newbeatsmedia.comKISS – Manchester MEN Arena, 10th May 2010-05-11
When asked to write a review I could just use two words to describe this concert. Bloody Awesome, but really, that wouldn’t do the show any justice. So here goes with my review.
Arriving at the MEN, we eventually managed to park in the car park. £9 to park and then we had to hunt down a payment machine which accepted tenners. Really, you’d think they would want our money! The usual affair when waiting for the doors to open, get the t-shirts, must admit I thought the prices were steep, £25, but I suppose the recession and all and besides that it’s KISS.
After queuing for what seemed an age we got in and then had to queue some more for the standing section. With our arms tagged we were led down to the main floor and told to sit, yeah that’s right, sit on the floor and wait some more. Oh how we Brits love to queue. Eventually a steward informed us why we were back at school, a safety issue to stop everyone pushing and trampling each other before the show started. Good call to be honest.
The support band, Taking Dawn had their gear all set up all be it to the very front of the stage with a minute banner hanging down. I say minute but if you see the KISS ARMY flags that hung along each side of the stage and the main KISS curtain which was hung down a bit later you’d see what I mean.
Now, being a support to KISS must be a bitch of a deal. Really, how are you ever going to out-do the kings of showmanship. To be fair to Taking Dawn, they tried their best but honestly as with all gigs, the fans were only there to see one band and it wasn’t them. In truth their sound didn’t help, one mic wasn’t working and the overall impression was of a good effort but nah.
Taking Dawn, two members in matching cut-offs with KISS ARMY badges gave it everything. They had real energy but it was wasted. Didn’t help that I didn’t really know any of their tunes. Although I will check some of their stuff out. After about 30 minutes they were gone and no amount of bribing, ‘C’mon guys lets hear the KISS ARMY!’ or ‘KISS are listening, let’s let them hear you’ was going to really help their cause.
Guess what happened next, yep, more waiting. God my legs were killing me. Talking of the crowd, the place was packed, a near as dammit sell out. Ages varied from very young to season vets. Kiss newbies with their emo, gothic punk hairdos to hard edged no holds barred metal meatheads. The crowd made the effort and it really helped.
About 9PM, the KISS circus got underway. Video screens showed the band entering the stage area from the dressing rooms and those immortal words echoed out, ‘All right Manchester, you wanted the best, you got the best, KISS!!’ By god was that guy right.
A new entrance, Modern Day Delilah and the guys appeared to bombs, flames and a rotating platform which rose up over Eric Singer’s drums and onto the main stage. It really was a show-stopping entrance but I still prefer to have Deuce as the opener. The crowd went wild. The band were tight and although Paul’s vocals are not quite what they were he leads the show so well you just don’t notice. Sure, KISS are not as musically talented as say Metallica but that’s the point of a KISS concert. It’s a show from start to finish. To be honest, KISS didn’t have to sing a single lyric, everyone in the crowd knew the songs and sang their hearts out. I know I did.
With material from their most recent studio album, Sonic Boom to the classics from the past the set was full of stomping party anthems and solid rocking tunes. No ballads or sentimental spots just pure KISS power songs. Cold Gin, a favourite of mine, Let Me Go Rock n’ Roll another timeless classic which Paul introduced with his famous crowd participation, which side shouts the loudest.
Firehouse was called out and Gene lit up the Manchester night sky with his Demon fire breathing trick. Incidentally, Gene looked really up for this, in fact they all did, I did notice that KISS looked to be enjoying the experience. In the past with Ace and Peter there was a tension. No sign of that now and the shows benefited from it.
Say Yeah, a track off Sonic Boom and then my favourite Deuce. A part of the ‘Old Testament of Rock. The first book of KISS, second chapter’. Eloquently put by Paul and a real stomping tune. A rare treat for eighties KISS fans as they performed their biggest hit in the UK, Crazy Nights, not a particular favourite of mine but tonight who gave a damn I sang.
Calling Dr.Love and then Shock Me with Tommy Thayer providing the vocals. As a KISS song this is Ace’s and really should be left to him. Tommy has his own signature tune in When Lightening Strikes off Sonic Boom but band politics or more likely, Gene and Paul dictate he sings this. Most fans I’ve heard would prefer him to have his own signature track. He was awesome anyway.
During this song there was the duet to end all duets. Tommy, who has stepped into Ace’s Space boots and kicked his ass keeping the KISS sound in his playing. He is a true professional, musically very gifted and gave it 200%. The Spaceman wasn’t on another planet this time around. Eric Singer, the KittyKat as Paul liked to call him, joined in to jam with Tommy and then began a battle of sorts. Tommy firing rockets out of his Gibson Les Paul in true Ace fashion and then Eric not to be out done pulled out his Bazooka, oo err missis, from behind his drumkit and let rip. Awesome!.
I’m An Animal, another new track followed by Paul’s mic swinging during 100, 000 years, although this did seem to go on a little where they could of done a few more songs. Then what we all had been waiting for, Gene’s party trick. The blood spitting, flying high, Demon has not lost any stage presence or energy in all his 60 years, yes, 60 years!! Hard to believe but he really is the god of thunder, singing I Love It Loud from up above on the gantry.
Love Gun, Black Diamond, with a little Led Zepplin thrown in. Detroit Rock City brought the main show to a close. Off they went but you just knew they weren’t gone. Back they came and as Paul promised, they were not going to do what most bands do, play one encore and scarper, they were here for the longest encore ever and they didn’t disappoint.
Lick It Up, with a bit of The Who during the middle break, a really nice touch and nod to their British inspirations. Shout It Out Loud with Tommy adopting a very nice white Gibson Explorer. Paul joined the crowd for the classic I was Made For Loving You, swinging across the standing crowd to the rear of the hall onto a small stage. The show was coming to an end but the best moments were to come.
God Gave Rock and Roll To You got the audience geared up to the finale and that could only be one song. Rock and Roll All Nite rang out with fireworks, bombs, flames, rising drumkit, levitating side stages and soooo much confetti blown straight up and filling the entire standing section. I’ve never seen anything like it.
And with that they were gone, with a parting message on the main video screen, ‘KISS loves you Manchester’. I have been a KISS fan for over 30 years and this was the best I’ve seen KISS perform. I only hope that I can be lucky to catch them again on these shores in the very near future. What Manchester witnessed must have gone down in Kisstory.
While writing this review I am enjoying the show all over again with the entire show, adlibs and all via the USB Kiss stick. A snip at £20, that is unless you’re my mate who realised when he got to the car that his box was empty. Gutted.
Goodnight Manchester and thank you KISS.
http://newbeatsmedia.com/2010/05/12/manchester-loves-you-kiss/