Making my way through the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, it was clear that FireAid was set to be a different kind of musical extravaganza. Taking place simultaneously at both the state-of-the-art arena (which opened in August) and the longtime city staple the Kia Forum, the roster, which included everyone from Joni Mitchell to Peso Pluma, was announced in the wake of the devastating fires that struck the area earlier this month and broadcast around the world to raise funds and awareness, the atmosphere before showtime was neither celebratory nor subdued, striking a delicate balance to coalesce over a common love for Los Angeles and its ongoing strife.
A red carpet where flashbulbs are usually popping was mostly quiet as a mouse, with photographers invariably checking their lenses; perhaps the stars in attendance knew it would be inept to have a fashion moment on such an occasion. Even inside the arena, the usual pre-concert buzz of boisterous mingling and drink sipping was missing.
