Kiss News

Here's an interview Tommy did to promote the Staples Center Show.

Westlake Village native lives the Kiss dream

By Bill Locey
Lead guitarist Tommy Thayer, an 805 native and "the new guy," discussed the latest, including this impending home game gig.

So evidently, you have the duty. How many phoners do you have to do a day?

Not that many, maybe one or two here and there because everyone in the band does interviews.

So they're not just torturing the new guy?

Naw. Gene and Paul like to talk too much, so they�re not going to let that happen.

How's the Kiss biz treating you?

Well, without sounding typical or cliche, it's going better than we could even imagine.Here's an interview Tommy did to promote the Staples Center Show.

Westlake Village native lives the Kiss dream

By Bill Locey
Lead guitarist Tommy Thayer, an 805 native and "the new guy," discussed the latest, including this impending home game gig.

So evidently, you have the duty. How many phoners do you have to do a day?

Not that many, maybe one or two here and there because everyone in the band does interviews.

So they're not just torturing the new guy?

Naw. Gene and Paul like to talk too much, so they�re not going to let that happen.

How's the Kiss biz treating you?

Well, without sounding typical, it's going better than we could even imagine. You know, "Sonic Boom" was just released three or four weeks ago - I'll get to that in a minute - but the tour has just been spectacular. We've just come across Canada, and now we're coming down the West Coast, as you probably know. The shows have been packed out, and we've got a huge stage set out with us: bigger, more and better of everything. It couldn't be better, because to be quite frank with you, a lot of tours are kind of struggling in this day and age because of the economy, but the Kiss tour continues on and it's very strong.

Who goes to a Kiss show these days?

Well, that's changed and that's part of the success. You've always had the die-hard fans, the ones that�ve been with the band forever, and those people are still there, which is great, but now they're bringing their kids. The face of the Kiss crowd has completely changed: a lot of younger kids, a lot more girls these days.

That's a good thing.

Yeah, it's more diverse, and you know, multigenerational, I would say. You've got a whole new resurgence of young kids coming and joining the Kiss Army. We didn't really notice until last summer in Europe - we did a big tour over there - and then we were in South America this spring, and the whole face of the crowd was changing and just getting bigger and growing. It had to do with all kinds of things. We were on "American Idol" this year, and we have songs on the "Rock Band" video games, Dr Pepper commercials. There's just all kinds of stuff where the shows are really packing out.

So where does "Sonic Boom" fit into all the rest that came before?

Well, "Sonic Boom" is the first Kiss studio album that I've been actively involved with as a member of the band, and if I do say so, it's a great record. We're really proud, and the critics and the fans alike have been exemplary. We did this record with the idea that we weren't going to do it like most bands do it anymore. We went back and did it on analog tape. Actually to begin with, we wrote and rehearsed songs with the band. There wasn't anybody from the outside, record labels or management saying you should try to do this or that, and we just did something from the gut, really. And we wrote 11 rock 'n' roll songs that are sort of in your face, from the gut songs, no outside writers. We didn't try to write a radio song, a power ballad or anything like that, and it just came really pure and for real, you know, and more so than any Kiss record in a long time. I didn�t realize it until near the end of the recording that this thing is really good, and it feels right, and I think it's because we didn�t have outside influences and politics playing a role. Usually, you have A&R people telling you what they think because they have money invested, but we did this all ourselves and put it out on Kiss Records.

Most bands fall prey to the dreaded "creative differences," which often means "need a bass player, man" or "need a drummer, man" but in Kiss the guitar player seems to be the rotating position. Do you ever feel like the extra crewman that beams down to uncharted planet with Kirk and Spock?

You know, Kiss has been going for 35 or 40 years now and there have been several guitar players, but a couple of the guys were just in there for a year or two. But it's kind of a hallowed spot to be filling. You know, Ace Frehley was the original lead guitarist, and I grew up as a fan.

Did you go see them as a kid?

Oh, yeah. I was a huge Kiss fan. I got their first record for Christmas in 1974. I went to their shows in Portland, where I grew up, and I put on makeup when I was 15 and - lo and behold - you never know where things will take you.

How�d you get this job? I know you were in a Kiss tribute band as well as Black 'n' Blue before that, but did you have to go through some crazy, intense audition scenario or what?

