Kiss
Mohegan Sun
Uncasville, Connecticut
October 2, 2009
Tony Pijar
Touring on the release of their impressive “Sonic Boom” album, Kiss rolled into Mohegan Sun with an impressive stage show and set list as well. Like Heart, Aerosmith, Ratt and others who’ve chosen to play every song from their groundbreaking albums , Kiss chose to play the whole of their first live album with, of course, a smattering of other gems too.
Ex-Black N Blue guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer are talented musicians but to many Kiss fans they’re being charged with blasphemy; only Ace and Peter should be able to wear the original make up. To me, I’m glad Kiss is a functioning, touring entity – so I’ll take what I can get! Thayer covered Ace’s leads with aplomb and to these ears Singer is a better drummer and singer than Criss ever was. And let’s face it; Kiss always belonged to Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons anyhow. The others are just renting space. The stage show was characteristically amazing with the huge Kiss logo this time below the drum riser. The pyros, confetti, blood and ongoing explosions were in your face from the opening feedback of “King of the Nighttime World” through the pummeling crash of “Detroit Rock City.” Again, most of the first live album was aired including “Deuce”, “Hotter than Hell”, “Watchin’ You”, “100,000 Years”, “Parasite”, “She”, “C’mon and Love me”, etc.
“Rock and Roll all Nite” still explodes in the live setting while “Black Diamond” remains a classy piece of 70’s New York metal. The first encore, “I Love it Loud”, saw Simmons enter from the left only to fly to the rafters and spew blood over the sweat soaked stage. Never to be outdone, Stanley flew across the arena to a make-shift stage at the back of the arena while belting out “Love Gun.”
As the final strains of “Detroit Rock City” deafen the smiling masses, we filed out shaking our heads in amazement at what we’d just witnessed. These guys have showmanship in aces! Needless to say, this is to be one of the best shows of 2010! Make sure you catch them!
