12/15/2009
KISS PHOTOS FROM PITTSBURGH
Kiss News
12/15/2009
KISS IS EVERYWHERE!
12/14/2009
SONIC BOOM OVER EUROPE TOUR POSTER
12/14/2009
KISS ROLLS INTO THE IGLOO AND MAKES IT ROCK
By Scott Mervis, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Paul Stanley, the best in-between-song screamer in the history of rock 'n' roll, screeched last night, "We've been playing this place for so long -- it feels like church to us!"
OK, synagogue may have made more sense but that's not the point. The point is that when you think of bands that were able to transform the Igloo into some seedy house of hard rock Kiss is somewhere near the top. And the last time they came through this area it was all wrong. They were sent out to the pasture in Burgettstown and forced to open for Aerosmith in the daylight, which is like making Dracula walk on the beach. Last night, on the Kiss Alive 35 Tour, they made it right one last time under the silver dome.
By Scott Mervis, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Paul Stanley, the best in-between-song screamer in the history of rock 'n' roll, screeched last night, "We've been playing this place for so long -- it feels like church to us!"
OK, synagogue may have made more sense but that's not the point. The point is that when you think of bands that were able to transform the Igloo into some seedy house of hard rock Kiss is somewhere near the top. And the last time they came through this area it was all wrong. They were sent out to the pasture in Burgettstown and forced to open for Aerosmith in the daylight, which is like making Dracula walk on the beach. Last night, on the Kiss Alive 35 Tour, they made it right one last time under the silver dome.
It wasn't like those gigs in the '70s, of course, when the place was teeming with rowdy and stoned teenagers. There were little kids getting their faces painted in the hallways along with paunchy dads, and at one point Stanley yelled, "Hold up your children!" The stage was different, too -- considerably cleaner and more hi tech with dozens of amps that doubled as video screens and a jumbotron to provide a better look at Gene Simmons' blood, sweat and tongue.
Kiss rolled in with a new album, "Sonic Boom" -- "Go to Walmart.com!" Stanley screamed -- but only bothered to play two of the songs, the heavier-metal single "Modern Day Delilah" and "Say Yeah." The rest of the show was reserved for classics like the explosive opener "Deuce," the sexy "Strutter" and "Let Me Go, Rock 'n' Roll," given a full blues-boogie jam treatment.
An 18-song set over two-plus hours left plenty of room for Kiss shtick -- like the wanky soloing that bands just don't do anymore, the best of which was Ace replacement Tommy Thayer shooting literal and figurative sparks from his Les Paul at the tail end of "Cold Gin." The latest Cat drummer, Eric Singer, had a spinning riser for his thunderous solo.
Stanley, still pretty ripped at 57, got to scream even more than he sang, and flew across the arena on a wire for "Love Gun." And then there was The Demon, who revels in this lair as much he did in '75. Why he felt the need to mess with tradition, though, is a mystery. Maybe I missed something but I thought he was supposed to breathe the fire on "Firehouse" and spew the blood on "God of Thunder." He didn't even play those two classics, doing his thing instead on the lesser "Hotter than Hell" and "I Love it Loud."
While the middle of the show sagged just a bit, the last half hour was pure Kiss heaven with Stanley opening the band's best song, "Black Diamond," with a "Stairway to Heaven" tease, before handing over the vocals to Singer.
Fan favorite "Rock and Roll All Nite" was intro-ed with some Kiss philosophy: "If you came here tonight to hear a band tell you how to end global warming," Stanley hollered, "you're in the wrong damn place! We came here to escape from the world!" What followed was a hand-clapping, sing-along with a wondrous confetti shower. "Lick it Up" morphed into "Won't Get Fooled Again" and the four-song encore was capped with Thayer's guitar fireworks and a blast of pyro on the anthem "Detroit Rock City," designed to make everyone from junior and grandma leave feeling like they just saw the circus.
While the two frontmen of Kiss are getting up there in years, Stanley issued something of a promise to the kids in the crowd. "We were there for your moms and dads," he said. "And you know somethin' -- we'll be there for you!"
As long as they can walk out onstage in those 7-inch heels, Pitttts-burrrgh! will no doubt be there for them too.
Paul Stanley, the best in-between-song screamer in the history of rock 'n' roll, screeched last night, "We've been playing this place for so long -- it feels like church to us!"
OK, synagogue may have made more sense but that's not the point. The point is that when you think of bands that were able to transform the Igloo into some seedy house of hard rock Kiss is somewhere near the top. And the last time they came through this area it was all wrong. They were sent out to the pasture in Burgettstown and forced to open for Aerosmith in the daylight, which is like making Dracula walk on the beach. Last night, on the Kiss Alive 35 Tour, they made it right one last time under the silver dome.
