March 28-April 3, 2002

mixpicks

Recovered Memorabilia Syndrome

A.D. Amorosi

Tired of looking for Stones stuff on eBay? Scouring Yahoo for too little true Beatlemania? Want to see what you're buying? Go straight to the horse's mouth -- on this occasion, ages-old Electric Factory Concerts -- and let your moolah count for something charitable. All proceeds from its annual Rock & Roll Charity Auction, held for the first time at night, will be distributed to the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts and the Philly chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Having been bidder and auctioneer for these events, hopped up on Black Sabbath sounds and competitive élan, I'll vouch for the passions possible in a live setting; imagine what can happen when mod furnishings auctioneer David Rago (pictured) picks up the gavel. Rago, an appraiser who's appeared on PBS' Antiques Roadshow and publishes Style: 1900 and Modernism magazines, will hold court over the sale of rock items like a Jane's Addiction-signed red electric Fender Squire guitar (as well as six-stringers 'graphed by Creed and Lenny Kravitz), boxing gloves signed by Will Smith and Muhammad Ali during the NBA All-Star weekend, and auctionable tchotchkes yanked fresh out of Elton and Madonna's closets. Along with a rock/sports flea market, remember, nothing makes a rock auction more exciting than booze.

13th Annual Rock & Roll Charity Auction, Fri., March 29, doors open at 6 p.m., auction at 8 p.m., free, Electric Factory, Seventh and Willow sts. To view items in advance, check out www.electricfactory.com and click on Rock & Roll Auction.

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