Benefit For TONY MACALPINE A Sweeping Success; Auction Continues Online With More Items From KISS, THE WINERY DOGS, And Others Added

This past Saturday, December 12, the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles housed a rousing night of music – The Benefit For Tony MacAlpine – featuring stellar performances by Steve Vai, Zakk Wylde, Mike Portnoy, Billy Sheehan, Derek Sherinian, Tom Morello, John 5, Nuno Bettencourt, Ritchie Kotzen, and Paul Gilbert.
 
The stage was set alight with individual performances, concluding in an all-star jam for the ages.

The show also kicked off a week-long auction benefitting MacAlpine (who was recently diagnosed with colon cancer) and his family (his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year). There are still more amazing items available for auction. The following have just been added:
 
-An Ibanez RG Iron Label 7-string signed by all guitarists at the show  
– Mike Mushok’s (Staind) PRS Baritone Guitar signed by Mike and his band Saint Asonia
– Eric Singer’s custom snare drum signed by all the members of KISS
– Sabian Paragon Crash cymbal signed by the musicians at the show
– Simon Phillips’ (Toto) signature snare
– Neil Peart’s 10” Paragon Splash cymbal – signed by Neil
– Virgil Donati’s Sabian Signature Saturation Crash
– Mike Portnoy’s Sabian Signature Crash 14” cymbal played on Winery Dogs Tour
– Mike Portnoy’s Sabian Signature China 12” cymbal played on Winery Dogs tour
– Bass lessons from Rudy Sarzo

Bidders can visit this location to throw their hat into the ring. Fans can additionally donate at Go Fund Me.

Check out extensive video from the benefit show below:

MacAlpine checked in with following update on his health recently:

“Hello my friends,

I would like to say hello to you all and wish you the best during this holiday season. Regardless of whether you are near or far, this is the time of the year that brings friends and family together.

It has been a while since I have had the energy to write, so I will take this time to give you an update of sorts, a small window into some of my daily activities at this point.

Two months after my surgery on August 28th, I have been strictly following the course of these excellent Doctors of Medicine, and progress is being achieved at a rate they as well as I am encouraged by. It is a difficult routine that I must endure for many more months that involves a very intense series of drug therapies and constant analytical procedures that are overwhelmingly draining because of their brutal side effects, but my eyes and heart are on the big picture, which is recovery.

More often than not the biggest hurdle is knowing that after you engage yourself in this fight – this battle on a weekly schedule – you still must reserve some energy to think positive, as that is a very important and necessary mechanic in this healing process.

Your prayers, messages and positive energy are not going unnoticed, and although I have quite a long road ahead, it is not traveled alone, as I have all of you there for support. And I thank you all for that!

I will touch base and give you further updates soon.”