By Stephanie McKay, The StarPhoenix
For fans, Tuesday night's KISS concert at Credit Union Centre in Saskatoon was all about the music. For KISS, it was all about business.
That would explain the legendary band's shameless plug of their new album, Sonic Boom, midway through the show.
"Get down to Wal-Mart and pick it up," guitarist Paul Stanley said of the exclusive release for the famous store chain. How rock 'n' roll!
Thankfully, in addition to knowing how to make a sale, KISS has the market cornered on big, glam rock 'n' roll excess and the sold-out Saskatoon crowd licked up every minute.
KISS is a band that knows how to deliver what fans want — and expect — after 35 years. The concert included Stanley's requisite singing banter with the crowd and exposed hairy chest and, of course, Gene Simmons' famous tongue acrobatics, fire breathing and blood-spitting. The makeup, platform shoes and synchronized guitar playing were all necessary elements, too.
The show opened with 1974 classics Deuce and Strutter. In fact the bulk of the night's songs came from KISS’s first self-titled album.
Founding members Simmons and Stanley were joined by newer members Tommy Thayer (in original guitarist Ace Frehley’s Spaceman makeup) and Eric Singer (assuming drummer Peter Criss' original Catman face).
Singer took vocal lead on a few songs and pulled it off nicely. Thayer, it seems, has only been given permission to sing lead on Shock Me. It's probably best he sticks to guitar.
The concert stuck mostly to material from the 1970s KISS heyday, but Modern Day Delilah and Say Yeah from Sonic Boom also made it into the mix. KISS also performed Hotter Than Hell, Calling Dr. Love and I Love It Loud. Noticeably absent from the set list was I Was Made For Lovin’ You.
The concert — on a giant, Transformer-like stage — was full of lots of sensory touches like multi-coloured flames, confetti canons, on-stage fireworks and exploding guitars.
KISS shows are probably the only rock concert that also comes with a face painting booth. Plenty of fans donned the face paint of their favourite KISS member but demon-faced Simmons was probably the most popular look. In addition to fans, the crowd also featured Saskatoon native and Simmons' lady friend Shannon Tweed, who sat behind the sound board and danced along through much of the show.
KISS finished off the pre-encore performance with a confetti-spewing rendition of Rock and Roll All Nite then returned for what Stanley called "the longest encore you've ever heard." Four songs doesn't really qualify as long but the lineup of Shout It Out Loud, Lick It Up, Love Gun and Detroit Rock City was the most memorable — and fireworks-filled — part of the night.
It's hard to believe Simmons is 60 and Stanley is 57, especially during moments that had each member flying through the arena on wires. At that age it wouldn't be surprising if they were startled by their own pyrotechnics. But there must be something in that makeup that is age defying.
Los Angeles band Buckcherry was an appropriate choice for opening band. They might not wear face paint, but the five-piece act made up for it in body paint, in the form of body-covering tattoos.
Combining the shirtlessness of Iggy Pop with the looks of a strung-out Dennis Leary and a perfect rock star voice, singer Josh Todd led the five-piece through a 45-minute set. The band played a handful of its hits including Lit Up, Everything, Sorry and a cover of the Deep Purple song Highway Star.
The fan favourite, though, was clearly the sleaze-infused Crazy B****. A couple of fans were so excited they whipped off their shirts then, possibly in a self-conscious moment, quickly put them back on. The same guys were topless again when KISS hit the stage.
That would explain the legendary band's shameless plug of their new album, Sonic Boom, midway through the show.
"Get down to Wal-Mart and pick it up," guitarist Paul Stanley said of the exclusive release for the famous store chain. How rock 'n' roll!
Thankfully, in addition to knowing how to make a sale, KISS has the market cornered on big, glam rock 'n' roll excess and the sold-out Saskatoon crowd licked up every minute.
KISS is a band that knows how to deliver what fans want — and expect — after 35 years. The concert included Stanley's requisite singing banter with the crowd and exposed hairy chest and, of course, Gene Simmons' famous tongue acrobatics, fire breathing and blood-spitting. The makeup, platform shoes and synchronized guitar playing were all necessary elements, too.
The show opened with 1974 classics Deuce and Strutter. In fact the bulk of the night's songs came from KISS’s first self-titled album.
Founding members Simmons and Stanley were joined by newer members Tommy Thayer (in original guitarist Ace Frehley’s Spaceman makeup) and Eric Singer (assuming drummer Peter Criss' original Catman face).
Singer took vocal lead on a few songs and pulled it off nicely. Thayer, it seems, has only been given permission to sing lead on Shock Me. It's probably best he sticks to guitar.
The concert stuck mostly to material from the 1970s KISS heyday, but Modern Day Delilah and Say Yeah from Sonic Boom also made it into the mix. KISS also performed Hotter Than Hell, Calling Dr. Love and I Love It Loud. Noticeably absent from the set list was I Was Made For Lovin’ You.
The concert — on a giant, Transformer-like stage — was full of lots of sensory touches like multi-coloured flames, confetti canons, on-stage fireworks and exploding guitars.
KISS shows are probably the only rock concert that also comes with a face painting booth. Plenty of fans donned the face paint of their favourite KISS member but demon-faced Simmons was probably the most popular look. In addition to fans, the crowd also featured Saskatoon native and Simmons' lady friend Shannon Tweed, who sat behind the sound board and danced along through much of the show.
KISS finished off the pre-encore performance with a confetti-spewing rendition of Rock and Roll All Nite then returned for what Stanley called "the longest encore you've ever heard." Four songs doesn't really qualify as long but the lineup of Shout It Out Loud, Lick It Up, Love Gun and Detroit Rock City was the most memorable — and fireworks-filled — part of the night.
It's hard to believe Simmons is 60 and Stanley is 57, especially during moments that had each member flying through the arena on wires. At that age it wouldn't be surprising if they were startled by their own pyrotechnics. But there must be something in that makeup that is age defying.
Los Angeles band Buckcherry was an appropriate choice for opening band. They might not wear face paint, but the five-piece act made up for it in body paint, in the form of body-covering tattoos.
Combining the shirtlessness of Iggy Pop with the looks of a strung-out Dennis Leary and a perfect rock star voice, singer Josh Todd led the five-piece through a 45-minute set. The band played a handful of its hits including Lit Up, Everything, Sorry and a cover of the Deep Purple song Highway Star.
The fan favourite, though, was clearly the sleaze-infused Crazy B****. A couple of fans were so excited they whipped off their shirts then, possibly in a self-conscious moment, quickly put them back on. The same guys were topless again when KISS hit the stage.