Not at all. It kind of happened organically. I used to be in Black 'n' Blue, which had several records out on Geffen, and before that, we had an opening slot on a Kiss tour in 1985. That's where I met these guys. We hired Gene to produce a couple of records, so we got more involved, and I started writing with them and so on and so forth. Eventually after Black 'n' Blue had run its course, they asked me to just come and work for them because they needed someone to understand, which I always did. I got Kiss and I understood, so they had me spearheading a number of projects. They did the reunion in '96. Ace and Peter came back, and they put the makeup back on, and it was a big, successful tour and at that point, I was working behind the scenes just doing whatever needed to be done. I was looking more to a music career at that point. I had my band and we took our shot. We did good, but it wasn't a career for life, so I was thinking more music career. So when they were having problems and Ace and Peter left, I happened to be there. I had done sound checks, rehearsals, even some recording behind the scenes, so it was just kind of natural, and about seven or eight years ago they said, "Tommy, you're the guy!"

How many thousands of songs did you have to learn overnight?

Already knew 'em, you know? Like I said, I'd done sound checks and rehearsals and when Ace re-entered the band, I actually had to help him relearn his parts. The other cool thing is that my wife and I actually live out in Ventura County out in the Westlake area. I love it out there. We've been out there 11 or 12 years. I used to live in town, but all the traffic and the craziness, I just got tired of it.

Black 'n' Blue had quite a run. You�re too humble. How did all that prepare you for all this?

Well, they say Tommy is the new guy, but I've been doing this professionally for over 25 years. I've been at this for a long time, and I know what's going on.

How did you end being a guitar player?

When you're a kid in fifth grade and they say, "Hey, you wanna join the band?" I ended up picking up the saxophone, and I played it all through high school. But when I was in junior high, I wanted an electric guitar, and the main reason I wanted to do that was because I thought it looked cool. Finally, I got one, and that completely took over, and I lost interest in the concert band. Even though saxophone is very cool, I was just overcome with the electric guitar and being in garage bands and all that.

So your first gig with Kiss then was an easy transition?

Yeah, it really wasn't as extraordinary as some people might think. Just the fact I was officially in the band was amazing, but as far as actually doing it, it wasn't a big challenge.

Was there any discussion of any sort of Plan B or were you always going to be the Spaceman?

Paul and Gene didn't want to change and have new characters. It's so established - 35 years and going on from there - they don't want to start reinventing the wheel at this point. They did that 20 or so years ago when Ace and Peter left, and they changed it, and it didn't really work out very well. There's a few diehard fans out there who think it's blasphemous that I'm wearing Ace Frehley's Spaceman makeup. There's still a few people saying that, but we've got 15,000 people out there every night and they're not complaining. You know how the Internet is. It just gives people something to bitch about, but they still come to the shows.

By John Katsilometes
Excerpted from Las Vegas Sun

KISS, indefatigable glam/rock pioneers who spawned a billion Halloween costumes and its own teenage army, returns to Las Vegas on Saturday night for a show at Pearl Theater at the Palms. This fall, the band, powered still by founding members Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, released its first studio album in 11 years, "Sonic Boom."

This week the Las Vegas Sun corralled the 57-year-old KISS vocalist and guitarist as the band prepared for a show in Anaheim, Calif., this week. Following is the conversation as our BlackBerry chimed with Stanley's eagerly awaited call:

"Hello, this is Paul Stanley."

"Excellent. Where are you calling from?"

"Anaheim, getting ready for a show here."By John Katsilometes
Excerpted from Las Vegas Sun

KISS, indefatigable glam/rock pioneers who spawned a billion Halloween costumes and its own teenage army, returns to Las Vegas on Saturday night for a show at Pearl Theater at the Palms. This fall, the band, powered still by founding members Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, released its first studio album in 11 years, "Sonic Boom."

This week the Las Vegas Sun corralled the 57-year-old KISS vocalist and guitarist as the band prepared for a show in Anaheim, Calif., this week. Following is the conversation as our BlackBerry chimed with Stanley's eagerly awaited call:

"Hello, this is Paul Stanley."

"Excellent. Where are you calling from?"

"Anaheim, getting ready for a show here."

"Anaheim! The home of Disneyland and No Doubt!"

"Right! Gwen (Stefani) has played the Pearl Theater, hasn't she?"

"She opened the place, yes. Speaking of that, I want to ask about this concert. How are you going to be able to scale down your live show, which is built for arenas and stadiums, for a small theater like the Pearl?"

