Kiss News

Sun writer (and wrestling blogger) Kevin Eck saw Kiss at Jiffy Lube Live. Below is his review.

Photos by Jay Gilbert

To many people, Kiss has long been Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley and two other guys.

Even when fellow original members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss returned to the iconic glam rock group in the late '90s, it was clear that Simmons and Stanley were steering the ship and the other two were simply along for the ride.

That's not the case with the band's current lineup, though. While "The Demon" and "The Starchild" are still Kiss' main men both on and off stage, lead guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer - who have assumed the "Spaceman" and "Catman" stage personas made famous by Frehley and Criss, respectively - are more than just bit players.

In fact, they provided some of the more memorable moments from Saturday night's Kiss concert at Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, Va. ...
Sun writer (and wrestling blogger) Kevin Eck saw Kiss at Jiffy Lube Live. Here is his review:

To many people, Kiss has long been Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley and two other guys.

Even when fellow original members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss returned to the iconic glam rock group in the late '90s, it was clear that Simmons and Stanley were steering the ship and the other two were simply along for the ride.

That's not the case with the band's current lineup, though. While "The Demon" and "The Starchild" are still Kiss' main men both on and off stage, lead guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer - who have assumed the "Spaceman" and "Catman" stage personas made famous by Frehley and Criss, respectively - are more than just bit players.

In fact, they provided some of the more memorable moments from Saturday night's Kiss concert at Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, Va. ...

Thayer and Singer have been given the opportunity on this tour to step into the spotlight and sing lead on a couple of Kiss classics that had been signature songs for Frehley and Criss back in the glory days.

Thayer sparked the crowd with his version of "Shock Me," which included a guitar solo that was at the very least equal to Frehley's. Thayer's solo morphed into an entertaining jam session between him and Singer, as they showed that they make Kiss a better band not only because they are free of the personal demons that hindered Frehley and Criss, but also because of their playing skills.

During the encore, Singer emerged from behind his drum kit to sing the hit ballad "Beth." Unlike when Criss would perform the song to pre-recorded strings and piano, Singer was accompanied by his bandmates playing acoustically. Also unlike Criss, Singer sang with conviction and actually hit the notes.

As for Simmons and Stanley, even at this stage of their careers, it was obvious Saturday night that the tongue-wagging bassist and pouty-lipped rhythm guitarist are not just going through the motions.

Kiss, still going strong as a live act 36 years after the release of their self-titled debut album and a decade after their "farewell tour," played a spirited 21-song set that went two hours and 10 minutes and had everything you would expect from a Kiss show (pyro explosions, flashing lights, fake blood, fire-breathing and, of course, Simmons and Stanley flying above the crowd) as well as something you wouldn't (Kiss leading the audience in reciting The Pledge of Allegiance).

Kiss opened with "Modern Day Delilah," the first track off its latest album, "Sonic Boom," and then played three songs from its first two albums � "Cold Gin," "Let Me Go, Rock 'n' Roll" and "Firehouse," before going back to "Sonic Boom" for "Say Yeah." The other track Kiss played off the 2009 album was the plodding "I�m an Animal," which actually is the only song that I skip when listening to the CD.

Another curious addition to the set was "Crazy Crazy Nights," which was one of three songs in the show from the non-makeup era. It�s not a great song to begin with, and the vocals here sounded flat compared to the slickly-produced studio version.

My only other complaint about the set list is that "100,000 Years" was retained from last year's tour while sing-along Kiss standards such as "Strutter" and "Hotter Than Hell" were dropped. Then again, when a band has a catalogue as extensive as the one Kiss has, it's impossible to please everybody.

Kiss wrapped up the main set with concert staples "Love Gun," "Black Diamond" and "Detroit Rock City" before returning to the stage for a six-song encore. Among the highlights was Stanley's rendition of "I Was Made For Lovin' You," which he sang after riding a zip line from the stage to a platform in the middle of the pavilion. Usually when performing the song live, Stanley grossly over-emphasizes the vocals, but he was much more subdued and thus truer to the studio version of the song.

As is often the case, Kiss saved "Rock and Roll All Nite" for its bombastic finale, once again proving that Kiss members and their fans may get old, but standing up and singing along to this song while being showered with confetti never does.

