On Wednesday June
28, 2000 the PLANET ANDY staff took a field trip to the Continental Arena
in East Rutherford, NJ to witness a most excellent spectacle... The Farewell
Tour of KISS! Transportation was seamless
and at 18:30 we were in the parking lot with other members of the KISS ARMY
downing icy cold American Rolling Rocks and eating sandwiches. It's an interesting
scene as the lot fills with anticipation, excitement and kids from 8 to
80. Many had painted their faces in tribute to their comic book rock n'
roll heroes Gene, Paul, Ace and Peter. As the first warm - up act SKID ROW
took the stage we continued to empty the cooler in the parking lot while
debating if there were any songs that we remember by SKID ROW. At 19:30
we entered the arena and were escorted to our seats which were about 1/2
way back on the floor on a center aisle. Directly next to us was a gated
off 12 x 12 x 4 platform and the confetti blowers for KISS. We would come
to understand the significance of this platform later...
At about 19:50 second act Ted Nugent took the stage with side musicians Tommy Aldridge on Drums and Bassist Marco Mendoza. We've been fans from the 1970s but never had witnessed the "Motor City Madman" in person in all of his loin cloth splendor. Ted's awesome power trio kicked off with "Stormtroopin'" and took us through a 50 minute set including "Cat Scratch Fever" and "Dog Eat Dog". Ted's political rantings (we don't necessarily agree with them but we'll defend his right to express them) became hilarious in a song skewering many political figures by name called "Kiss My Ass". Ted and band really ripped up the place with energy and musical perfection in every song and Ted's headset microphone was a perfect choice to allow Ted to roam the stage as though he were hunting in the woods while singing and ripping his trademark chainsaw riffs on two different Gibson Byrdland guitars and one Les Paul. My favorite songs in the set were "Free For All" and "Stranglehold" in which Mendoza's phased bass was truly hypnotic. We had heard that Ted sometimes encores with "Journey to the Center of the Mind" and were a little disappointed that tonights encore was "The Great White Buffalo". Ted entered for his encore in pink Native American regalia and full Turkey feather headdress but in case you're going to one of the shows we won't give away the funniest part of the encore. All in all a great warm up for...
"YOU WANTED THE BEST!...
YOU GOT THE BEST!"
21:10...The sound system beckons to the frenzied arena. A low, rich synthesizer drone rumbles the arena for two minutes or more as the suspense builds...The curtain rises as fireworks explode and an epileptic fit inducing show of flashing lights of all colors reveals Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss launching into "Detroit Rock City". For KISS "launching" into a song is an understatement. Every song is performed as though it is the end of the world. Paul Stanley had the role of ringmaster and front man. Between songs Paul made it very clear how much KISS appreciate the 25 years plus of audience allegiance and on many occasions said that they couldn't be KISS without us, the audience. He also told us all not to drink and drive and got just a little preachy about the joys and beauty of life in general. Who can blame him though. He does have a pulpit that reaches millions and maybe we all need to hear it even it is from a guy with a white grease painted face with a black star on his eye that makes millions of dollars each year. The two hour plus set included most of our favorites. "Calling Dr. Love," "Strutter," "Deuce," "Shout it Out Loud," "Hotter than Hell" and "Firehouse." Radio hits from their lean years such as "Lick It Up" fit in just fine with the classic era material and were played and received enthusiastically. How could you not enjoy "Heaven's on Fire" with the four 25 ft high blowtorches kicking out enough heat so that we REALLY felt them half way back on the floor? Ace Frehley has been getting a little bad press recently that he had been messing up especially losing sync with the rest of the band during "Shock Me". He did seem to be a little subdued and on guard during the first 5 or 6 songs. "Shock Me" came off perfectly this night with Ace's guitar solo sharp and clean with Ace returning in perfect time for the vocal backing. From then on he and his band mates seemed at ease. What can be said about Gene Simmons? He breathed fire, he spat blood, he wore 80 pounds of pointy accessories. Gene took center stage for the pounding "God of Thunder" whipping the fans into a frenzy with the thump of his Hatchet Bass and his deep growling vocal.
OUR CLOSE PERSONAL FRIEND, PAUL STANLEY....
Suddenly, the security guards are encouraging
everybody in our area to enter the aisle and surround the platform two steps
to our left. Could it be a hallucination touched off by the Rolling Rock
combined with lights and blowtorches? The machine gun opening riff kicks
in and Paul Stanley is flying directly at us on a wire only to land on this
platform 5 feet away . The microphone is raised. Paul plays and sings his
heart out on "Love Gun". One of my all time favorites. I'm feelin'
lucky punk. Unbelievable.
Peter Criss' drumming was very solid and heavy throughout the whole show and he seemed to really be enjoying himself. The first encore featured Peter singing KISS' trademark sweet ballad "Beth" to a crisp piano and orchestra backing track. He basked in the adulation of the audience and they were rewarded with a really sweet vocal. We have to point out that at a prior KISS show in 1996 we heard the backing track start and Peter was a little too shy this early in the tour to come out and sing his solo. Don't be shy Peter Criss you're a monster drummer and a fine vocalist! The final encore was of course "Rock and Roll All Night" with all the lights going the fireworks launching the confetti blowing and fists in the air.
We head to the parking lot somewhat speechless. Each thinking to ourselves about our favorite songs that were played. Maybe where we were or what we were doing when we first experienced this music over 20 years ago. Rerunning lighting effects, blowtorches, fireworks and still not believing that Paul Stanley played "Love Gun" just 5 feet away from us.
If this is in fact KISS' Farewell tour as it is billed we'll never forget how each KISS concert was and is a choreographed theatrical spectacle put out there to entertain and project the spectator out of his day to day seriousness and normalcy. A reminder to take the time to sometimes let our now much shorter hair down.
review by Andrew Turits, June 29, 2000
website contents are copyright 1998 - 2006 Andrew Turits except as noted