BURN TO SHINE 02: CHICAGO

Director Christoph Green teams up with producer Brendan Canty (of punk rock figureheads Fugazi) for another installment in their fascinating BURN TO SHINE series. The remit for these films is simple yet ingenious: Green and Canty travel to a city, locate some houses that are soon to be demolished, then have a unique last rites-style ceremony for the buildings by getting local independently minded musicians to perform in them. For the Chicago trip, Shellac's Bob Weston helps out with the recording duties, while the bands range from Chicago indie-rock staples such as Tortoise and Wilco to little known acts like Freakwater and the Ponys. The action all unfolds on one hectic day (September 13, 2004) and the process of setting up, recording, and the ultimate demolition of the buildings is all captured on film. A remarkable achievement, BURN TO SHINE: 02 CHICAGO is an awesome piece of guerilla filmmaking.