Indi.com and Adopt the Arts’ Peace Through Music Gala was a charitable event turned rock show, with performances from Guns N’ Roses’ Matt Sorum and Slash and Macy Gray at the Loews Hollywood Hotel Sept. 15.
Sorum co-founded Adopt the Arts, a foundation benefitting youth arts education, and joined Jane Lynch, Pakistani singer and philanthropist Shehzad Roy to benefit his organization the Zindagi Trust, which supports improving education in Pakistan.
“This whole idea tonight was bringing people together through music, and it always works,” Sorum said. “I mean, we wouldn’t be here if this was a mathematics fundraiser!”
Sorum said Adopt the Arts started when he was on his way to send guitars to Haiti, and Adopt the Arts co-executive director Abby Berman stopped him and said there was a school in Los Angeles, the Rosewood Avenue School, that didn’t have music equipment. He proceeded to donate 50 instruments to the school, which provided the children’s choir that sang at the event.
“I don’t have any kids of my own, but now I have these guys,” he said. “I love it!”
Guitars signed by Slash and Lynch’s Sue Sylvester track suit from “Glee” were auctioned off for thousands of dollars.
Sadia Ashraf, volunteer for both Adopt the Arts and the Zindagi Trust and co-host of the evening, said Lynch’s involvement was invaluable for the cause, and that celebrity involvement has a huge impact.
“I always thought the media’s obsession with DUIs and twerking is overrated,” she said. “I want to bring attention to causes and celebrities doing good, because that is so rare.”
Lynch was also treated to a romantic serenade during Roy’s performance — he even got down on one knee to sing.
The night climaxed in a rock show concert after Roy’s, with Sorum, Slash and Gray all combining on stage for a cover of Radiohead’s “Creep.”
Ashraf estimated that the gala raised close to $260,000 for the cause.
