From: Patrick Kendall
As a lifelong fan of KISS, the farewell tour has given me some very mixed emotions. This would be the 8th time I have seen the band live, and it would be the first time I was lucky enough to score front row tickets!

Not many things in life can compare to the excitement of seeing KISS from the front row!! My cousin Brent (another life long fan) came to the show with me, and we both left feeling that there is NO WAY any band anywhere can ever top the sizzling performance KISS put on!

Upon our arrival at the E-Center, we hooked up with another KISS die-hard and friend, Tom Keyes. Tom informed us that ACCESS HOLLYWOOD was at the venue filming segments about KISS fans. Moments later, the camera crew approached us and asked if we would mind being interviewed. We were more than happy to oblige. It isn't often you get the chance to rave about your all-time favorite band on national television!!

Once we went inside the arena, we were surprised to find the Access Hollywood people waiting to film us as we made our way to the front row. What an amazing feeling- heading to the front row at a KISS concert with a camera crew filming the whole thing!!

Waiting for what seemed like forever, opening acts Skid Row and Ted Nugent proved to be slightly amusing at best. Ted was much better than the Skids, but I really shouldn't gripe. I know it was mostly due to the overwhelming anticipation I was feeling waiting for KISS to hit the stage that slanted my opinon!

And hit the stage they did!! WOW.. The adrenaline rush was beyond belief when the giant curtain with the KISS logo finally fell, and there were our heroes descending from the lighting rig in true unbeatable KISS fashion!

The set list was pretty much identical to the Reno show if I am not mistaken. I didn't write them down, I was too busy being swept up in the euphoria of the moment!! I can't belive some of the complaints people have been making about this show.. i.e. Peter not playing well, not enough new stuff, etc. I was having so much fun I didn't have time to be concerned with such trivial things!

Being on the front row, the sound was really distorted. I had a hard time hearing anything that was being said in between songs. The music probably sounded better at the back of the arena, but with earplugs in, it reduced a lot of the high end distortion, making it sound much better.

We were on the left hand side of the stage, right in between Gene and Paul's usual stomping grounds. I absoloutely loved the look of the stage. The double logo looked great, and the metallic motif worked perfectly as well. I personally think this was perhaps the best stage setup KISS has ever performed on.

The worst part of the show was how quickly it seemed to be over. Although KISS played well over 2 hours, it felt more like 2 minutes when the end finally came, thus the mixed emotions I mentioned earlier. Nothing can compare to the excitement of seeing KISS in concert, and nothing can compare to dissapointment of knowing that you have seen them for the last time. KISS have been a HUGE part of my life, and they have been a huge influence on me in many ways. No band has ever been as original, as creative, as innovative or as influential as KISS, and I doubt that any band ever will. It will be difficult to accept the fact that I won't be able to look forward to KISS coming to town ever again.

My recommendation to all the other KISS die-hards out there waiting for the farewell tour to come to town: Go to the show and HAVE FUN! Don't look for the negative, look for the positive. Most of all, be thankful that you have the opportunity to see them one more time!!

This is by far the BEST KISS show I have ever seen!

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