Grapes Under Pressure 2011: Help for Disaster Victims

Eight items from Rush’s Time Machine tour, including Alex’s Les Paul Axcess and Geddy’s Fender Jazz, both of which are signed, are up for auction on eBay for another week to help raise money for the Grapes for Humanity charity. A few items from the Snakes and Arrows tour will be added as well, including a drum stick, drum head, and “a very special piece of Rush history,” as Rush’s website describes it.

The charity focuses on victims and survivors of disasters. “We help these individuals become self-sufficient citizens to go on to lead fulfilling and productive lives,” the organization says.

As of Sunday, Sept. 11, three bids had been placed on one of Neil’s cymbals, a signed 20″ Chinese Sabian crash. The minimum bid is $2,000. No bids had been made yet for the Les Paul or Fender. Bidding for both starts at $10,000. Bidding for all the items ends in about a week.

Two years ago, the band raised thousands of dollar for the charity in a similar auction, which ended with a wine tasting at Tawse Winery in Vineland, Ontario. Alex entertained everyone with a rap performance.

Here are the Time Machine tour items up for auction: