"We're doing these shows to honor our promise to play these cities. We said we'd do it, and we are!"

KISS will headline the following festivals:

May 29 - Raley Field in West Sacramento, California
July 15 - Moondance Jam Festival in Walker, Minnesota
July 16 - Rock USA Festival in Oshkosh, Wisconsin
July 24 - Heavy MTL Festival in Montreal, Canada

A KISS ARMY Members-Only ticket presale for KISS' Sacramento, CA show takes place today at 10. Premium KISS ARMY Members will have access to Members-Only tickets.

Show Info: May 29 - Raley Field, West Sacramento, CA

Pre-Sale Start: Thursday, March 24th, 2011 from 10AM local time
Pre-Sale END: Friday, March 25th, 2011 from 10AM local time

If you are a Premium KISS ARMY Member: LOGIN NOW and visit the tour page to get information to access the presale.

If you are not a current Premium Member of the KISS ARMY and would like to participate in the Members-only Pre-sale: JOIN NOW

KISS Meet & Greet VIP Packages will also be available.

Thanks to Kevin Gladden for taking these photos at the Indianapolis KISS Fan Expo for KISSOnline!

Check out 7-year-old Logan "Robot" Gladden performing "Black Diamond" with Mr. Speed at the Indianapolis KISS Fan Expo last Saturday.

Here are some next-generation KISS Army members (and some cool parents!) from last week's KISS show at the Hard Rock in Hollywood, Florida.

Photos by Keith Leroux for KISSonline.

Thanks to all the members of the KISS Army who helped KISSOnline raise over $2200.00 for the Red Cross Japan Fund at the Indianapolis KISS Fan Expo!

KISSOnline gave fans a free KISS guitar pick for every $5.00 that they donated to the Red Cross Fund. The five picks are pictured here.

The American Red Cross International Relief Fund is stationed in the affected areas. Text REDCROSS to 90999 from your cell phone to donate $10.00 to the Red Cross. Click here to donate.

For the curious pick collectors out there ... the Icon picks were given to the KISS Meet & Greet attendees at the San Juan, Puerto Rico and Hollywood, Florida shows last week. The Hollywood, Florida meet & greet attendees also received the special marble green / gold foil Paul Stanley picks to celebrate St. Patrick's Day!

Check out Eric Singer joking around during sound check in Hollywood, Florida last week. Gene, how's your back?

Thanks to Russ Dannecker for taking the clip for KISSOnline.

Wednesday, August 22, 1973
by Fred Kirby

KISS
Hotel Diplomat, N. Y.

From the plethora of Gotham glitter-rock acts, comes Kiss, who already outshine most of the others in clean, pulsating rock 'n' roll, high in volume and excitement. Facial makeup is more weird than fey. Set momentum is unrelenting and solid.

Although all tackle vocals, lead usually falls to bass guitarist Gene Simmons, most ghoulish in appearance. Heavy black makeup around his eyes and white on rest of face is bat-like. His mugging is a theatrical plus, as is his vocal ability. Paul Stanley, who shares lead guitar with Ace Frehley, also usually shares vocals, but all four aid in that department. Drummer Peter Criss even makes screaming fun for the outfit that formerly had Wicked Lester as their handle.

While Simmons is the most extreme visually, all have some kind of mask effect around their eyes and satiny garb. Simmons removes a black jacket to reveal a black T-shirt with silvery skulls and cross-bones. But, it's in the music that Kiss catches hold and never lets go. They are the only headliners in the irregular show policy of this midtown hotel who have drawn good crowds, indicating Kiss is building a local following.

KISS IS EVERYWHERE !!!

Once again ...KISS is featured in La Nacion Newspaper 3-21-11 in an article titled " Eternal Bands." The article reviews the KISS career after 39 years of success and 19 studio albums. The article also mentions that the band ended the Hottest Show on Earth last week, and announced a new studio album.

Great KISS article!

Cheers,
Alejandro

Here's our friend Susan Dinkel, Anchor with News 10, WTHI - CBS enjoying herself at the Indianapolis KISS Fan Expo.

Susan is a big supporter of KISS!

Over 1,000 KISS fans celebrated KISS on Sunday at the annual Indianapolis KISS Fan Expo! Fan's spent the day catching up with old friends, shopping for KISS merchandise & collectibles, and meeting KISS drummer Eric Singer!

Eric Singer is a true professional! He spent over nine hours signing autographs and visiting with the fans at the KISSOnline booth! He did not leave until he met the last person in line at 9:15 PM! Eric also thrilled the crowd by performing "Beth" for a great cause, the Red Cross fund for Japan! The Expo fan's helped KISSOnline raise over $2200.00 for the Red Cross!



Here are some photos taken by Eric McKenna for KISSOnline.

We'll have another report with more photos on the INDY KISS EXPO soon.

After what seemed like a 50-year wait, an older—and newer—generation collectively rejoiced as the morning of Saturday, March 12th dawned on this Caribbean island. What could bring such joy to the masses, you ask? Legendary rock band KISS would finally put on their much-anticipated concert in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The band — which has not been in Puerto Rico since 1998 — promised their fans the “hottest show on earth” in a tour of the same title.

The José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum filled up rapidly with hundreds of people arriving by the minute. There were many families from every generation with their faces painted like their favorite band member, as befits a show where Gene Simmons spits blood and breathes fire.

