vampire radio news updates 2

Legendary guitarists JOE SATRIANI and STEVE VAI have announced plans for a benefit concert supporting music industry veteran and friend, Cliff Cultreri. A BENEFIT FOR CLIFF will take place on Sunday, July 10th at the House of Blues, Hollywood, and will feature performances by both Satriani and Vai, as well as special guests, to be announced. Cliff Cultreri is the A&R executive who 'discovered' both Satriani and Vai, as well as many other popular recording artists, while working at Relativity Records. Cultreri is suffering from a host of Auto-Immune and Connective-Tissue disorders that are simultaneously attacking his immune system, a 1 in 100 million occurrence that causes severe pain and physical debilitations. In 2006, Satriani and Vai joined forces for the first Cultreri benefit show. They raised money as well as attention to the devastation this disease takes out on both the patient and their family. Satriani and Vai hope to raise even more funds with this year's benefit to help Cultreri and his family's financial needs. Cultreri was most recently VP of A&R at Koch Entertainment. "Cliff has been a musical force and guiding light in my career and my life for two decades. He introduced and championed my music to the recording business. He is a dear friend and musical ally and quite the guitar player himself," said Satriani. "Steve and I wanted to help Cliff and the idea of a show in LA with other members of the guitar community seemed to be the obvious way to celebrate and help him."

THE GENEVA CENTRE FOR AUTISM is holding their annual gala and art auction - The Autists - on Tuesday, May 17th at Koerner Hall at the Telus Centre For Performance And Learning in Toronto, ON. In the lead-up to the event they are running an online silent auction which includes a 2011 Gibson Les Paul Studio Model guitar that was signed by Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart at RUSH's show in Hamilton, ON back on April 19th. The guitar includes a certificate of authenticity and is valued at $1,299. The center is accepting pre-bids on the guitar up until 3:30 PM on May 16, 2011. As of this post the current bid was an appropriate $2,112. For more information and to place your bid go to autism.net/silent-auction.html.