"We have special shoehorn where we take our size 12 foot and jam it into a size 9 shoe. But rather than go back to a big arena, we wanted to play the Pearl again (KISS performed at the theater in August 2008). Every seat is unobstructed, which you don't get often, but we're not going to do the lounge thing. We're going to test how much volume this place can handle."

"Palms owner George Maloof likes to bring in bands he's a fan of. Is that how KISS came to play the Pearl?"

"Yeah, he is a fan. I've known George for about 15 years now. It's funny, I was there when the Pearl Theater was just rebar, talking with him about the day KISS would come to town. We were envisioning it even then."

"It's really interesting to be talking to someone on the phone you've known mostly from album covers, in concerts, on TV, almost like a fictional character. When you got to be famous, was there ever anyone you met and hung out with where you were saying, 'Wow, I can't believe I'm talking to this person?' "

"Of course, the first time I met Jimmy Page, Paul McCartney. Hopefully none of us get beyond that feeling. It keeps it exciting. You always have to have heroes, people you look up to, and it's amazing to have them as peers. I think that idolatry, hero inspiration, is something we shouldn't lose."

"What was it like to meet Jimmy Page? Can you describe that experience?"

"Oh yeah. Led Zep was mixing 'The Song Remains the Same' soundtrack, and we were coming into the studio after them. We were in the lobby, and Jimmy came up and he knew who I was, and who the band was. It was stunning. Not five years earlier, I was in the audience, watching Led Zeppelin with my mouth open, just not believing it."

"There is a sense that KISS has a Led Zep-like influence on on rock music."

"Maybe, but I leave it to others to determine where I belong in terms of stature. I like to keep those people I admire on a higher level."

"The other day I was looking back at the 'Alive' album cover, the back..."

"Excuse me for interrupting, but everyone was at that show."

"Hah, well I wasn't at that show (most of the album was recorded during a concert at Cobo Hall in Detroit). But I'm looking at that audience. All those people, and a bunch of fans seem to be stoned, or getting stoned, smoking joints right there in the arena and waiting for you to go on. There were no children around, it was a young-adult crowd, but today you've got all these children in makeup being brought by there parents to KISS shows."

"Yes, yes, they want to share the KISS experience with their kids, and it's cool. It's cool to experience the magic that they had when they first saw us. I love seeing the wonderment on young kid's faces. It's really, very, very gratifying, humbling and exhilarating. We're breaking down barriers. Don't have a set audience. We have a multigenerational audience."

"But originally, KISS was not something you shared with your parents. It was the naughty place, where you went to misbehave and disobey authority. I never thought to listen to 'Hotter Than Hell' or 'Love Gun' with my parents."

"No, no, no, you wouldn't. But there was not yet a precedent for a band lasting that long. For a long time they were disposable, pop idols, seen as a commodity and pre-manufactured. You had Fabian and Frankie Avalon being thrown at you, but once bands started writing their own material and transcending time, you saw them evolve over generations. Before, parents didn't have any connection to rock 'n' roll, because it was disposable."

"You've set a standard for production that really changed how concerts are staged, and now a lot of bands are using pyrotechnics and costumes onstage. How do you continue to stay ahead of the curve in your live show?"

"We've inspired a lot of bands, sure. Everybody is borrowing from us, but they will never be us. It only takes money to have a KISS-type show, but you will never have KISS. I'm flattered by all the mimicry, the bands who have borrowed from us. To me, we just have to keep doing what we've been doing and continue to be musically great."

"You've said many times that this is the best version of KISS (with co-founder Gene Simmons on bass, Tommy Thayer on guitar and Eric Singer on drums) ever."

"Totally. A night doesn't go by that we are not consistently in top form. We've now got four people who are all saying, 'How can we make the band more famous?' Instead of, "How can I make me more famous?' "

"You've talked before, during the 'Monster Circus' reunion project with Ace Frehley and Peter Criss, that it was difficult to work in the studio with attorneys instead of musicians."

"Yeah, if only attorneys could sing and play instruments, we'd have been a better band. But Eric has been with us for 18 years now, Tommy has been in the band for seven years and around us forever (as a onetime member of the band Black 'n Blue and a KISS tribute band who became an assistant to the band and helped Frehley's re-learn some of his solos for the 'Monster Circus' reunion tour). We're a great band."

"Your new album, 'Sonic Boom,' is getting good reviews, and so is this tour. What's going on?"

"(Laughs), I am suspicious of this. It's either that all of the old-guard critics have died off, or KISS fans have taken over the office."

"Maybe both."

