From: Ken Gullic
Well, kids, this is the second review I've submitted... so hopefully this one will take. (The first was written within 24 hours... more so "in the moment" whilst this will be with that 20/20 hind sight, having pondered it all for 5 days!).

THE VERDICT? Better than the disingenuous Psycho Circus tour, nearly as exciting as the Reunion!

THE CROWD: Tons of people, the lawn seemed full... the walk up biz must have been tremendous. Very impressive.

THE MERCH: I must say, that what used to feel SO exciting (I spazzed in Detroit for example... and every other reunion gig I went to: 14!) feels a little "obligatory" now. Some of the new stuff is very cool: THE TOURBOOK (4 1/2 stars out of five): at $30 a pop, I was expecting some scratch and sniff blood or something. Just the same, this book does the right thing by covering EVERY Live era (read: no Elder photo's [bummer! Not even a Fridays shot!]... or cheesy "X in Sex" stills (thank god... cool Bruce solo, but BAD video!). Having boldly attempted to list every concert date ever performed (with at least one "venue" mistake... KISS did not play REUNION Arena in Dallas on the Lick It Up tour, it was the Dallas County Convention Center)... each year is loosely represented with corresponding photos! The highlights are: out takes LIKE a full group posed photo from the ASYLUM era where you can see Eric Carr standing on a brick and a phone book (!?) and STILL falling short of P! aul, not to mention Gene and Bruce! Lowlights: repeat photos you've seen in KISSTORY I, and it's kinda light on CREATURES! OTHER COOL MERCH: The solo shirts, the "solo" posters, ETC.

KISSTORY II: (warrants a special section) @ $150 a pop I expected this to live up to KISSTORY I. Sorry guys, no dice. I trust everyone worked hard on this, but it is essentially a glorified catalog of things we either have, or will never have. The text is very light, so don't expect to learn much. Some of the photos look like horrible color xeroxes and you feel like you've been had when you see them. Unfortunately you also feel like you should have the book anyway (@ $50 I would not be complaining... it's worth that). You'll see some funny fuck ups (like a make up kit that listed the band as Ace, Paul, Criss and Gene!) and some wild shit that never came out. But by and large you've seen or have it all, and you're also tired of them thinking you'll buy anything. What can I say, collecting, for me, has always been about celebrating the music and the people that make it. KISSTORY II is one step removed from that (celebrating the STUFF that celebrates the people that even! tually has little to do with the music). AS FOR THE GIRLS? Well there's one or two for view that are amazing (the PAULette in the boots on the floor works!) but by and large, seeing ACE with tits does nothing for me, and I find it dumb and condecending. I'll find my hard on(s) elsewhere, thank you very much! KISSTORY I ruled! This one could hurt the franchise. Since I've bought two, (ordered one that I've YET to receive... why preorder?!?) I feel entitled to bitch.

The Skids? No Skid Row this night, good luck Johnny Solinger! We're friends, and we actually reviewed each others bands [Solinger an Boot Camp respectively) in a Dallas publication back in '91. He'll do this gig proud. You won't miss SB much!

NUGENT? Three words: BRING BACK TRICK!! I predict Ted's ultra right wing rants won't survive many more shows, or even the tour. I love Ted's intensity, and I don't mind political multi-syllabic debate but the following (actual) Phoenix rants hardly qualify: "If you don't have a gun, you ain't shit!" "Fuck Al Gore!" "Let's see all of the illegal aliens get insurance without a drivers license!" Go Ted... somewhere else!! Just the same, I enjoyed his playing and a few of the tunes. He just needs to chill, or run for VP with David Duke. One of the two.

KISS? The opening? AWESOME! I enjoyed the intro film in Vancouver, but it was topped with that killer stage entrance (Asylum meets Dynasty!) tonight! Thank god, something new!!

The stage: ALIVE II (stairs, never used) meets PSYCHO CIRCUS (2 logos) meets ANIMALIZE (see above) meets DYNASTY (colors) Pretty great! Much better than the last two make up tours!!

THE SET: You've seen the list... comments on some of the tunes: DETROIT/sluggish but cool to see as an opener; SHOUT IT OUT LOUD/yes Petey missed the intro, but they survived!; HEAVENS ON FIRE/very cool, goes over big; DEUCE/always great, you ain't at a Kiss show if they ain't swaying at the end of this song!; CALLING DR. LOVE/...at least it's something from ROCK & ROLL OVER (my fave album) but I'd rather see Baby Driver or Mr. Speed or See You In Your Dreams or Hard Luck Woman or...; PSYCHO CIRCUS: glad they still play it, but maybe it should be second? Works better earlier;LET ME GO/always smokes, nice to see them sorta "jam"!; INTO THE VOID: lose it and play ROCK SOLDIERS or TALK TO ME!!; GOD OF THUNDER: big time rig problem after "the bath" but he made it up there... give him credit. But we'd all rather hear WAR MACHINE or UNHOLY!! Try it just once, guys!; LICK/cool... Ace doing Bruce-isms, a small world!! This on'es becoming a tour de force for this band!! I LOVE IT LOUD: better than Vancouver 'cause Petey seemed more comfy, and ACE nailed the LEAD!! And Paul didn't do any 80's disclaimer which was cool. Good music needs no explanation! LOVE GUN: for a song that I'm sick of it was exciting! NO "FOREVER"!!! DAMN!! BLACK DIAMOND: Ace didn't drop to his knees this time, but he did in Vancouver so I guess they're fine?!?

ENCORES: With DETROIT ROCK CITY out of the way, what would it be?!?!?!?!? I STOLE YOUR LOVE: VERY COOL and BETTER THAN THE REUNION, Ace & Paul traded leads as on record! BETH; Petety wasn't as good as Vancouver, but he did verbally acknowledge "all the years" or something at the end. ROCK AND ROLL ALL NITE (and PART of every day?!?): Good, but it was OFF TO THE PARKING LOT!!

IN CLOSING: I know it's "THE END", but I feel strangely ambivalent... which means I'm glad and sad it's over. It will sink in... what is actually happening. I just know I'll be walking into Spencers three years from now, buying the ELDER bears(which I could deal with actually!) and the ASYLUM busts (which WOULD be different) and I'll have forgotten about the music, like I have the last year or so. KISS truly are a great creative band... highly under rated... Let's hope they find a way to close this with MUSIC (the box set) not more endless DEMON rants on the WCW!! Just the same,I thank them and love them all! Well Gene, Paul, Peter (my fave drummer, sorry!), Eric (the 1st one), and Bruce anyway. Those six should go into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame together. They will be in my heart, anyway... THANKS GUYS!!

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