Sunday, August 18, 2013

"In Heaven There Is No Beer" DVD (director: Dave Palomaro)


Kiss Or Kill in Los Angeles

As a loving tribute and look back at the 2002-2007 Los Angeles "Kiss Or Kill" scene, this feature-length documentary examines the hows, why, and whos behind it all. Sure, the bands all remain obscure to outsiders (Bang Sugar Bang, The Dollyrots, or the Randies never crossed my path here in the Midwestern US), but the devotion of their local fans seems to remain unwaning.

As an upstart reaction to the Los Angeles "pay-to-play" era, and the cut-throat behavior between bands and clubs, a group of individuals began to organize shows as acts of solidarity between bands, bringing cheap tickets, cheap beer, and a sense of punk rock community to the Sunset Strip. Dubbed inexplicably "Kiss Or Kill", an array of diverse indie rock and punk bands joined forces, and, together with a legion of faithful fans and clubs, supported their own scene for 5 years. Intervention from labels and jealousy eventually got the better of it all, and "Kiss Or Kill" split. This documentary interviews all the scene's major players and fans, giving their own insights into the inevitable rise and fall. In the spirit of true "DIY", this was a scene with it's heart in the right place.

A fine documentary, and a great "souvenir", I'm sure, for those who were there.

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