Music Documentaries Worth Binging On, Grab the Popcorn
Every show and festival-goer needs their downtime away from all the noise and dancing. It can’t always be: eat, sleep, rave, repeat. Sorry, Fatboy Slim. We’ve rounded up a list of music documentaries that teach us about the lives of DJs, the history of electronic dance music and its rave culture. Hang up your shoes and kick your dancing feet in the air to learn about our music roots:
Summer of Rave
Our warehouse music and culture influenced the U.K. rave scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The documentary shows its impact during the summer of 1989. Dance yourself clean.
I Dream of Wires
Modular synthesizer, isn’t that fun to say? The documentary goes into the inner workings and re-surgence of the instrument. Its massive size, wiring, knobs and lights can intimidate and overwhelm some. However, that bad boy is a sonic baddie influencing several artists around the world in many genres.
Moog
Moog is a 2004 documentary film by Hans Fjellestad about electronic instrument pioneer Dr. Robert Moog. The film features scenes of Dr. Moog interacting with various musical artists who view Moog as an influential figure in the history of electronic music.
What We Started
Diving into the world of top touring electronic dance music DJs including Carl Cox and Martin Garrix we see how two very successful DJs at different stages in their lives gaining popularity.
Berlin Calling
The live-act Paul Kalkbrenner plays the protagonist in this film shows the slippery slope of drug use and stardom. The film earned a great soundtrack too.
Part of the Weekend Never Dies (two-part series by Soulwax)
Capturing 120 shows on one camera across Europe, Japan, the U.S., Latin America and Australia acclaimed director Saam Farahmand and Soulwax co-directed the two films. Part Of The Weekend Never Dies shows the excess, cynicism, delusion, ridiculousness, contradiction, exhaustion and humor of the DJ life.
Music Documentaries Worth Binging On, Grab the Popcorn
Sample This
Now with the convenient who sampled website, we can find original songs and see who has taken inspiration using them in their songs. Electronic music embraces many styles of music ranging from reggae and jazz to hip-hop and pop. This documentary explores several genres.
Daft Punk Unchained
The documentary highlights the longlasting career of French duo DaftPunk. From their start in the early ’90s with their first group called Darlin’ through their GRAMMY awards in 2014.
This Was Tomorrow
Enjoy a look behind one of the world’s most well-known festivals. Looking at beyond DJs, Netflix shows a journey of the people that make the festival up.
Sub Berlin – The Story of Tresor
Clubs and venues are hold a special place for electronic dance music lovers. Sometimes it’s the smallest, sweatiest spaces that become a second home rave after rave. The original Treso, a club in Berlin, opened its doors since early on during the explosion of electronic music dating in the 1990s until when it closed its doors in 2005. The club re-opened in 2007.
Filmed in 2006, this documentary with English subtitles explores techno beyond music but as a lifestyle. Everything from emotions and relationships to career and the clubbing scene. Starring Berlin household names like Nick Höppner and other globally recognized DJs like Luciano and Villalobos.
And no music documentary list could be complete without FYRE. Both Netflix and Hulu (FYRE FRAUD) show how the dream destination music festival quickly turned into a nightmare. Festival organizers take note, Billy McFarland gives many pointers of what not to do.
These music documentaries are worth binging on while you rest your weary feet.
