Watching KISS live was an experience that seemed really distant as the decades went by and the band never included Greece in their tour schedule. During the past years though, we have watched many legends that came - better late than never - to show us if they still got it and that Sunday afternoon was the time for the American hard rockers to come to Athens Rock City for the first time.
In the US they are more than a band, they are a music legacy, a commercial brand and the name KISS is larger than life. That counts for some European countries too, but in our small corner of Europe they are a bit too American for our taste. Don't get me wrong: musically they deserve tons of respect for the first 10-15 years of their existence. Stylistically they are from a different planet, namely the other side of Atlantic and for many that just doesn't fit. On the other hand you don't get to watch shows like the one KISS has to offer, so driving once again to Terra Vibe was something
more than an obligation.
The party feeling was evident since the beginning for the concert that would initiate the summer season. There was a free make-up stand for those who didn't come painted like the band in the first place and Terra Vibe seems to get a little bit better every year in all respects. When I arrived Cinder Road were already on stage. Not many seemed to be interested and the band finished its small set without leaving something really strong to remember - even Queen's "We Will Rock You" that they put in their last song didn't manage to create any kinds of reactions.
The rest is all history…"You wanted the best…you got the best…the hottest band in the world…KISS" and the four painted and costumed guys entered the stage with songs from their early days in almost identical sequence as the legendary "Alive" album. The sound in the begging was kind of fuzzy but it improved and soon it became loud, clear and heavy for the band to perform and the fans to enjoy. All four of them knew exactly what to do and the concert seemed a carefully set up performance even in its slightest detail.
The group, the road crew, the stage show: all were working together for the fans' satisfaction. All through the songs we would get loud (but blank) fireworks like celebrating a second Easter the traditional Greek way. The performance surely had its weak moment's: Thayer's solo wasn't exactly a solo, just fireworks coming out of the guitar. Singer's solo started with the fall of a drum stick just when the huge video walls were giving him a close take - we could even see his grim through the make up when that happened. The worst was Stanley's voice that got tired quickly and went out of tune for good. He didn't care to expose it thought and before "Love Gun" he sung the chorus a capela. The best moments? If we have to choose one that would be Simmon's flight on the top of the stage, the blood out of his mouth and "God Of Thunder" that followed, played for the first time in this tour - a special treat to the Greek Kiss Army.
This concert had everything a KISS fan would dream of, the setlist that follows…
Deuce
Strutter
Got To Choose
Hotter Than Hell
Nothin' To Lose
C'Mon And Love Me
Parasite
She
Guitar Solo
100,000 Years
Drum Solo
Cold Gin
Let Me Go Rock 'n Roll
Black Diamond
Rock And Roll All Nite
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Shout It Out Loud
Lick It Up
God of Thunder
I Was Made For Lovin' You
Love Gun
Detroit Rock City
…is ideal and it lasted exactly two hours. Many fireworks, Simmons's flight, spilling blood and flaming sword, the drum riser and loads of classic hard rock created a spectacular show. You didn't have to be a die hard fan to get into the point and even if KISS aesthetics is too much for your taste the music is still the same electrifying, no doubt about that. Yet the 6-7 thousands that attented the concert isn't what the band is used to and they were urging us to express ourselves and make the best of it. Maybe that was the reason that Stanley didn't fly over the crowd as he usually does and some songs were omitted, but that's life…
…and that was KISS, the biggest rock and roll circus in the world, a concert that had to be done even for the celebration of their 35 years of existence. I am sure some of the confetti that were thrown in the air during "Rock And Roll All Night" will stay in Terra Vibe for long time to remind that (at least) once the circus came through town.
P.S. Maybe you know that KISS was connected with satanism from religious groups claiming that KISS = King's In Satan's Service and other beautiful things. Well, a Greek youth religious group had placed a 2-page leaflet carefully in the front window of all parked cars informing us of these issues and preventing us from going to rock concerts - cult as hell! What a way to end the concert!
