Special Events
concert for a cause
One amazing night in August, Spinal Tap headlined a concert to raise funds to benefit the IMF
ChristopherGuest,MichaelMcKeanandHarryShearer
the first concert,
(also known as Spinal Tap and The Folksmen) invit-
his girlfriend,
ed several of their friends to perform with them at the
Naomi Margolin,
first ever Concert For A Cause. The event was amazing,
continues
to
with a crowd of over 1000 people packing the historic
s p e a r h e a d
Avalon Theater in Hollywood. And they were not disap-
MMAMM and it
pointed with the show they received!
is now an annual
tradition.
For close to two hours, actor, comedian and singer
Michael McKean led an all-star show that entertained
When the IMF
and, frankly, cracked up the audience. From lyrical folk
(l-r) C.J. Vanston, Harry shearer, Michael McKean, Christopher Guest -
first approached
singing songs from spinal Tap
songs to soul-
Michael about
ful jazz to glam
creating a benefit concert,
rock, these solid
we could not have imag-
performers kept
ined how amazing he and
the standing-
his wife, Annette O'Toole,
room-only audi-
and their many, many friends
ence energized
would be. They were incred-
and cheering
ibly generous with their time
for more!
and their talents.
In the weeks
(l-r) Actress and wife of Michael McKean,
Our sincere thanks to
Annette O'Toole, daughter Nell Geisslinger,
leading up to
Legendary Van Dyke Parks (at keyboards) and friends
and actress Jane Lynch
our sponsors, Celgene,
the event, the IMF and Concert for a
Millennium, LA Confidential
Cause generated a great deal of publicity
Magazine, 97.1 Free FM, Jimi Hendrix Electric
on the radio, in print and on television.
Vodka, DJ Timbo and the Avalon Theater for
By the time doors opened at 7 pm, a line
their generous support of this event. Special
had formed down the street and around
thanks also to the amazing performers, Michael
the block from the box office. Fans of the
McKean, Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest,
performers and IMF supporters came out
Annette O'Toole, Judith Owen, Van Dyke
in droves to support this extraordinary
Parks, Jane Lynch, Nell Geisslinger and Naomi
and unique fundraiser.
Margolin. Thanks also go to the fantastic crew
of staff and volunteers for making this evening
Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors
such an enormous success. Not only were we
and a sell-out crowd, the event raised
able to generate a significant amount of money
over $40,000 to support the IMF's pro-
for the IMF, we were able to reach out and
grams and services. Concert For A Cause
let people know that "Until there's a cure...
also generated a significant amount of
Naomi Margolin joined Michael McKean to sing
There's the IMF!"
awareness in the larger community about
mt
Rainbow Connection in honor of Lee Grayson
myeloma and its treatment options.
Concert For A Cause grew out of a friendship between Michael McKean
and Lee Grayson, a talented musician as well. Michael and Lee had
been friends since high
school and Lee's pas-
sion for music connected
many people, includ-
ing Michael, to the IMF.
Before his death, Lee cre-
ated a fundraising event
called Multiple Musicians
Against Multiple Myeloma
Brian Durie and susie Novis
(MMAMM). Although Lee
with Tova Bonem, publisher of
Los Angeles Confidential magazine
passed away shortly after
Capacity crowd at the Avalon Hollywood
18
www.myeloma.org

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