So you've heard about the corporate venues like Town Ballroom, the Tralf, and the First Niagara Center, where well-known national acts come through on a regular basis. But is your wallet feeling light, or are you hungry for an unknown local band to sweep you off your feet, or both? Buffalo's music scene, while not nationally renowned, is as vibrant with talent as any other city's, and there are many local venues where you can get your fix for cheap. To keep this list relatively short, I included only venues within Buffalo's city limits. Let's start on Allen Street:
Nietzsche's
Allen Street is at the center of Buffalo's arts scene, and Nietzsche's is the street's premier music venue. A hole in the wall from the outside, the bar is bigger than you think due to its depth, and the decent-sized stage in the back includes a sound system and concert-style lighting. Though Nietzsche's has played host to all types of genres, the bar is usually home to jam bands, funky monks, prog-rockers, groups with jazz/blues influences, reggae/dub acts, and world music. Most local bands play their first notable gigs here. It's kind of dark and dingy (a requirement of being a bar on Allen), but look closely – yes, that's Trey Anastasio's signature on the ceiling. Phish played a jam-packed (pun intended) Nietzsche's in 1991.
DBGB
Across the street from Nietzsche's, DBGB (Duke's Bohemian Grove Bar, and surely a reference to legendary NYC punk venue CBGB) has become a staple of the Buffalo music scene after it replaced the recently closed Staples (sorry, had to do it). It's established a reputation as the go-to spot for DJ/electro/dubstep performances, though jam bands and fusion trios occasionally find themselves on DBGB playbills as well. If you thought Nietzsche's was dark, DBGB is darker, so bring your glowsticks.
Sugar City
Come out of DBGB and head around the bend, as Allen Street changes to Wadsworth, and you'll come upon Sugar City, a small volunteer-run space for community events, art showings, and concerts. Smack dab in the middle of an Allentown neighborhood, you won't even know it's there unless you're looking for it. Shows must end by 10 p.m. – otherwise, neighbors will call the police, which once happened to my cousin's band, who had to stop playing mid-set.
Mohawk Place
If Nietzsche's is the home of the groovy long-form improvisational stew, Mohawk Place is where the stripped-down, catchy singalong anthem resides. On East Mohawk Street near Lafayette Square, the Mohawk regularly hosts both local and national acts, which have included bands such as the White Stripes, whose picture is on the wall. Upsides: garage-rock mystique, good-sized stage, decent beer selection, above-average lighting unit, reputation for bringing top punk and indie acts (though, like most Buffalo venues, all sorts of acts play here). Downsides: location (it's not really near anything else unless you want to fist-pump on Chippewa, which you probably don't if you're at the Mohawk in the first place), smell.
Club Diablo
Speaking of Chippewa, if you head toward there on Washington Street from Mohawk Place, you'll find Club Diablo, home of the Buffalo metalheads. If you couldn't tell from the fiery devil-and-pitchfork logo on the front of the bar, you probably shouldn't play your crossover pop hit at this bar, and you should wear black and play songs about motorcycles, drinking and skulls (preferably, all three). Sabbath and Metallica covers also warmly welcomed.
Tudor Lounge
A hole-in-the-wall at Franklin and Tupper (not far from Encore on Pearl Street), the Tudor Lounge's tiny stage has been graced by many a blues rocking guitar hero. Also known for its karaoke nights, it's not usually very crowded, which is why the bartender sometimes does double duty as the sound guy. If that's not blue-collar Buffalo for you, I don't know what is.
Mister Goodbar
At Elmwood and Forest near Buffalo State College, Mister Goodbar hosts live music every Friday night, usually showcasing great local jam and rock-and-roll bands. Upsides: cool space, good location (ladies, it's right next to Cole's), comedy upstairs, pool table near stage, and you get a bang for your buck ($3 cover for four hours of good music). Downsides: bands need to bring their own PA systems, the booking people are extremely picky about what acts they want, it's near impossible to get in unless you're actually 21, and, on a related note, the bouncers are usually jerks.
Sportsmen's Tavern
On the other side of Buff State in out-of-the-way Black Rock, the Sportsmen's Tavern is the place to be for old-school blues, country, bluegrass, acoustic, rock ‘n' roll, and other twangy sorts of music. The recipient of an impressive recent upgrade, Sportsmen's is expected to rise in the ranks of Buffalo's great music venues now that it has a bigger stage, an upstairs bar/viewing area, and a balcony. Plus, the bartenders are friendly and the cover is cheap.
Broadway Joe's
It's too bad that the only real music venue near South Campus, Broadway Joe's, has become so trashy. Once a great venue where UB-born jammers moe. got their start, the bar is now under new ownership who have shadily corporatized the booking process, focusing on manipulating a local subculture that listens to unbearable death metal. Once in awhile, Broadway Joe's will host a hip-hop show, and for those, the selection is much better (Murs, People Under the Stairs).
Soundlab
Soundlab is where a lot of avant-garde and underground acts play, and in keeping with that theme, it's impossible to find, and it's actually underground. Soundlab is located in the basement of a signless, featureless building at the corner of Pearl and Swan (near Coca-Cola Field), and in addition to hosting concerts, it also throws dance fests called Communist Parties. Avant-garde bands (read: hipsters) also have the luxury of adding to the experimental weirdness by using a projector behind the stage to play films to compliment the music. If you're trying to booze, keep in mind that there's no liquor license, so you'll have to stick to beer and wine.
Pearl Street Grill & Brewery
Known primarily as a restaurant and microbrewery (I recommend the Don Cherry Cherry Wheat), the Pearl Street Brewery also has a makeshift stage used for concerts on the weekends. Don't expect to hear anything very loud here; the loudest it'll get is a jam band or a blues trio, and even that's pushing it. Other clientele includes vocalists and cover bands. The restaurant also boasts multiple TVs and floors, an outdoor balcony and bar, a gaming area, and some pretty good food to boot. It's also walking distance from Sabres and Bisons games.
Email: arts@ubspectrum.com
Photo: Mhdariby / Wikimedia Commons
