Entertainment

City of Hope honours Larry Mestel at sold-out gala with Dylan, Joel charity auction

Kiran MachadoPublished 3d ago3 min readBased on 1 source
City of Hope honours Larry Mestel at sold-out gala with Dylan, Joel charity auction
Image by JoelFazhari from Pixabay

Music fans can bid on handwritten lyrics, signed memorabilia and backstage access to fund breast cancer research, as City of Hope stages its annual Spirit of Life gala this month.

The charity gala is sold out. It will honour Larry Mestel, founder and chief executive of music company Primary Wave, at the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles on Oct. 27, according to Billboard.

The fundraising drive extends beyond the room. City of Hope is running online auctions through Fandiem and Julien’s Auctions, with items and experiences connected to Bob Dylan, John Mellencamp, Sammy Hagar and Billy Joel.

Bidding on Fandiem opens Oct. 1. The lots include handwritten lyrics to “Angel” by Sarah McLachlan, “Small Town” by Mellencamp and “Keep on Loving You” by REO Speedwagon’s Kevin Cronin. Handwritten lyrics are working pages in an artist’s own hand, sold here as collectible items.

Fandiem is also running a sweepstakes to meet Swedish metal band Sabaton backstage at the group’s Nov. 12 show at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles. Sweepstakes entrants pay for entries, with proceeds going to the charity, rather than bidding for a fixed lot.

A second wave follows through Julien’s Auctions, with bidding starting Oct. 23. That sale includes a street sign signed by Billy Joel, artwork by Dylan and a violin played by classical violinist Itzhak Perlman.

The Oct. 27 event will feature performances from Melissa Etheridge, Stevie Nicks and Jackson Browne. The gala is organised by City of Hope’s Music, Film and Entertainment Industry group.

For fans, this means two distinct chances to take part even without a gala ticket. The Fandiem sale starts first and leans toward lyrics and experiences, while the Julien’s sale offers physical collectibles later in the month.

The industry group has raised more than $180 million since its founding in 1973, with proceeds supporting research and treatment at City of Hope. This year’s funds are directed to breast cancer research.

Related Articles