While We Wait – A Guide For Music Lovers In The Pandemic

A look at some of the best dance music documentaries, movies & books for you to indulge.

While things are opening up one step at a time, some of us prefer to wait before we put on our rave outfits & hit the local club or make elaborate plans to book tickets for that music festival. Even so, there’s no reason for us to forget about nightlife & music altogether.

For those of you truly interested in learning more about club culture & the nightlife industry, there’s a ton of material you can easily find online. Or if you’re just into electronic music & clubbing, there’s a lot to immerse yourself in & relive those moments on the dancefloor.

I’ve put together a small list of some of my favourite movies, documentaries & books that pay homage to nightlife & clubbing. So grab some popcorn (or your favourite drink if you’re really looking to create a vibe) & tune into some of the best from the world of dance music!

Documentaries

I Was There When House Took Over The World

This documentary is all about the history of house music. Follow Nile Rodgers, Marshall Jefferson & others as they talk about how Disco’s death gave birth to the most iconic sound in dance, Chicago’s underground gay clubs creating a global dance movement & how young black entrepreneurs created a music empire that eventually topped UK charts.

You can watch the whole documentary on YouTube. Use the link below :
https://youtu.be/9Rah1F1zq1k

The Last Pirates – Britain’s Rebel DJs

A great BBC music documentary plotting the change from illegal pirate radio to legal radio in the UK. Follow the gripping cat & mouse tale of rebel DJs who used legal loopholes & technical trickery to broadcast illegal shows on FM airways, always staying one step ahead of the law.

Watch how Britain’s first multicultural generation came together under the banner of black music & club culture here :
https://youtu.be/sQIqOtUfhBA

Pump Up The Volume

Another BBC documentary that explores the evolution of house music from its origins up until 2001. Regarded as one of the best house music documentaries, it details the massive steps made in the first 20 years of electronic dance music & features interviews with DJs from some of the most iconic nightclubs like New York’s Paradise Garage.

Watch the whole documentary on YouTube using this link:
https://youtu.be/pRRg8M4fvUo

If I Think Of Germany At Night

The highly-anticipated fourth documentary by Romuald Karmakr, the film looks at five pioneers of the German electronic music scene : Ricardo Villalobos, Sonja Moonear, Ata, Roman Flügel & Move D. In between eloquent interviews, quiet observations of them at work & images of masses at raves, an image of a music scene in transition gradually emerges.

Check out the entire documentary here :
https://youtu.be/Y9QjcKbOiSg

Movies

Human Traffic

A 1999 British-Irish cult classic that explores themes like coming of age, club culture & relationships. The plot revolves around five twenty-something friends who spend one lost weekend in a mix of music, love & club culture.

It’s All Gone Pete Tong

Follow the journey of Frankie Wilde – a famous DJ in the Ibiza club circuits as he deals with the highs & lows that come with his hedonistic lifestyle. Based on a true story, this movie also features legendary DJ Pete Tong.

Beats

A reclusive teenage musical prodigy forms an unlikely friendship with a high school security guard. United by their mutual love of hip-hop, they help each other with their demons & try to break into Chicago’s music scene.

Books

The Secret DJ

The true story of DJing, from an authentic voice that is speaking to the scene. The Secret DJ provides tips & advice to budding DJs, as well as tells it like it is for most DJs.

You can get a copy of on amazon using this link :
https://www.amazon.in/dp/B07BX3V541/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

Stolen Amps & Dynamite

Featuring over 50 interviews with world famous underground, acid house, rave, house & techno DJs, the book is all about the wild side of being an international artist.

Get a copy here :
https://www.amazon.in/Stolen-Amps-Dynamite-everything-between-ebook/dp/B08L5LTPZW

Techno Rebels

When it was originally published in 1999, Techno Rebels became the definitive text on a hard-to-define but vital genre of music. The book demystifies techno’s characteristics, influences, and origins and argues that although techno enjoyed its most widespread popularity in Europe, its birthplace and most important incubator was Detroit.

You can get a copy here :
https://www.amazon.com/Techno-Rebels-Renegades-Electronic-Painted/dp/0814334385

So there you have it.
A collection of books, documentaries & movies to keep you entertained till we can safely return to the dancefloor. What’s your favourite read or watch? Drop a recommendation in the comments below!