From: Donley Niskanen
As Paul said, "Any band that doesn't work their butt off for you (the fans) doesn't deserve your respect or your money."

Well, KISS earned BOTH in spades, from a 17,000+ sell-out crowd at the Marcus Amphitheater in Milwaukee last Friday night. Even the fact that Paul's lift didn't work to take him back into the crowd for "Love Gun" didn't slow the crowd's intensity or enthusiasm. In fact, when he apoligized saying, "I tried . . ." the crowd gave him a huge roar of applause and screams to let him know everything was cool. I think that pumped him up even more.

This was my 14th KISS concert (spanning most every tour, back to the 'Dynasty' when I was a Junior in high school), and the best has definately been saved for last. Gene, Ace, Peter and (especially) Paul were all very much 'ON' and getting off on the raucous energy the crowd was providing. Paul was non-stop motion. He got the crowd REALLY going with his 'rock n' roll preacher' rap about how critics dismissed them many times but the fans "proved 'em wrong." I think as hyped as this crowd got, he could have read lyrics backed by a bubble machine and they still would have roared their approval. Gene really toyed with the crowd during his blood/flight prelude to "God of Thunder." And he stalked the stage with more energy than I saw during the Psycho Circus tour.

And when they came out for the encore, they looked like they were really, honestly, having a great time up onstage together. It showed through the music too. Gene could be seen directing tempo to Peter from time to time, but overall it was tight, tough and everything the KISS Army has come to expect from it's heroes. Ace was on fire too, and literally, sent fire into the crowd during his solo; (a misfire I think, someone that was in the vicinity of the stage would have to write in and verify, but it looked like it to me.)

I've seen KISS with friends, bandmates, my wife (even students of mine) but this being the 'Farewell,' my wife and I took our 13 year old son and his best friend. It was like seeing KISS through a whole new set of eyes.

They were totally blown away, jumping, screaming, yelling, singing and applauding. My son nearly cried as we were walking out and I told him, "Always remember this, because it will never happen again, and no one else will come close!" This comes from the CREED, KORN, KID-ROCK, BUSH, etc. generation. They both wore their KISS concert shirts to school today and felt like they ruled the school. My son probably won't stop talking about it for a long, long time to come.

The only downer I can mention is the fact that I came across some 'typos' on two different bits of merchandise. I bought a "KISS Rocks Milwaukee" shirt, the dates on the back look like they are supposed to be chronological but miss in a couple lines, including an error that lists a 1998 concert as 1988. The other one that I noticed is important to me because it was the first time I saw KISS, (Minneapolis, Sept. 28th 1979, Met Center) and the date is omitted from the tourbook. There are a couple of other Mid-west inconsistancies in the dating, including listing the Duluth Arena (Duluth Minnesota) as being in North Dakota in one entry.

But that is all whining compared to the unbelievable show KISS put on. And this concert came the day after a 'make-up' (no pun intended) event from the Minneapolis cancellation. I had some friends attend that show and they thought the band was on fire at the Target Center too, where Paul said, "Good things come to those who wait."

Rock n' Roll waited nearly 2 decades before it saw the likes of KISS. Over the nearly 3 decades since, no one has been able to touch them for the sheer energy they put out (live and in all of their music, media and merchandise incarnations.)

It may just be "100,000 Years" before we see their like again!!

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