Elliott Smith’s lovely songs, tortured life and tragic demise turned him into an icon. As one young local musician put it, he’s “the sad indie artist.”

But Smith’s quiet inventiveness, personal and quirky songs, guitar playing, ethereal double-tracked vocals and musical temperament made him a hero for an entire generation of musicians, including Buttercup’s Joe Reyes and Erik Sanden.

Smith took his life on Oct. 21, 2003. Period Modern co-owner Ted Allen decided to turn the date into a loving celebration, and he’s invited a whole lot of his spirited musical friends enamored with Smith to play at his furniture store.

“Elliott Smith: A Tribute to the Life and Music” happens Wednesday at Period Modern, 4347 McCullough Ave. in Olmos Park. Showtime is 8 p.m.; doors open at 6:30. Proceeds benefit the Elliott Smith Foundation.

Performers include (not in order of appearance) Raul Alvarez, Buttercup, Michael Carrillo, Michael Chapa, Douglas Miles Clarke, James Guerra, Kevin Higginbotham, Kim Mackenzie, More Eaze, Lucas Oswald, Diego Navaira, Emilio Navaira IV, Charlie Roadman, Brant Sankey, Slomo Drags, Hills Snyder, Jason Treviño, Michael Williams, Reyes and Sanden.

Allen and his business partner, Stephen Wilson, run the furniture store/art gallery/creative space that increasingly is being used for music events. They’ve been at the spot for about a year.

More Information Vital data What: Elliott Smith tribute concert When: 8 p.m. Wednesday; doors at 6:30 Where: Period Modern, 4347 McCullough Ave., 210-902-1217, periodmodern.com Admission: $10

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“It’s all this beauty around you,” said Allen, 47, about the vibe. “It’s certainly reflective of our tastes. I don’t know if its reflective of our personalities. It’s just evolved.”

So far the residential neighborhood has given its support. Most of the events draw mature crowds. “We don’t have beer bottles and trash and stuff,” Allen said. “The noise level has not really been an issue. It’s pretty well contained.”

Buttercup’s recent, wildly successful and fun 7 a.m. gig at the Cobalt Club, a gay dive bar, was Allen’s brainchild. Sanden, a lover of all things kooky, ran with it. “It was fantastic, man,” Allen said. “It wasn’t some brilliant idea. It was a pretty simple idea.”

Emilio Navaira IV is only 25, but he’s drawn to Smith’s music because of its melodic affinity with the music of the Beatles. Navaira and his brother, Diego, are huge Beatlemaniacs.

Navaira plans to sing “Alameda” and “I Didn’t Understand.” “I missed Elliott Smith because I was 12 when he passed away,” Navaira said.

It was only when Studio M producer Ron Morales listened to Navaira’s earliest demos and mentioned that they sounded like Smith that the budding songwriter dug into the old catalog. “He took what the Beatles were doing and made it something different, almost a little further. That sounds so sacrilegious to say. The cool ideas are ridiculous.”

Musician Mike Chapa of the Saarinens is part of the lineup that salutes “the musician’s musician.” He works at Period Modern on Saturdays, too. “I just get out of the way and let the stuff sell itself because it’s so pretty,” Chapa said. “I baby-sit it.”

About Wednesday: “It’s probably going to be a little chaotic, but that’s part of the fun.”

hsaldana@express-news.net