KISS
November 19th at Arco Arena, Sacramento

The 1970s solidified hard, crushing rock ‘n’ roll, ushering in a new era of musical passion. Bands like Aerosmith, AC/DC, and Black Sabbath exploded onto the world stage with a loud and proud message of musical decadence. If your ears didn’t ring and your heart didn’t skip a beat, it wasn’t loud enough.

But wait! Don’t forget those kick ass guys from NYC—the ones with the painted faces, duel personas, and a musical approach that is irrefutable rock-solid. Celebrating the 35th anniversary of KISS’ classic album, Alive!, KISS hit the stage at Arco Arena following that well known battle cry, “You Wanted The Best! You Got The Best! The Hottest Band In The World! KISS!” Not since the June 20, 2004 Rock the Nation tour has Northern California been treated with such a rush of ear-splitting adrenaline. The boys from New York City are back and they’ve brought an Army of die-hard soldiers to conquer the masses.

Forget about the puzzling disco albums and the indecisive makeup/no-makeup tours, these guys have not forsaken their roots. Gene Simmons became the Demon, complete with bat wings, wild eyes, and a flicking tongue that seemed to lick the back of the crowded arena with sticky sweet iniquity. And front man Paul “Starchild” Stanley, who entered the stage with a mind to conquer, commanded attention with flawless passion and some damn wicked vocals. At 57, this kid can still strut with a masculine show of glitzy, rock-star sexuality that pushes the crowd into a frenzied, fanatical glow.

I thought the arena was going to flip the cookie jar when Stanley proclaimed, “We missed you too, Sacramento, this is about you,” as the band launched into “Rock and Roll All Nite” and every member of the audience sang along. It was one of those goose bump moments that hang forever in the back of your mind.

Guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer brilliantly portrayed the characters made legendary by “Spaceman” Ace Frehley and “Catman” Peter Criss. Their representation was not only extraordinary, it was a true show of esteem to their supernatural predecessors. Singer was most definitely on point, holding down the back end with deep, crispy timing and precision. Between him and Simmons, the musical direction rolled deep like approaching thunder. The backdrop of this staged fortress featured an immense, electrified KISS logo extending out from a colossal video screen set behind Singer’s drum kit—which had to be 10 feet off the floor.

There were no fluffy bunny moments here. This show was in-your-face and there was more than enough blood, fire, and pyrotechnics to keep any fan glued to the stage. The near equal amount of young and old alike, donning painted faces and animated hype, were transformed into a fist-pumping, movable mob. It was good to see the generations growing up able to appreciate what we’ve known all along.

Have these guys ever done a crappy show? No! And this event was no exception. Tonight was not only a piece of noteworthy rock history, it was proof positive that heavy handed rock ‘n’ roll is alive and kickin’ on planet KISS!

Watch: KISS, “Deuce” [at youtube.com]

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