American KISS in Moscow.

Tribute to KISS lovers army soldiers.

Русская версия

Kiss tried to come and play in Russia several times, but failed. And now on 24 May 2008 they finally made it. Not without adventures I must say. 14 trucks with hardware went via round route through St Petersburg and Tver, bouncing on Russian roads they have reached Moscow. In Moscow Russian kissfans were waiting for long long time and were very tired. People were let in to "Olimpijskij" on time, but they had to wait for two hours inside. Soundcheck group was the first to come on stage and after that Kiss! Not only old fans came to see Kiss playing alive, also young mothers with children were there wearing special makeup like Kiss makeup a la cat for example. And they came to the concert in municipal buses and by underground with this makeup - new times in Russia now. Life in Russia has transformed very strongly. Many people came with vinyl albums of Kiss, released in 70' and 80', dressed in the t-shirts from foreign Kiss-tours, including Japanese tour!
Kiss didn’t have any press conferences for Russian journalists in Moscow. The group had a press conference only in Germany. Maybe it is better - if you need some information, go and find it. A kind of training isn't it? TV crews were nor allowed to shoot, they were permitted only to connect to group’s TV-monitoring. On Moscow TV-channel Russian televiewers saw these videos in news with Paul Stanley short interview and with Gene Simmons standing by him.
By the way, the only original Kiss members now are Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons. Eric Singer was playing on drums, he also played in Moscow with Brian May and Alice Cooper earlier. Eric Singer has just finished recording a new album with Alice Cooper band, it will be released in autumn. Now he's working in tour with Kiss. Sitting behind two drum sets :). Tom Thayer is on guitar now instead of Ace Frehley. When Frehley left the band Tom was a tour manager and he was cutting video of Kiss live shows. After casting all candidates were kicked out. Then Gene Simmons:) noticed Tom Thayer. He asked himself: How about Tom? He is a good fellow, I’ve known him for a long time and he knows Kiss’ stuff from A to Z. He plays guitar better than Frehley and he can play as Frehley anywhere. Since he was a kid Tommy dreamt to play in Kiss. A dream must come true, I think. C'mon, lets  make this dream real decided jokers. They put some makeup on Tommy. Incredible! That's what we need! C'mon boy, you’re in. It's a deal, press your finger in the treatment. Now Tom Thayer is not around the group. He is in the group. It is not the single case, it happened with AC/DC too.
Show started around 8:55pm. Gene Simmons said to Russian fans that Kiss played in Bulgary and in Latvia but Moscow was the best. Yes, we understand - long waiting and so on. More important were other Gene Simmons’ words. He said that fans know whatto expectfrom Kiss on the shows and fans go there wanting exactly this kind of show, not another. That's why the group must stay the same without change. Kiss must play this show only. And Kiss played in Moscow the same show that fans saw on videorecords. Flying, fireshow, confetti cannon shots and so on. Bravo!
But the sound... The same as always. Power speakers were enough for making good sound level in Olimpijskij, but they were directed forward, not round. In front of the stage the sound was good enough, but on the tribunes sound was awful... It's such a pity. Old fans were sitting on the tribunes, they waited for thirty years to see famous Kiss alive, devoted fans. Tribunes were about 95 percent full. Standing parterre was nearly empty - VIP-persons are not interested in Kiss show. Ticket price to parterre was 4500 rubles (about 180 dollars) - it is very expensive for Russian fans.
Show lasted about two hours, group played twenty compositions with guitar, bass and drum solos. It’s a pity that group traditionally plays the same repertoire as for the Americans. I don't know why western groups decide to play everywhere the same popular set of songs as they play in America. Maybe they think that as this set is popular in USA it will be popular in Russia too. No, no, no. Russia is a special country. Russians love different songs and are waiting for them. But the groups do not play these songs. All of the groups! Nevertheless Kiss army soldiers in Moscow were singing loud with Kiss, springing and drying the tears of happiness on their smiling happy greasy faces. In spite of everything the show was a success.

setlist: "Deuce", "Strutter", "Got To Choose", "Hotter Than Hell", "Firehouse", "Nothin' To Lose", "C'mon & Love Me", "Parasite", "She" / Tommy Thayer solo, "Watchin' You", "Rock Bottom", "100.000 Years" / Eric Singer solo, "Cold Gin", "Let Me Go, Rock & Roll", "Black Diamond", "Rock and Roll All Nite"; "Shout It Out Loud", "Lick It Up" / "Won't Get Fooled Again",Gene solo / "I Love It Loud", "I Was Made For Lovin' You", "Love Gun", "Detroit Rock City".