Concert review: KISS at American Airlines Center in Dallas (December 6)

by Justin Press of Justin Press: Dallas Rock Music Examiner

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KISS's decades-old routine still works, it never ages, and like KISS itself, it reaffirms our believe in the power of rock and roll and mayhem.

KISS: Alive and Still Kicking! -- American Airlines Center (December 6)

Amidst a barrage of 20 foot flame columns, deafening explosions, confetti storms, flash pods, and 120 decibels of pure sonic force rock and roll, I got to thinking how far we had all come, but it took KISS to revert back to their original ethos in order to grow. Age is not a pretty thing for rockers from the golden era, but the four men of the Kabuki apocalypse have eclipsed the hourglass and become timeless. Before a crowd of over 12,000, the collective of KISS showed the audience that in the arena, they were still king.

Opening to a the strains of their debut track from 1973' Deuce, a massive backdrop of video screens, 15-foot-high drum riser, their now famous logo in LED lights, and enough lights, strobes, and fire walls to light the city ablaze, band anchors Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons appeared from the ominous fog clouds and took to sermonizing this rock and roll congregation. With “Strutter” and “Let Me Go Rock and Roll,” again two classics from the early KISS cannon, the band were showcasing the tracks that lifted 1975’s Alive from mere live session to iconic gesture.

Forgoing the usual “Firehouse” for the heavier hitting “Hotter Than Hell,” it was Simmons' showcase to breathe fire and awaken his demonic stage persona. What was once a grand gesture of pure shock and originality has now become somewhat common place especially with bands like Rammstein, Nashville Pu**y, and countless death metal bands employing this spectacle but no one to this day does it with as much build-up or style as Simmons. Regardless of the onslaught of 30+ years tunes that have come before, the band does have a stellar new record, Sonic Boom. And to stay relevant, it was on display this night with “Modern Day Delilah,” matching the power chords of records of yore with a modern sheen.

But let’s face it, when KISS is on stage it’s the gems like "100,000 Years" that brings the devotees to their knees and eventually their feet. With much more finesse than original drummer, Eric Singer in his Catman garb is a first-rate heavy hitter and his solo that included a 360-degree drum riser goes way beyond the standard of showmanship -- it becomes almost mythical by this point. Guitarist Tommy Thayer is spot on for the stumbling antics of Ace Frehley, and on “Shock Me” he nails Frehley’s nasally delivery and lock/stock solos, as well as creates his own gem of a spotlight with laser-guided guitar licks that at one point shuttered the lighting rig with a burst of flames.

Paul Stanley, the ever-long Star Child, is the real acrobatic star of the band, with Simmons acting as his dark foil. Stanley’s between-song raps are legendary, and tonight’s were no exception -- “Peeeeooooopppppplllllleeee, let me tell ya sumthin’!” Between his high-wire stage presence and his under-rated rhythm playing, he is KISS’s true weapon. But it’s still hard to argue with Simmons providing his own brand of outlandish behavior, including his Bela Lugosi/Lon Chaney act during his blood-spitting version of “I Love It Loud,” along with his “flight of the bat” to the top lighting rig -- always a showstopper.

“Black Diamond” continues to tell the theme of a street walker with a dirty touch, while the band’s trademark “Rock and Roll All Night” put an end to the regular set with massive confetti storms littering the throngs below in their own New Year’s Day parade. All four players rose upon elevators and cherry pickers, Singer nearly scalping the lights with his kit and Simmons and Thayer flanking stage right & left like Godzilla and Mothra, while Stanley put the end to another guitar’s life with a smashing drop to the floor. Sure, it’s a few decades-old routine but it still works, it never ages, and like KISS itself, it reaffirms our believe in the power of rock and roll and mayhem.

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