Half of the estimated $100 million (€96m) raised from last month’s FireAid benefit concerts in Los Angeles has been distributed for immediate relief.

Selected community-based organisations on the front lines of wildfire relief have each received $100,000 or more in the initial phase of gifting. The full list of recipients can be found here.

At least 29 people were killed as a result of the January 2025 blazes, which destroyed thousands of homes and businesses in Southern California.

“The selected organisations have the infrastructure, experience, and relationships necessary to efficiently and equitably deliver assistance to fire-impacted individuals and have each received $100,000 or more,” says a FireAid statement. “The need for immediate relief funding remains dire and these funds will serve to assist with that goal.

“Grants have been allocated to support a myriad of fire affected individuals including displaced residents, workers, small business owners and first responders, with a focus on essential services, food assistance, childcare support, critical healthcare resources, housing support, rental relief, student assistance programmes, and navigation services to ensure victims can access legal resources, government benefits and seamlessly work through challenging paperwork.”

Produced by the Azoff family in conjunction with Live Nation and AEG Presents, FireAid featured performances from more than 30 artists at two LA venues – Intuit Dome (cap. 18,000) and Kia Forum (17,500) on 30 January – and were watched by more than 50 million viewers across 28 streaming platforms.

“FireAid has also established a programme for the issuance of smaller grants available to community-based organisations, ranging from $10,000 to $50,000”

Acts included Billie Eilish, Gracie Abrams, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Lil Baby, Olivia Rodrigo, Rod Stewart, Stevie Wonder, Sting, Green Day, John Fogerty, Joni Mitchell, No Doubt, P!nk, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Stevie Nicks, as well as the surviving members of Nirvana.

The estimated $100m raised includes ticket sales for both venues, sponsorships led by presenting partners Kaiser Permanente and Scopely, merchandise sales, and donations from the public including private gifts from the Azoff family, the Eagles, Andrew Hauptman and Ellen Bronfman Hauptman and U2. Intuit Dome owner Steve Ballmer and Connie Ballmer continue to match all pledges received from broadcast.

The Inuit Dome is the home venue of NBA franchise LA Clippers, who served as operating partner for the event and underwrote all production expenses.

The first phase of funds will be fully distributed by the end of February, with phase two funding then set to focus on additional relief needs including sustaining long-term recovery, remediation and rebuilding, and further address environmental issues.

“Survivors of prior megafires and experts with whom FireAid consulted emphasised how crucial it is to reserve funds for unanticipated needs raised by communities, and to be both responsive and flexible, in planning for all phases of recovery,” adds the statement.

A non-profit organisation, FireAid has also established a programme for the issuance of smaller grants available to community-based groups, ranging from $10,000 to $50,000.

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A star-studded benefit concert has been announced to support the victims of the Los Angeles wildfires in the US.

Set to take place at the city’s Intuit Dome (cap. 18,000) and Kia Forum (17,500) on Thursday 30 January, FireAid will feature the likes of Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish and Finneas, Rod Stewart, P!nk, Joni Mitchell, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stevie Nicks, Sting and Earth, Wind & Fire.

The one-night-only event, which is being produced by the Azoff family in conjunction with Live Nation and AEG Presents, will also include Gracie Abrams, Green Day, Gwen Stefani, Jelly Roll, Katy Perry, Lil Baby, Stephen Stills and Tate McRae, as well as Dave Matthews & John Mayer, who will be performing together for the first time.

Additional artists, special guests, and lineups for each venue will be announced in the coming days, with tickets for both concerts going on sale via Ticketmaster on Wednesday 22 January.

At least 27 people have been killed as a result of the devastating blazes in LA, which have destroyed more than 12,000 homes and business

At least 27 people have been killed as a result of the devastating blazes in LA, which have destroyed more than 12,000 homes and business since igniting on 7 January. The economic damage could top $50 billion and may rank as one of the most costly natural disasters in US history, according to the Los Angeles Times.

