Fires continued to rage in the Pacific Palisades and surrounding areas during the evening of January 8th, 2024 (Photo: Digital Music News)

Fires continued to rage in Pacific Palisades and surrounding areas during the evening of January 8th, 2024 (Photo: Digital Music News)

Life in Los Angeles quickly became a nightmare this week, with evacuations, high-speed winds and raging fires destroying homes and putting millions on edge. Here’s a look at how this is impacting this music industry hub — and ‘the show must go on’ mentality that is emerging.

If you work in the music, TV of film industries and reside in the entertainment hub city of Los Angeles, you might be living through hell. At last count, more than 2,000 structures have been destroyed, with millions on edge as unpredictable fires continue to spread with lightning speed throughout the region.

We’ve checked on a number of execs and musicians living in Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and surrounding regions, and the reports aren’t good. Many have evacuated while grinding through their weeks — while hoping they have a house when they return.

Throughout the area, people are checking in with ‘you okay?’ texts while offering a spare bedroom or helping hand. Others have driven or flown far from the embattled blaze zones, while putting their lives on hold.

Yet amazingly, it’s business as usual — or something close to it —  for many in this city.

A number of labels, publishing houses, startups, recording studios, agencies, PROs, and others dotted throughout the city are still open for business, though you might find email responses a bit sluggish and offices a bit empty. And the city is still humming along: the 405 is creeping a bit more slowly (if that was even possible), planes are still flying in-and-out of LAX, and most businesses outside the impacted areas are still open.

Then again, some are understandably hunkering down and staying indoors. Indeed, we haven’t had this work-from-home spirit since the COVID days.

A number of industry-specific events have been nixed as the fires rage.

For starters, a few film premieres are understandably canceled. That includes the premiere of the Robbie Williams’ biopic, Better Man, as well as the premiere of the film Unstoppable, starring Jennifer Lopez and produced by Ben Affleck.

A raft of other film and TV events were nixed, including a Netflix event celebrating the music of the film Emilia Pérez. The Venice West on Lincoln Blvd. also canceled its weekly open mic night, but a Friday gig featuring yacht rock favorites Ambrosia is still happening (see you there).

Meanwhile, a large number of clubs still have gigs scheduled. Perhaps there’s a ‘show must go on’ mentality afoot, with many simply continuing to entertain.

For example, The Mint is hosting upcoming shows by artists like Alexa Hodzic, Olio, and Giselle. And the Kia Forum is hosting its ‘iHeartRadio ALTer EGO‘ fun-fest with St. Vincent, Incubus, Cage the Elephant, and more on January 11th. A number of other venues, from The Whisky a Go Go to the Regent Theater, still have shows on their calendar.

Meanwhile, the blazes aren’t slowing down: the Palisades Fire has already consumed more than 5,000 acres, while a new fire has erupted in the Hollywood Hills on Wednesday evening (January 8th).  Elsewhere, the Eaton Fire in the Pasadena area has spread across nearly 2,500 acres, and Hurst Fire in Sylmar has torched 500 acres, and there’s even a small blaze erupting in Coachella.

Stay tuned for more updates — or add your own in the comments.