In 2014, when Nirvana was being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, surviving members Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear reunited onstage to perform a raucous selection of the culture-shifting grunge band’s beloved songs. With Kurt Cobain gone, lead vocals fell to an assortment of guest singers – St. Vincent, Joan Jett, Kim Gordon and Lorde. Dubbed “Hervana,” the musical collective delivered what turned out to be one of the most legendary Rock Hall performances of all time.

On Thursday (Jan. 30) night, Hervana rode again. During the FireAid LA Benefit Concert – which is raising money to rebuild communities and assist people affected by the devastating Los Angeles wildfires – Nirvana once again reunited with three of the aforementioned four vocalists.

The unannounced performance at the Kia Forum ripped open with St. Vincent snarling through the bratty, punky Nevermind classic “Breed,” absolutely ripping it up on her guitar alongside Smear while Grohl pounded on the drums. After that, Kim Gordon – a friend of the band’s during Cobain’s lifetime – shuffled on stage to growl through an uncompromising “School” from the band’s debut album, Bleach. After the former Sonic Youth member’s appearance, Joan Jett took the stage to thunderous applause, singing Nevermind’s “Territorial Pissings” while a sweaty Grohl banged away in the background. (She missed a couple of lyrics, but who cares? If you’re expecting perfection from a Nirvana cover, you’re missing the point.)

Then came what was perhaps the biggest surprise: Violet Grohl, Dave’s 18-year-old daughter, singing lead vocals on Nirvana’s In Utero highlight “All Apologies.” Her vocals were strong and well-suited for the song, and while the magnitude of the Kia Forum’s crowd wasn’t lost on her, she was remarkably comfortable in front of the massive crowd.

Aside from demonstrating promising musical chops, that performance (not to mention the song title) was noteworthy for another reason. Just last fall, Dave Grohl announced that he had fathered a child outside of his marriage and he would do his best to be a father to that baby while simultaneously working to repair his marriage. “I love my wife and my children, and I am doing everything I can to regain their trust and earn their forgiveness,” he wrote on Instagram in September. This performance with Violet Grohl marks his first high-profile public appearance since then.

Jelly Roll didn’t write “I Am Not Okay” specifically about the Los Angeles fires, but like many of the songs performed during the Thursday (Jan. 30) FireAid benefit concert, it took on added meaning given the emotional upheaval Los Angelenos have gone through the past month as fires have ravaged parts of the county.

Striding out on the Intuit Dome stage sporting an L.A. Dodgers cap, he declared he was “going to bring some country music” to the evening before launching into the song, whose refrain — “I’m not OK, but it’s all going to be all right” — struck the perfect chord for the evening. The song’s message of resilience and Jelly Roll’s confident, sympathetic delivery felt like a reassuring promise.

After he finished the tune, which Jelly took to No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart last year, he introduced himself to the audience calling himself Jason “Jelly Roll” Deford, before adding, “I think it’s important while I’m on this stage to sing a song about one of my favorite cities in America, but I can’t do that without someone from Los Angeles. I would like to bring my big brother Travis Barker out to play tonight.”

With that, the Blink-182 drummer settled in behind the drum kit and the band barreled through a propulsive, driving version of Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band’s “Hollywood Nights,” Seger’s 1978 classic about a Midwest guy who gets lost in the excesses of the Los Angeles hills and in the allure of one particular woman, as he who wonders after it all goes south, if it’s too late to go back home.

Jelly Roll was one of more than two dozen performers — including Stevie Nicks, John Mayer, Rod Stewart, P!nk and No Doubt — who took over the Intuit Dome and Kia Forum for the benefit, which is raising money for victims of the fires and for future fire prevention.  

It’s been almost a year since No Doubt made their long-awaited reunion at Coachella, and the Southern California natives came back together on Thursday night (Jan. 30) to perform at the FireAid benefit concert at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum.

The band took the stage about halfway through the night, where they kicked off their performance with a rendition of their enduring 1995 hit “Just a Girl.” Showing off her impressive stage presence, frontwoman Gwen Stefani led the crowd in a boys versus girls chant of the “I’m just a girl” line in the chorus. As expected, the girls won.