FireAid will raise money for rebuilding communities devastated by wildfires and supporting efforts to prevent future fire disasters throughout Southern California. Event partners include American Express, Intuit and UBS, while the Eagles have donated $2.5 million (€2.4m) to the cause. Taylor Swift has also made donations to a number of organisations.

The fundraiser will be broadcast and streamed live on Apple Music and the Apple TV app, Max, iHeartRadio, KTLA+, Netflix/Tudom, Paramount+, Prime Video and the Amazon Music Channel on Twitch, SiriusXM, Spotify, SoundCloud, Veeps, and YouTube, and at select AMC Theatre locations in 70 US markets. iHeartRadio will serve as the national audio partner.

Contributions will be distributed under the advisement of the Annenberg Foundation, for short-term relief efforts and long-term initiatives to prevent future fire disasters. All proceeds from the FireAid benefit will go directly to the event’s designated beneficiaries, as the NBA’s LA Clippers, whose home venue is the Intuit Dome, will be covering the millions in expenses associated with the event.

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Live Aid promoter Harvey Goldsmith has announced the launch of a global charity concert series to combat climate change.

Earth Aid Live is slated to take place in six countries in five continents over a single weekend in August 2025. Locations will include London, UK, Los Angeles, US and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, reports the Guardian.

The series has been created by UMA Entertainment Group, which is chaired by Goldsmith.

“We are standing on the brink of a historic moment with this revolutionary global event series, heralding a new era marked by unity, sustainability, and a profound positive impact on the planet,” says the legendary promoter.  “Building on what we have already achieved with Live Aid, our aspiration is to unite people from all walks of life in the shared mission of bettering our world.”

Evolving “from a traditional fundraising effort”, the Earth Aid Live shows will be designed to “provoke wider climate action in its audiences, spanning “individual action, community engagement, corporate participation and intergovernmental collaboration”.

No lineup details have yet been released, but organisers say the gigs will “strive” to achieve “net zero carbon”, with “transparent carbon reporting”. Similar “milestone stadium concerts” are also in the works for 2030 and 2035, with the idea of hosting concerts in the metaverse as well as in real life.

“We have been working with some incredible minds on this project over the past few years to develop comprehensive calls to action centred around making better choices for our future: as individuals, in business and as governments, the power and opportunity for change lies within all of us,” adds UMA Entertainment CEO Simon O’Kelly.

“We are passionate about the chance we have to leverage culture on a scale seen only a handful of times before”

“Above all else, we are passionate about the chance we have to leverage culture on a scale seen only a handful of times before, with an entertainment series that transcends borders and unites cultures and generations, creating real, lasting change, the world over.”

It was reported last month that benefit gigs to fight climate change were being planned for the UK and US in early 2025 – 40 years on from the iconic Live Aid concerts – featuring acts including Rita Ora and Robbie Williams.

The 1985 Live Aid concerts, organised by Goldsmith, Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, saw acts including Queen, David Bowie, U2, the Who, Paul McCartney, Madonna, Black Sabbath and Bob Dylan perform to around 160,000 fans in London and Philadelphia on 13 July 1985.

The concerts were watched by a further two billion people on television worldwide and raised more than $127 million for victims of the Ethiopian famine.

A subsequent string of benefit shows, Live 8, were held in the G8 states and South Africa in July 2005, featuring artists such as U2 and Paul McCartney, Elton John, Jay-Z, Pink Floyd, Madonna, Kanye West, Coldplay, Robbie Williams and Stevie Wonder.

Goldsmith also advised on the 2007 Live Earth global event series, which featured the likes of Metallica, Bon Jovi, Duran Duran, Roger Waters, Alicia Keys, Foo Fighters, Madonna, Kanye West, Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Police.

Interested in the intersection of sustainability and live events? Don’t miss out on the 16th edition of the Green Events and Innovations conference. For more information, click here.

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Two benefit gigs to fight climate change are reportedly being planned for the UK and US in early 2025.

