Reflections on A Concert for Altadena

On the one year anniversary of when the fires began to tear through Altadena, a sold out crowd filled the Pasadena Civic Center to band together in support of our beloved community. The lineup, headed by Dawes, was largely made up of locals-- Altadenans, Pasadenans, and people with deep ties to the neighborhood, including MC John C. Reilly who was one of the thousands of people who lost his longtime home in the blaze. Reilly notably went off-script and spoke candidly about the collective frustration with Edison, the framing of the event as "wildfire," and the callous government response. His honesty felt like a hug of validation.

Knowing how likely it was that the crowd was as intensely tied to our surroundings as the performers were made the entire evening feel very emotionally engaged, present, and intimate despite its size. There was a strong spirit of shared experience and community behind the many standing ovations. 

Living where we live, in the suburbs, allows a certain amount of mental detachment from The Industry, which is perhaps a part of its appeal for industry leaders seeking refuge and escape. Despite knowing how much talent lives amongst us, it still felt pretty awe-inspiring to witness the level of talent pouring their hearts out together on a shared bill in our "little" town. 

The evening was so thoughtfully curated, which is an incredible feat even when the underlying topic isn't as emotionally charged as this one. I think a lot of us weren't sure how to process our feelings as the first anniversary approached, and I know many of our displaced friends, family, and clients couldn't bring themselves to attend the show. The wound is still very fresh, but Dawes treated it with so much loving care. A night that brings many artists on stage for a song or two can easily feel disjointed, but Dawes managed the cadence perfectly. They essentially acted as the house band for the night, seamlessly backing other performers and playing everyone’s music flawlessly. The whole event felt celebratory, intentional, and emotionally cohesive. It was a brief and very welcome reprieve as we gear up to continue building back our beloved Altadena.