston, NY. Tickets on sale this Friday, January 23.

An Evening With Band of Horses: Celebrating 20 years of Everything All The Time

Sunday, April 19, 7 pm at Electric City, Buffalo, NY. $63.57-$111.72. Tickets on sale now.

Tacos & Tequila Festival ft/ T.I., Too $hort, Chingy, Trina, Petey Pablo, Ying Yang Twins, Yung Joc, and DJ Ashton Martin

August 29, 2 pm at Terminal B at the Outer Harbor, Buffalo, NY. $49+ Early Bird Tickets on sale now. Sign up for email to get early bird Promo code here.

The Fell (Billy Sheehan, Toby Rand, Mike Krompass, & Nick Chiarore) w/ Jim Crean Band, Loveboxx, & Thom Conde Project

Wednesday, March 25, 6:30 pm at Evening Star Concert Hall, Niagara Falls, NY. $30/$41

6th Annual SNOW JAM 2026: Johnny Hart and the Mess, GROSH, Letter to Elise, Pocketship, Tsavo Highway

Saturday, February 21, 3 pm doors at Buffalo Irish Center, Buffalo, NY. Get tickets here!

Lorna Shore

Friday, April 17, 7 pm at Buffalo RiverWorks, Buffalo, NY. Presale tickets on sale now.

Burt Fest 2026: City Divide, PotusxXx, Creating A Sinner, The Finality Complex, One Foot Up, & Tommmy

Saturday, February 14, 6 pm doors at Mohawk Place, Buffalo, NY. $19.75

Rob Zombie & Marilyn Manson w/The Hu & Orgy

Sunday, August 30, 6:30 pm at Darien Lake Amphitheater, Darien Center, NY. General public on sale Friday, January 23.

Tadaaki All Things Beatles & Wings Annual Show

Saturday, February 7, 8 pm at Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo, NY. $20/$25

Pigeons Playing Ping Pong w/Kendall Street Company

Friday, April 24 and Saturday, April 25, 7 pm doors at Town Ballroom, Buffalo, NY. $41.40/$116.90 VIP/$72.65 2-night pass

CJ Chenier & The Red Hot Louisiana Band wsg. Banjo Juice Jazz Band: The 19^th Annual Mardi Gras Jam

Friday, February 20, 8 pm at the Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo, NY. $20/25

Hail The Sun w/ Foxy Shazam, Makari, and Resilia

Sunday, April 19, 7 pm at Buffalo Iron Works, Buffalo, NY. $32.50/$37.50

A Tribute to Shane MacGowan & The Pogues

Saturday, March 7, 8 pm at Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo, NY. $20

This week…

The Elovaters w/Shwayze + Jarv

Wednesday, January 21, 6 pm at Electric City, Buffalo, NY. $45-$104

Music is Art: Good Neighbors (Vol. 5) – The Hero’s Journey Album Release and Listening Party

Thursday, January 22, 7 pm at Revolver Records, Buffalo, NY. $10

Only Humen 40th Annivesary Concert

Thursday, January 22, 7 pm at The Caz, South Buffalo, NY. $25-$35

Strings Night wsg/Canela String Quartet, Alex Cousins, Paul Kozlowski (featuring Vanessa Snowden), and Agony Grotto

Thursday, January 22, 7 pm at Milkie’s, Buffalo, NY. $10

Ian McCuen Birthday Show ft/Ian McCuen, Spud, Angie Lucie, and Jazz

Thursday, January 22, 8 pm at Nietzsche’s, Buffalo, NY. $10

33 East

Thursday, January 22, 7 pm at Penny Lane, Clarence, NY. $5

Allen Degenerates

Friday, January 23, 10 pm at Jack Rabbit, Buffalo, NY.

Couch w/Thumber

Friday, January 23, 8 pm at Buffalo Iron Works, Buffalo, NY. SOLD OUT

Damone Jackson Outcome

Friday, January 23, 8 pm at Molly Maguires, South Buffalo, NY.

Groove Theory vol.2 with Corrin Renée: Kelzkilher, Amina the Empress

Friday, January 23, 8 pm doors at Third Space Cafe & Entertainment, Buffalo, NY. $20/$25. Get tickets here.

Soul Spectrum

Friday, January 23, 7 pm at The Caz, South Buffalo, NY. $15-$20

Django Reinhardt’s 115th Birthday Bash: Buffalo String Works, Birds on a Wire, Hot Club of Buffalo and Sami Arefin & Petite Fleur

Friday, January 23, 7 pm at The Cave, Buffalo, NY. $25/$30

Slip Madigan and Loaded & Gorgeous

Friday, January 23, 8:30 pm at Nietzsche’s, Buffalo, NY. $10

Albert Lee

Saturday, January 24, 8 pm at Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo, NY. $30

Griff Kaz Quartet Plays Freddie Hubbard

Saturday, January 24, 7 pm at PAUSA art house, Buffalo, NY. $15/$12

Organ Fairchild Plays Grateful Dead

Saturday, January 24, 8:30 pm at Buffalo Iron Works, Buffalo, NY. $15/$20

Johnny Hart and the Mess

Saturday, January 24, 10 pm at Jack Rabbit, Buffalo, NY.

Ondara presents: The Jet Stone Conspiracy wsg/Tre Charles

Monday, January 26, 8 pm at The 9th Ward in Babeville, Buffalo, NY. $20/$25

The Infamous Stringdusters

Tuesday, January 27, 7 pm at Electric City, Buffalo, NY. $41.42+

Coming up…

Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill

MusicalFare Theatre

Friday-Sundays, January 30- February 15, varying times at Shea’s Smith Theatre, Buffalo, NY. Get tickets here.

“Witness one of Billie Holiday’s final performances in this tour-de-force evening starring JazzBuffalo’s Female Vocalist of the Year, Alex McArthur and featuring Music Direction by Grammy-Award Winner, George Caldwell.”