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Freshly back onstage after postponing three dates for what he termed a “temporary throat infection” via an Instagram post, Sting sounded in full voice during his three-song set at the FireAid benefit concert on Thursday night (Jan. 30).
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Playing in his stripped-down Sting 3.0 trio formation with drummer Chris Maas and guitarist Dominic Miller, Sting — like many of the 27 artists on the bill — chose songs specifically designed to resonate with victims of the horrific fires that spread through Los Angeles County throughout January, destroying more than 22,000 homes.
He also let his music do the talking and chose not to address the audience, unlike many of the other performers. Sting opened with The Police’s early hit, 1979’s “Message in a Bottle,” and sustained a long note toward the end, leaving no doubt that he was restored to full health. He then segued into “Driven to Tears,” from The Police’s 1980 album’s Zenyatta Mondatta. Though initially written about political issues, the song’s themes of loss fit in perfectly with the evening.
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Sting then traded his bass for a guitar for his closing song, a lovely rendition of “Fragile,” from his second solo album, 1987’s Nothing Like the Sun. Between his gorgeous, delicate playing and his emotional delivery, the song felt like a reminder of both our fragility and strength.
Sting was one of more than two dozen performers, including Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stevie Nicks, Olivia Rodrigo, Rod Stewart, Lady Gaga, P!nk, Billie Eilish, John Mayer and No Doubt, who took over Los Angeles’ Intuit Dome and Kia Forum for the more than five-hour benefit, which is raising money for victims of the fires and for future fire prevention.
After joining Green Day for their FireAid-opening set at the Kia Forum earlier Thursday night (Jan. 30), Billie Eilish took the stage again at the neighboring Intuit Dome for the benefit concert, this time with her brother Finneas.
Introduced by Sting, who named himself a “devotee” of the singer’s “exquisite voice,” Eilish and Finneas encouraged fans to sit down if they were tired — which they immediately refused — before delivering a three-song set of stripped-back, acoustic tracks from Hit Me Hard and Soft, including “Wildflower,” “The Greatest” and “Birds of a Feather.”
“Birds of a Feather” reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and is nominated for song of the year, record of the year and best pop solo performance at Sunday’s Grammy Awards.
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“L.A. is my favorite place in the world and my only home. My brother and I live here and grew up here. It’s my favorite place in the world, and it’s so devastating what’s going on,” Eilish told the crowd of her hometown. “To everyone who’s going through this, I love you and I got you. I will not forget about you and we will keep doing this for you.”
The duo’s fellow performers at Inglewood, California’s Intuit Dome included 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. Next door at the Kia Forum, the show kicked off with performances by Stevie Nicks, Anderson. Paak, Alanis Morissette, John Mayer, Dawes, Graham Nash, Green Day, John Fogerty, Joni Mitchell, No Doubt, P!nk, Stephen Stills and The Black Crowes, as well as a surprise reunion of the living members of Nirvana with a revolving door of female vocalists.
Those wanting to donate to Los Angeles wildfire relief funds are encouraged to visit fireaidla.org. For every donation pledge made during the concert, Connie and Steve Ballmer — owner of the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers and the Intuit Dome — will match it.
The Weeknd doesn’t just perform—he curates experiences.
Hours before the release of Hurry Up Tomorrow, the Canadian artist made a striking appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, delivering a cinematic rendition of “Open Hearts” that blurred the line between live television and a full-scale production.
The performance opened in stark black and white, with Tesfaye cloaked in a shadowy robe, his glowing eyes creating an almost otherworldly presence. The stripped-back visuals felt deliberately unsettling, as if pulled from the surreal worlds of David Lynch, setting the tone for what was to come.
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As the song progressed, the atmosphere began to shift. The stage dissolved into an animated, stop-motion dreamscape, with jagged transitions and uncanny imagery. The performance balanced minimalism and surrealism, offering a glimpse into the darker, more introspective aesthetic underpinning Hurry Up Tomorrow.
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The surreal aesthetic has only heightened speculation that the upcoming Hurry Up Tomorrow film—arriving in theaters May 16—will explore similarly haunting and imaginative territory.
With Hurry Up Tomorrow now out via XO/Republic Records, the performance stands as a gateway into The Weeknd’s latest (and potentially final) chapter under his longtime moniker.
The album, which serves as the closing installment in his trilogy following After Hours (2020) and Dawn FM (2022), carries a deeply introspective tone. While it boasts high-profile collaborations like Playboi Carti (“Timeless”) (which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100) and Anitta (“São Paulo”), the most talked-about moment is Lana Del Rey’s uncredited feature on “The Abyss.”
Meanwhile, “Dancing in the Flames,” which was previously teased, was left off the final tracklist entirely, leaving fans speculating about its fate.
Originally scheduled for release on Jan. 24, the album was delayed as The Weeknd pledged $1 million to LA wildfire relief efforts, canceling a planned Rose Bowl album release concert in the process. Proceeds from the track “Take Me Back to LA” will also be donated to the LA Regional Food Bank, providing further aid to those affected.
As The Weeknd pivots toward his feature film debut in Hurry Up Tomorrow, directed by Trey Edward Shults and starring Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan, performances like his Jimmy Kimmel Live! appearance suggest that his storytelling is only becoming more ambitious.
Whether or not this truly marks the end of The Weeknd, his ability to merge music and visual spectacle continues to evolve, making Hurry Up Tomorrow a fitting conclusion to this phase of his career.
In tandem with his live performance, The Weeknd has launched a series of events to further immerse fans in the world of Hurry Up Tomorrow.
