Rockers band together at the Malibu Performing Arts Center to help L.A.’s Midnight Mission.
By Kim Devore / Staff Writer
The hottest ticket in town this Friday will be at the Malibu Performing Arts Center. That’s where rocker Richie Sambora will be hosting an all-star concert to benefit the homeless on skid row.
“Concert for the Midnight Mission: From Malibu With Love” will feature performances by musical legends like Jackson Browne and Los Lobos, as well as the Zen Cruisers, a talented team made up of Blondie’s Clem Burke, Elliot Easton of The Cars, Doug Fieger of The Knack and Teddy “Zig Zag” Andreadis of Guns N’ Roses. Sambora will also take the stage along with Dave Amato of the popular ’80s band REO Speedwagon.
Vintage guitar specialist and celebrated collector Norm Harris of Norman’s Rare Guitars put the event together with a little help from the center’s co-founders Gene Shiveley and Mary Devine Scott. Harris has been a regular volunteer at the mission for years, as well as Devine Scott who pitched in every Friday night as a teenager.
The mission is one of the oldest continuously operating human services organizations in the Los Angeles area. Since 1914, it has been a valuable resource for those with nowhere else to turn, providing shelter, food, clothing and medical care, as well as education and job training programs.
“It’s a cause that’s close to my heart,” Devine Scott said. “It’s a lot of work, but I want to do as many benefits as possible, things that make a difference in the world. That’s what we are about. We want to give back to the community.”
Through his musical connections, Harris was able to put together an impressive lineup of top name talent. Not to be confused with the Pepperdine Center for Arts, the Malibu Performing Arts Center is a relatively new local venue located on Stuart Ranch Road. The 500-seat auditorium boasts a state-of-the art lighting and sound system, an elevated platform stage and a recording studio. There are also facilities that can accommodate everything from dance to fencing.
Devine Scott’s late husband, Robert B. Scott, also played a central role in getting the center off the ground. The local businessman died in a diving accident shortly after the facility opened its doors last year.
“He had a real love for Malibu and the arts,” Devine Scott said. “Our center is here for everyone and we are open to anyone who wants to rent it.”
Net proceeds from the benefit will go directly to The Midnight Mission.
Reserved seats are $90 for the concert. VIP tickets are also available for $1,000, which includes dinner, and $500, which includes a pre-show cocktail party. Tickets are available through www.ticketweb.com