Help Gonzo Chicago Launch 'The World Underground'
By Jon Graef in Arts & Entertainment on Jul 9, 2013 6:20PM
Documentarian John Yingling has spent countless, tireless hours filming Chicago's underground music scene. Now, Yingling's sights are set on filming a "new series documenting hour long moments in time of ever-changing underground scenes around the world," starting with China. It's called "The World Underground," and you have 12 days to help him launch it.
Here's a preview:
The World Underground - Episode 1 : CHINA from GONZO CHICAGO on Vimeo.
On The World Underground's IndieGoGo page, Yingling explains the impetus for the project, and how it grew out of the band's he interviewed for Gonzo Chicago telling him about the music he was missing around the world.
As it all grew, scene reports came in from around the world. People letting me know what I knew existed. This is happening everywhere. Michale Coleman wrote me from Missouri and said he started filming DIY shows because of what he'd seen. China, Montana, all over Europe, Japan, Australia. Boise. Myanmar. China came on my radar after I interviewed Handsome Furs, fresh off a long tour in the PRC. For over a year, I wondered how I could get there. I dug around, eventually cleared my throat and e-mailed Josh Feola of China's Pangbianr. He agreed to book shows in Beijing, and line me up with other regions such as Guangzhou. There will be others.
So how will he do it? Well...
I will spend September and October in the PRC, filming shows both naturally, and ones we set up, different regions, interviewing labels and bands. China being the first episode, Missoula and Chicago are well on their way to being finished. I will finish filming those by my own means upon my return. I hope to release all three episodes in 2014, and continue on.
Over at IndieGoGo, Yingling breaks down costs and perks alike, the latter of which are really impressive. With 12 days to go as of this writing, and $2,450 of $6,000 raised, Yingling's passion project is one crowdsourcing project actually worth a damn. Go donate.