AUCTION AT NEW YORKS HARD ROCK CAFE NETS $2.4 MILLION TO HURRICANE VICTIMS

A fundraising auction of music memorabilia from the likes of Jimi Hendrix, The Edge, Bono and Paul McCartney smashed pre-sale expectations and brought in $2.4 million, a portion of which will go to a charity that replaces musical equipment lost or destroyed by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. "It was the best sale we've ever done," said Darren Julien, president and CEO of Julien's Auctions, which ran the event benefiting Music Rising. The event on Saturday night at the Hard Rock Cafe was so popular, Julien said, that bidding went on for three hours after it had been supposed to stop. Music Rising was co-founded by The Edge, the U2 guitarist who donated his favorite instrument, a 1975 Gibson Les Paul that he has played on for years. Pre-sale estimates put the guitar at $60,000 to $80,000—it sold for $288,000, including the commission. Other highlights included a guitar owned by Jimi Hendrix that went for $480,000; a pair of sunglasses donated by Bono that went for $24,000; a guitar from Bob Dylan that sold for $192,000 and a guitar from Paul McCartney that brought in $81,600. Julien said the entire auction slate, 204 items, was sold. For some items, the total selling price was going to Music Rising, while other items were giving a portion of the proceeds. The final amount going to the charity had not been tallied yet, he said.

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