In partnership with Spotify, the Hurry Up Tomorrow Pop-Up Experience will take place in New York City from Friday, Jan. 31, through Sunday, Feb. 2. This interactive art installation will transport fans into Tesfaye’s creative world, offering a glimpse into the final act of his acclaimed trilogy.
Meanwhile, specialty retailer Hot Topic is showcasing an expansive Hurry Up Tomorrow merchandise collection, including tees, hoodies, posters, and the highly anticipated The Weeknd x Frank Miller Hurry Up Tomorrow apparel capsule – available only in Las Vegas at the “takeover”.
From Jan. 31 to Feb. 2, the Downtown Summerlin Hot Topic store in Las Vegas will host a Hurry Up Tomorrow “takeover,” transforming the space into an exclusive retail experience.
Watch his performance on Jimmy Kimmel below.
When Olivia Rodrigo hit the stage at Intuit Dome on Thursday (Jan. 30) night, the FireAid LA Benefit Concert had already been going for four-and-a-half hours between two venues. But based on the crowd’s ecstatic response to the Grammy winner and Billboard Hot 100 topper, you wouldn’t have known it. From the opening lines of […]
Red Hot Chili Peppers were the last to take the stage at the Kia Forum at the FireAid benefit show for Los Angeles wildfire relief on Thursday night (Jan. 30), and the L.A. natives made sure to end the show on a high note.
Introduced by Stevie Nicks, RHCP fittingly opened their hit-filled set with 2006’s “Dani California,” before delving into another Golden State-themed track, 1999’s “Californication,” complete with a bass line from a near-naked Flea.
The Chili Peppers wrapped their four-song set with 1992’s “Under the Bridge” as well as a more recent song, 2022’s “Black Summer” off 12th studio album Unlimited Love. “Black Summer” marked the band’s 14th No. 1 track on Billboard‘s Alternative Airplay chart. They’ve since notched a 15th chart-topper with “Tippa My Tongue.”
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The rest of the Kia Forum performers included Nicks, Anderson. Paak, Alanis Morissette, Dave Matthews and John Mayer, Dawes, Graham Nash, Green Day (with an Eilish duet), John Fogerty, Joni Mitchell, No Doubt, P!nk, Stephen Stills and The Black Crowes. Just across the street at the Intuit Dome, the FireAid show featured performances by 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.
Those wanting to donate to Los Angeles wildfire relief funds are encouraged to visit fireaidla.org. For every donation pledge made during the concert, Connie and Steve Ballmer — owner of the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers and the Intuit Dome — will match it.
In 2014, when Nirvana was being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, surviving members Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear reunited onstage to perform a raucous selection of the culture-shifting grunge band’s beloved songs. With Kurt Cobain gone, lead vocals fell to an assortment of guest singers – St. Vincent, Joan […]
Although Katy Perry is best-known for frothy, off-the-walls pop music, the Billboard Hot 100 topper opened her Thursday (Jan. 30) night mini-set during the FireAid LA Benefit Concert with a very different type of energy. Backed by a somber choir providing harrowing backup vocals, Perry belted out her resilience anthem “Rise,” a hit song featured […]
Jelly Roll didn’t write “I Am Not Okay” specifically about the Los Angeles fires, but like many of the songs performed during the Thursday (Jan. 30) FireAid benefit concert, it took on added meaning given the emotional upheaval Los Angelenos have gone through the past month as fires have ravaged parts of the county. Striding […]
Less than a week after inviting the world for a ride in her “Sports Car,” Canadian pop sensation Tate McRae graced the stage at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles for Thursday (Jan. 30) night’s FireAid Benefit Concert.
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Sporting what appeared to be a sweatshirt quirkily tied around her as a makeshift top, McRae delivered a somber rendition of “You Broke Me First,” her 2020 Billboard Hot 100 hit (No. 17). “I moved to Los Angeles four years ago with a dream to become a musician,” she told the crowd. “It’s been a really devastating start to the year, but I think we can all agree that us coming together has been a magical thing to watch.”
Soon after, McRae launched into a wistful cover of Crowded House‘s classic 1986 song “Don’t Dream It’s Over,” a No. 2 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. Known for her high-octane choreography and flashy stage show, McRae kept things toned down for FireAid, highlighting her vocals and providing an air of serenity for the L.A. crowd. Her stripped-down set provided the perfect introduction for Jelly Roll‘s country medley.
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McRae’s songs followed lively sets from No Doubt and P!nk, two of the many artists who joined forces for Thursday night’s benefit show. Split between the Kia Forum and the Intuit Dome, FireAid also featured appearances and performances from Anderson. Paak, Green Day, Lady Gaga, Stevie Nicks, Lil Baby, Jelly Roll, Olivia Rodrigo, Katy Perry, Stevie Wonder, Alanis Morissette, Joni Mitchell and many others. All proceeds from the event will go toward rebuilding efforts in Los Angeles and offer aid to displaced families.
Next month (Feb. 21), McRae will release her third studio album, So Close to What. Two of the album’s songs have arrived as Hot 100-charting pre-singles: “It’s OK, I’m OK” (No. 20) and “2 Hands” (No. 41). Last week (Jan. 24), she debuted the Ryan Tedder and Julia Michaels co-penned “Sports Car.”
It’s been almost a year since No Doubt made their long-awaited reunion at Coachella, and the Southern California natives came back together on Thursday night (Jan. 30) to perform at the FireAid benefit concert at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum. The band took the stage about halfway through the night, where they kicked off their performance […]