The three-song performance featured two more classics from 1995, “Don’t Speak” and “Spiderwebs,” both featured on the band’s third studio album, Tragic Kingdom.

Formed in 1986, No Doubt released six albums — including the nine-week Billboard 200 chart-topper Tragic Kingdom — before disbanding in the mid 2010s. As a group, the band won two Grammys and nominated for nine overall, including a nod for Tragic Kingdom in the best rock album category and a best pop performance by a duo or group with vocal nomination for “Don’t Speak.” Stefani released her debut solo album, Love. Angel. Music. Baby., in 2004.

Throughout the FireAid broadcast, those looking to donate to the victims of the devastating Los Angeles fires were urged to visit fireaidla.org. For every pledge made during the show, Connie and Steve Ballmer — owner of the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers and the Intuit Dome — will match it. The donations “will be distributed under the advisement of the Annenberg Foundation and will be distributed for short-term relief efforts and long-term initiatives to prevent future fire disasters throughout Southern California,” per the website.

The Weeknd has officially closed the chapter on his iconic trilogy with Hurry Up Tomorrow, released Friday (Jan. 31) via XO and Republic Records.

While fans expected collaborations from artists like Playboi Carti and Anitta, a surprise feature emerged: Lana Del Rey’s uncredited vocals on the track “The Abyss.” Listeners quickly identified Del Rey’s distinct vocals on the haunting track, marking another collaboration between the two artists following Lust for Life’s “Stargirl Interlude” and Dawn FM’s “Beautiful.”

Another unexpected detail from the release was the absence of “Dancing in the Flames,” which was previously promoted as a single.

The song does not appear on the final tracklist, leading to speculation about whether it was cut at the last minute or reserved for a future project.

The album arrives after a slight delay, originally slated for Jan. 24 but postponed due to The Weeknd’s $1 million donation to Los Angeles wildfire relief efforts. It serves as the third and final installment in his latest trilogy, following After Hours and Dawn FM.

The project was preceded by the singles “Timeless” featuring Playboi Carti and “São Paulo” with Anitta. “Timeless” reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in October.

Alongside the album, The Weeknd will also make his feature film debut in the upcoming psychological thriller Hurry Up Tomorrow, directed by Trey Edward Shults and starring Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan. The film, scored by The Weeknd and longtime collaborator Daniel Lopatin (Oneohtrix Point Never), is set for theatrical release on May 16.

After 14 years of redefining modern R&B and pop, The Weeknd’s latest release marks the end of an era. With Del Rey’s hidden contribution and the mystery surrounding “Dancing in the Flames,” Hurry Up Tomorrow offers plenty for fans to unpack.

Stream “The Abyss” below.

It’s truly the end of an era. The superstar known as Abel Tesfaye has closed the final chapter of being The Weeknd with his latest album Hurry Up Tomorrow, which dropped Friday (Jan. 31) via XO and Republic Records.

The album was originally scheduled to arrive last Friday, Jan. 24, but he pushed it back due to the wildfire crisis in LA and has since donated $1 million to relief efforts. He also canceled his one-night-only album release stadium show at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena that was slated for Jan. 25.

Hurry Up Tomorrow serves as the third and final installment of his latest trilogy, following 2020’s After Hours and 2022’s Dawn FM. The LP was preceded by three singles: “Dancing in the Flames,” “Timeless” with Playboi Carti and “São Paulo” featuring Anitta. “Timeless” reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in October.

The Canadian-Ethiopian artist will also be making his feature film debut in the accompanying psychological thriller film Hurry Up Tomorrow, directed by Trey Edward Shults and also starring Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan. The Weeknd and his frequent collaborator Daniel Lopatin (also known as Oneohtrix Point Never) will score the movie, which Lionsgate will distribute in theaters worldwide on May 16.

It’s a poetic end to The Weeknd’s career, 14 years after it began: In 2011, he dropped three mixtapes — House of Balloons, Thursday and Echoes of Silence — that were eventually remastered and repackaged into his Trilogy compilation album, which his XO label and Republic Records released the following year.

Listen to Hurry Up Tomorrow below.