From: David Stephenson
After driving 2 plus hours and, thankfully, missing Skid Row here is the review.

My interpretations are different than have been posted. I will only go briefly into Uncle Ted. The production of the show is quite good, so enough there. I will just do overall group and then individuals.

Uncle Ted: Despite his mouth, it is still a very entertaining set. Musically and vocally, quite good. The bass player finally moved around and Tommy Aldridge is just incredible to watch. Great job.

KISS Group: There was tons of energy flowing from the crowd tonight. This is the best that I have seen them period. No, I did not have any weed, nor was I drunk. The show was dry and the crowd was pumped. I saw them in the 70’s twice and the reunited KISS 7 times including tonight. Musically, band interaction, and overall sound levels were top notch. I saw them in Roanoke (crowd kinda sucked) and I think the crowd took them to the next level tonight: Very vocal and appreciative. I had seats about 20 rows from the stage, dead center. Quite a good evening. We had a hat trick of underwear on the mike stands!!!! Kudos the babes!!! At the end of Black Diamond, they came out for bowsPeter was kicking Gene’s lizard boots and Gene was laughing. The crowd was deafening.

I also want to say that I have been involved, musically, for over 22 plus years. I know a lot about mixing levels, singing on key, etc. As such, if I disagree with anyone else’s views, too bad….LOL!! Do not take it personally.

Individually…..

Gene: Very into it. Much better than Roanoke. He was really working the women in the front row: Pointing to his cod piece then pointing to them as if to say: “Hey, do you want this….” He put some babe’s bra in his mouth and put it on a mike stand. Too funny. Vocally, he was on but his voice sounded strained but not bad. His blood spitting was cool and very animated. He moved and worked the crowd well. He was really working the crowd tonight, especially the ladies in the front. He slinked and stalked the stage the entire time. He was a master and generating the crowd to chant: Gene, Gene, Gene!!!!

Paul: Contrary to another review, I thought Paul was dead on. Vocally, he was superb and on key. He did, however wear a brace on this left leg and seem to favor the right one. When he flew out to the center for “Love Gun,” he stayed out longer and played the typical “I Still Love You” snippet, then went into Black Diamond intro and flew back when Peter started singing. Neat change up. Towards the beginning of the show, someone gave him a couple of roses, which he hung onto for a couple of bars of the song. When someone threw up a bra or panties, he stopped his stage rap and went over to pick them up. Too funny.

Peter: He was more animated tonight--more relaxed. Smiled more and his solo was still cool. He was a little slow but he was solid. Vocally, very good. He laughed his ass off at Ace on Black Diamond--Ace’s only screw up. He was cracking up….Ace missed the change up were Gene and Paul are swaying next to Ace, but recovered well. He also seems to have a new tattoo on his left arm. I could not make it out but it is below the RARO cat that is on his upper arm

Ace: He was the most “on” of everyone. He worked the crowd. Vocally, he was dead on. He used the stairs (no one else did again). He really looks great. His solo did not have the snippets of songs (which did not work for me...) but some spanish style riffs with 2001 theme. It worked a lot better. Huge rocket explosions from the solo. He now has a little pocket on his vest which contains picks that he threw out liberal amounts from. The mix for his vocals and guitar were very well done. Except for the minor flub, as mentioned above--which cracked him up too--he was unreal. The best I have seen him: plenty of knock kneed jumps, winks, lemon puckering lips. He was awesome.

There ya go. Hope you have fun. Keep in mind that they were totally different than the Roanoke show. The crowd (90% sold out) was great and KISS may have had an so so night in Roanoke. Not tonight. Richmond rocked!!! I cannot wait for Nissan Pavillion.

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