FireAid benefit concert for LA fires features Billie Eilish, Stevie Wonder and more

Wildfires in Southern California have dominated our news headlines for weeks. As the cities begin to rebuild, the horrific disaster is hopefully starting to subside, and the world’s top musicians are coming together to raise much-needed funds for the recovery efforts.

This week, a large-scale charity concert called “FireAid” will be held simultaneously at two large venues in Los Angeles. A number of highly respected artists will perform, contributing to the city's recovery from this terrible disaster. Here are the details of the show.

The lineup for the performance is truly star-studded. Los Angeles holds a special place in the hearts of many musicians, so it was not difficult to invite some of the world's top artists to donate their time to this cause. Iconic California musicians such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Katy Perry, and Billie Eilish will all be participating. In addition, there will be music legends such as Stevie Wonder, Stevie Nicks, John Fogerty, Rod Stewart, and a rare appearance by Joni Mitchell. California ska-punk band No Doubt will perform for the first time since their Coachella reunion, Bay Area punk band Green Day will also join, along with Southern rock band The Black Crowes. Pop music giants such as Olivia Rodrigo, Lady Gaga, P!nk, and Gracie Abrams will also be performing.

“FireAid” will be held simultaneously at two large Los Angeles venues, the 17,000-capacity Inglewood Forum and the Los Angeles Clippers' home arena, the Intuit Dome. The show will begin at 6:00 PM local time, which is 2:00 PM on Friday, January 31st, Australian Eastern Daylight Time. There is currently no schedule and no schedule is expected, so if you want to see a particular artist, you may need to keep a close eye on the live stream.

Latest News: FireAid will be streamed live on YouTube in Australia. To allow as many people as possible to watch and donate, the concert will be broadcast on multiple streaming platforms. Currently, local streaming platforms in the United States include: Amazon Music/Prime Video, Apple Music, Apple TV+, Disney+, Facebook, Instagram, iHeartRadio, Netflix, Paramount+, SoundCloud, Veeps, and YouTube. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation has contacted local representatives of these platforms to confirm whether Australian audiences will be able to watch. It has now been confirmed that fans can watch "live" on Apple Music, and the show will not be broadcast on Paramount+ in Australia. Veeps is currently selling viewing passes for less than $10. We will update our coverage as soon as we receive confirmation of broadcast rights from other platforms.

A press release confirmed that the proceeds will be distributed by the Annenberg Foundation. The foundation was established by Walter H. Annenberg in the late 1980s. “Donations made to the FireAid charity concert, as well as other direct donations, will be distributed on the recommendation of the Annenberg Foundation for short-term relief efforts in Southern California and long-term plans to prevent future fire disasters. The Annenberg Foundation has decades of philanthropic leadership experience in our community, including rapid response, and will help coordinate a team to maximize the impact of the funds,” said organizer Shelly Azoff in an interview with the Associated Press this week, adding that they are determined to ensure that funds go to those who truly need help. “For us, it’s very important to find people who are familiar with the organizations involved. That way we can put the money in the right places,” she said. “I think we’re all committed to getting the money to the people who are seriously affected.”

With so many big-name artists involved, speculation about what might happen on the night of the show is inevitable. Some Lady Gaga fans believe they have already speculated on her performance setlist. The critically acclaimed art-pop musician has just announced her long-awaited new album, "Mayhem," this week, and many fans will be hoping to hear a preview of the new songs. An Associated Press report this week said that "FireAid will also have special guests and surprises," which has fans excited. Although rumors of a cameo appearance by British pop idol Harry Styles have cooled down in recent days, some still believe he will appear on the night. Last week, a false report on the British tabloid website UK News In Pictures suggested that Fleetwood Mac guitarist, lead singer, and songwriter Lindsey Buckingham would appear at the show. If true, this would be a rare appearance by the artist in recent years. It would also put him in the same lineup as former partner and bandmate Stevie Nicks, and the show is organized by their former manager, Irving Azoff, whom Buckingham blamed for his expulsion from Fleetwood Mac in 2018. Buckingham recently called on his followers to "embrace solidarity, compassion and a commitment to rebuilding" after the fires. One thing we can confirm about Azoff is that classic rock band the Eagles were the first to donate $2.5 million to the FireAid charity. Azoff is currently the Eagles' manager, and his relationship with the band dates back to the early 1970s. While there are currently no estimates on how much money will be raised, the event already has a solid foundation. "From the influx from the community and the sponsorships we've gotten for the event, I can tell you we're already over $50 million," Azoff told the Associated Press.

Of course, there are many smaller charity concerts and fundraisers going on in the city. Unfortunately, most of them are difficult for us to watch from the other side of the world. One show that Australian fans can watch is "G\*ve A F\*ck LA — A Benefit For LA Fire Relief," featuring Hayley Williams, St. Vincent, Finneas, Lucy Dacus, MUNA, Perfume Genius, The Linda Lindas, Phantom Planet, Courtney Barnett, Christopher Owens, Reggie Watts, Fred Armisen, Jenny Lewis, Juliette Lewis, and Scott Willis. The show will be held at the Hollywood Palladium on February 6th, Australian time, and will be streamed live via Veeps. Another fundraiser, "LA Gives Back," hosted by Reggie Watts, Hannah Rad, Jesse Camp, Avita Ash, and Samantha Urbani, will feature performances by Alice Glass, Chrome Sparks, Spank Rock, Mark Rebillet, and Aaron Frazer, among others. The show will be held this Thursday, Australian time. There is no doubt that there will be more charity shows as the city, known as a hotbed of entertainment, strives to recover from this terrible disaster.