By Stuart DerdeynPhotograph by: Nick Procaylo
Who are the KISS fans of 2009?
Well, if you've ever seen the episode of Family Guy where Peter Griffin dresses up in full Gene Simmons regalia, you're not far from getting the picture. Fun-loving dudes willing to go out swilling with their fave KISS character's face painted on, many in improvised costumes of the Starchild, the Demon, the Spaceman and the Catman. The same ones who did it in their teens.
And some really-into-it wives, girlfriends and dancers in the front row, centre stage.
I'd love to hear back how many hangovers are out there tomorrow. Because this crowd came to party hearty!
For those inside, it was KISS' Alive! album unfolding in full pyrotechnical splendour.
From the opening chords of "Deuce," it was a trip through nostalgia until after "Calling Dr. Love." Then Stanley went into carnival-hawker mode and pushed the band's new Sonic Boom album and the single "Modern Day Delilah." The new tune is certainly classically KISS.
Fans wanted the best, they were getting the best. At least as KISS has always delivered it.
Following it up with "Do You Love Me?" from Destroyer was genius. This is one of those sing-along arena anthems that this group excels at. And they always had enough of them to rub wienies with every other crotch-rocking crew from back in the day.
It's the secret to the enduring nature of the band's brand and, as long as it can keep penning crowd chorus-ready rockers such as "Say Yeah" its fans will keep coming back for another KISS-off. It's the "Keep it simple, stupid" formula that has made the members millions in the last four decades.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
In olden days, Simmons' blood-spewing routine didn't include him flying to the lighting rig. Now it does. After his starring role as the demon with a tummyache came another one of the group's finest moments.
"Black Diamond" is the only KISS tune to ever fete indie rock cred via the Replacements cover of the tune. It had the house freaking right out.
The closer was the megahit "Rock 'n' Roll All Night" and the guys did everything possible to knock it out of the park -- I'd be surprised if there is that much confetti at an Olympics ceremony. Plus the cannons, fire, sparks and super-tall pneumatic platforms that elevated Simmons and Thayer far above the crowd.
A moment to catch its breath and the band was back for what Stanley promised would be "the longest encore ever."
A personal fave, "Shout It Out Loud" came next and it was awesome. I suppose the 1983 hit "Lick It Up" was good too, if for no other reason that it proved the band could hold its own with any of the Sunset Strip's hair farmers in that grim musical era. The snippet of The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again" in the song was, what, hopeful?
Stanley hopped a ride across the arena on a wire to perform "Love Gun." At this point the show was past the two-hour mark. What else were they going to give us?
Duh, "Detroit Rock City." And goodnight.
