Downtown Mobile’s Saenger Theatre will host a benefit concert this Friday raising money and awareness for Penelope House, the Mobile-based shelter and support network for survivors of domestic violence. The event, billed as “Sounds of Purple: A Concert for Penelope House,” is being staged in partnership with Cumulus Media and brings together a lineup of regional and national performers for an evening focused on music and community support.
Doors open at 6 S. Joachim St. at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 14, with tickets priced at $35 and available through Ticketmaster. Organizers designed the show to have broad musical appeal, pairing local and regional talent with a nationally known R&B headliner.
Eastern Shore singer-songwriter Madison Grace opens the night with her blend of jazz-influenced pop. Saxophonist Ike Johnson follows with a smooth instrumental set, and Tyler Emerson, an alumnus of the MOB Music Fest, brings his acoustic guitar work to the stage before the night builds toward its headline act.
Closing out the bill is Raheem DeVaughn, a Grammy-nominated R&B vocalist and a longtime, vocal supporter of Penelope House. DeVaughn built his national profile with his sophomore album “Love Behind the Melody,” which earned him a BET J Virtual Award for Male Artist of the Year and Album of the Year. He has since picked up Grammy nominations for Best R&B Song for “Customer,” Best R&B Vocal Performance for “Woman” and Best R&B Album for “The Love & War Masterpiece.” Friday’s set is expected to include his current single, “Don’t Come Easy,” along with selections spanning his catalog.
Proceeds from the concert benefit Penelope House, which has served survivors of intimate partner violence across Mobile, Washington, Choctaw and Clarke counties since 1979. The organization provides emergency shelter, counseling, legal advocacy and other support services to victims of domestic violence, along with public education programs aimed at preventing abuse before it starts. Benefit events like Friday’s concert make up a significant part of the nonprofit’s annual fundraising, helping sustain services that are otherwise supported through a mix of grants, donations and government funding.
The Saenger Theatre, a restored 1920s-era movie palace in the heart of downtown Mobile, has become a regular host for benefit concerts and community fundraisers in addition to its touring Broadway and concert bookings. Organizers are encouraging concertgoers to arrive early, both to find parking downtown and to settle in before the 5:30 p.m. doors give way to the evening’s first act.
Tickets remain available through Ticketmaster ahead of Friday’s show, and additional information on the lineup and venue can be found through the Saenger Theatre’s website.