Itching to start up your own awesome band? Maybe buying a brand new Gibson guitar signed by George Lucas will motivate you to become a rock god. Lucky for you, George Lucas joins other icons, artists, and musicians to raise money with a special upcoming Guitar Gala to help keep the legendary Phoenix building stay standing and offering music and art programs to the citizens of Petaluma, Calif.

The Guitar Gala will feature approximately 20 guitars (donated by the Gibson Foundation), each designed and customized by local and nationally recognized visual artists.

In additon to filmmaker George Lucas, other artists committed to the program include Devo, Seth Green of Robot Chicken, Stan Lee of Marvel Comics, Les Claypool of Primus, Jack Haye, Chris Clark (of Motown fame), Michael Garlington, Chris Jehly, Anna Oneglia, Lia May-Bird, Ricky Watts, Jared Powell, Josh Staples of the New Trust, and Jason Jenkins. The event will feature a live Internet auction of the guitars as well as a silent auction.

The entire proceeds from the Guitar Gala will be dedicated to supporting the free-of-charge after-school music, theater and arts programs for at-risk youth of the North Bay — as well as to help preserve the historic Phoenix Theater, which has served as an important performing arts venue for over 100 years — hosting a diverse group of artists ranging from Enrico Caruso to Louis Armstrong, from Carlos Santana, Sublime, and Metallica to Green Day and Hilary Duff.

The gala takes place Feb. 27-28, 2009 at the Petaluma Phoenix Center in Petaluma, Calif.

Learn more about the event and the guitars up for auction here:
The Phoenix Carnaval and Guitar Gala