KISS cranks up the spectacle for record Bluesfest crowd

Nothing could stop KISS in front of a record-setting crowd of 40,000 at Bluesfest last night. Not the rain, the decibel limit or even the snub to Shannon Tweed, who watched her man, bassist Gene Simmons, perform from a hastily installed VIP section on a raised platform near the sound tent.

Up on the massive stage, the band steamrolled over any obstacle, be it weather-related or bureaucratic, and delivered a concert that lived up to all expectations in terms of lights, volume and special effects. The lights were blinding, the sound was blasting and the effects included pyro, aerial wires and their trademark monster-glam costumes.

But what about the music? Well, you have to hand it to lead singer Paul Stanley for taking over the reins to the legendary ’70s hard-rockers. When he wasn’t shredding his voice at the microphone, he acted as host of the rock extravaganza, and did most of the talking. Word is he’s also the producer responsible for getting the band back to basics on its forthcoming album, the first in a decade, due for release in October.

The back-to-basics approach is exactly what fans want, and last night, it meant making the most of the old hits. The band kicked things off with Deuce, hammering the song with multiple blasts of green pyro, and then moved into Stutter, Hotter Than Hell, Got To Choose, and Nothin’ To Lose, which featured vocals by drummer Eric Singer.

At press time, guitarist Tommy Thayer proved himself worthy of replacing Ace Frehley with his deft soloing in She. Gene Simmons, meanwhile, spent his time pounding his instrument and stalking the stage, flicking his tongue to the cameras.

By Zev Singer

Six-year-old Mackenzie Durocher, her face painted perfectly like KISS's Paul Stanley, sits on her father's lap before the show. Well-drilled for years by now, she can name several KISS songs. At home, she likes to pretend to smash a guitar to the band's music. Her other favourite act is SpongeBob SquarePants.
This is life in the KISS Army, where kids are drafted into service barely out of the womb.

Mackenzie's father, Patrick Durocher, 36, beams at his daughter as she sticks her tongue out ferociously like Gene Simmons.

This is his seventh KISS concert, but her first.

"Once you go, you're hooked for life," he says, explaining, as most of the KISS soldiers do, that the show is simply like no other.

by Dave Cohen - Insite Magazine

With KISS having recently come off of a huge stadium tour across South America, Paul Stanley continues to keep busy. About ten years ago, as the result of a divorce, a friend suggested he try painting as a cathartic way of helping to express his emotions. He went and purchased brushes and canvasses and he's been at it ever since. Stanley has never been one to stand on the sideline. In the past he's played the lead in the Phantom of the Opera in Toronto and toured on his own in support of his solo release "Live to Win." He's currently producing the forthcoming KISS album, the band's first release of new material in eleven years, and continues to show his art work at Wentworth Galleries across the country. He recently took time out of his hectic schedule to speak with us.

Between touring with KISS, producing the new album, your growing family, your artwork, you've got a lot going on.

It’s been busy. Four months ago I had a little baby girl. Other than that we just finished a stadium tour of South America playing to anywhere from forty to sixty thousand people a night. Before that we did our biggest, most successful tour of Europe playing seven weeks, thirty shows to over four hundred thousand people. Then, I've got my art shows, which are normally once a month in different cities and I’m about a week from completing the first KISS album in eleven years which should be out in early October. Other than that, I’m taking it easy!

Check out these 2 fan-filmed clips from KISS' SOLD OUT Montreal Concert. The clips feature highlights from the entire show.

Love them or hate them; 70's theatrical rock band KISS is alive and well. The band recently announced on their official website www.kissonline.com that a new album is in the works and will be released in October 2009.

The new KISS album is the bands first studio album since "Psycho Circus" back in 1998.

Lead singer Paul Stanley is producing the new album and reports that "it is all written within the band and it rocks." Paul also says, "guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer will both handle lead vocals at some points on the album."

Bass guitarist Gene Simmons was quoted as saying, "The idea is to make the record quickly, like we did at the time of Destroyer, Rock And Roll Over and Love Gun. The idea is to work well, little by little, we can not spend too much time in the studio, and it has to be fast."

Gene described the new record in an interview with Rock Daily as having a "classic '70s rock & roll vibe. Meat and Potatoes." "There's nothing to prove to anybody, "Simmons said. "We're not interested in musical trends or anything else. We're too long in the tooth for that." Gene says, "This is the best record we've done in 30 years."

Whether you like KISS or not, they're a time tested true classic rock band that definitely gives everyone something to talk about. With the bands phenomenal stage antics you can't help but love the good show that these guys put on the stage and off.

