In a new interview with Rob Rush, the evening host on Long Island, New York’s 94.3 The Shark radio station, Gene Simmons spoke about KISS‘s upcoming appearance without makeup at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas as part of the three-day “KISS Army Storms Vegas” event, which runs from November 14 to November 16.
“KISS Army Storms Vegas” celebrates the KISS fan club’s 50th anniversary and will be the band’s first appearance since Simmons, guitarist/vocalist Paul Stanley, guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer wrapped up their “End Of The Road” farewell tour at Madison Square Garden in New York in December 2023.
Simmons told 94.3 The Shark (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “This is much more a fan gathering. The Kiss Army … are taking over the Virgin Hotel and we will show up, but I don’t even know if the entire band’s gonna be there. I know Paul and I are gonna be there, and Tommy. [Former KISS guitarist] Bruce Kulick probably will show up, and we’ll jam, answer questions and stuff. It ain’t a concert — we’re gonna do none of that stuff. I may even bring my solo band up there just for [shits] and giggles. So this is more a fan event, like a fan gathering that we’re gonna be guests at.”
This past March, Gene told Las Vegas Review-Journal that he and his KISS bandmates “will not do the makeup” at “KISS Army Storms Vegas”. “We will hold true to the promise [of never playing another KISS show in makeup],” he explained. “There’s no stage show. There’s no crew. We won’t have 60 people levitating drum sets and all that stuff. This is more personal gathering of the tribes, where we meet them, greet them, maybe have a Q&A.”
Regarding what else fans can expect from “KISS Army Storms Vegas”, Simmons said: “There might be some KISS tribute bands, almost like a convention, if you will. So it’s much more personal. And of course, we can’t get by without playing, so we’ll get up and do some tunes. What they are, how long, I don’t know.”
When KISS officially announced “KISS Army Storms Vegas”, the band said that Stanley and Simmons — along with “special guests” — would play at least one show “unmasked,” meaning without their iconic makeup. It was later revealed that Thayer would also appear at the event, along with Thayer‘s former band BLACK ‘N BLUE, as well as former SKID ROW frontman Sebastian Bach and the tribute acts MR. SPEED and KISS NATION: THE KISS TRIBUTE SHOW.
KISS‘s official “KISS Army Storms Vegas” announcement made no mention of Singer, making it unclear if he will be part of the event.
There will also be question-and-answer sessions with Stanley and Simmons, as well as KISS‘s longtime manager Doc McGhee, where they will share stories, behind-the-scenes moments and answer fans’ most burning questions.
Fans can also expect guest performances, including from Kulick, as well as surprise appearances, guest sets and tribute bands.
KISS had previously set a 12-show residency at Planet Hollywood Las Vegas in 2021 and 2022 but ultimately canceled all of the dates.
50 years ago in Terre Haute, Indiana, a small group of fans lit the spark that would become the loudest and proudest fan movement in rock history: the KISS Army. Now, five decades later — and 30 years since the first official KISS convention — KISS is cranking it up to 11 in Las Vegas for the ultimate celebration.
For more information, visit kissarmystormsvegas.com.
Simmons told Rolling Stone in a November 2023 interview that the second Madison Square Garden “End Of The Road” concert would mark “the final KISS-in-makeup appearance.”
Kulick was a member of KISS from 1984 until 1996.
According to Billboard, Kulick is one of only two musicians to have not worn makeup while a member of KISS, the other being Mark St. John.
Kulick had performed with the band again at their Kiss Kruise events in 2018 and 2021.
Source: blabbermouth.net
