Chicago United Center review: the greatest show on earth!
KISS keeps on shoutin’ in farewell tour boasting the best of a bygone era
By Selena Fragassi - Chicago Sun-Times
“You wanted the best! You got the best! The hottest band in the world … KISS!”
It’s the last time we’ll hear that in Chicago as KISS took one final bow at the United Center on Saturday night with a stop on the heavily hyped End of the Road World Tour.
Announced last September, timed with the band’s appearance on “America’s Got Talent,” the 69-date trek (running through September) seemed gimmicky from the start, especially for anyone who remembers the first go-around on the “KISS Farewell Tour” (2000-2001) or who questioned why original members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss were not invited to the goodbye party, even after making appearances on the KISS Kruise and Gene Simmons’ solo tour over the past year. For this go-around, the spots were respectively filled by the exceptional guitarist Tommy Thayer, who was at ease on showstopping guitar solos, and breakneck drummer Eric Singer, both of whom have been a constant in the band since the early 2000s.
With 20 greatest hits padded by the trademark fire breathing, blood spitting, firework exploding, stage rising, flaming guitar shenanigans that have always made KISS’ “Psycho Circus” the greatest show on Earth, what the End of the Road Tour brilliantly did was leave everyone wanting more.
But KISS has always been a maniacal brand master: Coming of age in the glam-rock hotbed of 1970s New York City, the quartet ascended the ranks with attractive character portrayals, shock-rock tactics, merchandising expertise and a sense of honorary community with card-carrying members of the KISS Army.
The troops came out in droves on this night, as they have done all tour, donning the makeup of their favorite members — the Starchild (Paul Stanley), the Demon (Simmons), the Spaceman (Frehley/Thayer) and the Catman (Criss/Singer) — and bringing the newest members of the Army. Looking at some of the blank stares on their faces, it was interesting to consider if KISS’ over-the-top antics were even considered impressive or could live on in another generation.
Forty years ago, Simmons’ blood-gurgling, Satan-invoking bass solo spectacle he delivered with a perfect performance on “God of Thunder” was as controversial as they came, leading many to whisper that the band name stood for Knights in Satan’s Service — or even better and more laughable, that the “SS” was some salute to the Nazi party. But today, what is even considered rebellious anymore?
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