INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) 鈥� The by some of music鈥檚 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 band's frontman, Billie Joe Armstrong.
Another Billy, comedian Billy Crystal, quickly followed them and reminded everyone of why they were there and watching: to 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 FireAid's outstanding moments:
Billy Crystal says 鈥榃e鈥檒l laugh again鈥�
Crystal appeared as the first host in the same clothes he was wearing when he fled his family home, which was . 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.
鈥淎nd tonight, here I am, talking to all of you in pain," he said. 鈥淏ut I鈥檓 also one of the hurting thousands asking, 鈥楬ave you seen my school?鈥� 鈥楬ave you seen my church?鈥� 鈥楬ave you seen my house?鈥� 鈥楬ave you seen my town?鈥� 鈥楬ave you seen the 29 people who lost their lives?鈥欌��
鈥淥n 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: 鈥淚 had not cried like that since I was 15 and I was told that my father had just died.鈥� His daughters soon found a rock with the word 鈥淟aughter鈥� engraved in it.
He recalled how his uncle at his father鈥檚 funeral service made everyone laugh by telling stories and doing magic tricks. 鈥淚t changed my life. I knew at that moment 鈥� even in your worst pain, folks 鈥� it鈥檚 OK and it鈥檚 important to laugh," he said.
鈥淲e鈥檒l laugh again,鈥� he said. 鈥淟et鈥檚 show the world who we are: We鈥檙e Los Angeles, one city, one heart. L.A. Strong!鈥�
Eilish鈥檚 early surprise
FireAid kicked off with a surprise guest appearance from Grammy winner Eilish.
The superstar singer strutted onstage while Green Day performed 鈥淟ast Night on Earth,鈥� which includes the lyrics, 鈥淚f I lose everything in the fire/I鈥檓 sending all my love to you.鈥� She stood next to Armstrong as the band鈥檚 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 love
Dr. 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 鈥淪till D.R.E.鈥� and Tupac Shakur鈥檚 1995 jam 鈥淐alifornia Love,鈥� which he produced.
鈥淚鈥檓 all about love for me tonight,鈥� Dr. Dre said alongside Sheila E. standing behind her drums and Anderson.Paak, who wore a black jersey with 鈥淜oreatown鈥� across his chest.
Dr. Dre talked about being in the music game for 40 years before showing his appreciation for the first responders. 鈥淚 appreciate all the first responders and all the firemen who put their lives on the line,鈥� he told the crowd.
Before Dr. Dre鈥檚 surprise appearance, Anderson .Paak performed 鈥淧ut Me Thru鈥� and 鈥淐ome Down鈥� from his 2016 album 鈥淢alibu.鈥�
Flea sets tone for Chili Peppers鈥� closing set
Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Flea made his signature grand entrance 鈥� because, of course, he did 鈥� setting the tone for his band鈥檚 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 Baby鈥檚 performance on the venue鈥檚 big screens. But Flea鈥檚 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 鈥淐alifornication鈥� and 鈥淕ive it Away.鈥�
鈥淟A is our home,鈥� Flea said. 鈥淲e 鈥� love you.鈥�
Nirvana's reunion
This is probably the closest thing to a Nirvana reunion we鈥檒l ever see. The three surviving members 鈥� Krist Novoselic, Dave Grohl and Pat Smear 鈥� 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 band's frontman who died in 1994. The trio separately delivered renditions of Nirvana鈥檚 classics including 鈥淏reed,鈥� 鈥淪chool鈥� and 鈥淭erritorial Pissings.鈥�
Another poignant moment involved Grohl鈥檚 daughter, Violet, who stepped onto the stage to perform 鈥淎ll Apologies,鈥� adding a personal touch to the night.
Dawes invites iconic friends
The 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 Still's 鈥淔or What It鈥檚 Worth (Stop, Hey What鈥檚 That Sound).鈥� Then Graham Nash, a longtime musical partner to Stills, was invited to the stage to sing 鈥淭each Your Children鈥� by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. At the end, Nash let the audience sing the final words.
鈥淲henever Los Angeles gets into trouble, the musicians are right there, and I鈥檓 proud to be one of them,鈥� Nash said.
A prayer for teachers
, who plays a teacher on the television show 鈥淎bbott Elementary,鈥� 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.
鈥淪o now I've lost more than my home. I've 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 鈥淚 think I'll just be happy today.鈥� The crowd in the Intuit Dome cheered.
鈥淪ometimes, that's all we can do. Even though it's hard there are moments that get us through. Moments like tonight,鈥� Flores said.
鈥淭hat's right,鈥� Brunson added. 鈥淓verybody, let's thank Aurora and all the teachers out there right now.鈥�
Jonathan Landrum Jr. And Mark Kennedy, The Associated Press
