Kiss News

CLICK HERE to view the Ottawa Sun's full KISS Ottawa concert photo gallery.


By Aedan Helmer, Ottawa Sun

When Kiss took one of their glam metal progeny Motley Crue out on the road with them last year, the concert event billed simply as The Tour made only one Canadian stop, in Toronto.

Both bands made up for the oversight in 2013, each booking the most extensive cross-Canada tours in band history, at 18 dates apiece and rolling through such heavy metal meccas as Edmonton, Brandon, Manitoba �...and Sudbury� as Gene Simmons noted in a wry baritone that interrupted Paul Stanley rhyming off Kiss Monster Tour stops during Thursday's show.

But anyone comparing the two concerts � Kiss and the Crue coming about 70 days apart and both attracting around 8,000 to the Canadian Tire Centre � would have to wonder if the Crue could've learned a thing or two from the road warriors of Kiss, who, if they didn't invent the arena rock spectacle, they certainly set the gold-studded standard for all to follow.CLICK HERE to view the Ottawa Sun's full KISS Ottawa concert photo gallery.

By Aedan Helmer, Ottawa Sun

When Kiss took one of their glam metal progeny Motley Crue out on the road with them last year, the concert event billed simply as The Tour made only one Canadian stop, in Toronto.

Both bands made up for the oversight in 2013, each booking the most extensive cross-Canada tours in band history, at 18 dates apiece and rolling through such heavy metal meccas as Edmonton, Brandon, Manitoba �...and Sudbury� as Gene Simmons noted in a wry baritone that interrupted Paul Stanley rhyming off Kiss Monster Tour stops during Thursday's show.

But anyone comparing the two concerts � Kiss and the Crue coming about 70 days apart and both attracting around 8,000 to the Canadian Tire Centre � would have to wonder if the Crue could've learned a thing or two from the road warriors of Kiss, who, if they didn't invent the arena rock spectacle, they certainly set the gold-studded standard for all to follow.

Kiss � Starman Stanley and the Demon Simmons, with replacement Space Ace Tommy Thayer and Catman Eric Singer each getting a chance to shine in a mid-set guitar and drum double solo � gave the people what they paid for in a two-hour rock spectacle that had nearly non-stop pyrotechnics blazing amid some blaring rock 'n roll.

And the Ottawa regiment of Kiss Army had flags flying and fists pumping, even if Stanley reluctantly acknowledged, �This isn't the biggest crowd we've played to� on tour.

Still, the crowd made a noise equal to one twice its size on a spirited singalong on I Love it Loud, and kept the energy flowing through a string of vintage Seventies shock rockers, with every fist in the house raised right from Shout it Out Loud and right through Deuce, Detroit Rock City and the encore, signature party anthem Rock N' Roll All Nite.

Stanley and Simmons were both dynamic performers � at age 61 and 63 and still packing plenty of punch in their showmanship skills, Stanley demanding fan love with raised fists throughout and calls for competing cheers on either side of the arena, and Simmons seething at fans through bloody teeth, �You better get off your a--� while perched in a harness high above the stage in a blood-smeared bass solo.

It says something for two rock stars of their vintage to be able to slather on the makeup every night and pull on the platforms and the black studded leather, with Stanley still flying over the crowd and still giving his best rock star screams, and Simmons as some wicked, growling gargoyle, breathing fire and frothing blood all over horned armour and his demon bass.

With a stage featuring a giant robotic spider that looked like it had come to life and walked over from the National Gallery lawn to drop four face-painted freaks off on stage � and somewhere along the way picked up the ability to fire off rockets from its belly and laser beams from its eyes � the entire show was a feast for the senses.

And despite the new album Monster, Kiss knew exactly why the fans came out � a select few even in Kiss costume � and accordingly served up fan-favourites God of Thunder, Lick it Up, Love Gun and Black Diamond.

Even the newer songs � like the opener Psycho Circus, from the same 1998 album, Hell or Hallelujah, with the band members taking a break to sign a copy the 2012 Monster LP onstage for a fan's 14th birthday � were all augmented with enough explosive blasts, fireworks and balls of flame to keep the fans' attention span from drifting too far.

SIOUX FALLS, SD -

The Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame is miles away but its academy is in Sioux Falls. Rock legends are becoming regulars in Sioux Falls. Members of the band KISS visited again over the weekend to talk with children at the Brennan Rock and Roll Academy.

�It's all about giving back,� guitarist Paul Stanley said. �Sooner or later success means giving back. It's not an option. It's an obligation.�

And the young fans welcoming them over the weekend would agree that the famous faces provide inspiration and motivation.

IOUX FALLS, SD -

The Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame is miles away but its academy is in Sioux Falls. Rock legends are becoming regulars in Sioux Falls. Members of the band KISS visited again over the weekend to talk with children at the Brennan Rock and Roll Academy.

�It's all about giving back,� guitarist Paul Stanley said. �Sooner or later success means giving back. It's not an option. It's an obligation.�

And the young fans welcoming them over the weekend would agree that the famous faces provide inspiration and motivation.

�Here's a cool place. They can come, be together, share ideas, and have big dreams because all kids have dreams. Mostly it's a safe environment where they can soar. Anything is possible and that's great,� bass guitarist Gene Simmons said.

The academy gives kids a chance to meet the great ones; maybe even learn from them too. The band's short Sioux Falls stop over the weekend was sandwiched between big concerts in Canada and Wisconsin. Some had been here before, for others it was the first time.

�That's priceless and that's what it�s all about. It's about putting the smiles on their faces, and ultimately giving kids something to do, whether it's sports, any activity, music or sports, an activity rather than playing a Gameboy or punking around on the corner on the streets,� drummer Eric Singer said.

�We're clearly in the most important place, where the kids are. That's what it's about,� Simmons said.

To these kids just seeing the rockers means a lot. KISS isn't the first big name to walk into the academy. It opened to great fanfare this spring and just as many big names. Stars from bands like Motley Crue, even comedians and other big name celebrities chipped in on The Venue's opening weekend to raise more than $1 million for the kids.

For these legends, making a stop means making new fans, but more importantly, making a difference.

�A place for kids to come down in the afternoon, get that musical input, learn to play instruments and take them to the stage, so I think it's an important part of that evolution for kids definitely,� lead guitarist Tommy Thayer said.

�I always say, pave the road behind you smoother for the next person. That's what life is about,� Singer said.

KISS also said they're making their own special contribution to the Brennan Rock And Roll Academy. They're paying for the lessons of any student who signs up between now a