SY in Rock for Kids auction
 

Sufjan, Bjork, Arcade Fire in Rock for Kids Auction

Also stuff from: Stephen Malkmus, Sonic Youth, Wilco, TV on the Radio, Cat Power, Spoon, Feist, Bright Eyes, Decemberists, Modest Mouse, Flaming Lips, Beck

We thought massive summer festivals were the best for bringing all of our favorite artists together, but it turns out charity auctions are even more effective. This Friday, November 30, the 19th Annual Rock for Kids Charity Auction will take place at Chicago's Park West venue, and the list of artists who have contributed autographed swag is plain old exhausting.

On the elder end of the spectrum, there are items from James Brown, Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello, Emmylou Harris, Bruce Springsteen, the Police, the Pretenders, Pink Floyd, Iggy and the Stooges, Lou Reed, Debbie Harry, and the Band. On the non-musical end, there's stuff from Allen Ginsberg, Jack Nicholson, Scarlett Johansson, and Jim Henson.

Then on the meat-and-potatoes-of-Pitchfork-news-coverage end, there are posters, LPs, and other items from Stephen Malkmus, Sonic Youth, the Arcade Fire, Björk, Wilco, Sufjan Stevens, TV on the Radio, Cat Power, Spoon, Neko Case, the New Pornographers, LCD Soundsystem, the Decemberists, Bright Eyes, Ben Gibbard, Rilo Kiley, the National, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, the Killers, the Flaming Lips, Queens of the Stone Age, Andrew Bird, Modest Mouse, Beck, Peter Bjorn & John, Beastie Boys, Cursive, Bloc Party, Scissor Sisters, Foo Fighters, Ryan Adams, Arctic Monkeys, Of Montreal, Feist, and Iron & Wine. And there are tons more donators from all corners of the entertainment world.
The Park West event is both a live and silent auction, but for those who can't make it in person, you can bid by proxy online here.
Rock for Kids is a Chicago-based organization that provides free music lessons for underprivileged children in the area, through programs like Youth Jam. You might be familiar with their presence at the Pitchfork Music Festival, and the custom mix tapes from festival artists that they have commissioned for auction

Chicago is a wondertown.