Event preview: Killola

Guest Star: Killola

By Alicia Schuster

Senior Staff Writer

Published: Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Updated: Wednesday, April 7, 2010 17:04

photo: courtesy of Killola

It’s a little-known fact that Lisa Rieffel had the official position of “party whip” on David Bowie’s neo-fascist “Goebbel’s Tour.”

In the tradition of pop-punk bands like the Dollyrotts, Killola from southern California is ripping through Denver Monday night at Bender's Tavern. Recalling a punkier Veruca Salt, the group is kicking and screaming its way to the top.

Currently out on the road to support its new album, Let's Get Associated, the band is playing two or three sets a day. Killola has been playing malls, shoe stores, and record stores, and has done appearances on TV, according to frontwoman Lisa Rieffel.

Aside from the daytime performances, Killola is known for crazy live antics and has been compared to The Stooges live. "Our live shows are just a party. While they still sound good, we just like to be in the moment, have fun and a good time with the audience," Rieffel said. "Like having someone come up and sing a verse of a song, or sometimes I'm crowd surfing when I should be singing."

Instead of signing to a major label, Killola released the album independently and in a creative way: on Our Records, a label the members of the band started. And instead of CD or vinyl, the latest album was released on USB dog tags, an idea that is slowly spreading through the music world. While Killola has been offered several record deals, the band decided to do it on its own, just as it has done for the last seven years.

Aside from the everyday craziness, the band just finished writing the music for the upcoming movie/musical, Girltrash: All Night Long. Rieffel also just finished four months of filming for the movie, since she plays the lead role in the film. The musical, based on the 10 episodes of the web series Girltrash, is about a girl band trying to make it to a battle of the bands. After the tour is done, back to filming Rieffel goes. The film should be out in 2011.

Killola offers entrainment that's more than eye candy in the punk scene with ear-crushing screams, quick tempos, and a frontwoman that's tough as nails. 
 

Killola
10 p.m., April 12, Bender's
www.killola.com