While Most Of America Slept Thursday Night, LA's #FireAid Fundraiser Concert Made Music History With An Epic, Insanely Entertaining Six-Hour Set
In this day and age of a non-stop negative news barrage from every angle and the endless politicization of every fucking goddamn thing you can imagine (yes, we even have dudes protesting the Pill), it's so damn easy to forget that a worthwhile thing might manage to prairie dog its head out to the well-meaning populace among us. Case in point, LA's two-venue #FireAid fundraiser on Thursday night.
I'm sure I'm scrolled passed by Tweets and IG posts prior to Thursday but never made a mental note about it. But then during my Thursday night NHL binge Twitter check, I caught this picture of a screenshot of the artists' roll call...
"Wait a minute?!? These motherfuckers are playing TONIGHT? LIVE? LIKE NOW?!?" was my immediate reaction. And that's just off the first two. The Scottish legend Rod Stewart still slaying. Perhaps the best R&B group ever in Earth, Wind, and Fire right after him. Followed by a Murderer's Row of chart-toppers going back SEVEN decades.
I immediately booted whatever Pacific Division game was on the main stage in favor of YouTube to find Rone's friend John Mayer doing his flood-causing thing with the gee-tar. I realized that I missed the first two hours of the show which included Green Day, Alanis, Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals (with Sheila E), Joni Mitchell, Dawes, Pink, and the aforementioned erstwhile Face, Rod. But I had just no idea how epic this show would become over the next four hours. First, you gotta hear Pink's stellar version of "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You"…
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After Mayer's plucking virtuosity, EW&F's trio of superhits ("That's The Way Of The World", "Shining Star", and "September") gave the crowd a kick-in-the-ass that brought both the Intuit and Forum to their respective feet.
What followed next was the highlight for my classic rock ass: The Black Crowes. After ripping through a typically searing version of "Remedy", CCR legend John Fogerty joined the boys for a joyous rendition of "Have You Ever Seen The Rain?".
But their closer turned the venue into Goosebump Central as legendary ax-man Slash sat in with Rich and Chris for an unforgettable acoustic take on "Going To California"…
After a two-fer by Gracie Adams, a reunited No Doubt came out and put on arguably the most fire set of the 6-hour super-show. Gwen Stefani, looking not a day older than when the smash album Tragic Kingdom took over college speakers from North Adams to North Idaho, had bottomless energy and absolutely crushed the killer trio of "Just A Girl", "Don't Speak", and "Spiderwebs".
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Canadian darling and friend of the program Tate McRae had the envious job of tailing Gwen but pulled it off, thanks largely to her selection of the equally mournful and hopeful '80's anthem "Don't Dream It's Over".
And there were still a dozen more acts after this including the RHCP, Jelly Roll, Stevie Nicks, Sting, Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish, and Stevie Wonder. But the biggest surprise of the night was the four-song Nirvana reunion featuring four different ladies rocking out.
Joan Jett was my personal fave here…
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My paisan Dante will have more of the music links in his blog. But I just wanted to note how epic this show was just from a musical history perspective. Yes, it's up there in the conversation with the best charity concerts ever put on.
I know many, like myself, initially wondered why the show was on a Thursday. But as my guy Dante pointed out, the Grammys are this Sunday, which makes Thursday's undertaking all the more impressive.
If you'd like to help out, here's the link for #FireAid…
You can watch the entire concert here…
On a more local level, my pals Matthew and Martin Mullen, a pair of South Boston brothers who have been with LAFD for 24 years, are hosting a fundraiser for their affected co-workers on March 1st at Boston Teachers Union Hall in Dot. Here's more information if you'd like to buy tickets or make a donation. Anything is greatly appreciated.
