wildfire relief
The streaming partners of FireAid, the mega-concert that has so far raised more than $100 million for LA wildfire victims, have extended on-demand access to the Jan. 30 concert for a year, with donations made during the streams matched dollar for dollar. Those streaming partners include Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, iHeart, KTLA+, Max, Netflix, Paramount+, Peacock/NBCNewsNow, SiriusXM, TikTok, Veeps and YouTube.
Fans of Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga, Green Day or any of the dozens of other acts that performed at the five-hour-long concert can also still donate to wildfire relief through FireAidLA.org. Billionaire ex-Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and his wife Connie extended their commitment to match every streaming donation, thereby doubling the fundraising effort.
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The concert, which featured performances from 30 artists at two Los Angeles venues, the Intuit Dome and the Kia Forum, attracted 50 million viewers across 28 streaming platforms on Jan. 30. Organizers of the event said proceeds raised by the shows will go to support the L.A. region’s immediate needs and long-term recovery from a series of wind-whipped wildfires that killed 29 people and destroyed more than 16,000 homes and other structures.
FireAid’s grants advisory committee, led by the Annenberg Foundation and other experienced regional philanthropic individuals, is charged with distributing the aid, and they expect the first phase of grants to be awarded by mid-February, according to a press release.
“The committee has been listening daily to affected communities, assessing local resource gaps to ensure aid reaches those most in need, and researching the handling of other fire disasters, such as those in Maui and Northern California,” according to the statement.
FireAid was organized by Shelli and Irving Azoff and the Azoff family, Live Nation, and the Los Angeles Clippers, with Joel Gallen of Tenth Planet serving as executive producer and Rick Krim as talent producer.
Eight months after going on hiatus, comedy rock duo Tenacious D are back. Sort of. The Jack Black-fronted two-man band appear on a new compilation album benefitting victims of last month’s deadly Los Angeles wildfires, Good Music to Lift Los Angeles. The contribution is a cover of REO Speedwagon’s 1980 power ballad “Keep on Loving You,” a song they’ve performed live in their patented urgent acoustic style before.
The 90-track compilation released today (Feb. 7) contains previously unreleased recordings, new songs, covers, remixes, live versions and demos from Animal Collective, Blondshell, Perfume Genius, R.E.M., Dawes, Death Cab For Cutie, TV on the Radio, Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, MJ Lenderman, My Morning Jacket, Interpol, Mudhoney, Manchester Orchestra, The New Pornographers and many more.
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It was unclear at press time when the band — which also features guitarist/singer Kyle Gass — recorded the song; you can buy the album exclusively now on Bandcamp. The compilation will be available for one day only, with proceeds going to the L.A. Regional Food Bank and California Foundation’s Wildfire Fund.
At press time it did not appear that Black or Gass had commented on the song’s inclusion on the compilation, which comes after they announced a break and cancelled a planned Australian tour following Gass’ controversial on-stage joke about the assassination attempt against then-presidential candidate Donald Trump.
After the comment, Black apologized and announced that the group would take a break in light of criticism from Australia’s right-wing over the joke Gass made at a show in Sydney in July when Black rolled out a birthday cake for his longtime musical mate and asked him to make a wish. “Don’t miss Trump next time,” Gass quipped, just weeks after a 20-year-old gunman opened fire on a Trump rally in Butler, PA, grazing Trump’s ear and killing a rally attendee.
In a deleted post, Gass apologized, writing, “I don’t condone violence of any kind” and saying he was “incredibly sorry for my severe lack of judgement.” Shortly after, Gass was dropped by his agent and the remainder of the Australian tour, as well as a planned fall run of U.S. shows in swing states ahead of November’s presidential election, were cancelled.
Black also posted an apology on Instagram at the time, writing, “I was blindsided by what was said at the show on Sunday. I would never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form.” At the time of the tour cancellation, Black’s statement said that “all future creative plans are on hold.”
In August, Black told Variety that the duo needed “to take a break. Everybody needs a break sometime,” while also promising “and we’ll be back.”
