Billie Joe Armstrong and the Coverups Perform at FireAid Benefit Concert for Los Angeles Wildfire Relief
On Thursday night, Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong joined his bandmates to open the FireAid benefit concert, a nearly six-hour event that raised $60 million for those affected by the devastating Los Angeles wildfires.
In the wake of the tragedy, a sense of community and support has emerged, as evidenced by both large-scale philanthropic gestures and smaller acts of kindness.
On Friday evening, Armstrong scaled down the stadium-sized spectacle of Green Day to perform with his side project, the Coverups, at the Troubadour in West Hollywood. The Coverups, a rotating collective of musicians, featured vocalist/guitarist Jason White, bassist Bill Schneider, and drummer Chris Dugan.
Typically known for their eclectic repertoire, the Coverups played through selections from their usual setlist, including classics by Bryan Adams, Sweet, Cheap Trick, and Soul Asylum.
Despite the somber circumstances, the concert was an uplifting experience, with all proceeds going to the Altadena Boys and Altadena Girls organizations. Armstrong shared words of encouragement with the crowd, emphasizing the importance of mental health and choosing positive social circles.
As the show drew to a close, the Coverups performed "Sometime to Return" for a second time, its lyrics resonating with the theme of resilience and community: "Ride into town and look around, get up and do something / No time to choose it, do it do it do it do it."