Marx your calendars
Pop music icon Richard Marx coming to Charlottetown to perform for autism fundraiser
One of pop music’s biggest stars of the late 1980s/early 1990s is coming to Charlottetown to help raise money for charity.
Richard Marx will perform at the P.E.I. Convention Centre in Charlottetown on Friday, June 8.
P.E.I. promoter David Carver is also bringing the artist in to help celebrate Carver’s 30th anniversary in the concert business. The night will include an intimate concert, reception, dinner and auction for the David and Krisztian Fund with all of the profits going to the local autism charity. Marx will also perform the following night in St. John’s, N.L.
The fund was established in March 2015 and raises money to help support financially disadvantaged families with assessing and diagnosing children suspected of having autism, especially to those exhibiting the most severe symptoms. Carver is god father to Krisztian Bajzak, whose twin brother Adrian was diagnosed with autism in 2013.
Marx has sold more than 30 million albums and is known for four decades worth of hit songs, including “Hold On to the Nights’’, “Don’t Mean Nothing’’, “Satisfied’’, “Right Here Waiting’’, “Should’ve Known Better’’, “Children of the Night’’, “Endless Summer Nights’’, “Hazard’’, “Too Late to Say Goodbye’’, “Now and Forever’’ and “Angelia’’.
Not only has Marx hit the top of the charts with his songs, he’s also produced and written hits for the likes of Keith Urban, N’Sync and Josh Groban. Carver said bringing Marx to Charlottetown holds a certain sentimental value for the promoter.
“Reflecting back on 30 years, Richard Marx was kind of the first big act to help me launch my career so I approached his agent . . . and I said I’d love to go back to the beginning (of my career),’’ Carver told The Guardian Monday. “The Charlottetown and St. John’s shows are particularly significant because when I first brought Richard to Atlantic Canada we had only concert dates in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Venues in P.E.I. and Newfoundland were not available at the time.’’
Carver said Marx will fly from Los Angeles to Charlottetown and St. John’s to do the shows, adding that the artist doesn’t get enough credit for his philanthropic work. Marx has used his royalties to build a room at a hospital in the U.S. for pediatric cancer patients and has contributed more than $500,000 to the Children of the Night Foundation which brings attention to the plight of homeless children on the streets.
“Even back in the day when he was this huge pop star I felt he had a lot of integrity and respect for his fans and people in general,’’ Carver said.
The concert features reserved seating at tables and involves an elegant three-course dinner. Only 550 tickets are available.
“I think it will be a nice atmosphere.’’
Tickets go on sale Saturday, April 14 at 10 a.m. Tickets are $175 plus HST and a $5 service charge. Purchase tickets online only at davidcarvermusic.com. Special advanced pre-sale is available now for corporate sales or groups of 10 tickets or more.
Email sarah@davidcarvermusic.com for details.