Music icons KISS have been rocking relentlessly their entire career. While there have been a few ups and downs, especially as of late with the lineup controversy surrounding their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Nonetheless, the band are now official Hall of Famers and their legacy is undeniable. They are currently out celebrating their 40th Anniversary with a huge summer tour. Their age and lineup are not a factor, as KISS are still delivering their explosive live show with lots of energy.
Last night, the band’s co-headlining tour with Def Leppard rolled through the Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, NJ. The band played a hefty 15-song set that
featured as many gems as the ones glistening on their classic costumes. KISS kicked off the set appropriately with “Psycho Circus”, as the track’s title accurately describes a KISS concert. From there, the band dropped hits like “Shout It Out Loud”, “Hotter Than Hell”, “Calling Dr. Love”, “God of Thunder”, “Deuce”, and more. Some special surprises included a mash-up of “Lick It Up” with The Who’s classic “Won’t Get Fooled Again”. Just before “Love Gun”, frontman Paul Stanley talked about “taking a night off” from the news and current affairs, and just having a good time at a rock ‘n’ roll show. With that, he stated, “Everybody deserves a front-row seat.” He proceeded to fly out into the crowd via zipline and the band played “Love Gun” while Stanley stood alone on a rotating pedestal at the back of the venue. The band ended the show with back-to-back signature songs – “Detroit Rock City” and “Rock and Roll All Nite” The 40-show tour kicks off on June 23 in Utah and wraps up on August 31 in Texas.
KISS are one of the most successful acts in music history, having sold over 100 million albums worldwide. The band broke into the mainstream in 1974 with their self-titled debut album. In 1977, the band won the People’s Choice Award for Best New Song for “Beth”. KISS were nominated for a Grammy Award in 1999 for Best Hard Rock Performance. From 1996-2000, the band garnered 16 Metal Edge Reader’s Choice Awards. KISS were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 10 at the Barclays Center in New York. The band was featured on the cover of Rolling Stone in April for the first time in their career in light of their induction into the Hall of Fame. – by Matt Bishop
