After the devastating Los Angeles fires, there have been many attempts to raise money for the victims. One of the biggest and most popular attempts was the FireAid Benefit Concert, held on Jan. 30 at two different venues–the Intuit Dome and the Kia Forum.
The concert was produced by the Azoff family, Live Nation, and the LA Clippers. It was led by Joel Gallen, the executive producer, and Rick Krim, the FireAid talent producer. The idea of a concert first came to Shelli Azoff, actress and wife of former-Ticketmaster CEO Irving Azoff, who then reached out to various performers, companies, and organizations about hosting the event. On Jan. 10, the Azoff family partnered with Live Nation and AEG Presents to announce the FireAid Benefit Concert. Following this announcement, the number of performers eager to participate grew, and ticket sales began.
At the Inuit Dome, the concert began at 7:30 p.m. and featured a lineup of major artists, including Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga, Olivia Rodrigo, Peso Pluma, Stevie Wonder, Katy Perry, and Gracie Abrams. Meanwhile, the 6 p.m. concert at the Kia Forum showcased performances from Green Day, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stevie Nicks, and Pink.
Singers weren’t the only ones taking the stage. Comedians like Billy Crystal and Quita Bronson spoke as well, offering their condolences to those affected by the fires while bringing some lightheartedness to the evening. Firefighters and people who had lost their homes voiced encouraging words to the large crowd. Among those who attended the concert were other firefighters and first responders, with at least 2,000 seats going towards them alone.
“I think that it’s really touching that there was such a huge amount of support for the concert and how so many organizations were able to find it in their hearts to sponsor the event. I’m sure everyone was very touched and appreciated the efforts that went into supporting the people affected by the fires,” said junior Minhtam Nyguyen.
There were also livestreams of the concert, attracting more than 50 million viewers. If you missed it, you can still watch it on Max, Prime Video, DirectTV, Apple TV, Hulu, Disney +, Youtube, Peacock, and Paramount +.
“I think it’s great how the FireAid Benefit Concert is focusing on raising funds and awareness for communities impacted by fires. It’s really amazing to see artists using their platforms to help! If you haven’t checked out the FireAid Benefit concert yet, you definitely should! It’s an incredible way to support wildfire relief efforts through music,” said junior Tina Zhou, who watched the performance online.
At the concert, merch designed by Yoshitomo Nara, a famous Japanese contemporary artist, was available for purchase. Proceeds from the sales will also support FireAid’s wildfire relief efforts. There are still hoodies, bucket hats, T-shirts, posters, and beanies available on the FireAid Benefit Concert website.
All the revenue from the concert is set to go toward fire victim relief as well as efforts to prevent future wildfires in Southern California. The funds will be managed by the Annenberg Foundation, a longstanding family foundation that has provided grants and charitable support since 1989. The foundation has extensive experience in this field, working to fund and support nonprofit organizations in the United States and globally.
The concert was able to raise around $100 million and is still expecting more. Donations are still open at the FireAid Benefit Concert website, so if you are able, be sure to contribute.
Photo Courtesy of UNSPLASH.COM
