Okay, kids, get ready to mark your calendars because the Vera Project has announced the official opening date for its new Seattle Center venue: February 23 and 24. The bands performing at the grand-opening blowout weekend remain top secret (but will no doubt be amazing), but folks at the Vera Project happily report that construction is going smoothly and as planned.

"The steel framing is in and the walls are up," says Programming Director Melissa Quayle via last week's press release. "The silkscreen studio is a studio, the showroom has a sound booth, and a stage is in the works."

With an impressive $1.2 million already raised, Quayle says there's about $600,000 more to go in order to meet their goal, so they're not completely in the clear yet. To donate, visit www.vivavera.org or send a check to Viva Vera, 1122 E Pike St #849, Seattle, WA 98122. If you're lacking funds but would still like to help, Vera is also in need of volunteers to assist with the upcoming move, and to get the space all shiny in time for next month's ribbon cutting (send an e-mail to volunteer@theveraproject.org if you're interested).

The Vera Project also has one last big fundraising event before its grand opening, which will no doubt help raise more of that needed cash. The first Viva Vera Auction is a "black-tie and fancy-pants" event at the Seattle Center's Fisher Plaza. While tickets to the January 27 evening aren't cheap ($100, $250, or $1,000 a piece), the money is obviously going to a great cause. All tickets include admission to the auction, live entertainment (a special secret), and dinner—a menu that includes a choice of roasted chicken breast stuffed with spinach and chèvre (that's cheese), grilled flat-iron steak with potato gratin, or a portobello mushroom stuffed with roasted sweet peppers, spaghetti squash, and smoked mozzarella. Great, now I'm hungry.

But what's making my mouth water even more than the tasty-sounding entrées and bruschetta with tomato-pumpkin spread is the list of items up for bid in the live auction: Two tickets to the Grammys, a two-week stay at a cottage in Ireland, an African safari for two, studio time at London Bridge Studio, a private wine tasting for 40 guests at E.B. Foote Winery, a flight lesson from Galvin Flying, a private party for you and 100 of your friends at Neumo's, a hot-air balloon ride from Airial Balloon Company, tickets to Jazz Alley, access to a live recording at 103.7 the Mountain's Mountain Music Lounge, and—my personal favorite—a Gibson guitar signed by more than 40 artists including Death Cab for Cutie, Beck, Eddie Vedder, Dave Allen from the Gang of Four, Ann and Nancy Wilson, Patti Smith, Wayne Coyne from the Flaming Lips, and Seth Cohen, uh, I mean Adam Brody of The OC/Big Japan fame (he's a fox).

The $100 Bronze tickets also include a goodie bag, and both the $250 and $1,000 Gold and Platinum tickets include valet, gift packages, hors d'oeuvres and champagne, and VIP viewing of the auction items. For more information or to purchase tickets visit www.vivaveraauction.org.

And you're gonna have to go through me to get to that guitar.