No band creates a sense of anticipation or makes a stage entrance like KISS.
In the spectacle that is KISS it’s often lost that they made some classic records. For their final ever U.K show in Glasgow’s Hydro they opened with Detroit Rock City from their 1976 album Destroyer, a vinyl record I’ve been spinning since childhood. Amid the pyrotechnics, sparks, flames, costumes and make-up, it’s easy to forget there are rock songs that helped define the genre since the band formed 50 years ago.
During Gene Simmons blood spitting theatrics under green light his demon persona spits blood before another Destroyer track God Of Thunder. For Love Gun Paul Stanley, the Star Child zip-flies over to stage B in the middle of the crowd, it’s one of numerous thrilling moments that keep the crowd, many of them wearing KISS make-up, wanting more.
As Simmons himself suggests there is something of the court jester in what KISS have been doing since 1973. They are outright entertainers and if this really is to be their last ever tour the rock world will be much poorer without them. That said, we still have the records and the recent Glasgow performance reminded us of a gems such as Black Diamond from their 1974 self-titled debut, the set also included a nod to former member Ace Frehley with his track Cold Gin.
A late encore of the band’s disco classic I Was Made For Loving You involved the release of large KISS balloons for this final party with fans clapping and singing along.
A closing Rock N’ Roll All Night brought the final curtain down on a cultural phenomenon who have sold over 75 million records and counting.
That said something tells me we’ve not seen the last of KISS in one form or another. With all four members of the original line-up still alive, could there be one last payday?