Nikos Patelis
A few months ago everyone was wondering about the concert of the year 2008. The news came soon and the name of the band was announced…KISS! So after 35 years KISS finally managed to visit our country! As we all know, KISS are pretty popular among the greek audience and there are many people who have been waiting this live since the early days of the band!
So the time has come and the 17th of May is here! The live was going to take place in Malakasa. We arrived in Terra Vibe a little bit late and while we thought we wouldn't find a decent place to stand and watch the live surprisingly we saw that the venue was quite empty. At the beginning we thought it was too early for the people to arrive. If you count the parking problem and the traffic jam of Athens' roads you will be surely late!
But the time passed and the number of people didn't increase…Finally we heard that there were gathered all in all about 8.000 fans (and as it approved later most of the attendants weren't that fans as we expected…), I would say this isn't a number that someone could wait to hear for a live of this size! And this number confirmed the rumours about canceling the live, due to the low pre-saled number of tickets. I guess that this is something no one could thing would happen, especially in a live performance of the band called KISS! Fortunately, the live wasn't canceled and we were able to be present to the show of one of the most famous bands in the history of rock.
At 20:00 CINDER ROAD, who follow KISS in their tour, opened the show. To be honest I wasn't able to listen to their whole set, because as I said, I arrived a little late…As I learned they presented a sample of their album "Superhuman" and I had the chance to listen to their attempt to warm up the greek audience by playing the monumental "We Will Rock You". Half an hour later and while the clock hand hit 20:55, the lights and music went out and a voice sounded…" All Right Athens…You Wanted The Best…You Got The Best…The Hottest Band In The World…KISS!!!"
And that's where everything began! The dream came true and you wouldn't be able to believe it before you leave the venue! KISS were there to satisfy our hunger for old school rock! I must admit, that at the beginning I wasn't very happy about what I was listening. I was waiting a better selection of songs, but soon the only thing I could do was dancing and as I noticed I was one of the few that did that. Most of the people didn't even know the lyrics of the songs and were too nerveless.
I couldn't believe that I would see something like that in this live! Even if they didn't know the songs, the atmosphere was so explosive that was almost impossible to stand still! Maybe the crowd was tired by the long solos of the band (and they really lasted a long time!!!), maybe they waited more dancing and high tempered songs;
the result was a crowd with no inclination. What if they kept on shouting: "You are like a family to us and you are the family we've never seen" and "Greece, you are number one".
What If they tried to get us on mood by having us singing and shouting louder and louder, the greek audience didn't turn a hair, even the show which was perfect couldn't get the crowd on mood, but this lasted only until the sound of the intro of "I Wanna Rock 'N' Roll All Nite" and that's where the whole venue
was covered with confetties and the nightsky became white! 8.000 people really danced and shouted in the rhythms of this hit which was the last of the first set of the band (yes, I know, it was already too late). KISS returned to the stage with the great "Shout It Out Loud" and the best part comes with Gene's solo is spitting blood and then is rising over the stage where he continued playing his bass guitar with his own amazing way while "God Of Thunder" entered. For those who wonder, they played the monumental no1 hit "I Was Made For Lovin' You" and that was the second song where I saw this apathetic audience dancing like it should! Ok, to be honest they could really pay more attention to the selection of the songs, but let's think it over…
35 years cannot be shrinked in 2 hours…Of course we heard many opinions about the quality of the live which, as usual, had nothing nice to express…Ok Stanley is old and his voice is not as it used to be, the sound wasn't as good as they would expect it to be, the set list was a failure, and more…
The KISS show include many other attractions except the blood-spitting of Gene and his long tongue…The venue exploded by fireworks, flames, powerful rhythms and the hottest 35 year old band. The historical performance closes at about 23:00 with the massive "Detroit Rock City" and from now on it belongs to the past! Now we are here wondering if they will ever come again, like they said…My opinion? They won't…
