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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The FireAid benefit concerts are expected to have raised more than US$100 million (€96m) for the Los Angeles wildfire relief effort, according to organisers.

Produced by the Azoff family in conjunction with Live Nation and AEG Presents, last Thursday night’s (30 January) near six-hour event was organised at just two weeks’ notice in the wake of one of the largest natural disasters in US history.

The shows featured performances from more than 30 artists at two LA venues – Intuit Dome (cap. 18,000) and Kia Forum (17,500) – and were watched by more than 50 million viewers across 28 streaming platforms.

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 amount raised includes ticket sales for both venues, sponsorships, merchandise sales and donations from the public

The estimated amount raised includes ticket sales for both venues, sponsorships, 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 also pledged to match every donation received during the broadcast and VOD viewing. The fundraiser was 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.

At least 29 people have been killed as a result of the January 2025 blazes, which have destroyed thousands of homes and businesses.

The FireAid Grants Advisory Committee, led by the Annenberg Foundation, have been working to identify key areas of need for maximum impact, with the first phase of grants expected to be awarded by mid-February.

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A surprise Nirvana reunion and performances by an array of other A-listers put the seal on last night’s epic, star-studded FireAid charity gigs in Los Angeles.

Produced by the Azoff family in conjunction with Live Nation and AEG Presents, the near six-hour event was organised at just two weeks’ notice to raise funds for the LA wildfire relief effort, in the wake of one of the largest natural disasters in US history.

At least 29 people have been killed as a result of the January 2025 blazes, which have destroyed thousands of homes and businesses.

Speaking before the two-venue benefit, FireAid co-organiser Irving Azoff said he hoped the concerts – held at the city’s Intuit Dome (cap. 18,000) and Kia Forum (17,500) – would raise upwards of $50 million to rebuild communities devastated by the wildfires and supporting efforts to prevent future fire disasters throughout Southern California.

The event started at 6pm PST at the Kia Forum and 7.30pm at the Intuit Dome.

Actor Billy Crystal, who lost his Pacific Palisades home in the fires, opened the show by explaining that Intuit Dome owner Steve Ballmer would match every donation received, including the $1 million pledged by the night’s first donors, U2.

Billie Eilish, Earth, Wind & Fire, Gracie Abrams, Jelly Roll, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Lil Baby, Olivia Rodrigo, Peso Pluma, Rod Stewart, Stevie Wonder, Sting and Tate McRae performed at Intuit Dome, while Alanis Morissette, Anderson. Paak, Dave Matthews and John Mayer, Dawes, Graham Nash, Green Day, John Fogerty, Joni Mitchell, No Doubt, P!nk, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stephen Stills, Stevie Nicks and The Black Crowes appeared at the Kia Forum.

Nirvana surviving members Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear reunited, fronted by a lineup of female guest vocalists

One of the evening’s most talked-about moments saw Nirvana surviving members Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear reunite, fronted by a lineup of female guest vocalists – St. Vincent, Kim Gordon, Joan Jett and Grohl’s daughter Violet –who sang the band’s Breed, School, Territorial Pissings and All Apologies, respectively.

Another highlight included Eilish duetting on stage with Green Day, while Joni Mitchell delivered a rare performance, singing Both Sides Now while sat on a gold throne.

“Mitchell’s observation that ‘something’s lost but something’s gained in living every day’ was met with a huge cheer,” wrote the Telegraph‘s James Hall. “It felt like a dose of regal perspective from one of the all-time greats. The song was recorded in LA. And this is where this concert was most effective. The host of songs recorded in, or written about, LA reminded us about the place’s musical pedigree and what could all too easily be lost.”

The fundraiser was 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.

“When widespread devastation creates uncertainty and suffering, maybe the sound of massive stars delivering deeply beloved songs can provide comfort and consolation,” said Chris Richards of the Washington Post. “The livestream didn’t resemble a telethon so much as a transmission from the tower of song in which lyrics chiseled in stone suddenly felt like they were freshly inked for this occasion.”

Lady Gaga, meanwhile, closed the event by debuting a new track, All I Need is Time, written especially for the occasion with her fiance Michael Polansky.

“By the end of the night, it was lost how much money was raised; gone are the Jerry Lewis telethon days when a ticker showed the numbers climbing higher and higher,” concluded the Guardian‘s Rob LeDonne. “Perhaps the number was so big it could have discouraged additional donations. Regardless of the figure, FireAid proved the power of music and how a just cause can bring together polar opposites. If anything, here’s hoping it’s a harbinger for the future.”

