By Joseph Seemayer –
Music legends, community leaders and supporters gathered for One805LIVE!, a two-night benefit concert supporting the mental health and wellness of Santa Barbara County’s first responders.
Hosted at Kevin Costner’s coastal estate, the September 25 and 26 event brought together performers and hundreds of invited emergency personnel and their families, along with supporters who came to show their appreciation for the people who respond to fires, floods, medical emergencies and other crises. According to organizers, all performing artists donated their time by waiving their performance fees.
Costner, who attended Cabrillo Middle School and Buena High School in Ventura, has maintained ties to the Central Coast. On Saturday, he took the stage with his band, Modern West, performing a set of Americana rock as the sun set over the coast. Between songs, Costner reflected on his Ventura County roots and thanked the first responders who serve local communities.
“Santa Barbara County has seen firsthand how quickly our first responders can be called upon to protect this community through fires, storms, floods and other emergencies,” said Kirsten Cavendish, co-founder and CEO of One805. “As we head into the winter months, One805LIVE! is both a celebration and an important reminder that supporting the people who show up for us on our hardest days must be a year-round commitment.”
Supporting First Responder Mental Health
One805 was established in 2018 following the Thomas Fire and the Montecito debris flow. Its early fundraising efforts included the “Kick Ash Bash,” which raised more than $2 million to support local first responders.
Since then, the nonprofit has helped provide emergency agencies with specialized equipment, including ocean rescue craft, thermal imaging cameras, mobile command trailers and disaster-response drones.
Mental health support has become another central focus of the organization’s work. First responders regularly face traumatic situations throughout their careers, and the effects can accumulate long after an emergency has ended.
To address these challenges, One805 launched a $10 million Mental Wellness Endowment Fund intended to provide sustained funding for confidential, around-the-clock counseling and other mental health services for county firefighters, law enforcement personnel and 911 dispatchers.
“The extraordinary generosity of the artists who waive their fees, our sponsors, donors and this community allows us to turn an unforgettable weekend of music into something with lasting impact,” said One805 co-founder Richard Weston-Smith. “The Mental Wellness Endowment Fund is about ensuring that first responders have access to meaningful support not only after a crisis, but throughout their careers.”
A Weekend of Music Across Generations
With legendary producer and One805 founding board member Alan Parsons helping guide the musical program, the weekend featured performers spanning several generations and musical styles.
Friday’s lineup included Motown groups The Temptations and The Four Tops, who performed together at a Santa Barbara-area event, alongside George Thorogood & The Destroyers, DJ Samantha Ronson and local favorites The Plastic Harpoons.
Saturday brought a different mix of sounds, with performances by The High Kings, The Fray, Slightly Stoopid, Costner and Modern West, and Pat Benatar with husband and guitarist Neil Giraldo.
Thorogood delivered his signature blues-rock sound, while Parsons brought his celebrated production and musical experience to the stage. Benatar and Giraldo closed out the weekend with familiar hits, including “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” and “Love Is a Battlefield,” prompting audience members to sing along.
Beyond the music, the event provided an opportunity to hear directly from those who serve on the front lines. Fire service leaders, including retired Montecito Fire Protection District Chief Chip Hickman and Santa Barbara County fire officials, spoke about the physical and emotional demands of emergency response and the importance of providing ongoing support to personnel.
Local residents Oprah Winfrey and actor Josh Brolin also addressed the gathering, expressing appreciation for first responders and encouraging continued support for their work.
Looking Beyond the Concert
For One805, the benefit is about more than bringing well-known performers to the Central Coast. The organization aims to turn community support into resources that help emergency personnel both on the job and throughout their careers.
As the weekend concluded, the event highlighted the connection between a community and the people who respond when it faces its most difficult moments. Through fundraising, equipment assistance and mental health programs, One805 continues working to ensure that those who care for others have access to support themselves.
For information about One805’s programs and its Mental Wellness Endowment Fund, visit one805.org/one805live-2026.
