Yahoo Lifestyle FireAid performances: Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish, No Doubt support LA wildfire recovery
The wildfires that decimated parts of Los Angeles were historic in their devastation and cost.
The FireAid benefit concert will go down in history not only because it features some of the biggest names in music on the same stage, but for the message of hope those artists spread. And, hopefully, their performances will raise a monumental sum to aid in recovery and rebuilding.
Donations can be made at fireaidla.org.
So many musicians wanted to bring their spotlight to the cause, that what was initially set as a single event turned into dual concerts at the newly opened Intuit Dome and local landmark Kia Forum, both of which were streamed for free on major streaming services, social media like YouTube and TikTok and broadcast stations.
Here's a look at the fundraiser concert performances from where USA TODAY was stationed inside the Intuit Dome, listed in reverse chronological order.
Lady Gaga
As the designated show closer, Lady Gaga, sat behind her piano for a heartfelt “Shallow” that built to its potent crescendo.
“During these times I feel people come together and we see how much we need each other,” she said. “I want to always remember us just like this.”
Her comments segued into another song from the soundtrack to “A Star is Born,” the power ballad “Always Remember Us This Way.”
Gaga said she wanted to leave the crowd with something hopeful, but none of her songs seemed to fit so she and fiance Michael Polansky wrote something specifically for the occasion.
“I think we all need a lot of things right now, but something we also need is time. Time is a healer,” she said before breaking into the bouncy piano song that she said was “just for tonight.”
Gaga ended the tune by leading the crowd in an a capella singalong of the refrain: “All I need is time, all I need is time, all I need is time … to leave it all behind and keep moving forward.”
Stevie Wonder
As the performances headed into the homestretch, Stevie Wonder arrived to offer words of encouragement.
“In this world today we have no time for blaming and shaming. We need to have prayer and come together as the united people of the world,” he said. “I thank God for giving me the gift of song for you.”
Wonder and his massive band offered the inspirational “Love’s in Need of Love Today” before turning up the soul funk with “Superstition” aided by Sting singing backup and swapping lyrics.
Wonder’s set then turned into a mini all-star jam with Sting sticking around for “Higher Ground” and Flea bopping out to play bass on the funky song.
Billie Eilish and Finneas
Hours after she joined Green Day to kick off FireAid, Billie Eilish returned with brother Finneas, who accompanied her on guitar in a quiet set of songs.
Eilish, a Los Angeles native, humbly told the crowd, “I’m very lucky to be here” in between vocally pure renditions of “Wildflower” and “The Greatest.”
“It’s a really scary time and LA is my favorite place in the world and my only home and I care about it so much,” Eilish said. “To everyone who is experiencing (hardship), I love you and I got you.”
Eilish and Finneas wrapped their set with the lovely “Birds of a Feather,” which is nominated for three Grammy Awards.
Peso Pluma
The Mexican singer-rapper shared his version of reggaeton with “La Bebe,” his hit with Yng Lvcas, in a rare one-song performance, as he paced the stage in an all-white ensemble and baseball cap.
Sting
Looking sleek in a black turtleneck and tight pants, Sting was in guttural form as he continues to recuperate from a throat infection that caused some recent show postponements.
But he nailed the ending long notes to “Message in a Bottle,” performed with trio bandmates Dominic Miller on guitar and Chris Maas on drums, and seamlessly transitioned to another early Police track, “Driven to Tears.”
He also offered the refined “Fragile” while sitting on a stool to complement Miller on guitar, the song’s subtext of a subtle undercurrent.
Olivia Rodrigo
The earnest pop princess and California native reached back to the song that launched her to arena-filling status, “Drivers License,” but then got a little more personal.
“It has been so heartbreaking to witness all of this devastation in this incredible city,” she said. “I find this place so beautiful and so inspiring.”
