By David Shalom
Translated from Portuguese for KISSonline by Jill Cataldo

On the eve of the first major rock concert of her life, Paula Schornberger, a young high schooler, did not have the freedom that she envisioned. She has been been camping out since Friday in the line of fans in front of the Arena Anhembi in Sao Paulo, where KISS is playing this Saturday. The young girl was being watched closely by her mother, who claimed almost to have torn up her daughter's ticket to the show when she heard about her Paula's idea to sleep out at the concert site. "She didn't want to let me come, but I said I would come anyway. So, after much pleading, she ended up letting me come," said Schornberge, stating that her mother is staying in a hotel next to the venue so she won't lose sight of her daughter.

"And she's not leaving me be. I am talking to you now, but my mom is sending text messages asking if I want something, She came here three times today to see how I was. In fact, she wanted to come here and sleep out with me, but I said no, because otherwise I'd be dying of embarrassment," said the girl. Soon after, her mother left the hotel for a few minutes and then appeared, quietly delivering biscuits, snacks, and supplies for the night out.

Anamartha Mecca, also 17 years old, in turn, claims to have had no problems convincing her parents to let her spend the night in line at the show. On the other hand, she still had to deal with someone else wanting to veto the idea: her boyfriend. "I wanted to come here on Tuesday, but he is very jealous and didn't want to leave me. So much that he's now going to sleep in the tent with me tonight too," she explained.

A thin drizzle started to fall on the Anhembi, and Gabriel Fernandes, 13 years old, was engulfed, alone, with some supplies arranged on a small sheet stretched on the sidewalk. "But I came with my mother, who is a big fan and goes camping with me," said the boy, denying fears of possible rain during the night, since he did not bring a tent. "If that happens, we brought a cover to protect us. I think it will help."

Here's Eric Singer greeting fans outside of KISS' hotel in Brazil this afternoon!

Photo by Orlando Ocampo for Terra.br.

Thanks to the Brazilian KISS Army for sending KISSOnline this MONSTER Tour poster. KISS rocks Sao Paulo tonight, and Rio De Janeiro on Sunday.

Excerpts from story By Jorge Coronel
Translated from Spanish for KISSonline by Jill Cataldo

Recognized as the "best rock band of all time", KISS arrived in Chile accompanied by a team of 55 people and eight tons of pyrotechnics.

Per the band's orders, it was stated that Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer request the following: The dressing rooms must have 150 black and white towels, and the rooms also must be decorated with flowers. And, they have strictly requested that none of their food should contain broccoli.

Expectations

After months of waiting, Chilean fans surge with euphoria and expectations before the imminent spectacle of KISS arrives in this country, which includes songs from their new album, "Monster", released in October.

The newspaper La Segunda, of Chile, states that the band unleashes passion, sacrifice and devotion among their multigenerational fanatics.

"Unlike other fans, KISS fans start at an early age and continue to be devotees forever; which in this case not only means to listen to music, but also to paint their faces, collect merchandise and make all kinds of sacrifices", it says.

The Chilean "Kiss Army" - a term that defines the passion for the band - even reaches the point of fans standing whole days waiting for the band at the airport and outside the hotel to try and get a photo or an autograph. "It is crazy, having turned this hobby into a job," said Jorge González, an industrial designer for 41 years, that the arrival of KISS to his country is the most powerful live event of the year.

Kissing their way through Chile, KISS brings rock and pyrotechnics

Paraguay.com
Translated from Spanish for KISSonline by Jill Cataldo

The heavy rock band KISS headlined the lineup of the Maquinaria Fest in Santiago, where it captivated audiences with classics and a great visual display that included lots of pyrotechnics.

The Chilean media chronicled the dramatic arrival of the ban, led by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley.

As in Buenos Aires, as in Mexico, as in everywhere, and as they have done for 40 years, KISS shows begin in the same way: with loud sound and many pyrotechnics.

Amid fireworks and great displays came the classic songs that made this band great and began its four-decade career. Thus came "Detroit Rock City", "God of Thunder", "Hotter Than Hell", "Rock and Roll all Nite" and "I Was Made for Loving You" sparkled to Chileans who welcomed the artists to the country for the third time.

