INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Green Day launched the much-anticipated FireAid benefit concert on Thursday night, a grand musical event spanning two venues designed to generate funds for wildfire relief efforts in the Los Angeles area.
They kicked off their performance at the Kia Forum with “Last Night on Earth,” and the moment took an exciting turn when Billie Eilish joined them for a surprise collaboration. The lyrics resonated powerfully as they encapsulate the theme of the night: “If I lose everything in the fire / I’m sending all my love to you.”
Following their set, Green Day’s lead vocalist, Billie Joe Armstrong, shared a warm hug with actor Billy Crystal, who welcomed the audience to the Kia Forum.
“Our aim tonight is straightforward: to raise more funds than the Dodgers spent on their free agents,” Armstrong humorously remarked. He informed the crowd that U2 had made the evening’s first significant contribution, an impressive $1 million donation.
Billy Crystal, who lost his home in the Pacific Palisades after 46 years, wore the same clothes he had on during his evacuation.
The excitement continued with a surprise appearance by legendary rapper Dr. Dre. He performed his classic “Still D.R.E.” alongside Anderson .Paak and Sheila E., transitioning seamlessly into their iconic hit “California Love.”
Joni Mitchell then took the stage, delivering a heartfelt rendition of “Both Sides Now,” adding a touch of nostalgia to the evening.
After Green Day’s performance, the show shifted to the nearby Intuit Dome, where Samuel L. Jackson and an Altadena firefighter who lost his home while trying to save others presented the act along with Rod Stewart.
“Here’s a new song. Just kidding!” Stewart quipped before diving into his hit “Maggie May.”
Pink delivered a stripped-down number with “What About Us,” while Melissa Etheridge brought forward the classic “Me and Bobby McGee,” followed by Led Zeppelin’s “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You.”
As the musical performances unfolded, visuals of firefighters and the destruction caused by the wildfires played in the background, providing a poignant reminder of the night’s purpose.
Attendees also heard from survivors who shared their personal stories of losing homes, both live and through video messages.
One impactful moment came from the Williams family, who spoke about losing four homes in Altadena before introducing the folk rock band Dawes, who are similarly affected by the Eaton fire.
Dawes’ Taylor Goldsmith detailed his experience of losing part of his house, as well as the destruction of his recording studio, while his brother Griffin, also in the band, shared that he and his pregnant wife lost their home, too.
Together with Stephen Stills and Mike Campbell of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, they performed Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth,” signaling a smooth transition for Graham Nash, who expressed deep appreciation for his longtime collaborator, referring to him as his “partner of many years.”
Audience sentiment was incredibly positive throughout the night. “We’re thankful for this moment. I hope people remember this concert for years to come,” said Scott Jones, a local resident who brought his daughter along, both proudly wearing “First Responders” T-shirts.
“I hope some of the firefighters can take time to decompress here tonight,” Jones added. “They really deserve it for everything they’ve done for our community.”
The FireAid concert is taking place across two Inglewood venues—Kia Forum and Intuit Dome—and is being broadcasted and streamed live on various platforms including Apple Music, Max, and YouTube, among others. Select AMC theatres in the U.S. are also showing the performance.
More artists set to appear include Eilish, Gracie Abrams, and Katy Perry, among many others at the Intuit Dome, while performers at the Kia Forum include John Mayer and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Though John Mayer and Dave Matthews were supposed to share the stage for the first time, the latter had to step back due to a “critical illness in the family,” as announced on social media.
For those unable to attend, donations can be made online while watching the live stream at FireAidLA.org, with all contributions matched by Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and his wife, doubling the total raised during the broadcast.
Billy Crystal emphasized that due to this matching promise, U2’s million-dollar donation would effectively become even greater.
All funds collected will go directly to support those affected, as a 501(c)(3) structure has been established under the Annenberg Foundation to oversee the distribution of the contributions.
