Gene Simmons discussed KISS‘s upcoming makeup-free performance at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas with Greater Milwaukee Today. The show is part of the three-day “KISS Army Storms Vegas” event, taking place from November 14 to November 16.
To celebrate the KISS Army‘s 50th anniversary, the “KISS Army Storms Vegas” event will feature an unmasked electric show with Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons. While the involvement of Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer remains unclear, fans can anticipate Q&A sessions with the founders and manager Doc McGhee, a performance by Bruce Kulick, tribute bands, and other surprise appearances, all contributing to a memorable weekend.
“We will not do the makeup,” Gene said. “We will hold true to the promise [of never playing another KISS show in makeup]. 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.”
When asked what else fans can look forward to at “KISS Army Storms Vegas,” Simmons responded: “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.”
Fans can look forward to guest performances, including former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick, along with surprise appearances, special guest sets, and tribute bands.
On December 2, 2023, KISS performed the “final concert” of their “End Of The Road” farewell tour at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
In a fall 2023 interview with Rolling Stone, Simmons emphasized that the band’s final performance on the “End Of The Road” tour would indeed mark their last show.
“My hand on the Bible,” he said. “And I should know because my people wrote that book. In fact, my people also wrote the follow-up book, the New Testament. And so I’ll say right here, right now, my hand on the Bible, it will be the final KISS-in-makeup appearance.”
Addressing KISS‘ decision to retire at this point, Simmons explained: “It has nothing to do with ticket sales or anything. It has to do with Mother Nature. And at a certain point, you have to understand that it’s going to be a point of diminishing returns because of the kind of band we are. I wear seven-inch platform dragon boots, each weighs as much as a light bowling ball, armor, studs, leather, all that stuff, and that weighs about 40 pounds in total. And I got to spit fire, and fly through the air, and all that, and you got to do it for two hours.”
Reeder, the visionary behind Metal Addicts, has transformed his lifelong passion for metal into a thriving online community for metal aficionados. As a fervent devotee of black metal, Reeder is captivated by its dark, atmospheric, and often unorthodox soundscapes.
