Green Jello has been at this since 1981, a comedy-metal puppet band from Kenmore, New York that treats a stage like a carnival tent and a setlist like a loose suggestion. They bring that brand of organized chaos to Nietzsche’s in Buffalo on Friday, April 16.
About the Show
Bill Manspeaker founded the band (legally Green Jellÿ, still pronounced “Green Jello” after a 1992 Kraft Foods trademark dispute forced the spelling change) and remains the only constant member across four decades and hundreds of rotating musicians. They broke through with “Three Little Pigs,” their 1993 MTV hit featuring guest vocals from Maynard James Keenan. Keenan and drummer Danny Carey, also a Green Jello alumnus, went on to form Tool. The video received heavy rotation on MTV, and the band earned Grammy, Billboard, and MTV nominations along the way.
The live show is what the band is built around. Eventbrite describes this one as “loud, ridiculous, and proudly over-the-top,” promising giant costumes, foam props, and “complete disregard for normal rock band behavior.” Green Jello is a self-described comedy-metal/punk rock puppet band, and that description is literal. The sound runs on “hard-edged and shouted singing styles, fast tempos, and repetitive chord progressions,” wrapped in a deliberately absurdist lens. They have logged 479 documented performances across 17 countries; more than four decades in, the carnival runs at full volume.
Their fifth studio album, Garbage Band Kids (Cleopatra Records, June 2021), was their first release since 2009. Manspeaker described it as “the first album in music history to be recorded by the fans, for the fans.” The record drew contributions from more than 100 musicians worldwide, including members of Fishbone, Suicidal Tendencies, and The Dwarves, with cameos from “Weird Al” Yankovic. The album artwork was created by one of the original Garbage Pail Kids designers. Buffalo has been a consistent stop in the band’s touring history—they have 11 documented shows in the city—and Kenmore, where Manspeaker launched Green Jello, sits just north of here.
Venue & Logistics
The show is at Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St, Buffalo, part of the western New York concert circuit. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. This is a 21+ event; valid ID is required at the door with no exceptions. A no-refunds policy is in place for all tickets.
Tickets
Tickets are $30–$36. Buy tickets