From: Craig
This was my second show of the tour and my first outdoor Kiss show ever. ( I saw them earlier in Moline, IL.) Although it was a great show, I would have to say that I like the indoor experience much better.

My wife and I arrived really early and were surprised to find that we could walk right in. I've been to concerts here before and they usually make you wait in line. We had lawn seats, so we went in and staked our claim to a spot right on the edge of the grass on Gene's side of the stage. We could see the stage really well, but I don't think I've ever seen Kiss from this far away. (By the way, it was $21 for two slices of pizza and two beers! OUCH!!)

Before I get to the show, I have to comment on some of the people that we saw. Luckily, we had the pleasure of watching a high school kid heave his guts out during Kiss' performance. Definitely a low point in the evening. Other spectacles included a guy who had shaved the Kiss logo into his chest hair, an array of painted faces, and the COOLEST Gene costume I have ever seen. Boots, cape, chains, it was all there!

Skid Row started at 6:55 (early) and played their typical half-hour set. I thought they sounded better this time than they did in Moline. Generally the same comments as before: not a big fan, but they were okay.

Next up, Ted. His rant was a little more reserved, but still offensive. During his hour, I laid down, took my time in the bathroom, went for beers, etc. The best part of his show was that his head set mic didn't work. Too bad they had a replacement.

Kiss took the stage and did what they do best. I thought they sounded cleaner than before and the show seemed to be much tighter. Gene referred to the city as Kansas City (previous night's show), and forgot part of the words to a song, but it was an otherwise flawless performance. The show was somewhat streamlined in terms of solos. All the solos were much shorter and the focus seemed to be more on the band's performance. Also, the stage was larger this time.

(At the end of the show, when they came out to do Rock-n-Roll All Nite, Ace had removed the top portion of his costume and was wearing a Kiss shirt. I thought that was pretty cool.)

Unfortunately, when Kiss took the stage, everyone stood up (as they should) and we were unable to see the stage at all times. I found myself watching the screens a lot. I also missed out on the confetti being that far away. I also didn't feel like it was as loud as it could have been. I enjoy having my ears ring for a while after the show, and I missed that this time. I'm going to see them again in Cedar Rapids, IA, on September 2. This will be indoors and possibly my last show (I'm trying to convince my wife to go again in Champagne,IL.) I don't plan on missing out on anything this time.

All in all, it was a great show. They are the greatest live band I have ever seen. All the elements are there: music, spectacle, showmanship, and an appreciation for the fans. Not to mention, the incredible accuracy of the music. I've seen bands that sound nothing like they do in the studio, but they definitely are not one of those bands.

Once again, if you haven't seen them live, DON'T MISS THIS!!!! Do whatever you need to do, but go and see it. It's incredible.

I'll post another review after Cedar Rapids and I'm hoping for one more after that.

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