From: Neil "Gido-Blaster" Gido
Y2KISS In Vancouver Rock City!
My fiance, Angela & I flew in from Albuquerque. Everyone we encountered in cabs, hotel, etc. were all well aware of the event. There were cool huge white posters promoting the event plastering the walls on the streets. We acquired copies of The Province Paper from the Wednesday & Thursday before which included articles, ads & full color pictures of the band & promoted Friday night's event. Outside the BC Place Stadium, at all ticket booths were full color posters promoting the event. Also there was a nearby high rise building with Y2KISS written in lights which was very classy & stylish.

We were inside early at 5:30 PM for a Nite Out pre-show party at the Premier Club inside the Stadium. They provided a full service bar & buffet. We also won prizes of a CD & shirt from the local radio station, The Fox. At this pre-show party, we got to hear KISS do a 5 song or so sound check too, which was very cool. We cheered the sound check on. They did "Psycho Circus," "Heaven's On Fire," "Lick It Up" & "I Love It Loud" for sure. Also, they were testing the lights, the logos & the fire. High above the stage were two giant KISS Army logo banners.

There was no new tour book at Y2KISS, just the Psycho 1998-99 one. There were 4 new style shirts among other PC tour shirts, 3 of which mentioned this particular New Year's Eve or Alive IV event. Also there were hats, key chains & stickers which read, "I Was There - Alive IV" with the cool lightning bolt KISS "S." One shirt said "New Years Evil" and "Hotter Than Hellennium." While waiting between opening acts, Nickleback, Lit & Big Wreck, we saw KISS manager Doc McGee walking through the crowd.

This monumental event began at about 11:15 PM, with the black curtain being removed unveiling the stage and then the video screens coming alive. The video started off with the words, "THEY SAID WE WERE CRAZY... WE ARE." Then it went into a 10 minute or so documentary highlighting the release months & years of all KISS albums and other KISStory moments, including Phantom Of The Park, Eric Carr's passing & Detroit Rock City. There were clips of songs from each album including the solos. I don't remember them covering anything about Double Platinum, Killers, Smashes Thrashes & Hits, KISS My Ass, You Wanted The Best You Got The Best, Greatest KISS & Carnival Of Souls. I believe every other release was there though. This video intro was a terrific surprise and very well done! Maybe Tommy Thayer produced it?

After the video intro the Psycho red curtain dropped & the familiar words came blazing through the wall of speakers, "YOU WANTED THE BEST, YOU GOT THE BEST. THE GREATEST BAND IN THE WORLD...KISS!!!" The curtain dropped & the masked marauders took the stage in a bellow of smoke & pyro as they broke into "Psycho Circus"

During the beginning of one of the early songs, another added surprise to the show were the huge inflatable statues of each of the KISS members on either side of the stage. They were blown-Up live as the song started. Gene and Ace were on the left. Peter and Paul were on the right. Each of them were highlighted with the band member's "color," and was an awesome sight to see!

Paul's voice was top notch & all the other members sounded in their prime as well. KISS was in top form! There was tons and tons of pyrotechnics. There was lots of flash pots, pyro shooting up to the top of the dome, ear popping explosions, and lots and lots of fire. They had 4 flame columns going off two in front & two in back, like the old days. We could feel the heat from the stage.

It was a very energetic performance by the band. It seemed at times, they were attempting to play extra careful for the recording of ALIVE IV. Gene flew, Paul flew, Ace's guitar flew. Gene spit blood & fire. Ace fired rockets & spinning sparks. All the usual stuff was there which we must remember in itself will put all other shows by other bands before or after to shame.

Ace lobbied for "2,000 Man" at midnight, and he got it. A wise choice & one of my fave songs of the night. They ended "Let Me Go Rock N' Roll" in less than a minute before the New Year, after which Paul stated we have a minute before the new millennium. There was a big digital clock on the rear wall of the stadium facing the stage. The clock didn't display seconds on it, and there was no countdown on the big screen. Paul asked, "Do we have a countdown?" Right after he asked, the clock turned 12:00 and Paul announced Happy New Year, there was a massive cheer, fireworks were fired, the big screens displayed a huge flashing "2000." Paul said something to the effect of welcome to the new millennium, and that one thing is for sure, that we gotta keep rocking. Ace then said "Happy New Year" and started the "2,000 Man" riff.

"100,000 Years" was probably the peak musically for me personally this night. I just love the guitar work in this song & the break where Paul loses his guitar & gets the audience going. Paul played his Washburn signature model guitars all night. One had a sunburst finish and another was sparkly silver with a big "2000" across the entire face of the guitar.

Peter's mic was not on through the main speakers through almost all the 1st verse of "Black Diamond." Peter did not do a drum solo. He recently had surgery on his thumb for a broken or damaged tendon. In fact, there was a slight pause during "God of Thunder" where the solo usually comes in, and possibly it was left up to Peter whether or not the solo would go on.

The 80s material was well received as was the entire show. It was one of the rowdiest crowds I've ever seen. Ace and Peter did great versions of "Heaven's On Fire," "Lick It Up" and "I Love It Loud." Ace basically hung back on stage during these jams.

"Into the Void" was included in the encores. Gene and Paul seemed to be having trouble getting the right notes vocally for the chorus. They were laughing about it a bit, but soon caught on. In a recent interview, Ace mentioned he wanted "Into The Void" on Alive IV and it made me wonder if including it with the encores was a last minute decision.

Paul also made it very clear how honored KISS is that we would spend this special New Years with them. KISS was onstage till about 1:30 AM. There was a big display of sparks and smoke at the end of "Rock And Roll All Nite," with several spark firing pinwheels. The drum riser rose and there were two hydraulic lifts for Gene and Ace, while Paul smashed his guitar. The confetti was more than I've ever seen. It looked like thick smoke firing out from both the stage & Paul's mini stage in the middle of the audience. Confetti kept coming & coming the entire song. If the upcoming tour is as great as this show, and I'm sure it will be, it's going to be a fantastic tour!!

Y2KISS Song list: Psycho Circus, Shout It Out Loud, Deuce, Heaven's On Fire, Shock Me, Firehouse, Do You Love Me, Let Me Go Rock N' Roll, 2000 Man, Ace Solo, Cold Gin, Gene Solo, God Of Thunder, Lick It Up, I Love It Loud, 100,000 Years, Love Gun, Black Diamond Encores: Detroit Rock City, Into The Void, Beth, Rock And Roll All Nite

©2000 Gido-Blaster Productionz

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