Mohawk Place

Art Echoing Sound

Mohawk Place, a long-standing musical staple of the Buffalo music scene, is known for introducing talented emerging artists, and we are committed to carrying that tradition forward. We are also growing, expanding our genres, and welcoming new artists from a wide spectrum of sounds.

To help us express this developing direction, we commissioned Buffalo's own Marie Wustner to be our Resident Artist. Wustner’s background in cultural curation, public art, and community engagement made her an excellent collaborator to visually represent the sound of our future programming. This collection is part of a larger initiative Wustner is spearheading across the city, using public art and shared spaces to celebrate our community's kaleidoscopic cultural landscape.

Throughout the space, you will see visual representations of artists from different cultures and musical styles. The high-contrast black and white mural featured here is one of many pieces Wustner has brought to life. The featured trumpet player is Mario Abney, a Chicago-based jazz musician whose visceral musicality represents the foundational roots of American music—a lineage that has driven a vibrant, shape-shifting evolution of sound from blues and country to metal and beyond. This is an example of the emotion and relevance Wustner's art brings to the Mohawk Place aesthetic.

While restoring the venue, we honor Mohawk's original punk roots with its classic black-box, sticker-laden, dive bar feel. Each piece is carefully curated to echo our past and future sounds with a resonance that welcomes all.

It’s heatin’ up! This will be the place where people go to/for:
-Live Music
-Late nite food
-A game of pool
-Listen to a record
-Watch the game…and more 🙂
Reino, Ed and myself are proud of this one ♥️

After months of long nights, hard conversations, and relentless effort, the Mohawk team has decided to temporarily pause live shows at the venue for the next few months.

So many people have poured their hearts into bringing Mohawk Place back to life—addressing old building issues, correcting long-standing violations, and honoring the legacy of a room that means everything to this city’s music culture.

We want to recognize the unbelievable effort of the people who carried this work day in and day out. Marty, Tim, Stef, and Dave all gave far more than what was ever asked of them—showing up consistently, problem-solving in real time, and keeping this place moving forward through uncertainty. We are also deeply grateful to the incredible group of volunteers who showed up night after night, gave their time freely, and carried this place forward on sheer belief.

We also want to acknowledge the City and its departments for working with us in good faith as we’ve pushed to reopen the doors responsibly and correctly. These processes take time, and while the pace has been challenging, we appreciate the collaboration and continued effort to move things forward.

Unfortunately, the State Liquor Authority process has moved far slower than anyone anticipated. A significant part of that has been navigating legacy issues tied to Mohawk Place’s past—well before our ownership—including historical violations and complications that have required additional review and documentation. While challenging, we have been committed from day one to addressing these issues head-on and doing things the right way.

Without the ability to serve alcohol, continuing to host shows in a way that’s fair to our staff and the bands who give this place its soul simply hasn’t been possible.

Out of respect for everyone involved, we believe it’s better to pause than to keep pushing under unsustainable conditions.

What’s important to say clearly: Mohawk Place is not closing. A trusted local operator is actively working with us behind the scenes to plan and prepare the backend of operations so that when the license is approved, the venue is ready to move forward immediately. This operator cares deeply about Mohawk Place, Buffalo’s live-music scene, and the history of this room. They share the same respect for what Mohawk has always been and have the time, experience, and resources to help it become what we all know it can be—without changing its soul.

For artists who already have shows booked, our team will be reaching out within the next 24–48 hours to discuss future booking options, rescheduling, or potential alternate venue opportunities.

This pause is not an ending—it’s a breath.

A moment for the building, the team, and the people behind the scenes to catch their footing after what has truly been a marathon. Mohawk Place has survived decades of change, and it will continue to do so. We are confident clarity is coming soon, and when it does, we’ll be ready.

This is only a pause.
The music will be back.
More to come.

Sincerely,
Mohawk Forever,
Michael, Frank, Bernice, Meredith

For booking questions/inquiries/media please reach out to [email protected]

Merch alert! We have three shows this weekend (Fri / Sat / Sun) - if you’re looking to get a Mohawk tee or zip hoodie or gift card - now is the time to stop on in during the show to buy what you want.

Note: We aren’t selling online or shipping at this time. Sizes vary but we have most in stock. 🖤

Store 2 — MOHAWK PLACE

Come on down tomorrow!! 8pm show. $10 at the door.

Tonight! Doors at 6pm. 💚
We also have gift cards, Mohawk zip up hoodies and Mohawk t-shirts available for purchase at the bar! Get your holiday shopping done local. 🖤🤘

Photo City Presents: The Allfornauts - Debut Show w/ Aircraft, Pretty Good State University, Violet Blush, & Tommmy Friday, December 12th 18+ (ID Required) - No ID/No Entry Doors open at 6:00pm * Get your tickets at: https://theallfornauts.eventbrite.com at: Mohawk Place 47 E Mohawk St Buffalo, NY 14203

Carly Cosgrove is coming to Mohawk.
Tickets on sale today starting at 10am!
🖤🎶🖤

Just Announced - Carly Cosgrove comes to Buffalo with special guests Leisure Hour & summerbruise - April 14th at Mohawk Place.

Tickets available Friday, December 12th at 10am: https://aftr.dk/4rCmbNP

The Bug Club! 12/7/25. Straight from the UK, the bug club (sub pop!) rocked our world.
Photos by Luke Tarquin.