From: Matthew Turnage
I had meant to write this review last week when my memory was more fresh, but you know how it goes.

Let me start by saying that I'm a staff accountant, and Kiss blew into the Big Easy the night before the tax deadline. Boy did I ever need that show. I felt like the experience would have been a bargain at twice the price!

Unfortunately, I didn't have great seats due to some difficulty getting my online order through. Nevertheless, me and my buddies got to the show in plenty of time for me to buy a t-shirt (got the one with the bad review on the back) and get seated before Skid Row started. I really enjoy the Skids; Slave to the Grind is one of my favorite albums. I was a little worried about how they'd be with a new vocalist, however. Well I shouldn't have! They were great! Their set started with Riot Act, and included Mudkicker, Monkey Business, 18 & Life, Youth Gone Wild, I Remember You, and at least one other one I couldn't recognize (and maybe something else I'm forgetting). Dave Sabo was thrashing like a madman, and wearing a red leather jacket sans shirt. He looked very rock star-ish.

After the Skids' set I went to the rest room with one of my buddies. He decided to buy a shirt after we got out, and I figured I'd get a Skid Row shirt as well. Unfortunately, the line was so long Ted Nugent's set started while we were getting our shirts. We got back to our seats before he finished the first tune (which I couldn't recognize). He played Paralyzed next (my favorite Nuge song) as well as Free For All, Wang Dang Sweet Poontang, Dog Eat Dog, and Kiss My Ass (complete with the line "Janet Reno is a two-bit whore"). He next said he'd treat us to a Motown classic, but he wasn't sure we could handle it. When the crowd roared in response he said, "Even the fags will be eating pussy after this one," before launching into a blistering version of Cat Scratch Fever. Next he said it was time for another Motown classic and assured us "Even the pussy will be eating pussy after this one" as he went into Stranglehold. Of course, the set concluded with Great White Buffalo!

Ted was in great form, played great, sounded great. I was really impressed with Tommy Aldridge's drumming as well. The cool thing was that I already felt like I had been to a great rock show after seeing the first two bands, and I still had Kiss to come.

A cool note: after Ted's set, Van Halen Best Of Vol. 1 was playing over the PA. About halfway through Unchained they switched it off abruptly to begin Won't Get Fooled Again by The Who. Right at the big power chord/ Daltrey scream they dropped the big black Kiss curtain. Great touch.

I should mention that I had never seen Kiss live before this show. Needless to say, my heart started pounding when the lights went out and a voice announced, "All right, New Orleans, you wanted the best, you got the best! The hottest band in the world - KISS!!" The curtain dropped and Kiss decended to Detroit Rock City. I noticed Peter was playing fairly lightly at first, but he did start pounding away later in the song. Peter would continue going back and forth in several of the early tunes, but as the set wore on he was clearly hitting the drums pretty hard.

Of course, Deuce was next and sounded awesome! (It's my favorite Kiss tune.) Then the same as usual: Shout It Out Loud, I Love It Loud (with Peter kicking the shit out of the drums), Shock Me, Firehouse (awesome!! Loved the lights, the flames, looked great!), Do You Love Me (great video montage, and the song translated better live than I thought it might), Calling Dr. Love, Psycho Circus, Heaven's On Fire, Let Me Go, Rock & Roll, 2000 Man (great solo by Ace, who joked after his guitar went to the ceiling "Nobody thinks that really flew, do they?") Lick It Up, God of Thunder (Gene's great at getting everyone to chant his name), Cold Gin, 100,000 Years, Love Gun (Paul's flying thing was cooler than I expected), the first verse of I Still Love You, Black Diamond, Beth, and Rock & Roll All Nite.

The band looked like they were having a lot of fun. Smiles all around, Gene and Ace hopping across the stage.... Before Heaven's On Fire, Paul was saying, "On this album we thought people should act more like animals," and Gene and Peter starting pointing at each other. Ace didn't wander away from the mike when he should have been singing, but he was late coming back on stage for God of Thunder :) (He popped out just before Gene started singing the first verse).

I couldn't believe how cool the arena looked during Rock and Roll All Nite. The confetti flying, Ace's guitar shooting sparks during the guitar solo - I loved every second of it.

Kiss was absolutely brilliant and I'm glad I got to see them in concert. They definitely lived up to the reputation! I want to thank them for the 31 albums in my collection (can't wait to make it 32 with Alive IV!) and I want to wish them the best of luck. One request - Ace, please keep recording! You're the best!

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