Rossdale gets glimpse of leukemia group's good works at benefit
Groups of twentysomething women descended on the House of Blues on Thursday night eager to see the guy who made many of their hearts flutter when they were in their teens, former Bush front man and now solo artist Gavin Rossdale.
Rossdale -- who is married to Gwen Stefani and seems to get more press for being "Mr. Mom" to their two kids, Zuma and Kingston, than for his music -- got to showcase his singing chops at the Dare 2 Dream Concert benefitting the Illinois chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Rossdale met with kids from the foundation during a pre-show meet-and-greet and got a chance to see firsthand who his efforts would affect. "They [Dare 2 Dream] called, and I signed on," explained Rossdale as he strummed a guitar backstage. "Any decent human being would."
The show was on the tail end of his tour to promote his debut solo album, "Wanderlust." Although reports have said the Bush breakup was a messy one due to recording rights disputes, Rossdale insisted that he and the guys are still on good terms. "I just put in a call to all of them last week. Haven't heard back yet, though."
Rossdale is now 42, and a bit thinner than in his mid-'90s heyday, but he is still just as dreamy with his dark piercing eyes and long locks.
Playing a smattering of his new music mixed with old favorites such as the hit songs "Glycerine" and "Comedown" from Bush's debut album "Sixteen Stone," Rossdale kept heads bopping and the girls cheering through the hourlong set.
Tickets to the event were $60, which included entrance to the afterparty at the Underground hosted by Rossdale, where fans got their chance for some face time with the friendly star as he stayed through most of the evening.
The Chicago Urban League can draw a crowd -- as proved by its 48 years as host of the annual Golden Fellowship Dinner. The organization's biggest event attracted more than 1,300 guests to the Chicago Hilton & Towers for champagne, dinner and entertainment Saturday night. Decked out in their black-tie finest, partygoers feted the League's many accomplishments in 2009 and reaffirmed its commitment to the economic advancement of African Americans in Chicago.
Civil rights activist and holocaust survivor Hank R. Schwab received the Bill Berry Civil Rights Award before a dinner of Mediterranean salad, jerk chicken and caramel apple tartin. A longtime friend of the late Urban League President Berry, Schwab (who recently celebrated his 95th birthday) was presented the award by the League's board chairman, Jim Reynolds.
"Hank has had a remarkable life's journey," Reynolds said. "He marched on Washington in 1963 and has overcome great prejudice in his own life, but he is not done yet. Hank still takes the bus to work three times a week and continues to contribute to the Urban League."
U.S. Sen. Roland Burris and state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias attended the gala, as well as the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who chatted with guests before dinner.
Following the dinner and program, George ("On Broadway") Benson treated guests to a performance before inviting them to continue the evening at the afterparty, which went late into the night. Cocktails flowed as many stayed to dance and mingle past midnight.
A whopping $1.2 million was raised to benefit the Chicago Urban League.