Here's KISS with 15,000 KISS ARMY members at last night's SOLD OUT show!

Halloween came early this year. The Bell Centre was filled to the rafters Monday night, with a sellout crowd of 15,000 Kiss devotees on hand to celebrate the band's Kiss Alive/35 tour.

And these weren't fly-by-night fans, either. This was the diehard contingent. Kiss T-shirts everywhere, old and new; face paint galore (let's play count the Gene Simmons look-alikes). Many proud parents brought their kids, who were all too happy to get in on the action - a 10-year-old boy in the row in front of me eagerly asked to peek at my set list.

Cheers erupted when a giant KISS banner was unfurled shortly before showtime, as songs by the Who blasted over the PA. The lights dimmed, and the arena went wild.

"All right Montreal! You want the best? You got the best, the hottest band around: Kiss!"

Here's another great fan filmed clip from KISS' record breaking appearance in Sarnia!

By Dalson Chen

"All right, Caesars Windsor! You wanted the best, you got the best! The hottest band in the world: KISS!"

So began a night of big riffs, big explosions and total commitment when rock superheroes ruled the Colosseum stage on Saturday night.

I'll say that last bit again because it bears repeating: Total commitment.

Behind the KISS spectacle (and it is indeed a spectacle beyond spectacles) is a mentality to put on the best damn show possible.

It's expensive, uninhibited, loud and entertaining. No irony involved. No shoe-gazing cynicism. They come to rock your butt, so your butt will be rocked.

REMEMBER A GREAT FRIEND

Today would have been Eric Carr's 59th Birthday. Please take a moment and remember a great friend and an incredible drummer, who loved his fans as much as they loved him!

On the eight inch heels of their sold out stadium tour of South America, KISS opened their Canadian shows to a sell out capacity crowd of more than 20,000 fans. Another huge turnout to see the hottest band in the world as the sold out tour hits home turf! Fans went crazy last night as their band hit the stage with a full throttle, hard rockin, bomb exploding show and the frenzy continued long after the last note was played. KISS left nothing to chance, dazzling and pummeling the Bayfest throng with a show and setlist that left even the most long term members of the KISS Army stunned. All in all, a night that will see new fans clamoring for the next album and show, while the long devoted stand proud once again.

They're called the hottest band in the world for a reason. And KISS didn't disappoint throngs of die-hard fans Friday night with an energetic show that powered high-voltage rock, fireworks and fire for nearly two hours. The band set an attendance record for the most fans to ever attend the Sarnia Bayfest!!

Check out this awesome fan filmed clip of "Deuce" from last night's show!

By TARA HAGAN

Thousands of screaming fans 'loved-it-loud' last night when legendary rockers KISS took to the stage at Sarnia Bayfest.

"How you doin' people?" yelled Paul Stanley to a screaming crowd, with cameras high in the air, at 10 p.m. sharp. "Did you come tonight to get some rock and roll?

"Well you came to the right place."

Outrageous pyrotechnics exploded on the massive stage as frontman Gene Simmons belted out the opening hit, "Deuce," amid a thundering roar from the 21,00 strong crowd, dominated by their famous fan following known affectionately as the KISS Army.

By Jessica Ireland Special to the Observer

On Friday, KISS discovered that Sarnia was its own "rock city."

"We're proud to be here tonight," said frontman, Paul Stanley to the energetic crowd. "Sarnia could teach big cities what rock 'n' roll is all about!"

Audience anticipation began to build as a black cloth with KISS splashed on it was draped to hide the stage in preparation for the explosive show.

The legendary concert venue COBO Arena is to become the victim of a city expansion plan. This historic structure has hosted KISS concerts on many occasions, not the least of which was the series of shows that became the KISS ALIVE! album. As producers of the documentary film 'Live at COBO' we wish to get the word out to all artists who have a connection to COBO.

Detroit area filmmakers Douglas Akers, Lisa Hagopian, Eric Harabadian, and Jake Hall are currently producing an independent full-length documentary feature entitled 'Live at Cobo.' The film will focus on the origins of Cobo Arena and its rise as a world class venue via the remarkable variety of events presented there and the long-lasting impact it has had on our culture through musical, political, and professional sporting means.

The filmakers have been granted full access to COBO Arena for filming interviews with the artists about their experiences there during its golden era. Time is running short for us to give artists one last opportunity to step into the hall that helped make music history. Please pass this information along to anyone that can help us document the stories before COBO is gone.

Contact us at www.liveatcobo.com.