Tops and Flops: Highlights of the Week – LA Fires, Avicii Documentary
How to support those who lost everything
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Tops and Flops: Highlights of the Week - LA Fires, Avicii Documentary · Source: Della Huff / Alamy Stock Foto
As the first week of January 2025 is winding down, many of us are looking woefully at what’s going on in California. These LA fires seem to be among the worst the city has ever seen. Many musicians, engineers, and people from the music business have lost everything. In other news, a new official documentary on the late Avicii is out. And new, exciting music is out as well!
Highlights of this Week
LA Fires – Who is affected, and what does it mean for NAMM?
As NAMM 2025 in Anaheim nears, many are wondering if the world’s biggest music equipment trade show was also under threat due to the LA fires. But what is on many musicians’ minds even more is how the music community in LA is affected, given that the city is one of the most important ones of the international music business.
While there were fortunately very few reports of lives lost or injuries, the number of musicians, engineers, producers, and people from all sides of LA’s vibrant music scene seems to have lost pretty much everything in the LA fires is frighteningly high. But if the music scene, especially the independent scene, is one thing, it’s resilient.
So, people have started updating a Google Document with those affected and how to support them through individual GoFundMe links. For example, the frontman and founder of indie rock band DIIV, Zachary Cole Smith, lost everything in the LA fires. With these fires raging through LA at such a speed and with such destructive force, many are also wondering if NAMM is under threat. Earlier, NAMM’s CEO John Mlynczak issued a statement saying that, so far, all signs point to yes. Fingers crossed!
“I’m Tim” – New Netflix Documentary on Avicii
While “I’m Tim” was announced in June 2024 and also shown at a couple of festivals, it is now available for streaming from Netflix. The documentary details the life of the EDM star before his untimely death in 2018. Besides never-before-seen interviews with Tim Bergling himself, many musicians who knew him share stories and memories in the film. Among them are Chris Martin (Coldplay), David Guetta, Nile Rodgers, and Aloe Blacc
The documentary shows how Avicii went from bedroom producer to EDM mega star in a matter of months. It also shows his humble beginnings, how he learned to produce on FL Studio, and how restless and driven the EDM prodigy was in his later years.
New Music in 2025: What’s out, what’s coming?
Besides the LA fires on everyone’s mind, let’s not forget that we’re looking at a very exciting release schedule for this year. New releases from Lady Gaga, FKA Twigs, The Weeknd, Sam Fender, Dream Theater, and Lana Del Ray are already confirmed. And who knows, who else will surprise us? I’m definitely excited, but 2024 will be hard to top.
As early as it is in the year, one album I’ve been looking forward to for a long time was released yesterday: Who Let the Dogs Out by Lambrini Girls. It’s a very dirty, pissed-off mix between Amyl and the Sniffers, IDLES, and a lot of oldschool punk vibes. If you like Bikini Kill. you’re going to LOVE the Lambrini Girls. From what I hear, the concerts of the British duo are complete mayhem.
I absolutely love it. What releases are you looking forward to this year? Let us know in the comments!
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