The crowd stared anxiously at a black curtain with the letters “KISS” in silver across the middle when, at 9:15, the lights went down and a clear voice addressed the crowd: “San Juan, you wanted the best? You got the best! The hottest band in the world … KISS!” The curtain rose and we were met with “Modern Day Delilah” — the band’s latest single — and a stage that put other bands’ presentations to shame with colorful lights and the pyrotechnic effects from the very beginning. The band immediately took control of their crowd, with Paul Stanley telling the “KISS Army” — a name they created for their fans — “Our heart is yours, San Juan! We’re from New York, as you know, and there is a big population of Puerto Ricans over there, so this is like being home for us.”

Eric Singer performed a surprise, impromptu version of "Beth" with John Corabi at the Indianapolis KISS Expo on Sunday.

All afternoon, fans were asking Eric if he would sing at the expo. Eric finally said that if the fans wished to donate to the Red Cross's Japan fund at the KISSonline table, he would sing "Beth." KISS fans at the Expo contributed over $2200.00 for the Japan cause... and here's a fan-filmed clip!

Over the past week, KISSonline's Facebook page has exploded with feedback about the band's recent shows in Puerto Rico, Texas and Florida! Here's a sampling:

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HOLLYWOOD: John D'Angelo: The show was amazing and so damn intimate! KISS steals the R n' R limelight from every band out there still to this day!

HOLLYWOOD: Dave Hodsdon Sr.: KISS is like the mailman, they ALWAYS deliver the goods!!!!

HOLLYWOOD: Kevin Hair: Took my 11 yr old son and 8 yr old daughter. While not their first concert, their first KISS show. And nobody does it like KISS! 35 yrs after I saw them as my 1st concert ever! PRICELESS!

HOLLYWOOD: Gary Revelt: GREAT SHOW! Smaller venue made it feel up close and personal. Even Paul said it was like when they were starting out. Only held 5,500 people.

HOUSTON: Steve Avilez: Went to the Rodeo concert in Houston last night....GREATEST PERFORMANCE in rodeo history!!!!! UN-FREAKING-BELIEVEABLE!!!!!

HOUSTON: Joselino Villarreal: no other act will ever top this...they can bring the rolling stones, they can bring U2...it does not matter.

HOUSTON: Kelley Jones Workman: I was there with all five of my children and even my youngest (5 yr old girl) was standing and singing out loud the entire show. It was truly amazing. Thank u KISS!

HOUSTON: Anita Griffin Hudson: I took my 75 year old aunt! You made her dream come true!!!! Thanks guys!!!!

HOUSTON: Daniel Rivera: KISS was the highlight of the Houston Rodeo. See yall when you come back into town.

HOUSTON: Robert Nutter: hey believe me people: they are still as good too see in concert as ever! if you havent seen a KISS concert, you havent seen the best yet! DO NOT MISS THE HOTEST BAND IN THE WORLD!! KISS !!!!!!!!!

SAN JUAN: Gerardo J. González Torres: KISS has always made a perfect impression on their fans and Puerto Rico was not an exception. Their show was great and we will await their return with warm hearts and rocking spirits! Rock on!

SAN JUAN: Nando Luis Villalón: Yea! KISS Alive in San Juan!!! the show was awesome!!! Thanks KISS!

SAN JUAN: Thomas Arroyo: Pretty packed in San Juan. I would have never thought that there was such a following there. It is easy to think that though, with all of the Salsa music that they play 24/7 there!

SAN JUAN: Wilfredo Gracia: XTRA EXCELENT SHOW!! THE HOTTEST BAND...THANKS FOR A GREAT SHOW IN SAN JUAN...WE LOVE YOU ALL!!!

SAN JUAN: Jean Raul Lajara Cuadra: THANK YOU FOR ROCKING US ON MARCH 12 !! 1ST AND BEST SHOW OF MY LIVE K.I.S.S FOREVER cant wait for the new album !

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Photo taken on 3/15/11 in Houston by Dean Snowden for KISSonline.

By Travis Newbill
Photos by Brady Newbill

Last night, most people were donning their greenest green garb and getting sloshed on Guinness while jigging it up at their favorite local pub. But in South Florida, a few thousand epic nerds were instead at the Hard Rock Live, decked out in black and glittery silver, rock and rolling all night.

The venue was transformed for the night into home base for the KISS Army and its aging leaders, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, who were in turn accompanied by a couple new recruits. Together, the 2011 version of KISS assaulted the small venue with a slew of hits, crazy stage maneuvers, and lots of fire balls, adding up to the total takeover of St. Patty's Day we predicted.

The energy leading up to the dropping of the giant KISS curtain was somewhere in between that of an NFL game, a comic book convention, and a strange, religious ceremony. Minutes before the lights went down the crowd roared as Shannon Tweed, Gene Simmons' longtime partner, appeared in the middle of the arena, just behind the sound board.

Soon after that moment faded, the crowd had a larger reason to react: "Alright Hollywood, you wanted the best, you got the best -- the hottest band in the world, KISS!" Down came the curtain, and out staggered Simmons and company, looking like living cartoons. The place went bananas as they opened with "Modern Day Delilah," a song off the band's new album, Sonic Boom.

After the first tune, Stanley, who acted as defacto MC all night, commented on the intimate nature of this particular show. "We don't usually get to play places this small, but it's cool and I'll tell you why," he said. "It makes us feel like we're back in the old days. We're gonna play some old classic stuff." And they did. The show featured several songs off their first couple of albums -- such as "Deuce", and "100,000 Years" -- amid an array of selections spanning their whole career.