The nightlife industry has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only have events around the world been postponed or cancelled, but some experts predict they won’t be able to take place until 2021 or even 2022 if things don’t improve. However, in the absence of music festivals and concerts, the EDM community are constantly coming up with new ways to entertain themselves, from drive-in gigs to livestream parties.
For those who are just getting into EDM and want to learn more about it, or for those who’ve watched every livestream going and need to take a break, here are five electronic music documentaries that you can stream on Netflix now.
1. What We Started
2017 | 1h 35m
From humble, underground beginnings to a billion-dollar industry, how did the electronic music rise to become what it is today?
Directed by Bert Marcus and Cyrus Saidi, What We Started traces back through three decades of dance music history by following two of the industry’s biggest household names: Carl Cox and Martin Garrix. As we watch Garrix prepare to headline Ultra Music Festival for the first time, a lineup of familiar faces (Afrojack, Paul Oakenfold, David Guetta, Ed Sheeran, Usher and more) share their thoughts on how electronic music has evolved.
2. Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert
2020｜1h 43m
Since its inception in 1999, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival has become the most talked about of its kind in the US, if not the world. From exclusive interviews with founder Gary Tovar and a look-back at performances past, Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert documents the festival’s turbulent history, offering a sneak peek into what goes on behind the scenes.
“A documentary feature two decades in the making, “Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert” opens up the vault for the very first time to present the legendary performances and behind-the-scenes stories that shaped the seminal music festival.”
Related Article: Beyoncé Drops Live Album Of Coachella Set And "Homecoming" Documentary On Netflix
3. I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
2016｜1h 19m
In this grammy-nominated documentary that follows Steve Aoki’s career, we get a deeper insight into the cake-throwing DJ’s musical career. The film focuses on Aoki’s relationship with his late father Rocky Aoki and how it drove his desire to make a name for himself.
4. FYRE: The Greatest Party That Never Happened
2019｜1h 37m
When talking about electronic music documentaries, this is the first one that comes to mind. In 2019, it was impossible not to know the story of Billy Macfarland’s disastrous rich kid festival in the Bahamas, and the memes made sure of that. The FYRE documentary takes you through the whole saga, from the supermodel photoshoot right through to the cheese sandwiches, every juicy detail is in there.
Related Article: Fyre Festival's Andy King Chosen as New Face for Evian Water
5. This Was Tomorrow: Tomorrowland
2015｜1h 17m
For a DJ, playing a set at Tomorrowland marks the pinnacle of your career. Having won awards for being the Best Music Event and Best Festival in the world, the Belgium-based event has helped to shape the culture of EDM. This Was Tomorrow doesn’t only document the festival itself, but also introduces the audience to the people who make it so unique. As well as the artists, we meet fans from all corners of the world who save for months just so that they can tick Tomorrowland off their bucket list.
Writer: Isabelle Wang, Translator: Will | May 6th, 2020
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