Billie Eilish and Green Day kicked off FireAid, a concert benefiting victims of the devastating fires which afflicted Los Angeles earlier this month.
Numerous blazes broke out across the region at the start of the month, tearing through thousands of acres and destroying businesses and the homes of longtime residents and celebrities alike.
The death toll of the fires has now reached 29.
While the fires are largely contained now, the road to recovery for many is only now just beginning.
Eilish and Green Day are just two of the big names scheduled to perform this evening, with Lady Gaga and Stevie Wonder among the other megastars.
Green Day started off the show with Eilish for a rendition of Last Night On Earth before they continued on without her for Still Breathing and When I Come Around.
Billy Crystal then appeared on stage to recall the harrowing tale of losing his home in the Palisades fire, fleeing the home with the clothes he was wearing on stage, and his emotional return to his burnt down property.
Green Day kicked off the FireAid concert with Billie Eilish for a rendition of Last Night On Earth
The band followed up with Still Breathing and When I Come Around
Alanis Morrissette than hit the stage, starting off with Hand In My Pocket followed by Thank You.
The next performer was Anderson .Paak and the Free Nationals, who started off their set with Put Me Thru followed by Come Down.
Eilish and Gaga are among the many musicians performing at tonight’s concert, which is being held at two venues – the Kia Forum and Intuit Dome in LA’s Inglewood neighborhood.
Proceeds will go to the victims of the unprecedented wildfires that blazed through the city in the first weeks of the New Year.
On top of Eilish and Gaga, the billing boasts the biggest names in music.
Earth, Wind & Fire, Gracea Abrams, Jelly Roll, Katy Perry, Lil Baby, Olivia Rodrigo, Peso Pluma, Rod Stewart, Stevie Wonder, Sting, and Tate McRae will be joining Eilish and Gaga at the Intuit Dome.
Meanwhile, at the Kia Form, Alanis Morissette, Anderson .Paak, Dawes, Graham Nash, Green Day, John Fogerty, Joni Mitchell, No Doubt, P!nk, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stephen Stills, Stevie Nicks, John Mayer, and The Black Crowes are set to hit the stage.
The band wowed fans with their classic songs
Dave Matthews was originally scheduled to perform with Mayer but had to cancel ‘a critical illness in the family.’
‘Contributions made to FireAid in connection with the FireAid benefit concert and other direct donations will be distributed under the advisement of the Annenberg Foundation and will be distributed for short-term relief efforts and long-term initiatives to prevent future fire disasters throughout Southern California,’ according to the FireAid website.
‘The Annenberg Foundation, with decades of philanthropic leadership in our community, including rapid response, will help coordinate a team to direct funds for the greatest impact.’
Additionally, merchandise designed by artist Yoshitomo Nara will be available for purchase, with net proceeds going towards FireAid’s wildfire relief efforts.
Viewers will hear from celebrities and non-celebrities alike, including those directly impacted by the disaster.
‘Our speakers will be people that lost their homes in the fires. People from Altadena, people from Palisades, people from neighboring areas,’ executive producer Joel Gallen of Tenth Planet told AP.
‘We´re going to have packages, which is about both the people that lost their homes and also the firefighters and the first responders,’ Gallen continued.
A firefighter is slated to speak at the concert, and thousands of first responders are set to be in attendance.
‘There are at least 2,000 seats going to first responders, firemen, policemen and people that have lost their homes,’ Irving Azoff, who is producing the event, said. Corporate sponsors have stepped in to provide seats to victims who lost their homes in the blazes as well.
The show can be accessed via a variety of streaming platforms, including Max and Prime Video.
‘100% of all proceeds are going to help rebuild,’ Gallen said.
Celebrities and working class residents alike are picking up the pieces after their neighborhoods were reduced to ash as wildfires began tearing through the city.
More than 100,000 residents were forced to evacuate their homes as a result of the firestorms, which began on the morning of January 7.
The devastation began when the combination of heavy wind and a lack of rain created the perfect condition for a brush fire.
The Eaton Fire burned over 14,000 acres while the Palisades Fire tore through nearly 24,000 acres. They are both approaching 100% containment.
Paris Hilton, Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag, were among the celebrities who lost their homes in the Palisades Fire.
The Hilton heiress has since launched an emergency fund, starting with $100,000 donation to other victims.
On top of her own contribution, she has said she will match ‘additional dollars raised up to $100,000 more.’
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