KISS And David Lee Roth Deliver The Rock Spectacle We All Need At Masterful L.A. Staples Center Show
By Steve Baltin / Forbes.com
(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for ABA)
These are, uh, interesting times to say the least. Between fears of the Coronavirus and the political sniping the day after "Super Tuesday," we can all use a night off from the real world. Well, who better to give fans a respite from what is shaping up to be an incredibly turbulent 2020 than the duo of KISS and Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth? As they showed before a sold-out crowd at L.A's Staples Center last night (March 4, 2020) the answer is no one.
KISS, the master showmen, added a little flair to this leg of their "End Of The Road" tour by bringing Van Halen frontman Roth out. It is a nice touch of nostalgia as the story is well documented of how KISS icon Gene Simmons was instrumental in helping discover Van Halen and producing their early demos in the '70s. It's also a brilliant musical move as Roth is a one of a kind frontman who has a wealth of Halen hits to ignite a crowd.
Man, did he do that at Staples Center, starting with the opening "You Really Got Me." Drawing liberally from the early days of Van Halen, delivering such staples as "Jamie's Crying," "Ain't Talking 'Bout Love," "Jump" and "Unchained," as well as his solo hits like "Just A Gigolo" and "Just Like Paradise," Roth, his trademark high kick still going at 65, showed why he is one of rock's all-time great frontmen. When was the last time you saw an entire arena on their feet for the whole set from an opening act? Exactly.
It might be intimidating for some acts. Not KISS, who came out to a barrage of pyrotechnics as they opened with an explosive "Detroit Rock City." In the annals of rock, only AC/DC and Alice Cooper can rival KISS in crafting that perfect blend of rock riffs and killer hooks and the true rock spectacle. And KISS showed why they are at the top of that list in the first 30 seconds.
I have been fortunate to see KISS numerous times and interview both Simmons and Paul Stanley multiple times. So sometimes admittedly I can take for granted how larger than life KISS are. But the two teenage guys sitting behind me reminded me of how awe-inspiring KISS can be to a newbie when one turned to his friend and screamed in excited admiration, "That's f**king KISS!"