Last Sunday, Stanley, Simmons and company came to Paraguay, where on Monday they play on the last day of the rock festival at the Jockey Club.

"I absolutely still feel like a freak. That's a state of mind. It has nothing to do with how much money you have or how successful you are," Paul Stanley tells Noisecreep.

The KISS vocalist/guitarist is referring to "Freak," a track he co-wrote with guitarist Tommy Thayer that appears on Monster, the iconic group's new album.

Spending his teenage years in Queens, N.Y., Stanley, 60, says he always felt like an outsider, but he's come to peace with that all these years later. "So am I a freak? Of course I am. But I'm proud to be one. Just look at what I'm doing every night. Look at how I live. I'm not rebelling against anything, because the ultimate rebellion is to live your life your own way.

"Anyone that thinks being a successful person, or a millionaire, rules out feeling like a freak and makes you conventional... sorry. The two co-exist proudly. You can become a big success because you're a freak and that's the ultimate win-win."

Noisecreep grew up a few miles away from Stanley in Queens, so we asked him about his memories there. "I didn't have the greatest childhood, but you could have transported me to any other place in the world and I would have had the same problems. Queens was fine. For the first 7+ years of my life, I lived in uptown Manhattan. So when we moved to Queens – so help me God – I thought we were going to see grizzly bears [laughs]. All of a sudden, we had trees on the street! I was stunned. I thought I was going to run into Lassie [laughs].

"Queens might have been a half hour drive into Manhattan, but it might as well been a 5-hour flight. For someone from Manhattan, Queens looked like Minnesota. I lived in Kew Garden Hills, the poor side of the tracks from Forest Hills. I lived on 70th Rd. and Main Street," Stanley reveals.

The singer then asks me what part of Queens I'm from and I tell him between Elmhurst and Jackson Heights. "That's cool. Gene [Simmons] grew up in Jackson Heights," he says. "He also taught at Newtown High School before KISS made it."

Of course being I graduated from there, and being the KISS nerd I am, I already knew that.

KISS IS EVERYWHERE!

Here's Chiara Galiazzo performing "I Was Made For Lovin' You" on the Italian X FACTOR. Even Morgan, one of the judges of X Factor, dressed up as Gene Simmons!!!



Thanks to Fabio from Deuce News for sending KISSOnline the clip.

La Nacion
Translated from Spanish for KISSonline by Jill Cataldo

"You wanted the best, you got the best: the hottest band in the world: KISS!" bellowed a voice in English to the dark stage, unleashing massive euphoria. Emerging from an avalanche of explosives, smoke and fire, KISS appeared among the opening notes of "Detroit Rock City" to start an evening of electrifying and historic rock.

The legendary rock band, about to celebrate 40 years of existence, successfully wrapped up the Asunción Rock Festival 2012 last night, which was produced by the Garzia Group and sponsored by Tigo Budweiser. More than 25 thousand euphoric supporters enjoyed this historical spectacle in our country.

Gene Simmons (who was already in Paraguay in April last year and promised that he would return with KISS) demonstrated his own showmanship, with his legendary tongue of 14 centimeters, spitting "blood" (synthetic), and singing "God of Thunder" (another classic of 1976) while brandishing the famous axe-shaped bass. Simmons also spat fire, adding more heat to "Hotter Than Hell".

The other founder of the band, Paul Stanley, did not lag behind, bringing spectacular sound and setting the stage afire with "Love Gun". Even drummer Eric Singer shot a bazooka with his powerful solo.

The crowd enjoyed hearing new songs from "Monster;" single "Hell or Hallelujah" rocked the crowd, and "Wall of Sound" and "Outta This World". However, the greater euphoria came to the band's great classics: "Lick It Up", "I Was Made for Lovin You" and" Rock and Roll All Nite ".

Here's a fan-filmed clip of the entire Buenos Aires KISS Meet & Greet acoustic set! Enjoy!

Check out this amazing photo of the guys on the ship's bar balcony, with thousands of KISS Navy members on the pool deck below!

Photo by Michael Koch.

Check out this great video recap of the KISS Kruise II from Sixthman!

The KISS Kruise II Recap from Sixthman TV on Vimeo.

