From: Byron Fogle

KISS MEADOWLANDS ARENA 11-22-98 REVIEW

Welcome to the show folks I'm your host Byron. Some of you may know me from the Kiss Video Spotlight feature on KISS Asylum. Well, it's now 1:00 am and I just returned from the Psycho Circus extravaganza here in NJ I also took my mom & dad with me and they were on their feet clapping the entire show.

The guys were in rare form tonight. They came out to the familiar intro that we all know and love. The amplifiers started to hum as they unleashed Psycho Circus on us. Some very cool screen effects here in this song but the weird thing I noticed and I will keep you abreast of this throughout the review is, Gene was using the Punisher instead of the Axe bass but don't fear it makes an appearance during some songs.

After Paul welcomed us all to the show, they kicked it up a notch with Shout It Out Loud. The crowd got into that a lot as well as the next song in which Paul made his first error stating,"This next song is the first song on the first album" No, it wasn't Strutter it was Deuce. Oh well nobody's perfect.

Next up finally Paul tells us as does the PC clown on the screen to put on our 3d glasses. Folks, I have to be honest I really thought it was a ruse but the 3D works and is awesome. Paul was sticking his foot and guitar in the 3D camera and my head went back as a natural reaction and did this many times that night in the 3D portions. Next up in the set was Do You Love Me which sounded just as good as on the 96/97 tour.

3D glasses still affixed to our faces Paul called out the Firehouse. Now, when Gene blows fire it's done live but then done as a prerecorded 3D piece as well. He blows the fire into the camera and you just see fire come right at your head.

Shock Me was next in the set and Ace went to high five Paul he was talking to us. Ace jokingly hit him in the arm. Paul then said "You all saw that Ace hit me there's proof we're not getting along" He mockingly hit Ace back in the arm as Ace came up to announce Shock Me to the crowd. Ace's voice seemed very nasal and possibly suffering from a cold or bronchitis, which we all know he has. But was still pretty good. I dig the new ending given to this classic Ace song. Next up Paul teased the crowd with the intro of Let Me Go Rock & Roll. Ace messed up big time here in the solo and choreography Gene then kicked Ace in his butt when he messed up. After the song Paul said, "You know some bands can play songs perfectly but we like to live dangerously." Referring to Ace's screw-ups.

The clown appears on screen and tells us to take off the glasses for the next song. Paul goes in to the familiar rap for Cold Gin about not drinking and driving and how this drink kept them warm 20 years ago. This was the same version as the Reunion with Ace taking the 2nd verse but he forgot the last 2 lines of the verse and Paul & Gene together covered for our cosmic hopscotching friend. Paul's next rap was to tell the ill people that he was gonna call out the D-O-C-T-O-R! (Yes, he spelled it out like that) He said Ace, with that Ace hits the familiar opening chords of Dr Love.Gene really nailed this one in true Demon form ala Alive 2 sending chills up my spine when normally I am bored with song. Bozo appears again to tell us to slap the cardboard shades on again. Paul goes up to the mike and announces this song is from (singing) "Psycho Circus" then he sang "and I say welcome to the.." in which the crowd chanted "show" this was done 3 times. With that he told Ace to tell us the next song from was their new disc. With that Ace looked left at Paul on the riser then right at Gene laughed and yelled "Into the Void 1,2,3,4" into the mic. This was played really well and also featured Ace's guitar solo, which for the most part was the same trills and runs (guitar terms) as the 96/97 solo. Now, instead of Beethoven's 5th he replaced it with 2001 and on the screen were clips from the PC video of Ace's guitar taking off like the Space Shuttle but this time with 3D that worked unlike the home video. Most part I found myself not even looking at Ace and watching the screen instead. Ace shot of 2 rockets and blew up the lighting truss again but this time instead of just hanging it fell to the ground. The solo ended with the riff from the Alive 1 solo and Paul said "From another galaxy the Bronx to be specific Ace Frehley Lead Guitar."

Next up the only new/classic song of the set, Makin Love! This was awesome to hear but a little slow in tempo but just like the album version. The end tom tom roll was cut short by Peter a few rolls but still was effective. Paul sang this song like 1994 style with Eric & Bruce showing off his major Robert Plant influence. God of Thunder was next in this greatest hits set. Gene played with the crowd before spitting blood but there was no mention whether or not to keep the glasses on or off. After Gene spit the blood he flew up to the light truss and proceed to spit the remainder of blood in his mouth on the "Blood Seats" more like the Loogie seats if you ask me.3D was used briefly as we saw another pre-recorded blood spitting scene on the screen. I happen to catch by pure luck cause I threw my glasses on quickly when I saw that on the screen. If you missed it, it looked like blood was dripping on your head. They also changed the middle section before the talking part around since the drum solo is in another song now.

You still with me so far? Next Paul came center stage and announced something to the effect of Destroyer having such great songs like Detroit, Beth, Do You Love Me and then he says this one's on there as well. Ace then kneeling by his amp started the feedback to King of the Nighttime World. Again same version as the reunion. I really felt this can replaced with a different song new or old. Paul comes up to the mic again and starts singing the chorus of I Was Made For Lovin You to which we all sang along to. This was performed slow, dark and very grungy like Alive 3 but heavier. Nice light patterns here in this song with an array of red, blue and purple lights. Paul forgot the last few lines of the 2nd verse and didn't do the last high "I can't get enough" line. He was amused as he laughed about this part.

