Billie Eilish performs onstage with Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day during the FireAid Benefit Concert for California Fire Relief. (John Shearer/Getty Images for FireAid)
When the first song of the night features record-smashing pop icon Billie Eilish out the front of pop-punk royalty Green Day, you know you're in for something special.
That's how FireAid, a massive fundraiser for those impacted by this month's Californian wildfires, kicked off this afternoon Australian time.
This LA fires benefit has one of the biggest music line-ups you'll ever see
Photo shows Composite image featuring FireAid artists Billie Eilish, Rod Stewart, Lady Gaga and Stevie Wonder side by side
This spirit of collaboration made for one of the most impressive displays of star power a music fan could hope for and was just the beginning of what became a cavalcade of surprise team-ups and tributes to the city of Los Angeles.
It was already set to be one of the biggest music events in recent memory, boasting a once-in-a-lifetime line-up packed with a bevy of era-defining acts. But the surprises were almost as massive as the announced line-up.
Not long after Green Day finished, revered percussionist and pop star in her own right Sheila E. joined Los Angelino Anderson .Paak for a couple of songs.
Paak's biggest surprise was still to come, though. Soon, Dr Dre, one of the architects of modern hip hop and the sound of 90s and 2000s Los Angeles, strutted on stage and blasted through versions of his 1999 hit Still D.R.E. and 2Pac collaboration California Love.
Sheila E. and Dr. Dre perform onstage during the FireAid Benefit Concert. (Scott Dudelson/Getty Images for FireAid)
Dawes were one of the bands heavily impacted by the fires and their short set brought a few of the night's big moments. After performing one of their own songs, they brought on Stephen Stills, who sang Buffalo Springfield's enduring classic For What It's Worth.
Following this, Stills's old companion Graham Nash emerged, and together they played the anthemic Teach Your Children. It was the first time Stills and Nash have performed together since 1983.
One of the completely unannounced and unexpected surprises was a sort of Nirvana reunion.
In similar scenes to what we saw at their 2014 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame, St. Vincent (aka Annie Clark), Joan Jett, Kim Gordon (famously of Sonic Youth), and Dave Grohl's daughter Violet assumed the role of Kurt Cobain.
St. Vincent performs with Krist Novoselic of Nirvana onstage during the FireAid Benefit Concert for California Fire Relief. (John Shearer/Getty Images for FireAid)
Grohl belted the drums, Krist Novoselic pounded the bass (and played a little piano accordion) and Pat Smear made lots of noise in what was a gloriously unexpected surprise from some of the true greats of rock'n'roll from the past, present and future.
Earlier, The Black Crowes brought Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman John Fogerty up for a version of 'Have You Ever Seen the Rain', which wasn't entirely unexpected. Immediately afterwards, the unmistakable mop of curly hair and top hat belonging to Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash emerged and the Californian crowd went bananas.
What songs were played at FireAid?
When there weren't surprise guests, performers opted for songs that have an emotional resonance in the wake of the fires.
Tributes to California were frequent: Jelly Roll ripped through Bob Seger's Hollywood Nights, The Black Crowes and Slash took on Led Zeppelin's Going To California, Gracie Abrams called her version of Counting Crows's A Long December "a love letter to LA", and Mayer introduced Tom Petty's Free Fallin' by saying it was his first taste of the dream that Los Angeles represented for so many.
Lady Gaga performed a new song she'd written just for the FireAid show. "It's just for tonight," she said, before launching into a peppy pop song with a typically big chorus.
P!nk performs onstage during the FireAid Benefit Concert for California Fire Relief at The Kia Forum on January 30, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)
Other songs were chosen for their emotional resonance: Tate McRae's version of Crowded House's Don't Dream It's Over, P!nk's take on Kris Kristofferson's Me and Bobby McGee, Rod Stewart's People Get Ready just a few examples of the emotive songs chosen.
An epic but seamless undertaking
There weren't any major controversies, but a few things no doubt didn't go to plan.
John Mayer was impressive in solo, acoustic mode, but that's not what we were promised. The singer was to team up with jam band demigod Dave Matthews for their first ever duo set, but Matthews pulled out at the last minute due to a "critical family emergency".
Conversely, the legendary Stevie Nicks didn't want to leave the stage, so they moved the stage with her standing on it. Her microphone was cut just as she began to address the crowd about the situation.
Ultimately, it was brilliantly executed. It offered music fans a broad but cohesive snapshot of some of the world's most vital artists, and once-in-a-lifetime collaborations that will go down in history.
Given the short time frame in which it was put together, things appeared to run incredibly smoothly. Awkward pauses were quickly rectified and the production quality for those watching at home was top class: leave it to Los Angeles to put on a show properly.
Being readily streamable worldwide will hopefully ensure the show is a financial success as well, as California continues what will be a long and difficult recovery.
Here are all the setlists from the night:
Green Day
Last Night on Earth (with Billie Eilish)
Still Breathing
When I Come Around
Alanis Morissette
Hand in My Pocket
Thank U
Anderson .Paak
Put Me Thru (with Sheila E.)
Come Down (with Sheila E.)
Still D.R.E. (with Dr. Dre and Sheila E.)
California Love (with Dr. Dre and Sheila E.)
Joni Mitchell
Both Sides, Now
Dawes
Time Spent in Los Angeles
Stephen Stills
For What It's Worth (with Dawes and Mike Campbell)
Stephen Stills & Graham Nash
Teach Your Children (with Dawes)
P!nk
What About Us
Me and Bobby McGee
Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You
Rod Stewart
Forever Young
Maggie May
People Get Ready
John Mayer
Neon
Gravity
Free Fallin'
Earth, Wind & Fire
That's the Way of the World
Shining Star
September
The Black Crowes
Remedy
Going to California (with Slash)
John Fogerty
Have You Ever See the Rain (with The Black Crowes)
Gracie Abrams
I Love You, I'm Sorry (with Aaron Dessner)
A Long December (with Aaron Dessner)
No Doubt
Just a Girl
Don't Speak
Spiderwebs
Tate McRae
You Broke Me First
Don't Dream It's Over
Jelly Roll
I Am Not Okay
Hollywood Nights (with Travis Barker)
Stevie Nicks
Stand Back
Landslide
Edge Of Seventeen
Katy Perry
Rise
Roar
California Gurls
Nirvana
Breed (with St. Vincent)
School (with Kim Gordon)
Stay Away (with Joan Jett)
All Apologies (with Violet Grohl)
Lil Baby
So Sorry
Emotionally Scarred
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Dani California
Californication
Black Summer
Under The Bridge
Olivia Rodrigo
Drivers License
Deja Vu
Sting
Message In A Bottle
Driven To Tears
Fragile
Peso Pluma
La Bebe
Billie Eilish
Wildflower
The Greatest
Birds Of A Feather
Stevie Wonder
Love's In Need Of Love Today
Superstition (with Sting)
Higher Ground (with Sting and Flea)
Lady Gaga
Shallow
Always Remember Us This Way
New unnamed song
