From: Kenneth J. Souza
KISS' first of two nights at the Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts in Mansfield, MA (near Boston) on their Farewell Tour was a mixed bag for a longtime fan. Although the band was in good form in terms of musicianship and performance level, the show was noticeably scaled down (as feared) due to the smaller stage and venue limitations. The cramped stage forced the two logo KISS signs to locations flanking the reduced set and essentially sacrificed the side platforms where Ace, Gene and Paul usually romp during certain numbers. The pyrotechnics were definitely kept to a minimum and there were other technical problems such as the disappointing lack of Gene's upward flight during "God of Thunder" and several missed cues during Ace's guitar solo. One highlight, however, was Paul's usual trip to a small stage at the center of the pavilion (which ended up being a couple of rows in front of our seats). The KISS crew thankfully didn't erect the small stage until just before Paul's stunt, which allowed us a clear view of the main stage until that magic "Love Gun" moment. I thorougly enjoyed the set list and thought Gene, in particular, was in unusually fine voice throughout the night. Paul was a little hoarse, and Ace seemed just a bit "out of touch" with some solos. Peter was clearly the happiest of the bunch, flashing his winning smile whenever the video camera cut to his grinning puss. As for the toned-down show, I can't really fault the band for that. I think the Tweeter Center was a poor choice for this final venue and they were sadly forced to cut corners to accommodate their host facility. My fears were confirmed when I attended the Cumberland County Civic Center show in Portland, ME later that week and saw the definitive farewell KISS performance that I had expected all along.

KISS ASYLUM -- KISS Museum News Archive Features Tour Dates Photos