FireAid benefit for Los Angeles had everyone from Nirvana to Stevie Wonder to Billie Eilish

You knew the night was going to be special when record-breaking pop icon Billie Eilish joined punk rock legends Green Day for the very first song of the night. This was how "FireAid," a massive benefit concert to raise money for California wildfire victims this month, kicked off in the afternoon Australian time.

This spirit of collaboration set the tone for an impressive roster of stars, and it was only the beginning, as there were a series of surprise collaborations and tributes to the city of Los Angeles to follow. The musical event was already one of the biggest in recent memory, bringing together a generation-defining list of performers for a once-in-a-lifetime event. But the surprises were almost as stunning as the announced lineup.

Not long after Green Day’s performance, the revered percussionist and pop star Sheila E. joined Los Angeles native Anderson .Paak for a few songs. However, Paak’s biggest surprise was yet to come. Soon, Dr. Dre, one of the founding fathers of modern hip-hop and the sound of Los Angeles in the 90s and 2000s, took the stage to perform his 1999 hit “Still D.R.E.” and his collaboration with 2Pac, “California Love.”

Dawes, one of the bands most affected by the fires, delivered a few of the night’s most important moments with their brief set. After playing their own songs, they brought out Stephen Stills, who sang the Buffalo Springfield classic “For What It’s Worth.” Stills’ old partner, Graham Nash, then joined him for the anthem “Teach Your Children.” It was the first time Stills and Nash had performed together since 1983.

An entirely unannounced and unexpected surprise was a kind of Nirvana reunion. Similar to their 2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, St. Vincent (aka Annie Clark), Joan Jett, Kim Gordon (of Sonic Youth), and Dave Grohl’s daughter Violet filled the Kurt Cobain role. Grohl pounded the drums, Krist Novoselic played bass (and a little accordion), and Pat Smear made a lot of noise, a truly surprising set of rock stars from the past, present, and future.

Earlier, The Black Crowes brought out Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman John Fogerty for “Have You Ever Seen the Rain,” which wasn’t entirely unexpected. Then Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash’s signature curls and top hat appeared, sending the California crowd into a frenzy. When there weren’t surprise guests, performers chose songs that resonated emotionally after the fires.

Tributes to California were frequent: Jelly Roll belted out Bob Seger’s “Hollywood Nights,” The Black Crowes and Slash covered Led Zeppelin’s “Going To California,” Gracie Abrams called her cover of Counting Crows’ “A Long December” “a love letter to Los Angeles,” and Mayer introduced Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’” by saying it was the first song that made him feel the dream that Los Angeles represents for so many.

Lady Gaga performed a new song she wrote specifically for the FireAid show. “This song is just for tonight,” she said before launching into an up-tempo pop song with a typically huge chorus. Other song choices were also emotionally resonant: Tate McRae covered Crowded House’s “Don’t Dream It’s Over,” P!nk covered Kris Kristofferson’s “Me and Bobby McGee,” and Rod Stewart’s “People Get Ready” were just a few examples.

While there were no major controversies, there were certainly a few things that didn’t go according to plan. John Mayer’s solo acoustic set was impressive, but not what we were expecting. The singer was supposed to perform his first-ever duo with jam band legend Dave Matthews, who had to pull out at the last minute due to a “family emergency.” Instead, legend Stevie Nicks didn’t want to leave the stage, so they literally moved the stage with her on it. Just as she began to explain the situation to the audience, her microphone was cut off.

All in all, the show was executed incredibly well. It presented a wide and cohesive microcosm of some of the most important artists in the world, as well as once-in-a-lifetime collaborations that will go down in history. Considering it was put together on short notice, everything seemed to run very smoothly. Awkward pauses were quickly corrected, and the production quality for viewers at home was top-notch: Los Angeles really knows how to put on a show. With the livestream easily accessible around the world, it’s expected that the show will also be a financial success as California continues its long and difficult recovery.