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 All news should be considered an unconfirmed report unless verified, and all information published at KISS Asylum is attributed to the source from which it was received so that readers may judge the validity of the statements for themselves. All information is confirmed where possible, and all publication is governed by common sense.
Music Review: KISS sets off its own fireworks From: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette By John Young 
It was only two songs into the band's Post-Gazette Pavilion set, and KISS singer PAUL STANLEY felt obliged to recognize that it was Independence Day. "Whadda ya say we play good rock 'n' roll and blow stuff up?" Stanley said. Of course, KISS didn't need the July 4 holiday as an excuse to host a fireworks night -- that's every night for the band as they continue to revel in glorious concert excess. Twenty-one onstage video monitors brought everyone in the audience close to the action, and there was plenty of it. GENE SIMMONS spit fire and blood at various points and even rode a harness to a platform at least 30 feet above the stage where he led the band through "Unholy." Stanley performed a similar feat by riding a rope swing above the pavilion crowd to a small square stage behind the sound board. Thus folks in the back and on the lawn got a closer look at Stanley's sweaty, uncovered upper body and tight black pants during "I Was Made for Lovin' You." And there were pyrotechnics throughout, from columns of fire that threw heat more than 20 rows back to spinning sparklers on ERIC SINGER's drum riser. The band performed in makeup, with Singer's face paint in the cat design of original drummer PETER CRISS and guitarist TOMMY THAYER in ACE FREHLEY's silver eye mask and spaceman gear. While KISS is well within its rights to tour with any lineup it likes, it seems a bit disingenuous to never introduce the drummer and guitarist or at least let them don distinguishing makeup and gear. If you're proud to have new players on board, why outfit them as though you're pretending they're the people they have replaced? Another misstep was the inclusion of the Simmons-sung "War Machine" during the set. Stanley certainly said all the right things about the troubles America now faces. He dedicated the show "to all our servicemen protecting us in Iraq right now" and later went on a rant about "evil people who hate us because they will never have what we have" that led to the crowd spontaneously chanting, "U-S-A!" So why in the middle of bombastic, escapist entertainment was Simmons singing, "Better watch out, 'cause I'm a war machine," to video clips of gas masks, nuclear explosions and jet fighters? Most of the rest of the show, however, was just plain old ridiculous Kiss-style fun. Stanley dared to begin "Lick It Up" as an a cappella sing-along, and he was pitch-perfect as he got the crowd loudly behind him. In fact, the crowd roared approval for everything from fan-oriented song selections like "I Stole Your Love" and "Got to Choose" to show staples like "Shout It Out Loud" and "Detroit Rock City." Fans were just about as vocal for the opening act, Poison. Singer Bret Michaels proclaimed how happy he was to be back near his hometown and clearly enjoyed bashing through a concise set of his band's hits. He smiled through power pop fare like "Ride the Wind," "Unskinny Bop" and "Nothin' but a Good Time" and turned serious long enough to dedicate "Something to Believe In" to his father who served in Korea and a cousin who fought in Vietnam. Kiss got the last word, though, Sunday night with an encore of "God Gave Rock and Roll to You" and "Rock and Roll All Night." It was just as they started the latter, about 10:45, that a heavy rainstorm hit and the venue's fireworks show began. It's a testament to the band that they remained the focal point, even in all the chaos. KISS let freedom ring by being its grandiose self, and that appeared to be all the holiday party anyone in attendance wanted. |
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