In 1990, Pete Perrone opened the Mohawk Place. In the 18 years since then he has helped cultivate live music in Buffalo, both by nurturing local bands and hosting national acts. Musicians and patrons have gotten to know Pete as the gentleman usually working the door during shows. So many acts have graced the stage of Mohawk Place, and all have Pete to thank for that. When Pete’s grandson, Nikolas Perrone, was born this past Valentine’s Day, he was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect called transposition of the greater arteries (TGA). Nikky has already undergone two heart surgeries and may require more. Although his parents do have insurance, it will not cover all of the expenses, so Mohawk Place is sponsoring a benefit to raise money to cover what the insurance companies don’t. The event begins in the afternoon on Saturday and goes until close. There will be a Chinese auction, free food, and music provided by more than 15 acts, including the Found, Handsome Jack, Johnny Nobody, the Thermidors, Sleeping Kings of Iona, the Exit Strategy, Patrons of Sweet, Red Tag Rummage Sale, the Hammond Shutdown, the Failures Union, Chylde, Bear Hunter, Nick Gordon, Mark Norris, Roger Bryan, and Ellen West. Come down for a great show and celebration of Buffalo’s music community, and give a little back to Pete and his family for what he has given to all of us.

Hailing from one of the current hotbeds of indie music, Omaha, Nebraska, Tilly & the Wall have forged a unique musical style within the realm of indie pop. With only a tap dancer providing the percussion, their music ranges from twee folk to jagged art-dance-pop. Released in 2004, the band’s debut Wild Like Children was one of the first releases on Conor Oberst’s Team Love label. With Oberst at the production helm, Wild Like Children won rave reviews for its sun drenched harmonies and memorable melodies of innocence and lost love. The group soon became a cult phenomenon, touring with bands such as Of Montreal, Rilo Kiley, and Bright Eyes. With the success of the two most recent records Bottoms Of Barrels and this year’s untitled release—often referred to as “O”—Tilly & the Wall have become not only more well-known but more electrified and intense. The mood may have gotten darker and the rhythms more angular, but the harmonies and off-beat references remain intact and the sound is still unmistakably their own. Opening are Sub Pop recording artists the Ruby Suns, with Buffalo’s own London vs. New York.

Ten years ago this week, Greg Klyma was fired from his last straight job. Born and bred in Buffalo, Klyma nonetheless hit the road to try his luck as a traveling musician, and that’s the only job he’s had since. This weekend, Klyma celebrates at least two landmarks: 10 years as a professional musician and the release of Rust Belt Vagabond, his fifth full-length recording. The 10 songs on Rust Belt Vagabond evince maturity not only in the lyrics but in Klyma’s presentation of his work. His vocals and his instrumentation—always strong—have become deeply nuanced and, well, professional. I guess that’s what 10 years on the road making music for a living will do for you. Broadway Joe’s open mic night was the site of Klyma’s amateur debut in 1992, and soon the club became his home away from home. Now Klyma’s homes away from home are in Austin, Texas, and Boston, Massachusetts, and he’s bringing some friends from both cities to town for this show: Austin’s the Finer Things will open, and Klyma will be joined by Boston’s Tom Bianchi on bass and Austin’s Sick on fiddle. Buffalo’s Ookla the Mok will play the final set of the night.

The Web site for Ipecac Recordings, the label that recently put out the Melvins’ 18th studio album, Nude With Boots, describes the band as “somewhere in between a novelty act and yesterday’s news.” As any longtime fan of the band knows, that claim is not only tongue-in-cheek, it’s anything but true. The Melvins formed 25 years ago, slowly built up a devoted audience throughout the 1980s, influenced the Seattle grunge explosion and outlasted it, all the while showing little interest in acquiring mainstream appeal. They’re still around today, with a cult audience loyal enough to prove the Melvins are not only still relevant but as great as ever. Nude With Boots reinforces that fact. The likes of Pitchfork, Alternative Press, and Spin have all hailed the album as a welcome showcase of the menacing, sludge-metal abrasion the eccentric quartet does best. If you’re not already part of the Melvins cult, 1990s nostalgia alone should be enough to grab your interest. After all, Kurt Cobain himself loved the band so much that he auditioned to be their bassist, but failed the audition because he was so nervous he forgot the songs. Spinoff band Big Business (featuring Melvins members Jared Warren and Coady Willis) opens the show.