That led to one of the songs influenced by her surroundings, the angelic-to-a-roar “Déjà Vu,” during which Rodrigo skipped across the stage with coltish enthusiasm.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
The ultimate California band stayed true to their roots with a set-opening “Dani California,” complete with Flea, clad in nothing but aqua-tinged hair, tattoos and clingy underwear, bouncing around in his inimitable way.
Flea and guitarist John Frusciante noodled into “Californication,” which also featured a mustachioed Anthony Kiedis clasping the mic with conviction as Chad Smith anchored the song.
“Los Angeles, this is our home. We (expletive) love you,” Flea pronounced before the band played “Black Summer,” from their 2022 album, “Unlimited Love.”
The band ended its set with a crowd favorite, the highest-charting single of its career and guaranteed singalong, “Under the Bridge.”
Lil Baby
Adding a dash of hip-hop to the lineup was Atlanta rapper Lil Baby. His quick set, backed by a DJ, first offered “So Sorry.”
“My heart goes out to everybody,” Lil Baby said, giving a “super shoutout to the first responders.”
He calmly strode the stage, clad in black and ice, while unfurling “Emotionally Scarred” before the Intuit Dome show tossed back to the Kia Forum.
Nirvana with St. Vincent, Kim Gordon, Joan Jett and Violet Grohl
No one could have expected a Nirvana reunion with a rotating cast of female singers, but that’s what fans received with Dave Grohl behind the drums, Pat Smear on guitar and Krist Novoselic on bass.
The band slammed through a quartet of Nirvana songs with sometimes questionable audio, especially with St. Vincent’s frantic “Breed.” But the volume and energy never relented as Kim Gordon stormed through “School” and Joan Jett growled during “Territorial Pissings.”
Grohl’s 18-year-old daughter, Violet, who has frequently sung with her father onstage, also joined the gathering of alt-rock royalty for Nirvana’s almost-ballad, “All Apologies.”
Katy Perry
The proud California girl started her three-song set with a choir for a moving rendition of “Rise,” telling the audience how the state always rises. Katy Perry then delivered a rousing “Roar,” belting lyrics “You held me down, but I got up. Already brushing off the dust.”
“This is what separates us from the robots,” she said as she walked the stage in a LA Fire Department T-shirt.
Naturally, a Perry performance in her home state would include “California Gurls,” which she sang gleefully while waving the state flag behind her as the crowd sang along heartily.
Stevie Nicks
After twirling through “Stand Back” in her black-and-gold chiffon cape with faithful guitarist Waddy Wachtel by her side, Stevie Nicks shared a personal story about almost losing her Pacific Palisades house in the wildfires.
Nicks was evacuated from her 1930s-era home and thought she would never see it again. And because it was constructed out of wood, she knew that if it caught fire, it would have set the whole block aflame.
But her house proved as resilient as her owner or, as Nicks put it, “she stands strong just like her mom.”
The Fleetwood Mac icon also presented a moving version of “Landslide,” which she dedicated to the Santa Rosa firefighters who saved her home.
Nicks ended her heartfelt set with “Edge of Seventeen,” its invigorating guitar riff a jolt of energy.
Jelly Roll
The country rocker donned a Los Angeles Dodgers baseball cap for his hit “I Am Not Okay.” The tattooed teddy bear blew air kisses and waved to the crowd then proclaimed that he wanted to sing “one of my favorite songs from one of my favorite songwriters from one of my favorite cities.”
Jelly Roll brought Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker – “my big brother” – out to gallop through Bob Seger’s “Hollywood Nights,” which Barker delivered with a sticks-spinning, high-hat-heavy backbeat.
Tate McRae
The Canadian upstart was joined by her band for “You Broke Me First,” her 2020 TikTok breakthrough, before telling the crowd that she came to Los Angeles four years ago with the dream of becoming a musician.
“I think we can all agree that how we’ve come together has been a magical thing to watch,” she said before offering a whispery version of Crowded House’s “Don’t Dream It’s Over.”
