Elton John will take the stage at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles for a cancer research benefit show.
The “Rocket Man” musician will perform at the one-night-only event hosted by comedian and actor Fred Armisen on Tuesday, Oct. 22. Chef Evan Funke will curate the menu, and magician David Blaine will also make a special appearance. This year’s Spirit of Life Gala is in honor of Jay Marciano, Chairman and CEO of AEG Presents. It is open to the public, and general admission tickets start at $2,000 via jaymarcianospiritoflife.com.
According to a press release, City of Hope’s Music, Film and Entertainment Industry group will present Marciano with The Spirit of Life Award, which is given “to an esteemed community of industry leaders around the world who have made a significant commitment to improving the lives of others through the advancement of research and clinical innovation and the delivery of personalized, compassionate care.”
The event’s website writes that Marciano began his career as a concert promoter in his late 20s and worked to present shows for music industry icons such as James Brown and Chuck Berry. He later moved to “senior leadership roles at Universal Concerts, AEG Europe, and Madison Square Garden Entertainment before returning to AEG in 2011.” He’s also promoted tours under AEG Presents for stadium titans such as Elton John, the Rolling Stones, Taylor Swift, and Ed Sheeran.
City of Hope was founded in 1913 to research cancer and diabetes. Some of the organization’s research has been used to develop cancer medicines, human synthetic insulin and monoclonal antibodies.