In the hazy, red glow of the Shrine Auditorium, James “Jamie xx” Smith managed to turn a 6,300-capacity venue into an intimate club experience. As Smith mixed oldies, techno, U.K. garage, his own tracks and more, the crowd was entirely lost in the music. Not a phone could be seen in the air, nor was anyone anything but enraptured. 

Friday’s concert, which was held between the unusual hours of 2:30 to 5 p.m., was a benefit show to raise money for victims of the wildfires that recently ravaged Los Angeles. Smith announced the show Wednesday, and tickets were much cheaper than the shows he performed Thursday and later Friday night. All proceeds from the show were divided among the California Fire Foundation, Extreme Weather Survivors and ClientEarth, which are organizations mobilizing to provide relief to individuals affected by the fires.

“LA holds a special place in my heart, the time I have spent there over the last few years and the people that I have met have rly [sic] been life changing for me,” wrote Smith in an Instagram statement.

The two-and-a-half-hour set began with Smith performing alongside SEES00000, another DJ, for an hour. On a scaled-back stage with just their decks and two record players, Smith and SEES00000 traded off oldies with companionable smiles. It was an unexpected — but pleasant — surprise to see that they were mixing vinyl for the entirety of their set. 45s and 33s of groove, soul and funk slid seamlessly into each other as the DJs took turns rifling through the multiple boxes of records sitting behind the table. 

Tracks like Cross Island’s “East of the Apple – Al Kent Remix” and Bridge’s “Loves In Your Corner” set a chill, laid back vibe for the show’s opening. People  continued to slowly filter in and fill up the hall while those already there stayed focused on the stage, with drinks in their hands. Audience members took pictures of themselves, as well as Smith and SEES00000, on digital and disposable cameras. 

The cavernous space of the Shrine filled with groovy sounds as the DJs began to mix in less well-known tracks, like “Hum Tumhen Chahte Hain” from the 1980 Bollywood movie “Qurbani.” People in the audience swayed to the beat with their heads tilted up and their eyes closed — completely living in the moment. Dancing picked up as jazzier songs were introduced into the mix, such as War’s “The World is a Ghetto.”

The true thesis of the afternoon, though, was one of the last songs that Smith and SEES00000 played, encapsulating the feeling of contentment and relief palpable in the room. The audience cheered as The Controllers’ “People Want Music” came on and proved that music has always been a great unifier. 

Smith aimed to give back to the community with the revenue generated from this show, but he also provided some much-needed levity and joy to a city that’s dealt with too much sadness recently. At that moment, the collective happiness in the room showed that everyone came together not just for a good cause, but also to have a good time.

After SEES00000 left the stage, it was time for Smith to shine. Far from the soft and vibey beats of moments earlier, he began the solo portion of his set with indie-electronic and house songs. He switched to digital tracks for a while before mixing both vinyl and digital together. 

Each time he played one of his own tunes, such as “Still Summer,” the crowd went wild as strobe lights flashed and turned the entire auditorium into something out of a movie. Cheers started from the back and roared towards the front of the hall, where Smith remained laser-focused on his decks. 

Bass-forward tracks remained fan favorites, like “Pig” by Villager and Waleed, while percussion-heavy and rhythmic tracks like “Chant” by Or:la got cheers from the crowd as people threw their arms in the air and danced. Smith’s London roots were on display as he played several U.K. garage tracks and one from famous U.K. dance artist NOTION: “AFTER THE BREAK.” 

The audience closed their eyes, swaying to the beat and smiling when Smith started playing his slower-paced song “Wanna,” with the bright white Shrine lights fading in and out, but started jumping up and down and putting their hands in the air as the beat intensified when he mixed it into his heavier and faster song “Treat Each Other Right.” 

One of the last songs of the afternoon was his recent hit “Baddy On The Floor,” and members of the audience screamed in delight as they heard the first few notes of the track trickle in. It served as a memorable high point in the afternoon as the massive disco ball hanging from the ceiling flickered on and off in time with the beat.

Smith ended the afternoon by playing a 45 of “I Just Make Believe” by J.J. Barnes, complete with the characteristic crackles and pops of an old record. He mixed it into his own track, “Dafodil,” which samples Barnes’ song. The crowd knew all the lyrics and sang along as the afternoon winded down. 

Smith waved at the crowd with a shy smile before stepping offstage. Even after the show ended, attendees continued to ride the high of the cheerful and fun-filled atmosphere, fist-bumping and high-fiving one another as they funneled out of the building and back into reality.