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FireAid co-organiser Irving Azoff says he hopes the Los Angeles wildfire benefit will raise upwards of $50 million after the full lineups for the 30 January charity concerts were confirmed.

Billie Eilish, Earth, Wind & Fire, Gracie Abrams, Jelly Roll, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Lil Baby, Olivia Rodrigo, Peso Pluma, Rod Stewart, Stevie Wonder, Sting and Tate McRae will perform at Intuit Dome (cap. 18,000).

Meanwhile, Alanis Morissette, Anderson. Paak, Dave Matthews and John Mayer, Dawes, Graham Nash, Green Day, John Fogerty, Joni Mitchell, No Doubt, P!nk, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stephen Stills, Stevie Nicks and The Black Crowes will appear at the 17,500-cap Kia Forum.

The one-night-only event is being produced by the Azoff family in conjunction with Live Nation and AEG Presents.

“As soon as we understood the magnitude of the problem, the family, kids, Shelli [Azoff, wife] and I started talking about what we could do,” Irving Azoff tells Hits Daily Double. “Shelli said, we really need to do a show. Shelli and I spoke with Gillian Zucker, who’s the president of business operations for [NBA team and Intuit Dome tenant] the Clippers and is a close friend.

“We kind of had the idea to do a show at the same time, and she said, ‘Of course you can have Intuit.'”

One of the largest natural disasters in US history, at least 28 people have been killed as a result of the devastating blazes in LA, which have destroyed thousands of homes and business since igniting on 7 January. FireAid will raise money for rebuilding communities devastated by the wildfires and supporting efforts to prevent future fire disasters throughout Southern California.

“We want people to give money for the joy of the music and the joy of the rebuild”

“As the outpouring of volunteers to perform became clear, we expanded to the second building,” continues Azoff. “We couldn’t possibly have gotten everybody on and off the stage in one night at Intuit. And that’s when we came up with the idea of adding the Forum as well.”

Tickets for both concerts go on sale today (22 January) at noon PT, through Ticketmaster, starting at $99 (€95). All proceeds will go to the relief efforts, with all venue and ticketing service fees waived. The event will start at 6pm at the Kia Forum and Intuit Dome will begin at 7:30 p.m.

In an effort to ensure people can experience as much of the show as possible, fans who buy tickets for Intuit Dome will be able to view the Kia Forum gig, when it begins, on screens inside the Intuit Dome. Conversely, when the Kia Forum show ends, fans inside will be able to view the acts at Intuit Dome, on screens at the Kia Forum, until the end of the event.

Azoff considers it feasible for the shows to raise “north of $50m”.

“Currently, the most significant portion of the money we’re raising is from sponsors,” he adds. “We have suites at Intuit, and no suites at the Forum, so we’re able to generate massive corporate donations at Intuit.

“We have no idea if people sitting at home are going to donate. We don’t know if anybody outside of California gives a shit. So we needed the two live gates, and we didn’t want to make it feel like a radio show, right? We couldn’t book everybody who wanted to perform.

“We don’t really want it to be a big, somber moment. This is about the spirit of LA. and how music heals… We want people to give money for the joy of the music and the joy of the rebuild.”

“Crew Nation is continuing its core mission of helping this hardworking community through unforeseen hardship”

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.

Last week, Live Nation’s Crew Nation Global Relief Fund announced it is committing $1 million to assist performing musicians, live music crew and live music industry workers affected by the recent wildfires.

Crew Nation has opened applications for grants up to $5,000 for individuals currently employed within the industry facing displacement expenses due to mandatory evacuation orders, damage, or loss. Those seeking support can apply for Crew Nation Fund grants here.

“LA is home to so many who help make live music possible, and Crew Nation is continuing its core mission of helping this hardworking community through unforeseen hardship,” says Live Nation president and CEO Michael Rapino.

Separately, Live Nation is also supporting impacted employees from its Los Angeles headquarters with direct relief through its Taking Care of Our Own programme.

In addition, the co-founders of hip-hop festival Rolling Loud raised $25,000 for the LA Wildfires Relief Fund from a benefit concert held at Kemistry Nightclub in Fort Lauderdale on 20 January, headlined by Ski Mask The Slump God.