"Maybe, yeah. But the reviews have been unanimously over-the-top for 'Sonic Boom.' It's gotten reviews I couldn't write better. But it is great to have an album out that is undeniably good, like we've reclaimed what is rightfully ours."

"I want to ask you a couple more Vegas-centric questions. You have a place at Palms Place, right?"

"I've had a place there since it was under construction, before it was completed, yep."

"And there reports last year that you might be in Las Vegas, as a resident, playing the Phantom in "Phantom - Las Vegas Spectacular" at The Venetian. Any truth to that?"

"Yeah, I had been in Las Vegas, having meetings, and we'd discussed that. I'd played the role before (in the Toronto production), but for a lot of reason it wasn't to be. I think it's a great show. Terrific. I still intend on doing it on Broadway, but there are only so many hours in the day, you know?"

"We have The Beatles-Cirque du Soleil show, 'Love,' at The Mirage and an Elvis-themed Cirque show at Aria called 'Viva Elvis.' You�ve seen 'Love,' right?"

"I did and it was absolutely terrific."

"Would you be interested in a Cirque-produced show with a KISS theme?"

"Sure, we've been in talks with different people with possibilities... not Cirque people, but we'll see what develops over time... Anything is possible with KISS."

"I would be remiss not to ask you about wearing makeup. After 35 years, hasn't it become an inconvenience to still have to wear that when you perform?"

"I liken it to putting on my war paint. When you go to fight, you want to be in your best possible form. ... It would be like going into the Super Bowl without the right equipment or the World Series. ... I don't know - I'm stammering here, because this is a big part of what makes us who we are. The idea of it being an inconvenience doesn't play into this. At the very least I would say, if you win the lottery, you don't complain about the taxes. When you've been as lucky as we are, there's not much to complain about."

Rock legends Kiss return to Birmingham NEC next year when they play the LG Arena in support of their spectacular new album, Sonic Boom.

The face-painted rock superheroes, riding on the crest of a wave after a stunning performance at Download in 2008 and the seemingly never-ending Alive 35 world tour, arrive at the LG Arena on Tuesday May 11, 2010. Tickets go on sale at 9am this Friday, November 27..

In typical bombastic Kiss style, the tour goes by the title of "Sonic Boom Over Europe: From The Beginning To The Boom", hinting at a setlist including nearly four decades of Kiss classics, right up to the new material, which deliberately evokes the spirit of the early Kiss albums.Rock legends Kiss return to Birmingham NEC next year when they play the LG Arena in support of their spectacular new album, Sonic Boom.

The face-painted rock superheroes, riding on the crest of a wave after a stunning performance at Download in 2008 and the seemingly never-ending Alive 35 world tour, arrive at the LG Arena on Tuesday May 11, 2010. Tickets go on sale at 9am this Friday, November 27..

In typical bombastic Kiss style, the tour goes by the title of "Sonic Boom Over Europe: From The Beginning To The Boom", hinting at a setlist including nearly four decades of Kiss classics, right up to the new material, which deliberately evokes the spirit of the early Kiss albums.

The tour features Kiss's first UK arena shows in 11 years. Acclaim for Kiss on the Alive 35 tour has been universal. Metal Hammer hailed the "return of the kings!", while Mojo declared: "A Kiss show is as thrilling and bombastic now as it was in 1975."

Whilst utilizing elements of "Kiss Alive 35", the Sonic Boom tour will be a new show tailored to the band's European fans and showcasing the Sonic Boom album.

Guitarist and singer Paul Stanley says: "The Kiss Alive 35 Tour was just the start. 'Sonic Boom Over Europe' leaves that show in the dust. New stage, new setlist, new outfits, new album!

"We're covering the whole musical history of the band on a stage that takes Kiss one giant step further in our eight inch heels. We're stoked. You wanted the best? You GOT the best!"

Bassist and singer Gene Simmons says: "Now, more than ever, Kiss is a four-wheel-drive monster truck. Our mission? To rock planet Earth. To spread the gospel of Sonic Boom."

Today - November 25, 2009 - Kiss, which also features drummer Eric Singer and lead guitarist Tommy Thayer, are performing to a global audience when their show at the Staples Center in Los Angeles is streamed live on Facebook. This one off event will be unique chance for European fans to see the Kiss Alive 35 show before it changes for the European run.

ROCK legends Kiss will slap on their make-up to play their first gig in Scotland for 17 years.

The US supergroup - Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer - are promising to put on the most spectacular show of their controversial career.

