Rising to prominence in the mid to late seventies as a result of their lavish live shows, I can happily report Kiss have lost none of the rock and roll excess that made them so important in the first place.
I caught the band in May this year and aside from a flawlessly performed setlist, there was blood-spitting, fire-breathing, rocket-launchers, smoking guitars and a levitating drumkit. For dessert there was a sea of confetti so overwhelming you could almost taste the disdain of watching environmentalists. Even those who tired of Paul Stanley’s wailing drag-queen persona could hardly complain, as at one point he vacated the main stage in favour of a far-flung platform from which he serenaded the cheap seats. Come to think of it, the only member of the band who didn’t end up airbourne at some point was lead guitarist Tommy Thayer, a point which presumably left him with an awful weight complex
It might seem a bit gimmicky, but I can confidently say that even the most unexcitable of sceptics would be impressed by Kiss live.
Mike Havis