Within in all its COS glory was next but was heavier than the album sounding more like God of Thunder than grunge. Ace also added a cool lead break after the harmony solo on the album. A nice surprise came next Peter's solo was within within HA! Peter's solo blew away the last solo and was incredible as he levitated by 4 massive pipes and appearing to hover over the crowd. His playing was for lack of a better wordŠ AWESOME! The one misleading thing is from the LA broadcast is it made it sound like he was going over the crowd like 20 ft in the air. With the huge metal truss going from the stage to the soundboard. I thought this was the case but in all actuality it was for Paul's flying rig. 100,000 years was next in the set another one I think could get a little rest as well. But the bass opening riff is still awesome. Paul started his next rap about how it's nights like this, he wanted to get back where he came from and go into the void whoops, I mean crowd. He said he had a special gauge to see if we really wanted him to come out in the crowd and with that 2 sound meters appeared on the screen. We of course screamed loud enough thus making Paul get on his transporter and come out mid-arena to serenade us with this sweet ballad about his pistol. The main set ended next with Rock & Roll All Night and the KISS logos are lit up for the first time since the opening song. I guess this was to cut back on the electric bill LOL! This song usually puts me to sleep but not tonight. This song actually got me going again when I was starting to drift off. The crowd finally woke up as did I. (Just to clarify I wasn't bored I just was tired)

What a lame crowd it was while I'm on that the subject too.

Ace used his light up guitar here and had a real cool effect towards the end. It was a pinwheel effect by his guitar pick up and when he went into the solo it went off, sparks and smokes everywhere. I hope I did that justice explaining it, if not go see the show and see it for yourself. That and the 3D are worth the price of the ticket alone.

Kiss also used more confetti here more than any tour and I think there was some kind of fan blowing it outward because the confetti actually reached the back of the arena. I happened to get 3 pieces of it which you can see by the picture. Lots of pyro ended the song and they walked off stage signaling the end of the show. Well, until the encores!

The familiar soundtrack of Beth filled the Continental Arena. (I still call it the Meadowlands) Peter was in great playing shape the whole night and here he proved he was in great singing form as well. For the first time that I've seen him solo or with Kiss this is the first time he sang it in key. The band came back out for their bows and now the controversy starts. Some losers were shining those dumb laser lights and shined it at Peter's eyes to which Peter said, "Put the laser away before I shove it up your ass!" Paul then covered up for Peter by saying, " I think what Peter meant to say is, "You know we have some great fans but every once in a while there are some jerks try to ruin the party for everyone else."

Well, that was the gist of it not word for word but I tried to remember as much of it as I could. He finished it up by saying, " If you wanna meet me come up here and I'll shove that laser so far up your ass it'll come out of your mouth. So next time leave the baby toys for 6th grade" Now back to the show, the clown comes back on the screen and tells us its 3D time again. The band kicks into Detroit Rock City and really rocked hard. The 3D kicked in again showing a car coming right at our eyes at the precise moment of those lyrics. The car peeled out turns around and crashes and explodes right before our eyes. They cut the long ending they did at Dodger Stadium and ended the regular way like always with power & pyro. Now we're winding down to the last song of the evening Paul starts the soft intro of Black Diamond and plays his normal solo parts but here's a change Paul & the crowd sing (well barely sing) but Paul doesn't play the guitar part and we all sing accapella. Paul in between that said, "You people paid for your tickets so if you don't want to sing you don't have to" Peter counts to 3 Paul screams "Hit It" and they do just that.

Peter's fine vocals continue here and he delivers a killer version of BD. For another first Ace doesn't drop to his knees for the solo and the band doesn't go up on risers either but Peter does. (Again) As Peter goes up and gets good hang time as some of the coolest pyro goes off in KISS's career to end the show and by far except for the set list (my opinion) the best show I've seen since Hot In the Shade. Well I hope you all enjoyed this since I was taking notes the whole night for all the great Asylum readers here!

Rock On and go see the show you'll never forget it!!!! Note: Since everyone's instrument stayed the same except for Gene in the set when Gene used the Axe I'll note it by the song. Otherwise the Punisher was used!

SONG LIST

PSYCHO CIRCUS
SHOUT IT OUT LOUD
DEUCE
DO YOU LOVE ME
FIREHOUSE
SHOCK ME
LET ME GO ROCK AND ROLL
COLD GIN
CALLING DR. LOVE
INTO THE VOID (ACE'S SOLO)
MAKIN LOVE----AXE BASS
GOD OF THUNDER
KING OF THE NIGHTTIME WORLD
WITHIN-----------AXE BASS
I WAS MADE FOR LOVIN YOU
100,000 YEARS
LOVE GUN
ROCK AND ROLL ALL NITE

ENCORES

BETH
DETROIT ROCK CITY----AXE BASS
BLACK DIAMOND

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