The End Of The Road is here for the legendary KISS who finally made their way to Australia this past week after several attempts at trying to close out their career ending world tour down under which was obviously impacted by the pandemic. But good things come to those who wait as Perth got their turn to witness one of the final shows. Countless fans came dressed in Kiss mockups and inspired makeups, the atmosphere was electric going in, it was all set to go!
Perth locals Legs Electric opened the show with a solid turnout already through the doors by the time they hit the stage. The Perth ladies of rock have been gaining a good following here over the years and was a great fit to open such a colossal show. The band recently dropped a new single and supported Spiderbait in WA so with this show now added to their resume, things seem to be hitting the big time which is great to see. Well received by the early crowd, a rocking set. If you are reading this and have never seen them before, go check out their next show!
As 9pm approached, fans were anxiously awaiting the big moment. A huge curtain with the ‘KISS‘ logo was raised and fans went wild. Led Zeppelin’s “Rock N Roll” was played loudly over the speakers and definitely amped the crowd up. The whole arena joined in with chanting ‘you wanted the best, you got the best…’ monologue as the curtain dropped. Boom. Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer descended down from the ceiling amongst smoke, pyrotechnics and lasers.
The band launched straight into “Detroit Rock City” to the deafening screams of the fans. It’s everything you would expect from the rock n roll legends – bright lights, pyro, smoke and fireworks! KISS had set out to show Perth that they know how to party! With the band in full swing, the classic hits continued on through the night with the likes of “Heavens on Fire” and “Lick it Up” coupled with the occasional individual drum and guitar solo pieces that provided a snapshot of the skill and talent of Thayer, Simmons and Singer.
Stanley is a front man like no other. His stage presence is like no other and his continuous interaction with the fans in between songs was not unnoticed. Egging on the crowd to act like wild animals before launching into “Psycho Circus”, the singer/guitarist showed exactly what he is known for – a frontman who commands a stage and get the audience going. The theatrics continued on throughout the night, at one point asking the crowd if he should come out to join them. Leaving the main stage, he ziplines over the audience to a stage at the rear of the venue, to the sheer excitement of the crowd at the back, staying there as they belted out ‘Love Gun’ and “I Was Made for Lovin’ You”.
The vibe of the room was about to turn down a notch, as the band prepared for an encore. While fans waited in the dark, Eric Singer emerged from the darkness alone, standing at the piano as he performed the band’s biggest ballad “Beth”. RAC Arena immediately lit up with camera flashlights and cigarette lighters. “Shandi” from the band’s 1980’s Unmasked album fills the stadium with giant KISS balloons, before launching into their final track ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll All Night’. The theatrics turned up a notch for this epic finale. Pyrotechnics, smoke, fireworks, along with an endless amount of confetti falling from the roof. As the show comes to an end, the band return to the individual platforms they descended in before going out with a bang.
And there we have it, what is quite possibly the final time we will see Kiss live on stage. But what a way to go, certainly a memorable night that no fan will forget any time soon.
Photos by Jessica Vaini – JV Photo & Film
KISS
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LEGS ELECTRIC
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