The KISS crew is always hard at work behind the scenes. Here's Wendy Benbrook preparing some of Gene's costume pieces for the show!

Photos by Keith Leroux for KISSonline.

By Gary Graff
Photo by Louis Antonelli

INDEPENDENCE TWP. - When Kiss' Paul Stanley told the DTE Energy Music Theatre crowd on Saturday night (Sept. 11) that "this isn't just a rock 'n' roll night," it was no more rock 'n' roll hyperbole.

A Kiss concert anywhere in the Detroit metro area, city or suburbs is an event. A family reunion. A costume party with full face paint and outlandish outfits - including one attendee dressed as Captain America to commemorate the 9-11 anniversary.

Most importantly, it's a rekindling of a relationship that dates back to the mid-'70s, when Detroit made the members of Kiss some of its favorite visiting sons and codified when the costumed quartet recorded its first concert album, "Alive!," at Cobo Arena and then penned the anthem "Detroit Rock City." That's why a near-sellout crowd braved cold and rain on Saturday to "Shout It Out Loud" and, of course, "Rock and Roll All Nite" with the Kiss crew.

Here are two more fan-filmed clips from Saturday night's Detroit-area show: "Crazy, Crazy Nights" and "I Was Made for Lovin' You!"

Here's KISS with the massive crowd at DTE Energy Music Center in the Detroit area last night.

Photo by Dean Snowden for KISSonline.

KISS Promotional Sign In Guadalajara, Mexico!

Hi KISS!!

Here's a photo from a promotional sign for the concert in Guadalajara on Oct. 2. We are very excited for your next arrival to Mexico especially the people of Guadalajara. Thanks for give us this opportunity to make real our dreams. México is waiting for you, KISS! See ya soon!

Thanks,
Jonathan

LETTERS

Check out these fan-filmed video clips of KISS presenting a check for the Wounded Warrior Care Project at last night's Detroit-area concert and KISS performing "Rock and Roll All Nite!"

Here's a photo of the Wounded Warriors check from KISS' Detroit-area show on Saturday. To date, KISS has raised $372,354.00 for the CSRA Wounded Warriors Care Project on the Hottest Show On Earth tour!

KISS is donating one dollar from every admission sold throughout the Hottest Show On Earth Tour to the CSRA Wounded Warriors Care Project.

Photo by Dean Snowden for KISSonline

Sept 10, 2010 suddenly looked and felt a lot like Sept 10, 1975 (the release date of the first Kiss live album Kiss Alive) and 35 years to the day, an extraordinary army of painted faces, spandex and aluminum foil outfits marched upon the Molson Amphitheatre to see their Rock N Roll Messiahs orchestrate a concert spectacle that no other band can match.

Supporting their latest album of 2009 Sonic Boom, that "can only be purchased at Walmart" as Paul Stanley cheekily incited the crowd to repeat, Kiss with original founders Stanley and Gene Simmons accompanied by Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer delivered nothing less than what the loyal Kiss Army expected. With a catalogue spanning close to 4 decades, there was no shortage of material for the 2+ hour set.

"This is real Rock n Roll, there's no musicians below, no hidden microphones, no lip-synching" proclaimed the Star Child Stanley, who at 58 years young, was in top form. Serving as ring master to the circus, he engaged the crowd throughout the night and fans licked it all up singing along to classics including Deuce, Calling Doctor Love and Love Gun.

SEPTEMBER 11, 2001

Let us all remember the innocent victims of the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks. Nine years ago, that carnage unified this country more than ever behind the principles of individual freedoms this country was founded on. We should stand united and pledge that those whose political or religious doctrine is based on the destruction of those who do not believe as they do, must fail and fall.

Here's KISS onstage at the packed Molson Amphitheatre - last night in Toronto, Ontario!

Photo by Dean Snowden for KISSonline.

Check out this fan's great KISS tattoos spotted at last night's Meet & Greet in Toronto. His back is tattooed with the lyrics to "Rock And Roll All Nite!"

Photos by Dean Snowden for KISSonline.

By Joel Adrian

Photo by Steve Christensen

What did you do last weekend? Party? Video games? Homework? Nothing? These are the common choices that plague the average college student every weekend -- at least that's what it seems to me. If I could just recollect my thoughts and feelings of this weekend onto this article, then I would simply type until my 20-year-old hands develop rheumatoid arthritis. In summation, here's my recap and evaluation on the recent KISS concert. I'm writing to maybe guide my few readers (hey you're one) that there is more to college than the same parties and bores of late night gaming.

I bought two tickets to KISS at the moment I found out they would make an appearance at the Minnesota State Fair Grandstand. I basically leapt from my chair and face planted the computer with anxiety and uncontrollable energy. I've already attended a KISS concert last November (ALIVE 35 tour) which was held at the Target Center in Minneapolis. I fell in love with the group and deemed it necessary to attend the outdoor show in hopes of seeing the stage explode once more. Originally, I bought two tickets with the intention of asking someone (a date) believing that this plan was foolproof. However, I realized that my house is five hours away from campus, and I didn't feel like being shot down in the first week of school. Ultimately, my heart got in the way, as I knew my brother is a bigger fan than I. It was a pretty easy choice once I slowed down and recollected my brain into my skull. Seeing how he is leaving for the Marines next month, I thought this was the right decision to bring him with and spend some valuable time before his departure.

By Gary Graff, For the Daily Tribune

Gene Simmons of KISS is no stranger to hyperbole and grandstanding.

But even he sounds humbled when he considers what the band that coined the term "Detroit Rock City" has accomplished. That includes more than 100 million records sold worldwide, its theatrically over-the-top concerts, a line of 3,000 officially licensed souvenir products or one of the largest and most dedicated fan clubs in the world, the KISS Army, since the 1974 release of its debut album.

"It's been a hoot," Simmons, 61, born Chiam Witz in Israel and moved to the United States when he was 8 years old, said with uncharacteristic understatement. "To imagine that 36 years after the first tour that we would still be here having the time of our lives and continue on and become even bigger ... it's not something we take lightly."

KISS' Hottest Show On Earth Tour continues this week with stops in Ontario, Canada, Michigan and Ohio.

September 10, 2010 Molson Amphitheatre Toronto, ON

September 11, 2010 DTE Energy Music Theatre Clarkson, MI

September 12, 2010 Blossom Music Center Cuyahoga Falls, OH

Posted by Michael Gallucci

When drummer Eric Singer joined Kiss in 1991, the circumstances were far from ideal. The band's popularity had plummeted - the ill-fated decision to drop the make-up probably had something to do with that. Drummer Eric Carr had just died, and Singer, a Cleveland native who had toured with Kiss' Paul Stanley on a 1989 solo tour, was brought into the fold. But Singer was in for a big surprise when the veteran rockers embarked on a 1996 reunion tour and replaced him with original drummer Peter Criss. Still, Singer stayed on good terms with group leaders Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons and returned to the band in 2001. He recently talked to us about Kiss' 30-city summer tour, which comes to Blossom Music Center on Sunday. -Jeff Niesel

I think you joined the band in 1991. What was it like when you initially came on board?