"This is the best Kiss ever...it's the biggest and most successful tour we've done," boasted guitarist Paul.

"You only have to come and see us to know this is as good as it gets."

Kiss have been wowing fans on the other side of the Atlantic with their new stage show based on this year's hit album, Sonic Boom.ROCK legends Kiss will slap on their make-up to play their first gig in Scotland for 17 years.

The US supergroup - Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer - are promising to put on the most spectacular show of their controversial career.

"This is the best Kiss ever...it's the biggest and most successful tour we've done," boasted guitarist Paul.

"You only have to come and see us to know this is as good as it gets."

Kiss have been wowing fans on the other side of the Atlantic with their new stage show based on this year's hit album, Sonic Boom.

Kiss are reaching a whole new generation of fans thanks to recent high-profile television appearances.

They went down a storm appearing on the final of American Idol 2009, where they performed hits Detroit Rock City and Rock And Roll All Nite with contestant Adam Lambert.

The show was watched by more than 30million viewers.

And bassist Gene Simmons is a reality TV star in his own right. He has achieved top ratings with Gene Simmons' Family Jewels, a fly- on-the-wall show focusing on his offbeat home life with ex-Playboy Playmate Shannon Tweed and their kids, Nick and Sophie.

Kiss formed in 1973 and their string of albums includes Dynasty (1979), Unmasked (1980), Animalize (1984) and Revenge (1992).

The colourful band, whose infamous live shows have featured blood, fire and smashed guitars, have also played big events such as Super Bowl XXXIII, the Winter Olympics in 2002 and the 2008 Australian Grand Prix.

Despite several line-up changes, Kiss claim they've never been more popular with young music fans.

Paul said: "We have many new fans - mainly in their teens and 20s - but we also have older fans who bring their kids to the gigs.

"For many people, Kiss has been the soundtrack to their lives, so it's passing something along to their children.

"I couldn't be more proud of the band for what we mean to so many different people."

Los Angeles concert is first live Facebook concert broadcast

By Phyllis Pollack
The Examiner

Last night's Kiss concert in Los Angeles was the first concert to be broadcast live on Facebook. The scene at L.A.'s Staples Center for the Kiss Alive 35 tour date was both deep with cameras that were shooting the band, as well as the audience for the Facebook broadcast. The band's rhythm guitarist Paul Stanley pointed to sections of the audience, where cameras would focus on them. Each section of fans would cheer loudly as they were being filmed, while the band would conjure the same antics that made them an attraction more than three decades ago. The band is currently promoting their Sonic Boom album, released on October 6. The double disc, which also features a DVD, is their 19th release, was recorded at Conway Studios in Los Angeles.
By Phyllis Pollack

Last night's Kiss concert in Los Angeles was the first concert to be broadcast live on Facebook. The scene at L.A.'s Staples Center for the Kiss Alive 35 tour date was both deep with cameras that were shooting the band, as well as the audience for the Facebook broadcast. The band's rhythm guitarist Paul Stanley pointed to sections of the audience, where cameras would focus on them. Each section of fans would cheer loudly as they were being filmed, while the band would conjure the same antics that made them an attraction more than three decades ago. The band is currently promoting their Sonic Boom album, released on October 6. The double disc, which also features a DVD, is their 19th release, was recorded at Conway Studios in Los Angeles.

"We were here for your moms and dads, and we will be here for you," Stanley told the audience in the close to sold-out arena. Parents who brought their children seemed reassured that somehow the world would be a better place because of this. Many brought offspring as young as three years old, dressed up like members of Kiss, in full costume and make-up, to pay homage to the band, famed for their imagery. Die-hard Kiss fans, ranging from adolescents to rockers in their forties attended the concert, dressed in full Kiss regalia. The band attracted a crowd that ranges into their fifties. Those who attended the concert not dressed up as someone in the band, showed up wearing either Kiss merchandising, conservative clothing, or rock and roll couture de rigueur of Los Angeles, a city that is arguably one of the rock and roll capitals of the world, not to mention home to Kiss member Gene Simmons. Last night's concert again proved that Kiss still has managed to retain its "Kiss Army," its dedicated legion of fans.