The inaugural events will take place at stadiums in London and Los Angeles – 40 years on from the iconic Live Aid concerts. Proceeds will go towards a new Climate Aid charity “to fund large-scale investments to significantly reduce emissions and move to a low-carbon global economy”.

Artists reported to have signed up to perform include Robbie Williams and Rita Ora, with other acts approached including Bruce Springsteen, Ed Sheeran, The Weeknd, Billie Eilish, Justin Bieber, U2, Katy Perry, Sia and Imagine Dragons.

“Two concerts, in London and LA, are scheduled to take place in January next year and will unite the world to raise vital funds for climate change”

“Two concerts, in London and LA, are scheduled to take place in January next year and will unite the world to raise vital funds for climate change,” a source tells the Mirror. “It will mark 40 years since Live Aid raised over £100 million for famine relief in Ethiopia and has the biggest names in the industry driving it forward. Music fans won’t have seen a concert of this scale since. The plan is for it to happen every two years.”

According to the report, the UK show is being produced by ITV creative director Lee Connolly, with Island Records and former BBC Radio broadcast director Paul Robinson also said to be involved.

The 1985 Live Aid concerts, organised by Bob Geldof, Midge Ure and Harvey Goldsmith, saw acts including Queen, David Bowie, U2, the Who, Paul McCartney, Madonna, Black Sabbath and Bob Dylan perform to around 160,000 fans in London and Philadelphia on 13 July 1985.

The concerts were watched by a further two billion people on television worldwide and raised more than $127 million for victims of the Ethiopian famine.

A subsequent string of benefit shows, Live 8, were held in the G8 states and South Africa in July 2005, featuring acts such as U2 and Paul McCartney, Elton John, Jay-Z, Pink Floyd, Madonna, Kanye West, Coldplay, Robbie Williams and Stevie Wonder.

Interested in the intersection of sustainability and live events? Don’t miss out on the 16th edition of the Green Events and Innovations conference. For more information, click here.

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Artists including Stormzy, Clairo, Faye Webster and Omar Apollo are set to appear at a benefit concert in the US to support humanitarian efforts in Gaza and Sudan.

Artists for Aid will take place at Newark Symphony Hall in New Jersey on 4 January.

The event is being organised by Sudanese-Canadian poet and singer-songwriter Mustafa Ahmed, who will also perform on the night, with proceeds going to Canada-based not-for-profit relief organisation Human Concern International.

“We worked tirelessly to bring this to you, but our fatigue is not even a splinter of what we’ll be singing for,” says Ahmed on Instagram. “In the last few years I visited both my homeland, Sudan, and Palestine. My visit to both had a principal intention, to connect with artist communities, with young organisers – for parallels of sorrow and hope and faith. The violence in both nations seized the dream.

“Here it is revived for me in someway. The intention remains, on this evening we give our voices to make room for theirs.”

Human Concern International says that donations will be split 50/50 between Sudan and Gaza

Other acts lined up to perform include 6LACK, Charlotte Day Wilson, Daniel Caesar, Mohammed El Kurd, Nick Hakim, Ramy Youssef and 070 Shake. Tickets are priced $150.

“I want to thank each artist performing from the deepest part of me, for your time and effort,” adds Ahmed. “None of you hesitated when asked. We’ll remember.”

A post by Human Concern International says that donations will be split 50/50 between Sudan and Gaza.

“We are excited to be the charity partner for this event and will make sure your support is delivered to the people of Gaza and Sudan,” it says.

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A benefit concert has been announced for victims of the devastating flooding in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna area.

The Italy Loves Romagna event will take place at the RCF Arena in Reggio Emilia, near Bologna, on 24 June in the wake of the flooding, which has left 13 people dead and thousands homeless, and has been described as the country’s worst disaster in a century.

Domestic artists including Blanco, Elisa, Elodie, Emma, Giorgia, Luciano Ligabue, Madame, Fiorella Mannoia, Gianni Morandi, Negramaro, Laura Pausini, Max Pezzali, Salmo, Tananai and Zucchero have been confirmed for the fundraiser, as the Italian music community unites to raise funds in support of Romagna and its inhabitants.

