From: andynichols@excelonline.com
I have been a KISS fan for 25 years. I have seen every tour since 1976. I have driven 100's of miles to see my favorite band in concert. I just got back last night from a 600 mile round trip to see KISS on their FAREWELL TOUR in Nashville TN. I play bass myself and I live and love KISS'S determination to do and be who you are and not let anyone change that. I was so glad they put the makeup back on. I saw them 3 times on the Reunion tour. I also saw them in Nashville on the PSYCHO-CIRCUS tour Jan 2/99. I got to finally meet PAUL STANLEY on July 9/98 when he was at the Mars music store grand opening in Nashville. I got him to sign his solo picture disk album from 1978.He was so COOL! in person. He was not wearing his makeup. I shook his hand and said your the BEST! I got a picture took of he and I. After 25 years my dream came true by meeting Paul Stanley! So can yours my friend if you believe in yourself like KISS does. After meeting Paul I really feel even closer to the band. The rest of you fans that have ever meet KISS in person know what I mean. Now on with the show last night. First let me say to you KISS is not doing this for the money. KISS is doing this for the FANS! They have been rich a long time. They could have hung up their boots in 1979 after the Dynasty tour when Peter left. Gene and Paul had more guts than Led Zeppelin to call it quits just because they lost their drummer. They could have quit when Ace left in 1982. They could have quit when they took off the makeup. They could have quit when Eric Carr died in 1991. God bless his soul in Rock n Roll heaven. You want to know why they did not quit? It's because they knew we the fans demanded for Kiss to continue. Also they love what they are doing. Kiss is the hardest working band of all times. Let me tell you last night was a sold out show of 18,000 Kiss fans! After 27 years they still Kick Ass! They kicked more ass last night than on the Psycho-Circus tour. If you are still wondering if you should go. You go if you are a true blue Kiss fan. Sure I knew all the songs before they played the next one. I sang all the words till I have almost lost my voice. I want people to stop complaining about they should have played this or that. There is no way they can play every song they have put out over the last 27 years, come on people we are lucky their doing this last tour. If there is a song they did not play for you. Put on the album and crank it up to 10! Think about it. That's all we will be able to do after this is all over. Kiss is best LIVE. This is the last chance to see them in the flesh Live! What I saw last night was middle age men looking and acting like teenagers having a ball! Peter was smiling behind the drum kit. This tour is getting tighter . The band is at their best. I love what Paul said. He said Nashville when we started out in the beginning people said we would not last, but you proved them wrong! Critics said when we took off the makeup we would not last, but you proved them wrong! WE sold 15 million albums during that time. The crowd was chanting with Paul by this point very Loud! In 1996 when we reunited they said it would not work, but you proved them WRONG! When we announced the Farewell tour they said nobody will care to come and see you, but you proved them wrong! The last 3 concerts in Nashville have been sell outs since they put the makeup back on, so we have proved the critics they are full of it. Gene was himself as the demon. Ace played his heart out. Peter is kicking ass again, the drums were hitting my chest so hard it could stop a man's heart! Paul was the ringmaster and high light of the show when he flew out over the stage to do Love Gun. The crowd was singing the songs louder than the band was, and you could feel Kiss hysteria in the air all night! Peter's drum solo during 100 thousand years Kicked ass! The stage and pyro were killer. Gene was as crazy as usual during the blood spitting flying act. He really is the God of Thunder. He was hitting the bass hard as hell. You could see it on the Big screen. Kiss is really putting every ounce of energy into this show. They are putting their sweat and heart into it! After 2 hours of Kiss kicking our buts and giving us what we wanted, it got really emotional near the end. Paul's intro to Black Diamond changed into the intro of I still Love you. He sang" Nashville I really love you, I will never forget you." My eyes started to water because after meeting Paul I could see the look on his face, the song really hits home when he sings "I thought I could take it like a man, but when you got to go you really got to know it's killing me inside."Every one had their lighters lit up and I looked back in the crowd on the hill. It looked as if everyone was holding a candle saying goodbye to KISS. Paul said softly Nashville that looks beautiful. I love you from they bottom of my heart as he pointed to his chest. People this is no joke. Kiss means what they say. They are very grateful because without us, they would not be where they are today.Then they ripped into Black Diamond Peter was singing his heart out, you could see the veins in his neck like they were going to burst. Then came Beth, some more tears and he thanked everyone for 27 years and said "God bless you all" Then came you know RNRAN! The confetti poured so much, you could hardly see Kiss. The pyro was so wild I do not see how Kiss did not burn up with it! The drums rose along with Ace and Gene on risers on both sides of the stage as Paul broke his guitar one more time to give to the audience! And it sounded like the bombs were giving us a 21 gun salute! Then after the final cord the lights came up and they are gone. They leveled Nashville last night! I am going to see them in Knoxville tonight. Home of the TN Vols college football Champs! P.S. forgot to mention all the bras and panties thrown on stage. As Paul said before Heavens on Fire we put this album out called Animalize so we could act like animals.

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