By Scott Mervis, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Paul Stanley, the best in-between-song screamer in the history of rock 'n' roll, screeched last night, "We've been playing this place for so long -- it feels like church to us!"
OK, synagogue may have made more sense but that's not the point. The point is that when you think of bands that were able to transform the Igloo into some seedy house of hard rock Kiss is somewhere near the top. And the last time they came through this area it was all wrong. They were sent out to the pasture in Burgettstown and forced to open for Aerosmith in the daylight, which is like making Dracula walk on the beach. Last night, on the Kiss Alive 35 Tour, they made it right one last time under the silver dome.
It wasn't like those gigs in the '70s, of course, when the place was teeming with rowdy and stoned teenagers. There were little kids getting their faces painted in the hallways along with paunchy dads, and at one point Stanley yelled, "Hold up your children!" The stage was different, too -- considerably cleaner and more hi tech with dozens of amps that doubled as video screens and a jumbotron to provide a better look at Gene Simmons' blood, sweat and tongue.
Kiss rolled in with a new album, "Sonic Boom" -- "Go to Walmart.com!" Stanley screamed -- but only bothered to play two of the songs, the heavier-metal single "Modern Day Delilah" and "Say Yeah." The rest of the show was reserved for classics like the explosive opener "Deuce," the sexy "Strutter" and "Let Me Go, Rock 'n' Roll," given a full blues-boogie jam treatment.
An 18-song set over two-plus hours left plenty of room for Kiss shtick -- like the wanky soloing that bands just don't do anymore, the best of which was Ace replacement Tommy Thayer shooting literal and figurative sparks from his Les Paul at the tail end of "Cold Gin." The latest Cat drummer, Eric Singer, had a spinning riser for his thunderous solo.
Stanley, still pretty ripped at 57, got to scream even more than he sang, and flew across the arena on a wire for "Love Gun." And then there was The Demon, who revels in this lair as much he did in '75. Why he felt the need to mess with tradition, though, is a mystery. Maybe I missed something but I thought he was supposed to breathe the fire on "Firehouse" and spew the blood on "God of Thunder." He didn't even play those two classics, doing his thing instead on the lesser "Hotter than Hell" and "I Love it Loud."
While the middle of the show sagged just a bit, the last half hour was pure Kiss heaven with Stanley opening the band's best song, "Black Diamond," with a "Stairway to Heaven" tease, before handing over the vocals to Singer.
Fan favorite "Rock and Roll All Nite" was intro-ed with some Kiss philosophy: "If you came here tonight to hear a band tell you how to end global warming," Stanley hollered, "you're in the wrong damn place! We came here to escape from the world!" What followed was a hand-clapping, sing-along with a wondrous confetti shower. "Lick it Up" morphed into "Won't Get Fooled Again" and the four-song encore was capped with Thayer's guitar fireworks and a blast of pyro on the anthem "Detroit Rock City," designed to make everyone from junior and grandma leave feeling like they just saw the circus.
While the two frontmen of Kiss are getting up there in years, Stanley issued something of a promise to the kids in the crowd. "We were there for your moms and dads," he said. "And you know somethin' -- we'll be there for you!"
As long as they can walk out onstage in those 7-inch heels, Pitttts-burrrgh! will no doubt be there for them too.
12/13/2009
SOLD-OUT ONTARIO SHOW REGRETFULLY POSTPONED
12/13/2009
ERIC & TOMMY WITH MARIO LEMIEUX
12/13/2009
KISS IS EVERYWHERE!
12/13/2009
MY DAUGHTER'S FIRST KISS SHOW!
12/13/2009
KISS GOES TO SCHOOL
12/13/2009
KISS ROCKS AMERICA....AGAIN!
By April Jones - Omaha Rock Music Examiner
Photo: Susana Capra/AEG Events Examiner
Ringing ears? Laryngitis? Those aren't symptoms of the latest flu virus, just the aftermath of seeing KISS perform Friday night at the Mid America Center.
Council Bluffs (and Omaha, as Paul Stanley noted throughout the show) was the latest stop on the rock band's "Alive 35" tour which coincides with the release of their latest album, Sonic Boom. Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer, with an average age of 50-something, are living proof of the old saying you're never too old to rock n roll.
Age certainly didn't stop the Starchild from flying above the audience and landing on a platform in the center of the arena. And it definitely didn't stop the Demon from climbing into the rafters and reminding fans just what a musical master and talented showman he is.By April Jones - Omaha Rock Music Examiner
Photo: Susana Capra/AEG Events Examiner
Ringing ears? Laryngitis? Those aren't symptoms of the latest flu virus, just the aftermath of seeing KISS perform Friday night at the Mid America Center.
Council Bluffs (and Omaha, as Paul Stanley noted throughout the show) was the latest stop on the rock band's "Alive 35" tour which coincides with the release of their latest album, Sonic Boom. Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer, with an average age of 50-something, are living proof of the old saying you're never too old to rock n roll.
