From: Scott
AWESOME!!! Those people who are "too cool" for Kiss probably spend too much time
listening to their friends' opinions, and those friends are probably people who
either grew up during the early 80's (when Kiss were at the height of their
misfortune), or are just people who don't know what rock is about. Having said that,
let's get to the concert- first off, I didn't see much Skid Row, but what I did hear
they sounded great. However, they would've sounded a little better with their
original singer. Then, we have Terrible Ted Nugent. In addition to insulting
everyone from the President to the rest of the planet, he ROCKED!!! Great White
Buffalo is and always will be one of the most underrated rock songs in history.
After a little break, the lights went down, and a voice yelling "ALL RIGHT, SAN DIEGO!!!!" surrounded the arena. With Kiss coming down from the sky, they exploded into Detroit Rock City. They played with enthusiasm and energy not seen from most guys in their TWENTIES, let alone forties and fifties!!! I can't remember the whole set list, but I do know that it was pretty standard from what other people are reporting. As far as the eighties songs goes, I can honestly say that Ace had no problem playing these, neither emotionally nor technically. Lick It Up never sounded better, and he clapped along to the acapella (!) part of Heaven's on Fire. Peter Criss smiled the whole time, and the whole band seemed very into I Love It Loud. How could they possibly take this song out of their setlist for FOUR years?!
My only real complaint was Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons's self-imposed partial- amnesia of the lean years ("when we decided to get back together in 1996....?"). For example, an enjoyable little anthology-type video, played during "Do You Love Me", showed the band in some humorous moments (and DID show the guys w/o makeup), but the late, great Eric Carr was nowhere to be found! What's the deal with that? I've got a few theories, but this review's long enough as it is.
All in all, this concert was awesome, over-the-top, non-stop fun. Nonbelievers, pay the outrageous prices, and come aboard. You won't regret it!