06/08/2010

KISS AT BUDAPEST SPORTARENA

BY Gerasimos Kavvadas

Looking at the schedule of the 2010 European Tour of KISS, it sure makes you wonder how long this band will still be on the road presenting the hottest show on planet earth! A couple of years ago, during the KISS Alive 35 World Tour, we were treated with the live presentation of the legendary Alive! Album in its entirety. Last year KISS released the excellent - and already a favorite among the KISS fans - "Sonic Boom" and they embarked on a world tour that hit Europe in the spring under the tour title "Sonic Boom Over Europe". The show was hosted in the prestigious, modern indoor Papp Laszlo Budapest Sportarena that holds approximately 12.500 and the ticket prices ranged in between 35 and 60 Euros.

At 21:00 sharp, down went the huge black curtain that hid the stage and KISS appeared on a huge hydraulic platform, landed on stage and making a bombastic sonic intro with Modern Day Delilah with Eric Singer sitting on his throne/drum stool keeping the beat up and steady. The huge stage is absolutely unique and spectacular with a screen "decorating" the whole backdrop while two KISS Army Banners refined the whole scenery on the left and right of the stage.BY Gerasimos Kavvadas

Looking at the schedule of the 2010 European Tour of KISS, it sure makes you wonder how long this band will still be on the road presenting the hottest show on planet earth! A couple of years ago, during the KISS Alive 35 World Tour, we were treated with the live presentation of the legendary Alive! Album in its entirety. Last year KISS released the excellent - and already a favorite among the KISS fans - "Sonic Boom" and they embarked on a world tour that hit Europe in the spring under the tour title "Sonic Boom Over Europe". The show was hosted in the prestigious, modern indoor Papp Laszlo Budapest Sportarena that holds approximately 12.500 and the ticket prices ranged in between 35 and 60 Euros.

At 21:00 sharp, down went the huge black curtain that hid the stage and KISS appeared on a huge hydraulic platform, landed on stage and making a bombastic sonic intro with Modern Day Delilah with Eric Singer sitting on his throne/drum stool keeping the beat up and steady. The huge stage is absolutely unique and spectacular with a screen "decorating" the whole backdrop while two KISS Army Banners refined the whole scenery on the left and right of the stage. The amplifiers create some really cool visual effects as they are used also as screens while the band's logo stands proudly on the floor of the stage. Flames, fireworks, light show and the usual KISS props are pushing the show to another limit while the four KISS members seem tireless, tight and compose a powerful band. They all share lead vocals in front of a frenzied crowd that didn't stop at any point to scream and support the hottest band in the land. Simmons and Stanley are naturally the leaders and the crowd couldn't be happier when KISS decides to perform songs that were once part of the band's set-list but not of lately...like, "Crazy Crazy Nights". Sonic Boom was represented by three tracks ("Modern Day Delilah", "Say Yeah" and "I'm an Animal"...this last one created such an impressive, doom atmosphere and it actually explains why so many doom bands are influenced by KISS) while Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer put on their show with rockets fired at all directions by both of them during the "Shock Me" live routine.

Up next was possibly the most anticipated moment of the show with Simmons spitting blood and flying 30 meters above the stage in order to sing from up above the immortal anthem "I Love It Loud". Love Gun, Lick It Up, Detroit Rock City came next and ended the first part of the show. "Shout It Out Loud" leads the way for the encore numbers with "I Was Made For Loving You" featuring the flying prop by Stanley who sang the song on a special platform in the middle of the venue. "God Gave Rock N Roll To You II" is next and it pays tribute through the big screens to some of the most innovative rock stars of all time like Janis Joplin, Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, Beatles, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, The Who but also to the late KISS drummer Eric Carr.

The show came to an end after almost 135 minutes with the absolute rock n roll anthem "Rock and Roll All Nite" with tons of confetti falling down on the fans who couldn't believe their eyes! We left the building simply asking for more and of course looking for the next KISS concert!

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