KISS RULES!!

They spit blood, play with fire and rock and roll all night. And these guys are old enough to be your parents.

by Chas J. Hartman
THE POST

Four men in their fifties are wearing makeup, spitting blood and selling out arenas nationwide. After 27 years together, KISS continues to shock the same critics who dogged their debut album a quarter-century ago.

The phrase "I wanna rock and roll all night and party everyday" may have first appeared in the 1970s, but the words remain part of rock's most enduring anthem. Singer/guitarist Paul Stanley, lead guitarist Ace Frehley, bassist Gene Simmons and drummer Peter Criss are the only true survivors of the rock stardom phenomenon. KISS might be the most successful (and most enduring) American rock band ever.

Last Saturday not only marked Frehley's birthday, but also a sold-out concert performed before 17,000 fans at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Ky. The show was part of their VH-1-promoted "Farewell Tour," which stands as this year's only large-scale sold-out tour. All night long, Stanley made it painfully clear that fans should remember every moment of the concert, as these songs will never be performed (by the actual band, anyway) again.

Opening up for KISS was conservative stalwart Ted Nugent and 1980s L.A.-based rockers Skid Row. When KISS first reunited back in 1996, a more prominent band named Alice in Chains opened part of the tour. This time around, KISS wanted to assist a few dinosaurs on their way out.

Skid Row began the night with a blistering, alcohol-induced 30-minute set. The band, sans lead singer Sebastian Bach, proclaimed itself "The New Skid Row," as if that would make a difference to the rather disappointed fans. Strangely enough, some people with $40 tickets left immediately following the performance by Skid Row.

Nugent, or "Uncle Ted" as he instructed us to call him, made his politics known in between songs. His between song banter ranged from insults directed at Bill Clinton, Janet Reno and Jesse Jackson to sexual statements about gays and lesbians. Aside from performing his only hit, "Cat Scratch Fever," Nugent performed his encore wearing a rebel jacket and an Indian headdress.

Around 9:30 p.m. the lights darkened once again, a large black curtain bearing the word "KISS" lowered from the arena ceiling and the opening strains of "Detroit Rock City" began. When the curtain came back up, the audience screamed in unison as the four members of KISS were lowered onto the stage. These theatrics were only a hint of the phenomenal entertainment to follow.

Following "Detroit Rock City," KISS launched into "Deuce," another classic. With a band featuring this many great songs, one can only expect to hear a setlist resembling something from a "greatest hits" album. In fact, the only song played from their most recent album was the title track of Psycho Circus.

Simmons and Frehley both play highly modified electric guitars that mirror something out of a fantasy novel. In addition to his black-and-white makeup and armor-like costume, Simmons' bass is shaped like an axe. Frehley's guitar, meanwhile, features a rotating device that shoots out sparks.

On each side of the drum set were large torches that occasionally shot flames straight up. These flames were powerful enough to even make people 50 yards away feel eerily warm. Flames coupled with large illuminated KISS signs and random glitter showers gave the stage an almost circus-like appearance.

Simmons became the first band member to fly. At one point, he rose some 50 feet in the air, stood on a ledge, spat blood and played a bass solo. Stanley later flew out into the center of the arena, stood on a platform and performed a song with the band.

As far as hits go, the band performed "Do You Love Me," "Shock Me" and "Shout It Out Loud," among others. The 17,000 fans stood and sang not only during the hits, but also for the entire duration of KISS's performance. Quite honestly, I've never witnessed such an outstanding display of support for a band.

When it really came down to it, what made the night special was the appreciation KISS voiced for their fans. Stanley recounted how critics trashed the band during its early years, when it removed the makeup in the 1980s and when the band reunited. All in all, KISS proves that a band doesn't need the support of Rolling Stone or MTV to succeed on the mainstream level in music.

KISS plays five dates in Ohio in the next month, and the closest show is at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 13 at Polaris Amphitheater in Columbus. Even though this entire tour is sold out, extra tickets will go on sale the morning of the show. If at all possible, make sure you attend and show up early for the extra tickets.