No Doubt
The Orange County-birthed hitmakers, who reunited in 2024 at Coachella, added a burst of color and fizzy pop to “Just a Girl.”
Gwen Stefani strutted the stage with youthful bounce and the whole band seemed to be having fun as she led a boy versus girl call-and-response with the crowd during the song. A No Doubt appearance wouldn’t be complete without their biggest song, “Don’t Speak,” their late-’90s smash hit, which Stefani sang with undiminished drama.
But it was the wonky ska-pop of “Spiderwebs” that reignited the pogoing and reminded of Stefani’s effervescent appeal as a frontwoman. “Look at us all coming together for love,” she beamed.
Gracie Abrams
Gracie Abrams, one of the younger artists on the bill and daughter of filmmaker J.J. Abrams, grew up in the Palisades and directed her heart to her hometown after her hit song “I Love you, I’m Sorry.”
“This is such a beautiful reflection of what music does – it brings people together in this way,” she said, before reiterating that “Los Angeles is home.”
Abrams also offered a sincere version of The Counting Crows’ 1996 ballad “A Long December,” leading the crowd in its “na na na na” chorus.
The Black Crowes, John Fogerty and Slash
The ever-spindly Chris Robinson bopped behind the microphone while brother Rich tossed out the grimy riffs of their 1992 rock hit “Remedy.” After their song, Rich and the band remained on stage to play “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?,” a John Fogerty favorite from his Creedence Clearwater Revival years.
“This song has a rainbow in it and it’s just for you,” Fogerty said of the 1971 hit.
Chris returned with guitar hero Slash, wearing his omnipresent black hat, for “Going to California,” a song he deemed “appropriate for the evening.” Rich and Slash offered twin acoustic guitars while Chris coated the song with his robust vocals.
Earth, Wind, and Fire
The frontline trio of the classic Earth, Wind, and Fire – Verdine White, Philip Bailey and Ralph John – were joined B. David Whitworth for a gliding “That’s the Way of the World” before the band began their trademark live segues: “Shining Star” and “September” were both filled with sparkling brass, high harmonies and the taut musicianship of the eternally dynamic R&B stars.
John Mayer
The solo hitmaker and sometime member of Dead & Company was initially supposed to perform with Dave Matthews, who had to bow out at the 11th hour due to a family emergency.
But John Mayer, looking as boyish as his “Room for Squares” days in jeans and glasses, ably filled the spotlight solo, finger-picking his acoustic guitar through “Neon” and emphasizing the notes of the bluesy “Gravity,” a song he told a crowd at a 2005 concert was “the most important song I’ve ever written.”
Mayer also paid tribute to both Tom Petty and the state at the heart of Thursday’s benefits with a strummy version of Petty’s “Free Fallin’.”
“For me and so many others growing up, this was our first insight into the dream of living in California and it is a dream,” Mayer said. “For those whose dreams have broken, we will get together tonight and many other nights to make sure those dreams are repaired.”
Rod Stewart
The typically demure – we kid – legend kicked off the show at the Intuit Dome in a zebra striped jacket and shirt unbuttoned halfway down his torso. Voice raspy and pluckiness intact, Rod Stewart outstretched his arms to the crowd for “Forever Young,” a fitting song for the 80-year-old rocker still sporting an impressive spikey coif.
“I lived here for 50 years, so Los Angeles is in my blood and in my soul and in my heart,” Stewart said.
A mandolin-flicked “Maggie May” turned into a hearty clap-along, with Stewart flitting around the stage with undiminished flair, while his soulful hit rendition of Curtis Mayfield’s “People Get Ready” hit the perfect note.
Pink
The power-lunged singer sat next to her guitarist, Justin Derrico, as she blasted through “What About Us.” Bringing her usual conviction to the song, Pink’s eyes glistened as she held her hand to her heart.
Known as much for her music as her performance acrobatics, Pink told the crowd “I’m gonna keep my feet on the ground tonight,” and reminded us songs can bring comfort with a gritty cover of Janis Joplin’s “Bobby McGee.”