Age certainly didn't stop the Starchild from flying above the audience and landing on a platform in the center of the arena. And it definitely didn't stop the Demon from climbing into the rafters and reminding fans just what a musical master and talented showman he is. Classic stunts like drooling blood, spitting fire and dangling that famous tongue drew a reaction from the crowd that was beyond enthusiastic. Tommy Thayer delivered an impressive guitar solo highlighted with celestial footage behind him and projected on the screens above the stage. Lightning fast licks were even more amazing when they were performed with his guitar held over and behind his head. Of course, a rock performance is incomplete without a drum solo and Eric Singer took drumming to new heights, literally, with a performance that lifted him above the stage and lifted fans out of their seats.
With a visually and aurally stunning stage show, the KISS set list included the classics beginning with "Deuce" and "Strutter" and moving on to fan favorites like "Calling Dr. Love" "I Love It Loud" and "Rock and Roll All Nite". Thrown into the mix were new songs "Modern Day Delilah" and "Say Yeah" which involved a bit of audience participation. The inevitable encore packed in just as much power as the main event with "Lick It Up", "Love Gun" and "Detroit Rock City".
But no song was more fitting for the night than "Hotter Than Hell", a perfect description of the temperature inside the MAC thanks to pyrotechnics, fireworks and bursting flames that would have made Dante feel like he was right back in the Inferno.
Soldiers of the KISS Army, both young and old and even a few decked out in full black and silver regalia, were on the frontlines of an unforgettable performance. Once declaring "You wanted the best, you got the best!" KISS continues to deliver on that promise.
For more information: Visit the KISS website. To purchase a live recording of Friday's performance on a USB wristband or two-CD set, visit Concert Online and select the Council Bluffs event. "Sonic Boom" is available exclusively at WalMart.
Photo: Susana Capra/AEG Events Examiner
Ringing ears? Laryngitis? Those aren't symptoms of the latest flu virus, just the aftermath of seeing KISS perform Friday night at the Mid America Center.
Council Bluffs (and Omaha, as Paul Stanley noted throughout the show) was the latest stop on the rock band's "Alive 35" tour which coincides with the release of their latest album, Sonic Boom. Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer, with an average age of 50-something, are living proof of the old saying you're never too old to rock n roll.
Age certainly didn't stop the Starchild from flying above the audience and landing on a platform in the center of the arena. And it definitely didn't stop the Demon from climbing into the rafters and reminding fans just what a musical master and talented showman he is.By April Jones - Omaha Rock Music Examiner
Photo: Susana Capra/AEG Events Examiner
Ringing ears? Laryngitis? Those aren't symptoms of the latest flu virus, just the aftermath of seeing KISS perform Friday night at the Mid America Center.
Council Bluffs (and Omaha, as Paul Stanley noted throughout the show) was the latest stop on the rock band's "Alive 35" tour which coincides with the release of their latest album, Sonic Boom. Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer, with an average age of 50-something, are living proof of the old saying you're never too old to rock n roll.
Age certainly didn't stop the Starchild from flying above the audience and landing on a platform in the center of the arena. And it definitely didn't stop the Demon from climbing into the rafters and reminding fans just what a musical master and talented showman he is. Classic stunts like drooling blood, spitting fire and dangling that famous tongue drew a reaction from the crowd that was beyond enthusiastic. Tommy Thayer delivered an impressive guitar solo highlighted with celestial footage behind him and projected on the screens above the stage. Lightning fast licks were even more amazing when they were performed with his guitar held over and behind his head. Of course, a rock performance is incomplete without a drum solo and Eric Singer took drumming to new heights, literally, with a performance that lifted him above the stage and lifted fans out of their seats.
With a visually and aurally stunning stage show, the KISS set list included the classics beginning with "Deuce" and "Strutter" and moving on to fan favorites like "Calling Dr. Love" "I Love It Loud" and "Rock and Roll All Nite". Thrown into the mix were new songs "Modern Day Delilah" and "Say Yeah" which involved a bit of audience participation. The inevitable encore packed in just as much power as the main event with "Lick It Up", "Love Gun" and "Detroit Rock City".
But no song was more fitting for the night than "Hotter Than Hell", a perfect description of the temperature inside the MAC thanks to pyrotechnics, fireworks and bursting flames that would have made Dante feel like he was right back in the Inferno.
Soldiers of the KISS Army, both young and old and even a few decked out in full black and silver regalia, were on the frontlines of an unforgettable performance. Once declaring "You wanted the best, you got the best!" KISS continues to deliver on that promise.
For more information: Visit the KISS website. To purchase a live recording of Friday's performance on a USB wristband or two-CD set, visit Concert Online and select the Council Bluffs event. "Sonic Boom" is available exclusively at WalMart.
