Hearne: AEG Live Charity Auction Rocks Midland

Many moons ago, I recall driving to Sandstone in the off season…

The mission: to cover the first annual Sandstone Auction. They didn’t have a ton of stuff back then, but there was more than enough rock n roll memorabilia to wet the whistles of music zealots with disposable incomes and a nose for news.

Noses for news were needed back then because in its early years, the auction was a best kept secret.

For those who did get the word and made the drive, there plenty of bargains to be had because so few people were there to bid. The Good Samaritan Project benefit raised a scant $8,000 that night, with the top item, an autographed James Taylor acoustic guitar going for $625.

No mas.

On Wednesday the Sandstone auction was officially reborn as AEG’s Live Charity Auction for Autism Speaks, manned by Johnny Dare and Tanna Guthrie.

And with 64 live auction items and more than a dozen silent ones, the event raised more than $22,000. Not bad for a recession on a rainy night in downtown KC.

Highlights include, a lifesize, black and white standee of a semi-nude Morrissey that went for $260, an autographed Jimmy Buffett Margaritaville blender that sold for $1,500, a Trace Adkins autographed cowboy hat at $300, an unwashed, used Bill Cosby sweatshirt (emphasis on sweat) at $225, KC comic Jason Sudeikis SNL trivia game at $200, a Kenny Chesney autographed magazine cover and VIP ticket package for his June 15 show at Arrowhead @ $575, a sultry, framed, autographed Katy Perry poster @ $480, an autographed Mumford & Sons vinyl album and two tickets to the band’s concert at – where else? – Sandstone on June 17th @ $825 and last but not least, an autographed Bruce Springsteen poster at $1000.

Buffett’s blender won top bid honors.

“It was a great event and wonderfully run,” says Uptown Theater main man Larry Sells. “The food was excellent and everything went off without a hitch.”

Next year…