Live Review: KISS
End of the Road Tour on 2 September 2022 at the RAC Arena, Perth
By Sheldon Ang
Photos by Sheldon Ang Photography
All right PERTH…YOU wanted the best…YOU got the best…the HOTTEST band in the world…KISS!
Like a second coming, the four gods of another kind descend with their flying machines of imperious splendour. Sparks rain from beneath, with the soundtrack amplified by the chaotic mad max of unbridled hysteria. The Starchild points to the crowd, Perth…we are finally here; The Demon teases with his tongue, followed by a nod of hell yeah, while The Spaceman scintillates with his guitar, hypnotised by the bridled cataclysmic drums of The Catman. With the ferocity of a tropical thunder, a spate of explosions shred over the Army of ten thousand, culminating in the mother of all entrances. After three years in stagnation, the spaceship has landed in the chalice of sonic dreams.
Long, long time ago…on the same side of the road, four dreamers led by Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons ripped the stage of the Perth Entertainment Centre in their 1980 Unmasked Tour. For the romantics, the stage at the RAC Arena evoked a charismatic poignancy, showcasing a fusion of modern pyrotechnics and 70’s nostalgia, with four men gracing in their original costumes with super high platforms. Dreamy archives from the 70’s and 80’s, and the stylistic and sanctimoniously retro’d KISS emblem (including the lightbulb version) can occasionally be seen on the three mega screens.
Detroit Rock City from the 1976 Album Destroyer sparked the setlist following the dramatic collapse of the KISS emblazoned curtain, ultimately setting the ostentatious benchmark for the rest of the night. Buoyed by the crowd, the front masked rowers stood shoulder to shoulder on several occasions, swaying side to side in synch while ripping their guitars. For the trivia lovers, the lyrics is a homage to a fan who was killed in an accident on the way to one of their concerts. But the night was all about celebrating dreams, equanimity and freedom. Shout it Loud and Deuce were next on the setlist.
Perth, we love you.
Gene’s world-famous tongue is a lifeform on its own, constantly waggling and occasionally licking the neck of guitar – and those tease were as adult-rated as it gets on the End of the Road Tour (Gone are the days of “Australia always welcome us with open arms, and open…”).
It seems time waits for some; despite Paul Stanley recently crossed the septuagenarian milestone, and sidekick Gene Simmons nearing the point of no return in the category classed as “living legends”, KISS remains a mother lode of inspiration, aspiration and imagination for the young and restless, courtesy of their nitrous-fuelled on stage antics. The hype went beyond the physical expulsion; Paul’s constant verbal interaction of constructed tempo and stylised rhythm with operatic emphasis on keywords were super engaging. And yes, Paul still has it vocally, reaching the D’s and E’s of the challenging notes.
Alright, I’ll tell you something, just in case you didn’t know, we are just getting STARTED!
The bold shenanigans of Paul Stanley of the last century are still on exhibition, including the flying fox ride high above the sea of voracious fans to a makeshift stage in the middle of the Arena, where Love Gun and I Was Made For Loving You were performed – with the latter arguably the most well-known KISS track, as evident by self-appointed back up vocalists in their thousands.
But not every moment was rambunctiously insane. There was the Gene Simmons solo, showcasing the exciting world of bass guitar. And like a puppeteer, he moved jaggedly like a curious lizard (which goes well with the tongue) to the cadence of his own four strings, producing the thundering bass that could mask a sonic boom of an F-18. And of course, there was the spitting of blood (let’s assumed it is fake) and the fire breathing stunts. Gene nodded with a self-assured hell yeah, before being raised to the roof for God of Thunder.
Man…I have to tell you…you people are awesome. People over there, you’re not going to sleep on us are ya? Let me hear you sing it!
KISS isn’t just about Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons. Guitarist Tommy Thayer who replaced Ace Frehley in 2002 showcased his dexterity in a solo performance, and in a dual challenge with Paul and Gene, culminating in an spiteful expulsion of fireworks from his guitar. A pleasant surprise was Beth, which had been excluded from most of the recent tours. Ironically, this ballad is one of the highest selling singles of the KISS’ discography, originally penned and performed by former KISS drummer Peter Criss. Painted by the spotlight on centre stage, drummer Eric Singer delivered a world class performance in a duality of heartfelt regret and perpetuation, propelled by the palpable sincerity of the highest visceral order. From the vocals and the facial expression to the windows to his soul, Eric’s performance on piano drew a sobering silence in a cocktail of emotion, sensing that the end is near; “Beth, I know you’re lonely…and I hope you’ll be alright…’Cause me and the boys will be playing…all night”. KISS have been on the road for five decades. Perhaps, this time they’ll be right home.
What we say, we party all night
Shandi was the other track that showcased the humanistic side of KISS and a crowd favourite, before closing the night with Rock And Roll All Nite, which was accompanied by rockets of confetti spewed from canons. The ending was as a grandeur as the opening, this time Gene, Tommy and Peter ascended to the roof on their spaceships, while Paul teased the crowd with his swinging guitar that lasted for several revolutions. And yes, the guitar got smashed as expected.
Good people, I’m not lying when I said, Perth, we bow…to YOU!
So, after twelve visits to Perth since 1980, the end has come. The after taste was one of poignancy, melancholy, and to some – grief, but also euphoria, a celebration of rock and ultimately, KISS. And with a horde of younger fans sprinkled across the arena, the legacy of the hottest band in the world – KISS, will undoubtedly be relayed to future generations…
Perth, have you had a good time? Did you get what you came for?
Perth, goodbye…f*ck yeah!
Thank you for the memories.
The Writer/Photographer would like to thank Menard PR, TEG Live, One World Entertainment, Triple M and KISS for the Press Accreditation and tickets to his 6.5th show of the world’s hottest band (the half being a solo of Paul Stanley).
Tickets to the final show in Brisbane and Gold Coast can be found on Ticketek
About the Writer/Photographer: Sheldon Ang is the founder, photographer and writer of Sheldon Ang Media. Since launching SAM in May 2022, he has covered the biggest arena/stadium performances in Perth, such as the Kid LAROI, Gang of Youths, Louis Tomlinson (One Direction), Hilltop Hoods (upcoming), Guy Sebastian, Glass Animals (UK), Spacey Jane and Amy Shark. Prior to this, he was the Chief Photographer and Principal Journalist for a magazine which was taken offline by the owner in April, where he had carried out over 50 interviews including with Ace Frehley.