SET LIST

Modern Day Delilah
Cold Gin
Let Me Go Rock 'n' Roll
Firehouse
Say Yeah
Deuce
Crazy Crazy Nights
Calling Dr. Love
Shock Me
I'm An Animal
100,000 Years
I Love It Loud
Love Gun
Black Diamond
Detroit Rock City
Beth
Lick It Up
Shout It Out Loud
I Was Made For Lovin' You
God Gave Rock And Roll To You
Rock And Roll All Nite

By Elliot Levin

KISS brought the hottest show on Earth to Jones Beach on Saturday night, playing a two hour set filled with classic songs and a stunning, explosive stage show.

Continuing their reign as one of the most visible and best-known rock bands of all time, KISS is now in their second straight year of touring in support of 2009's Sonic Boom, the first new KISS record in over a decade. Saturday's cool but pleasant weather brought the KISS Army out in full glory, with thousands of attendees ranging from 6 year olds to 60 year olds, many wearing the iconic face paint of Catman, Spaceman, Starchild, and the Demon as they packed the seats of the Jones Beach amphitheater.

KISS has shot to success over the decades not only by writing catchy, anthemic rock n' roll songs, but by crafting a high energy image that thoroughly permeates their live performances. No expense or effect was spared for Saturday night's show, as the four members of KISS entered the stage on a flying, smoke-filled platform with explosions and fireballs erupting all about them.
By Elliot Levin

KISS brought the hottest show on Earth to Jones Beach on Saturday night, playing a two hour set filled with classic songs and a stunning, explosive stage show.

Continuing their reign as one of the most visible and best-known rock bands of all time, KISS is now in their second straight year of touring in support of 2009's Sonic Boom, the first new KISS record in over a decade. Saturday's cool but pleasant weather brought the KISS Army out in full glory, with thousands of attendees ranging from 6 year olds to 60 year olds, many wearing the iconic face paint of Catman, Spaceman, Starchild, and the Demon as they packed the seats of the Jones Beach amphitheater.

KISS has shot to success over the decades not only by writing catchy, anthemic rock n' roll songs, but by crafting a high energy image that thoroughly permeates their live performances. No expense or effect was spared for Saturday night's show, as the four members of KISS entered the stage on a flying, smoke-filled platform with explosions and fireballs erupting all about them.

The stage itself was a marvel to behold, with a massive high definition video screen showing close ups of the band, as well as various bright, psychedelic visual effects. Giant glowing letters spelled out KISS in the center of the stage, and streams of fog and smoke poured out from the wings. The Jones Beach stage actually had to be extended several feet to accommodate a dozen smaller video screens lining the stage, which flashed between visual effects and shots of the audience singing along.

The band kicked off the night with new song Modern Day Delilah, the musicians strutting about the stage as their high volume music thundered throughout the theater. Guitarist Paul Stanley was his usual pepped up self, welcoming the crowd and introducing songs with excitement and aplomb, while the demonic, famously long-tongued Gene Simmons posed menacingly for the crowd as he rumbled through the bass lines.

While the group played other new tracks such as Say Yeah and I'm An Animal, the majority of the night's setlist was classic KISS fare. The band hit no less than five songs from their debut album, including Cold Gin, Deuce, and 100,000 years. The crowd, full of die-hard KISS fans, sang along on every song, and the band frequently allowed them to sing choruses in their stead.

While Stanley served as the frontman for the group, all four members were given ample opportunity to not only solo, but even to lead on vocals, a true rarity in the rock world. Guitarist Tommy Thayer sang the Ace Frehley-penned Shock Me, following it up with a wild solo. Drummer Eric Singer's entire platform then rose up into the air, and he hammered through his own drum solo before Tommy rejoined him on another flying platform, flames and explosions blasting from all directions as the two jammed out to the delight of the crowd.

Gene Simmons had his own chance to shine as well, crouching in waist-high clouds of smoke and spitting up blood as he played his battle axe-shaped bass. He then dramatically raised his arms, and with aerobatic wires faintly visible, flew 50 feet straight up to land on a lighting platform, where he sang the lead vocals for I Love It Loud.