The ever merchandising Kiss has made last night's Los Angeles concert available for purchase as a double CD. For those who attended the Staples Arena show last night, the recording of the show was made available by purchasing a voucher, and picking up the first CD and the box at the concert. Then after registering online, the second CD with encores would be mailed to them. For those who went to the show, but did not make a purchase last night, and would like to buy the CD of the Staples Center concert on CD or MP3 format, it is now available online at a designated website. In addition to the live CDs, Concert Sticks, which are packaged in Kiss collector's boxes, are available immediately after each Kiss concert at Concert Online and/or official merchandise booths. USB sticks give fans live MP3s immediately after concerts. The company Concert Online teams with mobile audio recording studios and accompanies musical acts throughout their tours and record every show live. The resulting live recordings are split into individual tracks on-site, labeled, converted to high-quality MP3s (320 kbit/s) and copied to "Concert Sticks" (USB drives). These can also be purchased on the website.

Kiss, who have sold merchandising including action figures and their controversial, ready-for-burial Kiss coffins, have additional Kiss merchandise available at their online store.

In many ways, Kiss is the W.W.F. of rock and roll. Paul Stanley dresses as the "Starchild," bassist Gene Simmons is "The Demon," drummer Eric Singer is the Catman, and their guitarist, Tommy Thayer is the Spaceman. Kiss were dressed in their iconic outfits, comprised of silver and black spandex, leather and metal chains and studs, and extremely high platform shoes, with their faces covered in make-up, identifying them with their long-known characters.

Although the band has gone through some personnel changes, the song remains the same, and so does the show, which is what their fans want. The band, which is arguably most celebrated for their live stage shows and imagery, offered entertainment and spectacle. Kiss' iconic logo on stage flashed throughout the concert.

"Last night we played in Anaheim," Stanley announced to the audience, which resulted in loud booing. "Funny," Stanley quipped. "That's what they said about you. You're going to play for those Beverly Hills rock and rollers," joked Stanley, referring to last night's audience.

Simmons stuck his tongue out and wiggled it at the audience many times during the night, and sometimes he had fake blood dripping out of his mouth. Pyro that included green, yellow and orange flames shot up from the stage, flame pots erupted, as well as sparklers and firecrackers. At one point, Simmons carried a flaming torch, and appeared to breathe fire out of his mouth. In another effect, sparks appeared to shoot from Thayer's guitar. Fog emanated on stage, and masses of confetti fell from the ceiling onto the floor of the audience. The song "Black Diamond" ended with firecrackers. Elaborate video screens were split to show different vignettes of the band members at the same time, and included colorful graphics.

Drummer Eric Singer played while elevated on a large platform. Between two of the songs, Stanley urged fans to not drink and drive.

Stanley, who was the most animated member of the group last night, screeched at the audience, "Do you want to know how to end global warming?" The audience responded with a resounding "Yes." The guitarist then proclaimed, "If you came to see a band tell you how to stop global warming, or how to end world hunger, you came to see the wrong band. Tonight is to escape the world's problems." Stanley then assured the audience, "The world will be just as screwed up tomorrow," which drew massive laughter from the audience. This was the segue to the band's party anthem "I Wanna Rock And Roll All Nite." Stanley also managed to destroy a guitar on stage. Both its neck and its body ended up with fans in the first two rows.

At times, Stanley made gestures to the audience and pantomimed to get his points across, as he introduced the band's songs throughout the evening. At one point, he played the intro from Led Zeppelin's "Stairway To Heaven," an apparent joke. For those with a sharp ear, a bridge from The Who's song "Won't Get Fooled Again" was briefly vamped on guitar. The musical repertoire of the evening was vintage and new material, like "Modern Day Delilah." Part of the spectacle of the evening included Simmons and Thayer being simultaneously raised on each end of the stage to the top of the arena on platforms that were suspended in mid-air, while the platforms shot out massive flames.

One of the visual highlights during the concerts was when Stanley said to the audience, "I'm coming out there!" At this juncture, he was suspended on wires, and was flown over the audience, landing on a platform that was placed high above the crowd. It was located towards the back of the arena, which was dense with Kiss' film cameras for video. There was more spectacle when Stanley was flown over the audience, back to the stage.

As much as Kiss had pyro for its audience last night, the audience held a flame for Kiss.

Kiss Set List November 25 Staples Arena, Los Angeles, California

Deuce
Strutter
Let Me Go, Rock �N Roll
Hotter Than hell
Shock Me
Calling Dr. Love
Modern Day Delilah
Cold Gin
Parasite
Say Yeah
100,000 Years
I Love It Loud
Black Diamond
I Wanna Rock And Roll All Night
Encore:
Shout It Out Loud
Lick It Up
Love Gun
Detroit Rock City