From: Francisco Carrasco
Mexico, 26/04/1999
This is the third time I was going to a KISS concert, 2 years ago I went to see them the 3 dates they played at PALACIO DE LOS DEPORTES, this is a dome where the sound is not the best part of the show, but this time the concert was at a bigger place named FORO SOL, this building has a capacity for more than 50,000 people and it's an open place, so I expected the best (a lot of pyro, great sound and a cool performance), only the first thing happened.
RAMSTEIN opened the show and played for about 40 minutes, itīs a good band but personally I donīt like their grungy style.
Later at 9:25 the real show begun, again the words "YOU WANTED THE BEST ...... THE HOTTEST BAND IN THE WORLD ... KISS", the circus curtain fell down, a pyro exploding and PSICHO CIRCUS song announced the band. I think DEUCE is still the real opener for a KISS show but they played this one instead.
Next song was a favorite of mine, SHOUT IT OUT LOUD and the crowd really made it, they shouted very loud, then DEUCE came up, and people went crazy, the lightning banners with the KISS name where flashing in different forms, real cool.
Then something happened, PAUL spooked to the crowd and this is when I began to understand, he said the same words that he did 2 years ago, "ESTA NOCHE ES LA NOCHE" he said, and the next was exactly the same, so this was more a theatre than a live concert, it was like a script and the group said nothing different than they did 2 years ago, so where was KISS ALIVE? they where more like KISS ACT 2.
Then they played Do you love me, Firehouse, a lot of pyro and sirens here and a clown on the screens on both sides of the stage told us to put on the 3D glasses, in my opinion this effect doesn't work in a LIVE CONCERT but in a COMEDY like this where group members said exactly what they have to say, fits well.
ACE turn was next, he did SHOK ME, then they played LET ME GO,ROCK AND ROLL, great song and the fastest of the set list, GENE sang CALLING DR. LOVE and then the boring part, ACE take on with INTO THE VOID, good song but doesn't sound like a KISS song, then an endless solo with a flying guitar and at last ACE'S guitar firing pyro to the crowd.
Next song was KING OF THE NIGHT TIME WORLD, I personally would let this one off in favor of something else like NOTHIN'TO LOOSE, CHARISMA (the crowd was asking for this one the whole show)or MAKIN' LOVE.
Then I think the best part of the show started, GENE solo, spitting blood from his mouth, flying to the top and singing GOD OF THUNDER and WITHIN, the heaviest songs of the show, then turn of CAT's solo, I've never liked drum solos so this one was one more.
PAUL crossed to a ministage in front of the main stage and LOVE GUN was next, then he came back and played 100,000 years.
Then one of the most well known songs by KISS, I WAS MADE FOR LOVIN' YOU, it sounds a lot different than in DINASTY, specially PAUL's voice, he screams all the time but the crowd sang along this one.
It was about time for KISS HYMN, ROCK AND ROLL ALL NITE, a lot of lights, pyro and little pieces of colored papers over the crowd that was on front of the stage and all people singing this one. When it finished the band said good night and got into the backstage.
Then they returned and did 3 more songs, BETH, DETROIT ROCK CITY and finally BLACK DIAMOND. That was it.
Like I said before the lights and the pyro were great, but when you like heavy metal or hard rock or wherever you want to call it, you expect a LIVE CONCERT, not a comedy like I think this concert was, and the worst thing was the sound, it was awful, horrible, the guy who was mixing the soung turned up the volume every time that an instrument was doing the solo, name it guitar, drums, even the voice and of course it sound very bad, a lot of noise, only if you were a KISS fan you recognized the songs.
It's a shame, I was expecting for this concert for 2 years an I got disappointed the way it was, this was a CONCERT if this can named this way to FORGET, the best thing was my girlfriend coming with me and a KISS cup she bought me outside the forum.