Oshawa's goodbye KISSFans say band broke promise to give contest winners a concert
By JENNY YUEN, SUN MEDIA
Kiss this dream concert goodbye.
Thousands of Oshawa KISS fans who voted online to win a contest to see the band play in their city got the short end of Gene Simmons', er, tongue yesterday.
The car manufacturing capital of Canada was recently named the KISS capital after beating out every major city in North America in an online competition.
But when the KISS fall tour schedule was released yesterday morning, Oshawa wasn't even on the list.
"I'm devastated," Oshawa Councillor Robert Lutczyk said. "Gene told us personally that KISS would be in Oshawa. He said the top three in the contest are guaranteed a show."
So what happened?
The rock icon could not be reached for comment but a band spokesman said "a few situations" required placing shows in neighbouring market concert venues.
"This was necessary to make sure that all regional fans get a chance to see KISS with the band's full stage production," said spokesman Erik Stein.
'SOMETHING SPECIAL'
That means Oshawa fans will have to truck to Toronto on Oct. 2 for the band's Air Canada Centre show.
But wasn't the whole point of the contest to have them play at the GM Centre?
"No comment," Stein said.
The band, however, is planning "something special" for the city of Oshawa, although Stein wouldn't provide details.
For months, Oshawa pumped up KISS coming to town; Lutczyk even invited Simmons' partner, Shannon Tweed, and said the city would officially proclaim the occasion "Shannon Tweed Day."
On the Sun comment board yesterday, fans were upset that "rock and roll all nite" may no longer be an option.
"The whole thing was a giant marketing ploy/publicity stunt," said one poster. "They never had any intentions of playing Oshawa and the fact that they lied to those people shows you the true character of Gene and his cronies."
But some fans on the Bring Kiss To Oshawa Facebook group are still keeping the faith.
"Despite being left out of the lineup, and other than if KISS found it too expensive to rent the GM Centre (as per the terms of the contest), I am sure they will play here in Oshawa," said poster Bill Steele. "If Gene did say he will play here, I am sure his word is golden."
Lutczyk said that as long as "something special" means a concert for Oshawa, he'll be happy.
"Gene Simmons told me himself that KISS will play Oshawa and I have every reason to believe that he will keep his word."
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KISS OF DEATH
In April, KISS began a contest to get the band to play in their city. Here are the top 10 places in the online vote.
-1. Oshawa -- 14,569
- 2. Winnipeg -- 12,913
- 3. Sault Ste. Marie -- 11,315
- 4. Kingston -- 6,840
- 5. Calgary -- 6,695
- 6. Peterborough -- 6,355
- 7. Saskatoon -- 5,603
- 8. Toronto -- 5,304
- 9. Edmonton -- 5,290
- 10. Sudbury -- 5,207
Of those, here are the cities KISS is actually playing this fall:
- 1. Toronto, Air Canada Centre, Oct. 2
- 2. Winnipeg, MTS Centre, Nov. 9
- 3. Saskatoon, Credit Union Centre, Nov. 10
- 4. Calgary, Pengrowth Saddledome, Nov. 12.