Rio Grande Do Sul
Photo by Felix Zucco
Translated from Portuguese for KISSonline by Jill Cataldo

More than three years after their last pass through the country, KISS opened their new Brazilian tour late on Wednesday, November 14th at Gigantinho in Porto Alegre. The American band will continue to be worshipped in São Paulo on the 17th with its "Monster" tour, the fruit of their 20th studio album released in October.

Initially set to begin at 9:00 pm, the show started almost two and a half hours later. The reason: delay in setting up the stage. According to the promoter, the four trucks that brought the sound equipment, lighting and pyrotechnics from Paraguay, where the band performed on November 12th, were detained in customs. The Gaucho band Rosa Tattoada played at the show's opening while the stage structure was assembled.

The audience that filled the Gigantinho began showing some signs of impatience when bassist Gene Simmons, guitarist Paul Stanley, guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer took the stage exactly at 11:25 pm, with their characteristic visual-makeup, leather and high heels.

With a spectacle of lights, smoke and fire, the rock veterans began the show with "Detroit Rock City" followed by "Shout It Out Loud", two tracks from the classic album "Destroyer" (1976). After "Calling Dr. Love", it was time to hear the new material, with tracks "Hell or Hallelujah" and "Wall of Sound" from the album "Monster."

The evening continued with the musicians interacting with the public while revisiting the successes of the band's vast discography, which has sold over 90 million copies worldwide. Two of the best KISS songs, "I Was Made for Lovin' You" and "Rock And Roll All Nite" were saved for the finale, with Stanley breaking a guitar, putting an end to an unforgettable evening for the fans.

Beginning today at noon (EST), PopMarket is offering the KISS Alive! 1975-2000 CD Set at 42% off full retail for the 24 hours only!

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By Fernando Diniz/Terra
Translated from Portuguese for KISSonline by JillCataldo

The usual scene of KISS fans with painted faces is repeating itself in Porto Alegre this Wednesday, where the American group is set to perform again after 13 years. Part of the fans' enjoyment of the show is to mimic the band's famous makeup.

Alceu Schutz, age 22, and Marcia Mozzatto, age 21 years, traveled from Balneario Camboriu to attend the KISS concert. They took advantage of the eight-hour bus trip to paint her face. "A girl came on the bus, and she had all the material to paint her face," said Marcia. Doing the makeup of guitarist and vocalist Paul Stanley was easy, she said, adding "did not take more than 15 minutes."

KISS has not stopped in Porto Alegre since 1999, when they performed on the Psycho Circus tour. After Porto Alegre, the quartet goes through Sao Paulo on Saturday the 17th and Rio de Janeiro on Sunday the 18th.

By Patricia Pinto Lemos and Aline Marques
Translated from Portuguese for KISSonline by Jill Cataldo

Porto Alegre: The most iconic hard rock band of all time is back in Brazil today, promising to rock Gigantinho in Porto Alegre, at 9:00pm. KISS, Gene Simmons (bass and vocals), Paul Stanley (rhythm guitar and vocals), Tommy Thayer (lead guitar and vocals) and Eric Singer (drums and vocals), bring the Monster tour to Brazil. The face-painted rock with overly flashy costumes are awaited by generations of fans, who have not see them on Brazilian soil since 1999.

27-year-old Carol Kirsch, will realize a dream that began back in 1999. "I was only 14 years old when they were in Brazil, and my parents didn't let me go," she recalls. But today she must quench the desire to see them live. "I admire their versatility to do ballads, dance songs, or heavier music without losing their essence". The fan awaits the concert with friends at a party.

Much more than a band

Today André Conti Silva, age 30, will be able to listen to Tommy Thayer play the chords and guitar solo of "Detroit Rock City" for the first time live. As a teenager, his teacher handed out a list of their records for families to give as gifts to him. "Whenever I found some word of encouragement. Paul or Gene always had a saying, 'Believe in yourself, believe in something bigger than you can understand.' "

Father and son are going to the show in character

The musician São Leopoldo Fabiano Godoy, 36 years old, will be beside her son Lucca, 12, today, whom he taught to love the guys like superheroes when the boy was only 5 years. "KISS is almost a religion for those who like them, but what's even more exciting is to see the band while standing next to my son. Already bought the paint, we'll be painted for the show,'' warns Godoy.