KISS exploded onto the stage at Five Points Amphitheatre in Irvine on Thursday Night,  their first show after both Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley had publicly shared that they both had tested positive for Covid-19.  You would think that the band would take it easy and do a shorter set, or skip some of the standard tricks, but what has kept KISS… Alive for over 40 years is their dedication and professionalism.   They leave it all on the stage every night.  In 1975 the band put out KISS Alive! as a response to fans who said that their studio albums didn’t capture the energy of their live performance.  That album exploded and almost 4 decades later the core of that remains true.  A KISS show is more than just the music, it’s full throttle entertainment experience that thrills whether it’s your first time seeing them or the 100th. 

Thursday's set list featured the standard Greatest Hits combined with a sprinkle of ‘newer’ songs such as “Say Yea” off 2009’s Sonic Boom along with 1998's “Psycho Circus”.   Seeing Gene Simmons spit fire and drool blood is like mainlining nostalgia in the best way possible. You want to see Tommy Thayer shoot pyro out of his guitar and blowing up the stage - it’s spectacle and KISS never disappoints. Add in Paul Stanley flying overhead to dance out in the crowd for “I Was Made for Loving You” and knowing he was just laid up with Covid makes this feat even more amazing.  Listening to Paul belt out that song reminded me of the KISS of 1979, grappling with the Disco era and the change in musical tastes. They adapted, changed, took the makeup off, put the makeup back on, changed lineups and 40 years later you are still guaranteed to get the greatest show on earth every time you attend a KISS show.  The show came to a epic climax as the skies opened up dumping rain on the crowd as the band launched into their “Rock and Roll All Night” encore, and bolts of lighting followed shortly after the band left the stage.  Clearly the God of Thunder’s job was done.

Before Covid kicked in the “End of the Road” tour was to end in July 2021, and the question of when would the tour really come to a conclusion has been up in the air.  Their current tour is extended to July 2022 including a Las Vegas residency at Planet Hollywood to kick off 2022. See them for the first time, see them for the last, KISS is a bucket-list show for the ages and fails to disappoint!

Full – Set List:

Detroit Rock City

Shout It Out Loud

Deuce

War Machine

Heaven's on Fire

I Love It Loud

Lick It Up

Calling Dr. Love

Say Yeah

Tears Are Falling

Cold Gin

Guitar Solo

Psycho Circus

Drum Solo

100,000 Years

God of Thunder

Love Gun – Paul sings from B Stage

I Was Made for Lovin' You – Paul sings from B Stage

Black Diamond

Encore:

Beth

Rock and Roll All Nite