In the meantime, earlier this week, Black posted a video from the set of his new movie Anaconda in which he sang the names of his co-stars while one of them, Paul Rudd, accompanied him on a hand drum.
Check it out below.
Dwight Yoakam and Turnpike Troubadours and a string of other artists are set to help raise funds to aid those impacted by the greater Los Angeles-area wildfires, with a concert at Nashville‘s Bridgestone Arena.
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On Feb. 19, Yoakam and Turnpike Troubadours will lead LA Revival, a special benefit concert presented by Thirty Tigers and Triple Tigers. The show will also feature performances from “Burning House” hitmaker Cam, Corey Kent, Carter Faith, Shane Profitt and Brit Taylor.
All of the proceeds from the event will go to the MusiCares LA Fire Relief Effort, to help those affected by the wildfires in the greater Los Angeles area last month. MusiCares was founded by The Recording Academy in 1989; the organization offers preventative, emergency and recovery programs, offering a safety net to aid the health and welfare of those in the music community.
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LA Revival is just one of many recent concerts that have raised funds to help those who have been impacted by the wildfires. The recent FireAid concert, which featured artists including Green Day, Billie Eilish, Jelly Roll, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, has raised more than $100 million to date. Meanwhile, The Recording Academy raised nearly $9 million on Sunday (Feb. 2), when the Grammy Awards aired; throughout Grammy weekend, the Recording Academy and MusiCares raised over $24 million for charitable activities.
In November, Yoakam released his first album in nearly a decade, Brighter Days. The long-tail influence of California’s country music scene has been embedded in Yoakam’s music since the beginning; In the 1980s, he pursued a career in Nashville, but soon decamped to California, soaking in the influence of Buck Owens and the Bakersfield sound, and his unique sound resulted in his debut project Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc.
This year, Turnpike Troubadours will also join Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Music Festival Tour on select dates. They also recently announced two dates at the iconic outdoor venue Red Rocks, on May 8-9.
Tickets for LA Revival will go on sale Feb. 5 starting at 5 p.m. CT.
The proceeds from the all-star FireAid benefit shows last month are expected to bring in more than $100 million according to organizers. In a statement released on Tuesday (Feb. 4), the team behind last week’s dual shows at L.A.’s Intuit Dome and Kia Forum said that proceeds raised by the shows will help to support the L.A. region’s immediate needs and long-term recovery from a series of wind-whipped wildfires that killed 29 people and destroyed more than 16,000 homes and other structures.
The release noted that the shows drew more than 50 million viewers across 28 streaming platforms for moving performances from more than 30 artists, including Green Day with Billie Eilish, Jelly Roll, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Olivia Rodrigo, Peso Pluma, Stevie Wonder, Lil Baby, Tate McRae, Sting, Alanis Morissette, Anderson .Paak with Dr. Dre and Sheila E, Dawes, John Mayer, a Nirvana reunion, Joni Mitchell, a reunited No Doubt, P!nk and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, among many others.
“The estimated amount raised includes ticket sales for both venues, sponsorships, merchandise sales, and donations from the public including generous private gifts from the Azoff family, the Eagles, Andrew Hauptman and Ellen Bronfman Hauptman, and U2,” read the release, which noted that operating costs for the six-hour benefits were offset by the NBA’s L.A. Clippers, with billionaire Steve Ballmer and wife Connie matching every pledge made during the broadcast and VOD viewing and Live Nation serving as the production partner.
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The money will go to support the L.A. region’s immediate needs, long-term recovery and forward-spinning initiatives to help prevent such large-scale fires in the future following what experts say could be the most destructive blazes in the city’s history. With fundraising still open, organizers said that they expect to begin rolling out the first grants by mid-month.
FireAid announced that it had raised more than $60 million from tickets sales and sponsorships before the show began, with all proceeds to be distributed through the L.A.-based Annenberg Foundation. The shows that came together in record time were a collaboration between Shelli, Irving, and the Azoff family, Live Nation and the LA Clippers, with Joel Gallen of Tenth Planet serving as executive producer and Rick Krim as talent producer.
Jelly Roll was joined by Lainey Wilson, Marshmello, Public Enemy and others for a star-studded benefit concert to support the first responders who battled the recent wildfires in Los Angeles.
