By Ross RaihalaA funny thing happens when you turn 35. People start respecting you.
At least that's the case with costumed rockers Kiss, who are celebrating their 35th anniversary with a world tour that's earned them uncharacteristically warm reviews, even from previously hostile corners. Perhaps more surprising is that the band finally has been nominated for inclusion in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, more than a decade after they were first eligible. Even cool cat Brian Setzer likes Kiss! (Well, I assume he does anyway - he was standing behind me in the will-call line.)
Lest anyone worry, the foursome's Saturday night performance at the Target Center proved founders Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons aren't about to let all that newfound esteem go to their heads. If anything, Kiss has survived 35 years - technically speaking, they're actually a few months shy of turning 37 - by refusing to grow up at all.
In front of a near-capacity crowd of about 13,000, the band delivered everything the Kiss Army demands from them. Simmons breathed fire and spit blood, while Stanley bared his hairy chest and smashed his guitar. Drummer Eric Singer pounded his way through a solo while a hydraulic lift spun the entire platform beneath him. Guitarist Tommy Thayer shot rockets from his six-string, knocking down some pre-rigged-to-fall lights in the process.
Oh, and they played some music, too. Using their 1975 breakthrough "Alive" as the foundation of the set, they added a few more post-'75 classics ("Shout It Out Loud," "I Love It Loud") and just one song from the past 25 years ("Modern Day Delilah," from their new album "Sonic Boom"). But when you've got a catalog deep with dumb-but-fun tracks � from "Rock and Roll All Nite" to "Cold Gin" to "Strutter" who needs progress?
What was most impressive, though, is just how little these guys have aged. Simmons rocks a pair of platforms and bat wings with more flair than any other 60-year-old out there. And while the greasepaint may fill in some of his wrinkles, Stanley's very physical performance showed little wear and tear. These guys make immaturity look positively stunning.
