Monterey rock heroes the Medflys return to the Peninsula to celebrate life.

Five years back, leading up to the Medflys’ 30th anniversary show at Planet Gemini, lead singer Carl Christ didn’t know whether the group would be getting together for any more anniversary celebrations in the future.

The six band members had dispersed all over the world, from Idaho to Australia, so getting everyone together in the same room at the same time was a challenge.

Over the past few years, new perspectives have helped change that: Guitarist Robbie Evans lost his daughter Savannah to cancer this year at 13 and, two years earlier, co-founding guitarist/keyboardist Dale Kurokawa’s lost his wife of 24 years, Holly, to the same disease.

Kurokawa sees their 35th reunion show Saturday at Planet Gemini as an opportunity to raise awareness and support friends and fans who may have gone through something equally painful.

“It’s also a healing process for Robbie and me,” Kurokawa adds. “We need to perform to help us move on, move forward and to give in some small way to this charity.”

Proceeds from the show will go to Savannah’s Song, created to support St. Jude Children’s Hospital and increase awareness about the institution.

Considered by many as the greatest local rock band the area has produced, the Medflys rose to glory riding a wave of quirky on-stage showmanship fused with catchy hits like “Belfast.” The Medflys toured with bands like The Tubes, Oingo Boingo, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Violent Femmes.

In 1986, they hit the ceiling with “Don’t Mess With the Mayor,” a lovable satire inspired by Clint Eastwood’s reign as mayor of Carmel: “They outlawed neon lights, you get life for an electric guitar/ Just oil paintings and T-shirt shops and one big shining star.”

After “Don’t Mess With the Mayor,” the Medflys faded into obscurity; on Saturday, core members Christ, Evans, Kurokawa and keyboardist/saxophonist Alex Stewart will roar back into the frame, joined by drummer Tracy Rose, bassist Steve Irwin and longtime local favorite Tom Ayres on guitar.

THE MEDFLYS’ 35TH REUNION AND BENEFIT for Savannah’s Song for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Ray & The Forget Me Nots 8pm Saturday, Sept. 26. Planet Gemini, 2010 N. Fremont St., Monterey. $20/advance; $25/door (if available). www.picatic.com, 373-1441.