On Saturday night (Feb. 1), the “I Am Not Okay” singer performed at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., before a crowd of nearly 16,000, made up entirely of emergency personnel, including over 1,000 incarcerated firefighters from across the state.
“I want you to know that you are here tonight because you are a hero or you are a loved one of a hero,” the country star told the audience. “And I knew the moment I was watching this go down all the way in Tennessee in my house, I thought if I got a chance to go to California I was gonna play music to everyone who worked their a– off for the last two months trying to keep the rest of this place safe. Thank y’all for having me tonight — this is awesome!”
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Amy Sussman/Getty Images for Jelly Roll
The two-hour show, dubbed Jelly Roll & Friends, was held in partnership with Live Nation and featured a 30-song setlist. Additional guest performers included Nate Smith and Shinedown.
The Antioch, Tenn., native opened the evening with hits like “Liar,” “Son of a Sinner,” “I Am Not Okay” and “Need a Favor,” before welcoming his special guests to the stage. Highlights of the night included duets with Nate Smith on “Whiskey on You” and with Shinedown on “Second Chance.” Public Enemy and Marshmello also took the stage, performing “Fight the Power” and “Happier,” respectively. The evening came to a close with Jelly Roll and Wilson performing their Grammy-nominated hit “Save Me” and other fan-favorites.
Amy Sussman/Getty Images for Jelly Roll
Saturday’s free concert was exclusively for members of California’s emergency response teams, including California Professional Fire Fighters, the National Guard, the California Conservation Corps, CDCR, LAPD, LA Sheriff’s Department, Pasadena PD, Sierra Madre PD, Arcadia PD, Angeles National Forest, Ventura Training Center, FirstTix members, and their families, according to a press release.
This wasn’t the only benefit concert Jelly Roll participated in to support those impacted by the Southern California wildfires. The six-time Billboard Country Airplay chart-topper also took part in the massive FireAid benefit concert on Jan. 30, held at L.A.’s Intuit Dome and the Kia Forum. The event also featured performances by Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, Lady Gaga and more.
Jelly Roll will play a headlining benefit show to support first responders who have bravely faced the wildfires that ravaged parts of greater Los Angeles earlier this month. The “I Am Not Okay” hitmaker will lead the benefit concert on Saturday at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, and is inviting only first responders and […]
Jhené Aiko is the latest star offering support in the midst of the devastating Los Angeles wildfires. Over the weekend, the “Sunshine” singer announced that she and her wellness brand, Jhenetics, are sponsoring free massages for the first responders from the L.A. Fire Department.
“Thank you to our first responders, those who have spent days away from their families, working tirelessly to protect us. We hope this small gesture of gratitude makes a difference during these long shifts,” Aiko wrote in an Instagram post featuring a series of slides of the Jhenetics team working on first responders.
The post also shouted out LAFD Foundation and the other massage therapists who contributed to the effort from Manly Handz mobile spa.
Aiko is one of the thousands of Angelenos who’ve lost their homes in the midst of the two-week spate of deadly wildfires that have killed 27 so far and destroyed more than 12,000 homes and other structures while burning more than 40,000 acres to date. On Jan. 9, Aiko revealed that her home “burned to the ground with all of our things inside. She confirmed that her two children she shares with Big Sean — 16-year-old daughter Namiko and two-year-old son Noah — were both safe.
“Lord have mercy 🙏 Thankful we still have eachother 💙 starting from scratch. My heart is so heavy 💔,” she wrote at the time, adding, “praying for everyone this morning. those who lost their home, those who lost their life’s work, those who lost their life. praying for my city. praying for the wild life and lost pets. praying for the world 💙.”
The L.A. area continued to be under a red flag warning for the potential spread of fires due through Tuesday morning (Jan. 21), with officials warning that the destructive Santa Ana winds could whip up again as more than 41,000 residents remain under an evacuation order.
In addition to Aiko, others who’ve talked about losing their homes include Paris Hilton, Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith, Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt, Mandy Moore, Diane Warren, Miles Teller and many more.