But it was her thunderous rendition of Led Zeppelin’s “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You” that will keep social media talking. Pink nearly blasted Derrico off his stool during the song’s thunderous portions while he proved equally fierce with a screaming solo.
Dawes with Stephen Stills, Mike Campbell and Graham Nash
The Los Angeles-bred band, some of whose members lost homes in the fires, offered the apropos “Time Spent in Los Angeles.”
Following Dawes’ ode to their hometown, frontman Taylor Goldsmith, who is married to singer/actress Mandy Moore, welcomed Stephen Stills and storied member of Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers Mike Campbell to the stage. The whole crew ambled through “For What It’s Worth,” the Stills-penned Buffalo Springfield classic written during his time in the band. Stills and Campbell traded guitar licks during an extended outro to the ‘60s anti-war anthem.
Another member of the folk-pop legends, Graham Nash, joined the team, giving a squeeze to “my partner for many years,” Stills, as he walked to the microphone.
“Whenever Los Angeles gets into trouble, the musicians are right there and I’m proud to be one of them,” Nash said.
With Stills at his right side, Nash strummed his guitar through a rendition of Crosby, Stills and Nash’s “Teach Your Children.”
Joni Mitchell
Sitting in her gilded throne in a black velvet pantsuit, black hat and sunglasses, the woman synonymous with Laurel Canyon music prompted goosebumps and teary eyes with a deeply felt “Both Sides Now.” At 81, Joni Mitchell’s songs are imbued with the wisdom of age, and her reading of the lyric “something’s lost and something’s gained in living every day,” augmented with tenor saxophone, was particularly poignant.
Anderson .Paak, the Free Nationals with Sheila E. and Dr. Dre
The multitalented Anderson .Paak hit the drums for “Put Me Thru,” his Koreatown hoodie showcasing his allegiance to the historic Los Angeles neighborhood.
During the song, he and Sheila E. engaged in a drum-off, with the 67-year-old behind “The Glamorous Life” high kicking atop her percussion setup.
“Our hearts go out to everyone,” Paak said. “But as far as I’m concerned, this is one of the greatest nights in LA history.”
.Paak and his soul-funk band bounced through “Come Down,” leading the crowd in a wave-along, but The Forum audience really roared when Dr. Dre strolled out to “Still D.R.E.”
“This year will be 40 years I’m in the business,” Dre told the crowd before a not-unexpected segue into Tupac Shakur’s signature song, “California Love,” Dre and .Paak simultaneously spitting rhymes while Sheila E. added a percussive undercurrent before tossing her cymbal stand across the stage.
Alanis Morissette
Sporting an “I (Heart) LA” black T-shirt as she roamed the stage for “Hand in My Pocket,” Morisette led the crowd in a singalong of her 1995 hit, waving her hands overhead in a peace sign to underscore the lyrics and playing harmonica throughout.
“The connections that have been born from this tragedy are deeply heartening,” she said, adding a thanks to first responders during the opening keyboard notes of “Thank U.”
In keeping with the song’s title, the video screens behind the stage showed social media posts of people thanking firefighters for their efforts.
Green Day
Green Day kicked off the Kia Forum FireAid show with a subdued version of “Last Night on Earth.” As singer Billie Joe Armstrong, playing acoustic guitar, started the chorus of “sending all my love to you,” Billie Eilish, wearing a striped polo and tie, walked out as a surprise (she is scheduled for the Intuit Dome show starting later). The two Billies shared the chorus in front of a backdrop of stirring photos of fire rescue efforts.
Green Day’s set also included “Still Breathing” and the band’s pop-punk favorite, “When I Come Around,” featuring a blond Armstrong shouting out many of the California cities destroyed by the fires, including Altadena and Pacific Palisades. “We are in this together,” he yelled.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: FireAid: Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish support LA wildfire recovery
