I just caught up with the Fire Aid benefit concert that took place Thursday night in Los Angeles to raise money to help those affected by the wildfires that devastated parts of that city. The show, which lasted six hours across two venues, garnered something like $60 million in donations.
I didn’t watch the whole thing, but skipped through to see who was there and how the performances looked. The younger generation was well represented by superstars who made tween girls in the audience scream very loudly (e.g. Olivia Rodrigo, Gracie Abrams, and Billie Eilish). At the other end were septuagenarians and octogenarians like Rod Stewart (who still sounds great), Stephen Stills (who doesn’t), Graham Nash, John Fogerty, Sting, Stevie Wonder, Stevie Nicks, and Earth Wind & Fire. In the middle were solid turns by Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Alanis Morrisette, and a Nirvana reunion with guest vocalists.
Joni Mitchell was also there to sing “Both Sides Now,” and while I have always liked a lot of her music, Joni’s appearance saddened me. I know all about the stroke and her comeback (thanks to Brandi Carlile), but it’s time for Joni to stop showing up at events like this, sitting on a golden throne and barely squeaking out the lyrics. It reminded me of Kirk Douglas being dragged onstage for the Academy Awards. Doing so diminishes her status as a music legend.
Putting together an event like Fire Aid in just a few weeks was a remarkable accomplishment. It helped that so many musicians and industry execs live in the LA area, so either they were personally impacted or had close friends who lost everything. There were also very moving remarks made by just regular folks — a teacher, a firefighter, and a caregiver who looks after his blind father and wheelchair-bound mother — who also found themselves with no place to go home to.
The highlight of the evening was this performance by Pink, accompanied only by her guitarist, Justin Derrico. She did a raucous version of “Me and Bobby McGee,” written by Kris Kristofferson (who died last year) and famously covered by Janis Joplin. Pink’s version was an homage to Joplin although, frankly, I think she sang it better.
See for yourself…