The show comes 11 years after Italia Loves Emilia, a fundraising concert held in 2012 to support the earthquake victims of Emilia Romagna. A presale starts tomorrow (30 May) on TicketOne, Ticketmaster and Vivaticket.

The event, which is being organised by Friends & Partners, Riservarossa, Vivo Concerti and Magellano Concerti, was announced by undersecretary for culture Gianmarco Mazzi.

“There are two objectives: to raise as many funds as possible and launch an invitation to spend the summer 2023 holidays in Romagna”

“There are two objectives: to raise as many funds as possible and launch an invitation to spend the summer 2023 holidays in Romagna, to bring life and help that splendid territory to recover,” says Mazzi. “Romagna is a wonderful land that has always evoked sun, joy and well-being, a place of the soul for the Italians, today hit hard.”

The 100,000-cap RCF Arena got up and running last year after its opening was delayed by two years due to the pandemic. Harry Styles will play the venue on 22 July as part of his Love On Tour European run.

The venue is operated by the SPV C.Volo network of seven enterprises and was built on unused land at the Reggio Emilia Airport, with audio company RCF acquiring the naming rights.

A separate fundraiser – Music Valley-Romagna Mia, Live Charity Concert – is also being planned for 5 August at the Enzo and Dino Ferrari International Circuit in Imola, as part of its 70th anniversary of the motor racing venue.

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Wembley Stadium is reportedly set to host a Live Aid-style fundraising concert for Ukraine this summer.

Artists such as U2, the Rolling Stones, The Killers and Pink are said to have been asked to perform at the London event.

“It’s going to be huge, properly A-list and on a global scale,” a source tells The Sun. “It’s something people have wanted to do for a while, but a date has now been nailed down and booked at Wembley Stadium. Invitations to perform are going out thick and fast to the biggest names in the business.”

The concert is reportedly pencilled in for Saturday 24 June – the same weekend as Glastonbury and BST Hyde Park

The concert is reportedly pencilled in for Saturday 24 June – the same weekend as Glastonbury and BST Hyde Park, with the source adding that some big name acts have already been ruled out due to prior to commitments.

The 90,000-cap stadium has already confirmed concerts by Harry Styles (13-14 & 16-17 June), Def Leppard & Motley Crue (1 July), Blur (8-9 July) and The Weeknd (18 August) for 2023.

Last year’s Concert For Ukraine fundraiser in Birmingham raised £12.2 million for the humanitarian relief effort in the country.

Stars including Ed Sheeran, Camila Cabello and Emeli Sande took to the stage at the Resorts World Arena for the televised event. Anne Marie, Snow Patrol, Manic Street Preachers, Nile Rodgers and Chic and Gregory Porter also performed, while Ukrainian singer Jamala delivered a rendition of her Eurovision-winning track, 1944.

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Metallica’s latest ‘Helping Hands’ benefit concert and auction has raised US$3 million for charity.

The show, which was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, took place at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California, on 16 December.

Metallica were joined onstage by St. Vincent, Greta Van Fleet and leaders from six non-profit organisations.

All proceeds from the gig went to Metallica’s charity All Within My Hands, which “is dedicated to creating sustainable communities by supporting workforce education, the fight against hunger, and other critical local services”.

“The funds raised from the ‘Helping Hands Concert & Auction’ will have a lasting impact on All Within My Hands’ ability to grow our Metallica Scholars initiative, combat hunger, and aid in response to natural disasters,” says Peter Delgrosso, executive director at All Within My Hands.

“The Los Angeles event was the largest fundraiser in our history, and we profoundly appreciate the generosity of everyone involved. We could not have achieved these results otherwise.”

“The Los Angeles event was the largest fundraiser in our history”

As part of the ‘Helping Hands Concert & Auction’, All Within My Hands provided grants to organisations including Baby2Baby, First Star, Feeding America, World Central Kitchen, mikeroweWorks Foundation and The Skatepark Project.

