KISS, London 02, July 11, 2019 Gig Review and Photos

 

By the time the concert started having met KISS and found them to be utterly charming I was in total awe of their professionalism and strength. I was wilting in the humid London heat in normal, albeit black, clothes and at twenty years my senior and dancing in full theatrical costume with seven inch leather heels against a background of exploding fireballs (in case it wasn’t already Hotter than Hell) KISS could not have more kudos from me.

 

I also had the immense privilege of photographing the band. Opening with Detroit Rock City they descended from the sky on moving platforms with loads of pyro, unfortunately we did not get photographs of this as the photographers were not let into the pit till the band were on the ground and the heavy stage curtain which had fallen into the pit was removed. Once again, however, the band know exactly what to do to give the photographers the best shots and get 10/10 for star quality.

 

 

Paul Stanley shows no signs physically of his age with his consummately sexy hip swings and skipping in heavy platforms. He still has a bum worth wiggling extensively, so I agree it would be rude not to..and so he does with no complaints from anyone. His voice shows signs of wear as anyone’s would after 2 years around the world 2 hours a night. (I lose my voice if I go to a conference for two days!) So he sounds like he has a cold or laryngitis. However, he is not going to let that stop the fun and it only increases my respect for him that the show must go on and it’s an immense spectacle nevertheless. He constantly interacts with the crowd encouraging them to go crazy and shout and pointing and engaging individuals with eye contact. He does not stop working it for a single moment.

 

Meanwhile Gene does his best to be the most disgusting he can be, licking his mike and Tommy’s face, dribbling and giving his mike a blow job. Culminating with the vomiting of blood during ‘God of Thunder’ he provides the schlock horror so popular these days and is a great foil to Paul’s sensuality.

Tommy and Eric also get solo spots where there’s a spaceman solo to a background of UFO graphics and the drum riser rises high to the sky in a way no one with vertigo could manage. The platforms that the band descended in on go to the sky again and became huge octagonal screens with graphics in the roof that change to reflect the songs eg circus related images for ‘Psycho Circus’.

 

It’s pretty much greatest hits from beginning to end including ‘Shout it Out Loud’, ‘I Love it Loud’, ‘Heaven’s on Fire’ and ‘Calling Dr Love’. Time goes quickly and it seems as if no time at all has passed before Paul is zip lining it across the crowd to a second stage at the back of the auditorium for ‘Love Gun’ and my favourite ‘I Was Made For Loving You’ and I wished I was closer to him although I could for most of the time watch what was happening on screen.

 

Paul makes it back to the main stage for ‘Black Diamond’ as huge Catherine wheel style fireworks spinning behind become a backdrop as the drums rose again with tigers with glowing eyes wrapped around the hydraulics. Eric took the high verse for this song. He carried on singing for a turn on the piano and ‘Beth’. Then they all came forward to take a bow and say goodbye. Eric played drums with his sticks on Gene’s codpiece for a little added fun.

The encore was ‘Crazy Crazy Nights’ when very large white balloons with the  ‘KISS’ logo and the four cartoon face make up graphics were set loose on the audience. The finale is ‘I Wanna Rock n Roll All Night’ during which it is hard to see due to mountains of cannon shot confetti which manages to get everywhere!! Gene and Tommy take to the skies in platforms on cranes going over the audience and get pretty close to some of those in the gods! Paul smashes his guitar. Well I guess if this is really the last tour and the ‘End of the Road’ he won’t need as many in future.

 

The Last Tour? I can’t believe it and I really hope not. I really hope that like Coverdale they find that they really cannot bear to retire. If they come back next year I won’t even mention they said they wouldn’t. No more heroes any more.. I sincerely hope not.

 

Dawn Osborne