Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers performs during the FireAid benefit concert on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)2025-01-31T10:39:52Z INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) The FireAid benefit was fueled by some of musics best performers to raise money for Los Angeles-area wildfire relief efforts.The event at the Kia Forum and the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, on Thursday night featured a long list of stars including Billie Eilish, Rod Stewart, Dr. Dre and Joni Mitchell during a pair of concerts that mixed stories of heartbreak, music and surprises galore.They started right out of the gate, with Eilish joining Green Day for the first song of the night, leading to a cute moment greeting the bands frontman, Billie Joe Armstrong. Another Billy, comedian Billy Crystal, quickly followed them and reminded everyone of why they were there and watching: to raise money to help rebuild the devastated Pacific Palisades and Altadena neighborhoods and other impacted areas.The show ended with a big surprise: Lady Gaga performing an upbeat new song she said she wrote with her fiance specifically for FireAid.Here are some of FireAids outstanding moments: Billy Crystal says Well laugh againCrystal appeared as the first host in the same clothes he was wearing when he fled his family home, which was lost in the Palisades Fire. Then, with his trademark humor and heart, he recalled another national spasm of pain.Crystal reminded the crowd that 23 years before, he attended the Concert for New York City in the wake of 9/11 and had seen grieving attendees holding up signs with pictures of their loved ones, asking if anyone had seen them.And tonight, here I am, talking to all of you in pain, he said. But Im also one of the hurting thousands asking, Have you seen my school? Have you seen my church? Have you seen my house? Have you seen my town? Have you seen the 29 people who lost their lives?On that night in 2001, we were mourning the loss of hundreds of firefighters and police officers and first responders, Crystal said. Tonight, we are here together to thank them and all those who run towards danger while we run to shelter and safety. Crystal said he returned to the wreckage of his home and began to wail: I had not cried like that since I was 15 and I was told that my father had just died. His daughters soon found a rock with the word Laughter engraved in it.He recalled how his uncle at his fathers funeral service made everyone laugh by telling stories and doing magic tricks. It changed my life. I knew at that moment even in your worst pain, folks its OK and its important to laugh, he said.Well laugh again, he said. Lets show the world who we are: Were Los Angeles, one city, one heart. L.A. Strong!Eilishs early surpriseFireAid kicked off with a surprise guest appearance from Grammy winner Eilish.The superstar singer strutted onstage while Green Day performed Last Night on Earth, which includes the lyrics, If I lose everything in the fire/Im sending all my love to you. She stood next to Armstrong as the bands frontman played his guitar.After Eilish finished, she blew kisses to the crowd, who who rose to their feet and threw their lit-up wrists toward the sky. She and the band performed as a series of photos showed devastated homeowners watching their houses burn to the ground. Dr. Dre gives Cali loveDr. Dre took the energy to another level, dashing onto the stage to join Anderson .Paak and Sheila E.As Anderson .Paak introduced him, the crowd erupted with many rising to their feet, some jumping in excitement, as the super producer launched into a couple West Coast hip-hop classics: his 1999 hit Still D.R.E. and Tupac Shakurs 1995 jam California Love, which he produced.Im all about love for me tonight, Dr. Dre said alongside Sheila E. standing behind her drums and Anderson.Paak, who wore a black jersey with Koreatown across his chest.Dr. Dre talked about being in the music game for 40 years before showing his appreciation for the first responders. I appreciate all the first responders and all the firemen who put their lives on the line, he told the crowd.Before Dr. Dres surprise appearance, Anderson .Paak performed Put Me Thru and Come Down from his 2016 album Malibu. Flea sets tone for Chili Peppers closing setRed Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Flea made his signature grand entrance because, of course, he did setting the tone for his bands high-energy finale at the Forum.Wearing nothing but a black Speedo, he flipped onto the stage with a handstand, instantly sending the crowd into a frenzy. Up until that moment, many had been seated, casually watching Lil Babys performance on the venues big screens. But Fleas wild antics had them on their feet in no time.Once they were up, many stayed up. The Chili Peppers kept the energy soaring, tearing through a set packed with their biggest hits such as Californication and Give it Away.LA is our home, Flea said. We love you. Nirvanas reunionThis is probably the closest thing to a Nirvana reunion well ever see. The three surviving members Krist Novoselic, Dave Grohl and Pat Smear took the stage for a powerful, nostalgia-fueled performance that left the crowd in awe.A special lineup of St. Vincent, Kim Gordon and Joan Jett filled in for the late Kurt Cobain, the bands frontman who died in 1994. The trio separately delivered renditions of Nirvanas classics including Breed, School and Territorial Pissings.Another poignant moment involved Grohls daughter, Violet, who stepped onto the stage to perform All Apologies, adding a personal touch to the night.Dawes invites iconic friendsThe band Dawes performed three songs with some icons and an intimate knowledge of what the city has gone through. Brothers Taylor and Griffin Goldsmith both had substantial damage to their homes.The band played their melancholy ode to the city, Time Spent in Los Angeles, with the lyrics, Cause you got that special kind of sadness/You got that tragic set of charms/That only comes from time spent in Los Angeles.They invited Stephen Stills to play a jammy version of Stills For What Its Worth (Stop, Hey Whats That Sound). Then Graham Nash, a longtime musical partner to Stills, was invited to the stage to sing Teach Your Children by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. At the end, Nash let the audience sing the final words.Whenever Los Angeles gets into trouble, the musicians are right there, and Im proud to be one of them, Nash said. A prayer for teachersQuinta Brunson, who plays a teacher on the television show Abbott Elementary, introduced a real teacher and shined the spotlight on the impact the fires had on schools and education. Glendale High School math teacher Aurora Barboza Flores said she lost the Altadena home she had been saving for over 21 years. So now Ive lost more than my home. Ive lost my community, too. I was so proud to be a homeowner, so proud to have a place to call my own in this city, she said.She managed to find one thing in the wreckage: A dish she kept her jewelry in, inscribed with the words I think Ill just be happy today. The crowd in the Intuit Dome cheered. Sometimes, thats all we can do. Even though its hard there are moments that get us through. Moments like tonight, Flores said.Thats right, Brunson added. Everybody, lets thank Aurora and all the teachers out there right now. JONATHAN LANDRUM JR. Landrum is an entertainment reporter based in Los Angeles. He reports on television, film and music for The Associated Press. twitter instagram mailto MARK KENNEDY Kennedy is a theater, TV, music, food and obit writer and editor for The Associated Press, as well as a critic for theater, movies and music. He is based in New York City. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site