This week is full of good times as several bands and famous speakers converge on WNY to delight and entertain you.

Here are 12 Editor's Picks of cool and interesting events going on in the area for the week of Feb 24 - Mar 2.

Be sure to check out our events calendar for much more of what's going on in WNY, and check back every Friday for a "Best Bets" for the weekend.

Sabres Post game w/Randle and the Late Night Scandals
Buffalo Iron Works
Tue Feb 25
After the Sabres games ends, head over to Iron Works for a rocking post game party. In the last year Randle and the Late Night Scandals have exploded across the Buffalo region leaving at rail of awe and satisfaction in their wake. Hitting audiences with an aggressive sound that fuses traditional blues and modern rock styling this Buffalo based five piece delivers an inspiring performance that never fails to move audiences to their feet and across the dance floor. 

They have shared the bill with national acts such as The Ruby Spirit, Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds, DangerMufin, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, Ekoostik Hookah, Royal Southern Brotherhood, Los Lonely Boys, Living Colour, and members of Rusted Root and have performed at such legendary venues as Town Ballroom, Hard Rock Café and The Sportsmen’s Tavern. Click here more more details.

Into It. Over It.
Waiting Room
Tue Feb 25
Enjoy the sounds of this Chicago based Indie band at one of the area’s premier music venues.

Since 2001 I had played, written, recorded and performed in bands. The Progress, Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Start, Map The Growth and Stay Ahead Of The Weather have been a few. In 2007, I wrote, recorded and released a new song every week for an entire year. The free download project was called 52 Weeks. About 6 months after it's completion it was formally released in June 2009 by No Sleep Records as a 2xCD. Official site here.

UB Distinguished Speaker Series Presents Mary Frances Berry & Diane Nash
UB Center for the Arts
Wed Feb 26
Dr. Mary Frances Berry was appointed by President Carter and confirmed by the Senate as a Commissioner on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. After President Reagan fired her for criticizing his civil rights policies, she sued him in federal district court and won reinstatement. In 1993, President Clinton designated her Chairperson of the Civil Rights Commission. She was reappointed to a six-year term in January 1999. She resigned from the Commission on December 7, 2004.

Berry was also one of the founders of the Free South Africa Movement, which initiated protests at the South African Embassy in the successful struggle for democracy in South Africa. She was arrested and jailed several times in the cause. Berry was Assistant Secretary for Education in the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare during the Carter Administration. As Assistant Secretary, she gave general supervision to federal education programs. Prior to her service at HEW, Berry was a Provost at the University of Maryland-College Park, and then Chancellor of the University of Colorado- Boulder. Dr. Berry was educated at Howard University, the University of Michigan (Ph.D. in history), and the University of Michigan Law School. She is a member of the District of Columbia Bar. Geraldine R. Segal Professor of American Social Thought and Professor of History at the University of Pennsylvania.

Diane Nash is a Chicago native who had never experienced segregation in public accommodations before moving to the South, Diane Nash went on to become one of the pioneers of the Civil Rights Movement.Nash's involvement in the nonviolent movement began in 1959 while she was a student at Fisk University. In 1960 she became the chairperson of the student sit-in movement in Nashville, Tennessee—the first southern city to desegregate its lunch counters—as well as one of the founding students of the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee. In 1961 she coordinated the Freedom Ride from Birmingham, Alabama, to Jackson, Mississippi, a story which was documented in the recent PBS American Experience film "Freedom Riders." Her many arrests for her civil rights activities culminated in Nash being imprisoned for 30 days in 1961, while she was pregnant with her first child. Undeterred, she went on to join a national committee—to which she was appointed by President John F. Kennedy—that promoted passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. More details and tickets here.

White Lies
Town Ballroom
Wed Feb 26
White Lies are an English post-punk band from Ealing, London. Formerly known as Fear of Flying, the band consists primarily of Harry McVeigh (lead vocals, guitar), Charles Cave (bass guitar and backing vocals), and Jack Lawrence-Brown (drums). The band performs live as a five-piece, complemented by sidemen Tommy Bowen and Rob Lee. More info here.

Rod Horning Project w/ Todd Eberwine
Central Park Grill
Thu Feb 27
Thursday Night Blues in Buffalo with Anita West. This local band always impresses. Playing blues, rock, jazz and everything else that gets in our way....Rod Horning = bass, vocals; Joe Coats = keyboards, vocals; Drew Azzinaro = guitar, vocals; Mark Horning = drums. Details here.

Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds
Nietzsche’s
Thu Feb 27
Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds is an eight-piece powerhouse that puts a modern spin on classic soul. The band is led by Arleigh Kincheloe (Sister Sparrow), whose astoundingly powerful voice and sly demeanor make for a spellbinding presence onstage. She is backed by the mighty force of The Dirty Birds, a flock of seven men who masterfully lay down thundering grooves and soaring melodies. While each of the Birds is capable of lighting up the stage with jaw-dropping displays of musicianship, it’s clear they’re focused on delivering the band’s infectious music as a single entity. Simply put, the band’s live show is explosive. Click here for more.

Well Crafted Brew Fest by The Roycroft Inn & Aurora Brew Works
Roycroft Inn
Thu Feb 27
Chef Andrew and the enthusiasts at ABW have teamed up again and designed a delectable evening of harvest beers and unique food stations to complement each other. Additional beers will be available throughout the evening. Tickets are $30.00 per person and can be purchased at The Inn or on-line here. More info here.

Dana Gould - Producer of The Simpsons
Helium Comedy Club
Thu Feb 27 – Sat Mar 1
Often called The Father of Alternative Comedy, Dana has been performing stand-up for over 30 years! He has appeared on HBO, "Conan", and on "David Letterman"! Along the way, he became the Executive Producer of "The Simpsons," where he wrote for seven years. Official site.

GREEN DAY's AMERICAN IDIOT
Shea’s Performing Arts Center
Fri Feb 28
The national tour of the Broadway hit AMERICAN IDIOT, called "wonderfully raucous" and "emotionally charged" by The New York Times and "flat-out electrifying" by the Boston Globe, will make its Buffalo premiere. Official site.

BADFISH, A TRIBUTE TO SUBLIME
Town Ballroom
Fri Feb 28
Like Sublime? Then you have to check out Badfish. A tribute band dedicated to playing the music of Sublime and not to be confused with the original "Badfish" from Southern California. The group is named after a song appearing on the album 40oz. to Freedom. Official site.

Greg Klyma with Savannah King
Babeville
Fri Feb 28
Greg Klyma is a prolific songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and seasoned performer, bringing to every stage a catalog of material that assumes his audiences are both smart and able to laugh. His birth date puts him squarely in the middle of Generation X, but Greg is an old-school troubadour. His enduring themes articulate, and amusing stories and populist ideals make him one of those rare young artists who is carrying the torch of Woody and Ramblin’ Jack. He rolls in off the road, pulls out a guitar, and proceeds to take us back to the basics: family, love, gratitude, and laughter. It’s the timeless art of the true troubadour, keeping alive the American folk tradition. More details here.

Hip Hop Karaoke Buffalo
DBGB’s on Allen
Sat Mar 1
Hip Hop Karaoke Buffalo takes place the first Saturday of every month at Duke's Bohemian Grove Bar at 253 Allen St. in Buffalo, NY. All performers must pre-register to perform at www.hhkbuffalo.com. Your next chance to take the stage is March 1! More info here.