Celebrity musicians and fire survivors took part in a charity concert at multiple venues in California, with the goal of donating funds to support the relief efforts for the Los Angeles wildfires.
First responders and others impacted by the Los Angeles fires converged at the FireAid benefit concert on Thursday. The band Green Day initiated the two-venue event, with singer-songwriter Billie Eilish joining them on stage at the Kia Forum arena in Inglewood, California.
relief.
"Our aim for tonight is to exceed the amount the Los Angeles Dodgers spent on free agents," Green Day frontman Billy Joe Armstrong quipped.
He said the first major donation of the evening was made by the Irish rock band U2, an amount of $1 million (approximately 960.6 million euros).
The benefit concert featured musical performances, along with first-hand accounts of destruction from the fires.
American actor and comedian Billy Crystal informed the audience that he still wore the clothes he had evacuated in. He lost his home of 46 years, located in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood.
The renowned rapper Dr. Dre took the stage for an unexpected performance, which was followed by a striking appearance by the 81-year-old singer Joni Mitchell. The ska-pop group No Doubt, led by Gwen Stefani, then took the stage.
The band Nirvana also performed on stage. Other notable performers featured in the lineup included Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Lil Baby, Olivia Rodrigo, Peso Pluma, Stevie Wonder, and Sting.
Second venue
The concert's other venue was held at the Intuit Dome. It was opened by actor Samuel L. Jackson, a volunteer firefighter from Altadena who lost his home, and singer Rod Stewart.
Here, the lineup comprised singers Pink and Stevie Nicks, and the R&B band Earth, Wind & Fire. The Black Crowes also performed, with guitarist Slash joining them.
Young singers from Generation Z, such as Gracie Abrams and Tate McRae, also performed live on stage.
The screen behind the performers displayed images of firefighters and destruction as the scenes unfolded. Occasionally, during interludes between musical performances, the audience was treated to personal narratives from those who survived the events.
"We're grateful for this moment. I hope people will always remember this concert," Scott Jones, 54, told Reuters news agency. He attended the concert with his daughter, wearing matching T-shirts that said 'First Responders.'
rmt, tg/wd (AP, Reuters)