Kiss And Motley Crue "The Tour" Sept 1st 2012

Walking into the venue the air is electric with the anticipation and excitement of fans waiting to get in. People are tailgating in the parking lot and while waiting in line to get in. Amongst the droves of waiting fans there are several dressed as various member of KISS. Their costumes range from face paint to full on outfits. It’s hot and humid but everyone seems to be happy to be there and to see the legendary show.

Before the opening band can even get set up, security came over the speakers telling everyone in the lawn to go back to their cars, that there was a nasty storm coming in and the show would be postponed for an hour. The people in the pavilion were told that they couldn’t leave the shelter of the overhang. Many of the fans decided to ignore the warnings and stay in the lawn or walk to the beer tents and vendors. People were being turned away at the gates before they could even get in.

When the show finally started the crowd erupted in applause and excitement for The Treatment, the opening band. Their stage show wasn’t elaborate but they commanded attention with their energy.  The way they took the stage showed their love and excitement for music. 

The Treatment is a five piece band from Cambridge, UK comprised of Matt Jones (Vocals), Ben Brookland (Guitar), Tagore Grey (Guitar), Dhani Mansworth (Drums), Swoggle (Bass). At eighteen years young, the band hit it big touring with KISS and Motley Crue.

With the loud bang of a cannon Motley Crue made their way through the crowd and on stage for their opening song “Saints of Los Angeles”.  Their stage show was phenomenal and over the top with pyros, lasers and smoke.  

The screen behind them flashed pictures of women and at one point a giant beating heart. Song after song, Motley Crue never let the energy die. Scantily clad women danced all over the stage and manned the flame throwers. At one point there was even an acrobat hanging from ropes in the scaffolding, twisting and turning every which way. A woman on stilts in a long dress came out and lifted her skirt to reveal a woman dressed in bondage gear and a leash bearing Vince Neil’s guitar. Tommy Lee rode his drums on a loop-de-loop during a drum solo and even brought a fan from the crowd along for the ride.  While playing “Dr. Feelgood”, a woman in a straitjacket was hoisted up struggling against the restraint of the coat.

The show wasn’t without humor either. Between songs Vince Neil, Tommy Lee and/or Nikki Sixx lent their voices and humorous opinions to the rain soaked crowd.  While Playing “Girls, Girls, Girls” pictures of barely dressed women flashed in the background punctuated once with a photo of Justin Bieber.

Nikki Sixx came out during the encore with a flame thrower attached to the head stock of his bass launching flames into the air and out over the crowd. At one point he set the head stock on fire and walked off stage to have it put out. Overall, the stage show was mind blowing and entertaining.

Between sets every visible angle of the stage was obscured by a giant KISS flag. No one could see what was going on behind the cloth and fans were getting antsy speculating on what the stage would look like. When the flag fell, the photographers and first two or three rows were covered in the fabric and KISS began their spectacular entrance.

Descending from the rafters on a platform and stepping forward to play “Detroit Rock City” KISS began their unforgettable show. The crowd was going wild the entire time they were performing.  From the upper pavilion you could feel the heat coming off of their massive array of pyrotechnics. Tommy Thayer sang  ”Shock Me” much to the crowd’s overzealous pleasure.

 Gene Simmons spewed blood from his mouth and was lifted to a platform on the top of the scaffolding to play “God of Thunder” on his axe bass to a frenzied crowd.

Paul Stanley hung from a ring on a rope out to a platform in the middle of the crowd to play “Love Gun” while the platform rotated. I found it humorous that Gene Simmons kept putting his boot on the head of a giant, bald security guard that was working just in front of the stage.  

Eric Singer was right on his A game filling the spot of the departed Peter Criss. Eric is no stranger to the kiss fans. Eric Singer first joined kiss in December 1991 and played with them off and on over the years.

At one point all the members of KISS stood at the edge of the stage with their backs turned and had a photo taken with the crowd. While playing their last song of the show, “Rock and Roll All Night”,  giant cannons erupted spilling smoke and copious amounts of tissue paper shreds into the air covering the crowd in what looked like snow. After the song KISS took a bow and left the stage to the loudest applause and cheers I have ever heard.

All in all the show was spectacular and the energy from the crowd was immense. If you haven’t seen these guys live, I strongly recommend you put it on your bucket list.