Hayley Williams Covers Björk, Surprise Reunion & All That Happened At G*ve A F*ck LA

Several artists have joined the lineups to benefit concerts aiding those affected by the wildfires in the Los Angeles Area. The latest to take place was the G*ve A F*ck LA benefit show at the Hollywood Palladium this past Wednesday, February 5. The lineup included Paramore’s frontwoman Hayley Williams, Finneas, Lucy Dacus, and a partial reunion of Rilo Kiley.

The benefit and auction for the LA wildfire relief was held in a more intimate venue compared to the recent FireAid benefit concert held at the Intuit Dome and the Kia Forum on January 30. Those who were unable to attend G*ve A F*ck LA in person were able to watch a live stream via Veeps.com. All ticket proceeds went directly to local organizations such as Altadena Girls, Friends in Deed, One Voice, and Pasadena Humane. The show was hosted by actor John C. Reilley, who did not hold back as he repeatedly asked the VIP attendees to kindly “shut the fuck up” during the artists’ sets.

The Hollywood Palladium was filled with fans from all over SoCal eager to not only see some of their favorite artists but also to help support Los Angeles and local communities during a time of need. The night was filled with surprises including a semi-reunion of LA’s very own Rilo Kiley. Members Jenny Lewis and Pierre De Reeder were joined on stage by Muna’s Katie Gavin and Hayley Williams, who sported green pom poms, during the performance of the band’s LA love letter “Let Me Back In.” Rilo Kiley recently announced their headlining reunion tour, the first tour since 2008.

Hayley Williams performed a solo set with a stripped-down rendition of Failure‘s “Daylight” and covered Björk’s “All Is Full of Love” with the help of the audience. Following her set, Williams brought out Symone, a drag queen, who performed Paramore’s “That’s What You Get” and “Crushcrushcrush.” During Williams and Symone’s set, The Linda Lindas were seen in the GA pit dancing and singing along to every word alongside fans.

The star-studded lineup included performances by St. Vincent, Perfume Genius, The Linda Lindas, Fred Armisen, Christopher Owens, Courtney Barnett, Juliette Lewis, and more, who generally stuck with acoustic sets. Actor and comedian Fred Armisen surprised the audience with a quick history run-down of drum styles ranging from the 1960s to the present in rock and punk music. Finneas performed “For Cryin’ Out Loud” and “Only A Lifetime.” The night officially closed with every artist joining Phantom Planet on stage to perform their single “California.”

Several artists donated memorabilia and merchandise for the auction. Williams donated Paramore memorabilia including the outfit she wore in the band’s “This Is Why” music video. Williams also had a booth for her hair dye, Good Dye Young, where attendees could grab a free dye kit. Milk Makeup also gave away free lipgloss throughout the night. Items for the auction were also donated by Chappell Roan, Charli XCX, Cher, Jenny Lewis, Sabrina Carpenter, Sky Ferreira, Olivia Rodrigo, Caroline Polachek, and more.

Overall it was an incredible night. The surprises appeared to be never-ending and the atmosphere was unforgettable. Most artists performed two songs during their sets. The star-studded lineup united with John C. Reilley’s hosting and comedic relief between sets was the perfect combination for a very entertaining night.