This Thursday the Intuit Dome and the Kia Forum will simultaneously host two benefit concert events to help the victims of the Los Angeles Wildfires. Tickets went on sale Jan. 22nd and the remaining tickets are available on Ticketmaster. Doors will open at 5:00 pm.
Hassan Emilio Kabande Laija, the regional Mexican singer most commonly known as Peso Pluma, will participate in the FireAid concert as the benefit’s sole Latino representative.
Described as “an evening of music and solidarity,” according to FireAid’s website will host 27 artists and bands at two different locations: the Kia Forum and the Intuit Dome. The former will host the Mexican artist along with Billie Eilish, Katy Perry, Sting, and many others.
The doors for both venues are set to open at 5:00 pm and the performances at the Intuit Dome at 7:30 pm. The tickets went on sale Wednesday 22nd at 12:00 pm PST on Ticketmaster, starting at $99. Within the hour, only tickets valued at around $1500 were available on the event website. Users online were disappointed by the excessive prices of available tickets. One Reddit user @international-low836 expressed his discontent by stating “I thought they were supposed to be starting at $99? I’m all for the cause of getting the most money possible, but us “normal middle class/poor people” can’t afford that price”.
According to the FireAid website, the LA Clippers are covering most event expenses. This will allow 100% of the ticket purchases to go to relief efforts to help rebuild infrastructure and help the victims of the Los Angeles fires according to the FireAid, website.
The concert is also raising funds through exclusive merchandise designed by Yoshimoto Nara. Nara designed different posters, sweatshirts, t-shirts and hats. The items range from $25 to $85. You can buy merchandise online or at the venues on the day of the event. The funds from the concerts will be managed under the advice of the Annenberg Foundation.
Both the Palisades and the Eaton Fire have displaced more than 150,000 residents, destroyed thousands of homes and have unfortunately killed 28. In response, Peso Pluma is among some of the Latin-American Artists who have donated and expressed their condolences to the wildfire victims.
Pluma posted a video on his TikTok expressing his support by saying that he was heartbroken by what was happening in his second home and shared how he donated to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation. A week later, his involvement with FireAid was also announced by Live Nation on the FireAid website.
Comments online have criticized the artist for supporting an American cause. One Facebook user @Alexander Vargas exclaimed “how it would be better for him to fundraise for Mexico” and another Facebook user @David Ramirez expressed his discontent with artists who are always trying to put on a good face in attempting to help causes from other countries while avoiding to help people from their own countries.
Despite some controversy surrounding Peso Pluma’s involvement with the benefit, at just 25 years of age, he will be headline FireAid alongside world-renowned artists.
FireAid will also broadcast and live stream its performances on numerous platforms, including Amazon Music and Prime Video, Apple Music, the AppleTV app, Disney +, Hulu, iHeartRadio, KTLA+, Max, Netflix/Tudum, Paramount+, Peacock/NBC News Now, Sirius XM’s exclusive “LIFE with John Mayer” channel, SoundCloud, Veeps, and YouTube.
FireAid is encouraging direct donations on their website here.