Simon RushworthKiss – Rocks Vegas (Eagle Vision)
The country’s still in the grip of a global pandemic.
A no deal Brexit is imminent.
And Mariah Carey is ruining Christmas again.
Who you gonna call?
Kiss.
Forget Carey warbling all over the most wonderful time of the year.
And celebrate Kissmas with this double vinyl reissue of the ultimate entertainers at their overblown best.
Kiss Sets Up Camp In A Casino
Six years ago Paul, Gene and the boys set up camp in Nevada.
Their Las Vegas residency at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino was an unforgettable affair.
And the decision to celebrate the occasion across two yellow vinyls couldn’t have come at a better time.
Right now this is as good as it gets if you want to catch Kiss live.
Unless you’re prepared to stump up anywhere between £30 and £750 to stream the band live from Dubai on New Year’s Eve.
In reality, it’s unlikely Kiss’s 2020 send-off will match up to the DVD included here.
The band’s six years older.
They haven’t played a live show for months.
And this month’s socially distanced affair lacks the one ingredient necessary to complete a classic live show: the crowd.
Kiss Army Rocks Vegas
And make no bones about it. The Kiss Army is on top form during Rocks Vegas.
But what about the setlist?
Of course there’s no Crazy Crazy Nights (Paul and Gene try to avoid playing their least favourite chart buster at every opportunity).
So British fans who took that hit to their hearts will be disappointed.
And God Gave Rock N Roll To You is another glaring omission.
Psycho Circus and Hell Or Hallelujah could have been cut to make room for two of Rushonrock’s personal faves.
But elsewhere it’s all killer and no filler from the kings of arena rock.
Kiss Kicks Off With Detroit Rock City
Side one is awash with the classics from set opener Detroit Rock City to the wonderful War Machine.
Flip the wax and it’s another glorious trip down memory lane as Tears Are Falling, Deuce, Lick It Up and I Love It Loud play into the hands of the heaving masses paying a hefty premium to gobble up the greatest hits.
If the included DVD (re-released) delivers the ‘full’ Kiss experience then there’s genuine value in the vinyl.
Anyone who’s had the pleasure of seeing the charismatic New Yorkers in the flesh will admit it’s easy to get carried away by the spectacle.
And it’s often difficult to appreciate the music with confetti, cannons and a blinding light show battering the senses.
Kiss Alive Again
Enjoying this vinyl package is more like going back to the Alive days.
Going back to a time when you could only imagine a Kiss gig in all its glory.
And appreciating that even after all of these years Paul Stanley still plays a mean guitar and Gene Simmons can still reprise his role as the ultimate rhythm king.
Skip to side four and a hat-trick of signature songs brings a suitably flamboyant show to a fizzing finale.
Black Diamond, Shout It Out Loud (and the Vegas crowd does just that) and Rock And Roll All Nite still sound remarkably fresh.
Three of rock’s most recognisable anthems still send shivers down the spines of Kiss fans of a certain vintage.
And a trio of uplifting tracks is surely the perfect antidote to a year of relentlessly depressing doom and gloom.
Happy Kissmas!