On Friday (Feb. 15) in the Villa Maria College Auditorium, producer/musician Jason Pfaff will present “Battle Battle,” a unique concert and CD release featuring a collaboration of inspired performers. Integrating the classical elements of electronic music, ballet, martial arts and performance art, the evening features such well known local artists as Chik Mason, Aaron Piepszny, Gary “Black Magic” Collins, Rain Bethel Cooper and Ed Halbourg’s ‘Four Exe.’ The show starts at 7pm, and tickets are available now at www.nowonproductions.com or by contacting 604-6963 or jasonpfaff23@photon.net. Proceeds from this event will go to the Villa Maria College Kristen Pfaff Memorial Scholorship Fund. Jason’s sister Kristen (pictured), was born and raised in Buffalo, and was the former bass player for Hole. She passed away in 1994.

Zili Misik, graduates of the Berklee College of Music and a prized world music ensemble from Boston, is a coterie of virtuosos fusing blues, jazz, samba, reggae and neo-soul to create a diasporic world beat sound. Combining unique rhythms of African and Haitian roots with Latin and Jamaican tinges, Zili’s members hail from sundry locales spanning Japan to Trinidad, and as such they’ve been bringing their multi-cultural music across continents for seven years. They play one night only in WNY, at Nietszche’s on Friday (Feb. 15), with support from fellow Bostonian singer-songwriter Tony Brown, and local bands Ramforinkus and Peanut Brittle Satellite, along with Peter Burakowski of the band Shambu. The show starts at 10pm—marcus scott

Call it one for the Loveless... but then again, Isn’t Anything? The second My Bloody Valentine’s Day is upon us. A day after the other Valentine’s Day, this one is a celebration of Kevin Shields’ (pictured here with Bilinda Butcher) groundbreaking band (MBV) who changed the shape of rock in the 1980s and ‘90s with its lush, noise-laden dreampop. 2008 is looking like the year for Shields and the band to finally return to the live arena with a series of shows booked, plus their elusive third album back some fifteen years late. In the meantime, Buffalo bands A Hotel Nourishing, Besnyo and Alex Berkley will celebrate the warm and loud sounds and songs of MBV complete with candy hearts, vegan cookies and a generally shoegazey attitude. The proceedings happen this Friday (Feb. 15) at 8:30pm at the appropriately off the beaten path Owls Nest (located at 62 Hoyt, near Grant and Breckenridge)

A terrific “Little bit country…little bit rock & roll” line up comes to the Tralf Music Hall on Saturday (Feb. 16) featuring Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit and Will Hoge, with support from the adorably insouciant Dawn Landes (pictured). Isbell came to fame with the Drive By Truckers, recently leaving the band last spring to record his solo debut, Sirens Of the Ditch, released in 2007 on New West. Straight up Americana rocker Hoge hails from Nashville, and is touring in support of his first studio album in two years, Draw the Curtains. The Kentucky-born and bred singer/songwriter Dawn Landes is also promoting a new release, Fireproof, due March 4 on Cooking Vinyl, which has critics drawing comparisons to Jenny Lewis, Joanna Newsome and Cat Power. Doors are at 8pm with Ms. Landes opening the show.

It’s quite a weekend at the Buffalo Irish Center, what with the Guinness Toast planned for Friday (Feb. 15) and Irish rock ensemble Stand (pictured) playing on Saturday (Feb. 16) with special guest Roger Bryan. The annual Guinness Toast kicks off at 7pm with with music by Emich, Penny Whiskey, the Leftovers, Stone Row, Poor Ould Goat, the Blarney Bunch and the Lochside Celtic Band, with performances by the Rince Na Tiarna and Woodgate Irish Dancers. Stay until 11pm for the “Toast Held ‘Round the World.” The next night brings more Celtic rock to the Emerald Ballroom at the Irish Center, with an energetic show that starts with local singer/songwriter Roger Bryan opening for NYC (via Dublin) based quartet Stand at 9pm

The smash hit Stomp, an international percussion sensation and inspiration to drill teams everywhere, returns to Shea’s Theater this weekend (Feb. 15-17) to literally rock the house. Said to have originated on the streets of Brighton (UK) circa 1991, the ensemble now boasts talented professional dancers and persussionists who use their bodies and non-traditional musical objects to create a rhythmic physical theater/dance/comedy act that appeals to all ages. Brooms, hubcaps, lighters, plastic bags, plungers, trashcans, wooden poles—and certainly boots—all thump, clang and clack in remarkable accord. Showtimes are Friday at 8pm, Saturday at 5pm and 9pm, and Sunday at 2pm and 6pm.