From: Mark Sheffield
Even though I'm a little late on my review of the Kiss show at the Woodlands Pavalion better late than never! Here goes.

When I heard that Kiss was going to be at the Pavillion I just could'nt belive it being that I do live in the Woodlands! When tickets went on sell on Feb. 19, I ran down to the nearest outlet and got in line at exactly 10:00 A.M. - the time the tickets started to go on sell. Imagine my horror when a lucky ticket holder passed by me 15 minutes later and said that a large portion of the seats had already been sold! More terror awaited me as my turn was coming near and the lady at the computer started to say "Looks as though it's sold out"! But fortunately I did get my ticket and just in time too for as I was walking away she turned to the crowd and announced that the show had been sold out - and this was 35 minutes after I had gotten in line!! I was astonished at my luck! For weeks afterward I kept chuckling to myself like one of those evil Disney villians and telling myself that I was going to go see Kiss. It seemed like forever but finally April 1 came and a most wonderful evening was about to happen to me.

As usual I rode my bike to the Woodlands Pavillion being that I can get as fucked up as I want there and I don't have to worry about getting behind the wheel of a car. After I stopped off at the local liquor store and bought a large bottle of vodka and a pack of mini cigars, I got to the Pavillon at 5:50 (it takes me about 40 minutes to get there) and there was already a lot of people there. I got my shirts and then waited among the crowd that the security was holding back to be let on to the arena area ( which kind of surprised me since I have never seen that before and even after all the shows I have seen there too!). At 6:00 the security let everybody go and then everybody RAN to their seats en masse, including me, and I grabbed my usual place that I always sit at when I go to the Pavillion ( in case you're wondering the Pavillion is an outdoor arena that is divided into 3 parts - covered seats, uncovered seats and the lawn which is a hill and where I always sit). I chatted with the people around me (as always) for a while then got up to go get my beer. Now at the Pavillion the servers check EVERYBODYS ID when buying beer no matter how old they are! When I told the lady who was getting my beer my reason for riding my bike the cop behind her decided to go into smartass mode and said "We can still get you." To which I shot back "Not while I'm on the bike paths you won't! I would like to see you find me!" ( to which I also thought to myself "What would rather have me do - get loaded and get behind the wheel of a car and get in a wreck or get loaded and get behind the handlebars of a bicycle where nobody can get hurt? Take your choice dickhead!") Its not everyday you get to tell someone like that off and that was just the start of my evening! Skid Row came on as soon as I sat back down And early too since most shows are on time. I was quite entertained by them and did'nt mind the new lead singer at all -he was pretty good - and being the headbanger I am I was throwing my head around - much to the amusement of the people next to me. (to which I good naturedly told them "Because I'm a headbanger and thats just what I do! Duh!) But Skid Row only lasted 30 minutes and thats what disapointed me about them. I expected a longer show. Ted Nugent came on next and yes he was a bit foul-mouthed and insulting but what did the audience expect from Ted? I mean they don't call him the Motor City Madman for nothing! Ted rocked through all of his classics ( I did the same)! He launched his flamming arrow at his guitar and when it hit, the guitar exploded and the audience roared. Then he was carried James Brown style off the stage by his band members. End of show. Kiss was next. I took this time to take my piss break and the line was LONG. As always there were the buttholes who kept shouting "C'mon pepole lets move it". Yeah, like thats really going to make the line move any faster. When I was through I went to go get my next $5.50 beer(far too much! I can buy a whole six pack for that amount!). While I was getting it I looked over my shoulder and saw the Kiss cutain drop. As I was walking back to my spot the lights went out. I got there just as THEY were being lowered onto stage and they audience went into a frenzy. I shouted along with everybody else when everybody started to shout along with those immortal words YOU WANTED THE BEST YOU GOT THE BEST THE HOTTEST BAND IN THE WORLD KISSSSS!!! Then the all out assualt on all five of my senses began! Kiss blasted through the two hour show and never seemed to let up for a moment. It was absolutely everything I wanted and I got even more than that! Fireballs exploded everytime they said Heavens on fire during Heavens On Fire ( a song I was hoping they would sing) They really surprised me when they sang Lick It Up (my favorite Kiss album). Aces guitar smoked then floated up and out of site. Paul let the audience know, with a real ring of sincerity to his voice, that they were very important to the band to which the audience roared their appreciation. By this time I lightned up on the screaming as my voice was starting to give out a little. Gene stalked around the stage as only Gene knows how to do and started to drool his blood. And belive me it is even more stomach churning in person! I nearly missed him flying up to his platform when I reached down to get my binoculars ( I did catch him in time). After this some guy approched me and wanted to know if I would sell one of my two dollar joints to him to which I said OK. I really was just going to give it to him for nothing ( I'm quite generous when it comes to my weed at concerts-I enjoy sharing with thoe around me). But then the guy hands me a $20 bill and takes off! Whatever! (I later used the money to buy The Remasters version of Double Platinum). But the real highlight for me came when Peter's drums rose up during Black Diamond and all that fog was just pouring out of the mouths of the cats printed on the drums tapestry. A real chill ran down my spine and I realized what Kiss was all about to me. I was watiching a band I had loved, admired, and respected since I was 13 years old and here I was seeing them in all their bombastic glory. Without a doubt one of the greatest rock bands to ever walk the face of the Earth and this is how they prove it! The show wrapped up with, what else?, Rock And Roll All Night along with a stage that exploded with bombs, confetti , fireballs and rising platforms. It was 11:00, the time many of the shows at the Pavillion end (one of the rules of the place). As I was riding back home along the bike paths (which are dark and you feel like your taking a spook house ride) I ran up against a couple in the Lake Woodlands Park (which is lit up a little) as they were smokng a number and invited me to join them. I shared my bottle of vodka with them and as we were passing everything around I told them about the show and all that happ! ened. Then the only downer of the night happened. As we were talking we saw this guy walking down the road from the show. It seemed that his "friends" had gone off and left him and he was trying to find a way back to his home in nearby Tomball. Of course you feel sorry for a guy in that situation. I got back home at around 12:30 or 1:30 since daylight savings time was about to kick in. I made a pitcher of bloody marys with the rest of my vodka and then walked down to the empty, for sale house a little ways down the street from my house and sat by the pool in the back yard where I drank my drinks and smoked the rest of my joints. As soon as I was through the Godzilla sized thunderstorm that had been threatening everybody all night finally made itself known and drenched everything in sight in a matter of minutes - including me. And I did'nt give a one fuck about it. In fact this was the icing on the cake! I danced in the rain, pumped my fists in the air and said over and over again to myself I SAW KISS, I SAW KISS!! And to think - I almost did'nt! A great ending to one of the best nights of my life! This is was what happened to me when I saw Kiss. I had one of my greatest fantasys come true - a fantasy I've had for 20 years and I was NOT disapointed. The band told the audience thank you. No, thank you Peter and Gene and Ace and Paul and may God Bless you and I mean that from the heart.

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