Among the many charitable contributions and relief efforts launched to date is the upcoming all-star FireAid Benefit Concert at the Kia Forum in L.A. on Jan. 30 that will include appearances by Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, a reunited No Doubt, Katy Perry, Jelly Roll, Sting, Stevie Nicks, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dave Matthews, Green Day and many more.
YouTube and Google, together with Google.org, are contributing $15 million toward relief efforts aiding those impacted by the Los Angeles-area wildfires. The contribution will go to organizations including Emergency Network Los Angeles, American Red Cross and the Center for Disaster Recovery.
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YouTube CEO Neal Mohan made the announcement in a blog post on Wednesday, Jan. 15.
“Los Angeles is the heart of entertainment and storytelling and has an impact on culture all overthe world. It’s also where many YouTube creators, artists, partners and our employees callhome. Like so many, we’ve been heartbroken by the devastation from the wildfires and want todo our part to support the community as it rebuilds,” Mohan wrote.
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He also outlined other efforts Google is making to help aid relief efforts.
“Together with Google.org, YouTube and Google are contributing $15 million to organizationsproviding immediate relief in LA, including Emergency Network Los Angeles, American RedCross and the Center for Disaster Philanthropy. And Google is providing accurate and timelyinformation to LA through products and services like Google Search, Google Maps and Waze.
“When it’s safe to reopen our offices in LA, we plan to offer YouTube production facilities toimpacted creators and artists as they begin to recover and rebuild their businesses. In thecoming months, we’ll also host a number of events to bring the YouTube creative communitytogether – making space to connect and share resources.
Mohan ended the blog post by saying, “On the long road ahead, we’ll continue to support recovery and rebuilding efforts alongside our partners across the industry. In moments like these, we see the power of communities coming together to support each other – and the strength and resilience of the YouTube community is like no other.”
Google and YouTube join numerous other organizations that are helping those who lives, homes and businesses have been impacted by the Los Angeles-area wildfires. The announcement follows recent announcements from companies including Amazon, which committed $10 million to relief efforts. Sony Group Corporation previously announced it would donate $5 million to wildfire relief efforts, while the Warner Music Group/Blavatnik Family Foundation Social Justice Fund pledged $1 million.
The wildfires began Jan. 7 in the Pacific Palisades area just outside of Los Angeles, and swiftly spread to areas including Runyon Canyon and Altadena. The wildfires have swept through at least 40,000 acres in the greater Los Angeles area and killed at least 25 people, according to NBC News. The Los Angeles area is still on high alert as of Wednesday, Jan. 15.
Amazon is committing $10 million to L.A. wildlife relief efforts, the company announced on Monday (Jan. 13). The donation comes from Amazon’s entertainment division (Amazon Music, Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios), along with Ring and Whole Foods Market.
According to a blog post on the Amazon website, the money “will go directly to national and local disaster and response organizations including the American Red Cross of Southern California, FireAid, MusiCares Fire Relief Effort, World Central Kitchen, Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, Habitat for Los Angeles Wildfire Fund, and Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce Small Business Relief/Recovery Fund, among others, as well as in-kind advertising opportunities on Prime Video for nonprofits supporting LA fire relief efforts.”
Amazon has already donated more than 145,000 essential items to 17 local organizations working on the wildfire response, including fire stations, community fire brigades, the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), Dream Center and multiple YMCA chapters. This includes 30,000 items to the Los Angeles County Salvation Army, 5,000 shelter items, more than 300 wildfire response items, gift cards to LAUSD to support teachers who lost their classrooms in the fires and 1,000 items to support fire stations, among many others.
The company says it’s also “deploying” its AWS cloud technology, including drone support, “to help emergency responders better understand and react to the evolving wildfire situation.” Additionally, it says it’s “curating opportunities” for its Southern California employees to volunteer with organizations including the LA Regional Food Bank and LAUSD.
Amazon’s announcement follows similar commitments made by companies including Sony Group Corporation, which on Monday said it would donate $5 million to wildfire relief efforts, as well as the Warner Music Group/Blavatnik Family Foundation Social Justice Fund, which pledged $1 million.
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