Even with lengthy solo breaks, the hit songs just kept on coming. Love Gun got an especially enthusiastic response as Stanley repeatedly played to KISS's native New York audience, and then followed up with the famous riff and final chorus of Led Zeppelin's Whole Lotta Love. Black Diamond was introduced a cappella, then sung poignantly by Singer, with Simmons eerily harmonizing on beginning of the song. Stanley introduced classic hit Detroit Rock City as the band's final song, but in truth the show was far from over.

After a quick break, KISS returned to encore with no less than six songs, including a heartfelt Beth, which saw Thayer switch to an acoustic guitar as Singer sang the vocals. The stage practically resembled a blast furnace as the band went all out with pyrotechnics and explosions during Lick It Up and Shout It Out Loud, and in a concert first for this Examiner, Stanley then led the entire venue in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance as he announced the donation of a dollar from every ticket sale to the Wounded Warriors Project.

Not to be outdone by Simmon's flying stunt, Stanley also flew on a zipcord to a raised platform in the middle of the venue for I Was Made For Loving You, where he played the majority of the song before sliding back to the stage, guitar slung over his back like a soldier's rifle.

The band ended the night's setlist with their generation-defining anthem, Rock and Roll All Night, and went out with million-dollar bang. Intensely colored strobe lights bathed the stage as confetti blasted across the entire venue, and with giant balls of flame lighting up the stage, Stanley smashed apart his guitar in true rock n' roll style. Even that wasn't the end, however, as full scale fireworks began exploding in the night sky as soon as the band left the stage, leaving fans ooohing and ahhing at the July 4th-worthy display.

While the evolution of heavy metal and edgier bands such as Slayer and GWAR have made KISS's once fearsome image and lyrics appear fairly mild and innocent by today's standards, Saturday night's performance proved that KISS still reigns when it comes to sheer rocking power. Backed by an explosive stage show that could put action movie blockbusters to shame, the band ran, jumped, and flew all night long in a blazing testament to the youthfulness and raw energy of rock n' roll. Even the merchandising deals, promotions, and TV shows that could be considered textbook selling out can't stop KISS from continuing their worldwide domination of arena rock, and if anything, seems to enhance the band's ability to produce a rock performance of epic proportions.

This summer tour is truly KISS at their finest, and fans would be hard pressed to find a show that even comes close the volume, energy, and in-your-face impact of a live KISS concert.

By Elliot Levin

KISS brought the hottest show on Earth to Jones Beach on Saturday night, playing a two hour set filled with classic songs and a stunning, explosive stage show.

Continuing their reign as one of the most visible and best-known rock bands of all time, KISS is now in their second straight year of touring in support of 2009's Sonic Boom, the first new KISS record in over a decade. Saturday's cool but pleasant weather brought the KISS Army out in full glory, with thousands of attendees ranging from 6 year olds to 60 year olds, many wearing the iconic face paint of Catman, Spaceman, Starchild, and the Demon as they packed the seats of the Jones Beach amphitheater.

KISS has shot to success over the decades not only by writing catchy, anthemic rock n' roll songs, but by crafting a high energy image that thoroughly permeates their live performances. No expense or effect was spared for Saturday night's show, as the four members of KISS entered the stage on a flying, smoke-filled platform with explosions and fireballs erupting all about them.
By Elliot Levin

KISS brought the hottest show on Earth to Jones Beach on Saturday night, playing a two hour set filled with classic songs and a stunning, explosive stage show.

Continuing their reign as one of the most visible and best-known rock bands of all time, KISS is now in their second straight year of touring in support of 2009's Sonic Boom, the first new KISS record in over a decade. Saturday's cool but pleasant weather brought the KISS Army out in full glory, with thousands of attendees ranging from 6 year olds to 60 year olds, many wearing the iconic face paint of Catman, Spaceman, Starchild, and the Demon as they packed the seats of the Jones Beach amphitheater.

KISS has shot to success over the decades not only by writing catchy, anthemic rock n' roll songs, but by crafting a high energy image that thoroughly permeates their live performances. No expense or effect was spared for Saturday night's show, as the four members of KISS entered the stage on a flying, smoke-filled platform with explosions and fireballs erupting all about them.