Meanwhile, the 2025 edition of annual live entertainment conference Pollstar Live!, which was scheduled for the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles from 18-20 February, has been postponed to 15-17 April to focus on the rebuilding efforts.

“Our hearts go out to the people of Los Angeles as they deal with the ongoing devastating wildfires and the long recovery ahead,” says Oak View Group CEO Tim Leiweke. “LA was home to Oak View Group, parent company of Pollstar, for the last decade, and many of our colleagues and music industry partners have been deeply and personally affected by this tragedy.

“Right now, Oak View Group is focused on the immediate needs of the community and raising funds in support of FireAid.”

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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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As wildfires across Los Angeles rage on, the global music industry continues to grapple with the devastating crisis.

The 67th annual Grammy Awards, set for 2 February at Ingelwood’s Crypto.com Arena (cap. 20,000), is still projected to go on.

“This year’s show, however, will carry a renewed sense of purpose: raising additional funds to support wildfire relief efforts and honouring the bravery and dedication of first responders who risk their lives to protect ours,” said Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr.

Yet, Universal Music Group (UMG) has cancelled all Grammy-related events, and will instead “redirect the resources that would have been used for those events to assist those affected by the wildfires,” the firm wrote. UMG historically coordinates an artist showcase and awards after-party around the event.

“L.A. is home to so many of us. We are committed to helping and supporting the music community, our artists, our teams and the people of Los Angeles get through this horrific episode.”

After donating $2.5 million in relief efforts yesterday, Beyoncé has postponed today’s rumoured tour announcement.

“I will continue to pray for healing and rebuilding for the families suffering from trauma and loss. We are so blessed to have brave first responders who continue to work tirelessly to protect the Los Angeles community,” she says.

“My focus remains on supporting the recovery of these communities and aiding its incredible people as they rebuild”

The Weeknd has postponed the release of his new album Hurry Up Tomorrow by one week to 31 January and cancelled a one-off show at the Rose Bowl Stadium (89,702) on 25 January.

“This city has always been a profound source of inspiration for me, and my thoughts are with everyone impacted during this difficult time … My focus remains on supporting the recovery of these communities and aiding its incredible people as they rebuild,” he says.

Donations have been pouring in to aid in the city’s recovery. Sony Corporation will donate $5m in emergency aid and rebuilding efforts, while AEG donated $1m as part of a greater $8m package from 12 professional sports teams.

Metallica, through its All Within My Hands Foundation, has donated $500,000 to various funds supporting recovery efforts.

“In the past week, the community has suffered at least 24 lives lost, nearly 100,000 people under evacuation orders, 40,000 acres burned, and more than 12,000 structures—commercial and residential—destroyed. However, numbers cannot articulate the magnitude of anguish as the disaster upends families and dismantles livelihoods,” the band wrote online.

Other organisations are staging benefit events. Independent promoter Another Planet Entertainment has partnered with IHEARTCOMIX, Brownies & Lemonade and Teragram to present LA Gives Back: Fire Relief at The Bellwether (1,600). The 7th edition of the event, which is set to feature multiple stages, will see 100% of the funds raised go to charity.

“Los Angeles is home to a vibrant independent creative community – we’re proud to open our stage in support of our neighbours who lost everything in this disaster,” says Casey Lowdermilk, The Bellwether general manager.

FireAid, organised by Live Nation, AEG Presents and the Azoff family, will precede the Grammys on 30 January at the neighbouring Intuit Dome (18,000). Performers are expected to be announced in the coming days.

“We are devastated by the impact of the fires in our community and are grieving alongside our city”

Dance music promoter Insomniac Events announced a series of benefit events with “100% of the net proceeds [going] directly to assist those in need.” Details will be announced this week.

Even still, show disruptions are rife. Young The Giant’s two The Troubadour (500) shows, set to celebrate their debut self-titled album and 10 years of their sophomore Mind Over Matter, have been pushed to 4-5 September.

“We are devastated by the impact of the fires in our community and are grieving alongside our city. Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to the first responders and emergency personnel working tirelessly to protect lives and contain fires,” the band wrote.

The blazes have ripped through more than 40,000 acres since igniting last week, causing more than 150,000 people to evacuate and burning 12,000 structures, according to NPR. At least 24 people have been killed, with the cause of the widespread fires’ initial spark currently unknown.

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.

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