Late last month, bassist Matthew Leone of the band Madina Lake was left critically injured after witnessing a man beating his wife and stepping in--only to be brutalized by her attacker.
Thankfully, Leone survived the brutal beating, but had to have emergency brain surgery and a third of his skull removed. Now, the musician is left with piles of medical bills--and one very famous Chicago band wants to help him out.
The Smashing Pumpkins will play a last-minute benefit show for Leone next week at the Metro. Chicago's Kill Hannah will open.
Tickets went on sale today. The Chicago Tribune's Greg Kot shared the details:
Tickets go on sale at noon Wednesday through the Metro Web site, metrochicago.com. A majority will be raffled off. To enter the raffle, individuals must pay $10 per entry and may enter as many times as they wish. Each winner will receive two tickets. The raffle will end at 2 p.m. Saturday and winners will be notified via email three hours later. Balcony seats also will be sold for $100; a package including a meeting and photo with the Pumpkins and a balcony table for the show is available for $500.
Proceeds will go to the Matthew Leone Fund, part of the nonprofit Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, providing financial assistance to musicians facing illness or disability.
Justin Pivec, 33, of the 1400 Block of West Ohio, was charged with aggravated battery causing great bodily harm in the beating of Leone, the Tribune reports. Pivac was reportedly angry with his wife for returning home late on June 29 and began beating her in the street. Leone stepped in and Pivac attacked him.
Pivac and his wife returned home "like nothing happened" and left Leone unconscious on the street, police told the Tribune.
Matthew Leone's brother (and bandmate) Nathan Leone has been updating his blog with his brother's condition. He is reportedly making "good progress" and had another brain surgery today.
Matthew Leone grew up in northwest suburban Palatine and started popular local band The Blank Theory in 1998 with his brother, according to his Facebook profile. Madina Lake was formed in Chicago in 2005.