The first donations generated from Metallica’s 2021 tribute album ‘The Metallica Blacklist’ have also been made, bringing in more than $1m.

All profits from the covers record are being divided equally between All Within My Hands and charities chosen by the contributing artists, including Happy Hippie Foundation (Miley Cyrus), RAINN (Phoebe Bridgers), Dhamma Mahavana (Weezer) and Outlaw State Of Kind (Chris Stapleton).

All Within My Hands was launched in 2017 by the members of Metallica and the band’s management team.

Metallica are due to release their 11th studio album ’72 Seasons’ on April 14. They’ll return to the UK in June to play two unique headline sets at Download Festival 2023 alongside Bring Me The Horizon and Slipknot.

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A benefit concert spearheaded by Russia’s most popular rapper has raised £50,000 for Ukrainian refugees impacted by the war.

The Russians Against War show, led by Oxxxymiron, took place last Thursday (24 March) at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire in London with a sold-out crowd.

The concert saw the Paradigm-repped artist deliver his first London show in six years, as well as a surprise appearance from Russian rock icon Boris Grebenshikov.

Oxxxymiron’s rare UK performance comes after he cancelled six sold-out arena shows in Moscow in protest of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The rapper initially launched the Russians Against War concert in Istanbul, Turkey, in mid-March. Both charity shows were livestreamed on Twitch, YouTube and Instagram in the hope that people in Russia would watch and donate.

“It is times like these that remind me why I and many of us got into music and the power it holds”

Mike Malak, Oxxxymiron’s agent at Paradigm Talent, says: “It was vital to both myself and [Live Nation promoter James Ponnusamy] to put this show on and unify people against war and allow an incredible artist to use his platform. It is times like these that remind me why I and many of us got into music and the power it holds.

“To see so many people of different ages and backgrounds come together and raise an incredible amount of money for an important cause makes it all worth it. Combining the live experience with livestreaming meant we could not only raise money but also an awareness that this is a war nobody wants to see nor supports.”

Ponnusamy adds: “Nights like last Thursday are an incredible reminder of the strength of music and how it brings people together for the greater good. Thank you to ticket holders and the livestream audience who helped raise awareness and show their generosity and support. All donations received will help those in Ukraine impacted by the war.”

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Austria’s Barracuda Music has raised at least €2 million from a concert to benefit people affected by the war in Ukraine.

We Stand with Ukraine was held at Ernst Happel Stadion in Vienna on 19 March, with performances from artists including Eazy, Bibiza x Eli Preiss, Mavi Phoenix, Josh., Ina Regen and Turbobier.

Yung Hurn, Mathea, Bilderbuch, Seiler und Speeer, Pizzera, Jaus and Wanda also performed at the concert, which drew around 40,000 people.

CTS Eventim-backed Barracuda, which promotes festivals such as FM4 Frequency Festival and Nova Rock, raised €1 million during the concert, which was subsequently doubled by the Austrian government.

Austrian federal president Alexander van der Bellen appeared at the event to make a speech: “Our solidarity, our compassion, our common will, to live in freedom and peace, are stronger than any aggression. And every tone that rings today makes it clear: we stand with Ukraine.”

“Our solidarity, our compassion, our common will, to live in freedom and peace, are stronger than any aggression”

The government will continue to double donations made to the charity Neighbour in Need until Easter Monday (18th April).

Commenting on the event, Barracuda said: “We would like to take this opportunity to thank all partners and artists who supported us in the realisation of this important and special event.”

We Stand with Ukraine is one of many benefit concerts that have raised millions of euros for victims of the war.

Sound of Peace in Germany raised more than €12m, Together with Ukraine in Poland raised €1.7m and Alda’s fundraisers, Dance for Ukraine in Poland and We are One in Romania, together raised €1 million.

Upcoming fundraisers include the UK’s Concert for Ukraine, which yesterday (23 March) confirmed performances from Ed Sheeran, Camila Cabello, Emeli Sandé, Snow Patrol and Gregory Porter.

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