Joe Queer has been running this band since 1981 on three chords, bubblegum hooks, and a Ramones fixation he has never once bothered to apologize for. Forty-plus years in, The Queers still play like they mean every sloppy, loud, fast minute — and the crowd shows up for exactly that.
About the Show
The Queers formed in Portsmouth, New Hampshire in 1981, broke up in 1984, and have been back since 1986, with frontman and guitarist Joe Queer (born Joseph P. King) the constant through every lineup. They call their style “loud-fast-rules rock” and “popcore”: fast three-chord pop woven through with surf rock and ’60s melody hooks, loud and sloppy in the best possible sense.
Their 1990 debut Grow Up on Shakin’ Street Records earned them recognition throughout New England. Their 1993 Lookout! Records album Love Songs for the Retarded (the first with the Joe/Hugh/B-Face lineup, produced by Ben Weasel) is widely cited as one of the milestones of ’90s punk rock. Albums Beat Off, Move Back Home, and Don’t Back Down followed. The EP Bubblegum Dreams and its full-length follow-up are where one critic found “genuine pop-punk-surfcore brilliance.”
Joe Queer’s founding philosophy: “obno/funny” rather than “obno/angry,” the punk that makes you grin before it lands. The Queers are devoted Ramones disciples and have covered them live for decades. They fill records, in one critic’s phrase, with “dumb/brilliant ideas, great tunes and raucous energy.” That irreverent, fun-forward approach carries into their sets. Fan accounts describe shows as crowd-engaged and unpretentious, with the band giving “an honest effort” every night.
At 51 shows in 2026 alone, including European dates in Germany earlier this summer, they are among the most active bands on the current punk circuit. The Queers have a documented history at Mohawk Place, and this room suits their approach: loud, close, no distance between the band and the floor. No supporting acts are listed.
Venue & Logistics
Mohawk Place is at 47 E Mohawk St in Buffalo, part of the Western NY punk circuit; the band has played this room before. Doors are at 6:30 p.m. This is an 18+ show. No refunds.
Tickets
Tickets are $25. Buy tickets