The stage itself was a marvel to behold, with a massive high definition video screen showing close ups of the band, as well as various bright, psychedelic visual effects. Giant glowing letters spelled out KISS in the center of the stage, and streams of fog and smoke poured out from the wings. The Jones Beach stage actually had to be extended several feet to accommodate a dozen smaller video screens lining the stage, which flashed between visual effects and shots of the audience singing along.

The band kicked off the night with new song Modern Day Delilah, the musicians strutting about the stage as their high volume music thundered throughout the theater. Guitarist Paul Stanley was his usual pepped up self, welcoming the crowd and introducing songs with excitement and aplomb, while the demonic, famously long-tongued Gene Simmons posed menacingly for the crowd as he rumbled through the bass lines.

While the group played other new tracks such as Say Yeah and I'm An Animal, the majority of the night's setlist was classic KISS fare. The band hit no less than five songs from their debut album, including Cold Gin, Deuce, and 100,000 years. The crowd, full of die-hard KISS fans, sang along on every song, and the band frequently allowed them to sing choruses in their stead.

While Stanley served as the frontman for the group, all four members were given ample opportunity to not only solo, but even to lead on vocals, a true rarity in the rock world. Guitarist Tommy Thayer sang the Ace Frehley-penned Shock Me, following it up with a wild solo. Drummer Eric Singer's entire platform then rose up into the air, and he hammered through his own drum solo before Tommy rejoined him on another flying platform, flames and explosions blasting from all directions as the two jammed out to the delight of the crowd.

Gene Simmons had his own chance to shine as well, crouching in waist-high clouds of smoke and spitting up blood as he played his battle axe-shaped bass. He then dramatically raised his arms, and with aerobatic wires faintly visible, flew 50 feet straight up to land on a lighting platform, where he sang the lead vocals for I Love It Loud.

Even with lengthy solo breaks, the hit songs just kept on coming. Love Gun got an especially enthusiastic response as Stanley repeatedly played to KISS's native New York audience, and then followed up with the famous riff and final chorus of Led Zeppelin's Whole Lotta Love. Black Diamond was introduced a cappella, then sung poignantly by Singer, with Simmons eerily harmonizing on beginning of the song. Stanley introduced classic hit Detroit Rock City as the band's final song, but in truth the show was far from over.

After a quick break, KISS returned to encore with no less than six songs, including a heartfelt Beth, which saw Thayer switch to an acoustic guitar as Singer sang the vocals. The stage practically resembled a blast furnace as the band went all out with pyrotechnics and explosions during Lick It Up and Shout It Out Loud, and in a concert first for this Examiner, Stanley then led the entire venue in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance as he announced the donation of a dollar from every ticket sale to the Wounded Warriors Project.

Not to be outdone by Simmon's flying stunt, Stanley also flew on a zipcord to a raised platform in the middle of the venue for I Was Made For Loving You, where he played the majority of the song before sliding back to the stage, guitar slung over his back like a soldier's rifle.

The band ended the night's setlist with their generation-defining anthem, Rock and Roll All Night, and went out with million-dollar bang. Intensely colored strobe lights bathed the stage as confetti blasted across the entire venue, and with giant balls of flame lighting up the stage, Stanley smashed apart his guitar in true rock n' roll style. Even that wasn't the end, however, as full scale fireworks began exploding in the night sky as soon as the band left the stage, leaving fans ooohing and ahhing at the July 4th-worthy display.

While the evolution of heavy metal and edgier bands such as Slayer and GWAR have made KISS's once fearsome image and lyrics appear fairly mild and innocent by today's standards, Saturday night's performance proved that KISS still reigns when it comes to sheer rocking power. Backed by an explosive stage show that could put action movie blockbusters to shame, the band ran, jumped, and flew all night long in a blazing testament to the youthfulness and raw energy of rock n' roll. Even the merchandising deals, promotions, and TV shows that could be considered textbook selling out can't stop KISS from continuing their worldwide domination of arena rock, and if anything, seems to enhance the band's ability to produce a rock performance of epic proportions.

This summer tour is truly KISS at their finest, and fans would be hard pressed to find a show that even comes close the volume, energy, and in-your-face impact of a live KISS concert.