Night two tons better than night one and we had the cheap seats far better than the gold seats the night before weird hey, 10 rows from the standing area right near where Paul's swings out to and they played deuce one of my fav's.


Here's the set list for KISS' second show in Melbourne, Australia on Wednesday, March 6, 2013.

Set List:

Detroit Rock City
Shout It Out Loud
Deuce
(Tour debut)
Firehouse
(Gene spits fire)
Hell or Hallelujah
Calling Dr. Love
Outta This World
(with Tommy and Eric Jam)
Psycho Circus
Bass Solo
(Gene spits blood and flies)
I Love It Loud
Crazy Crazy Nights
War Machine
Love Gun
(Paul flies)
Rock and Roll All Nite
Encore:
Lick It Up
(excerpt from Won't Get Fooled Again)
Black Diamond
God Gave Rock 'n' Roll to You II

Pete - I don't remember them playing "God Gave Rock 'n' Roll to You II" ? They played the studio version ove the PA once the house lights went on.

if anyone doesn't like my opinion on KISS related posts - skip the review - as you won't like it !

I missed Thin Lizzy.

Motley Crue - Vince's voice is not that bad. He is difficult to understand at times. Imagine Jeff Fenech and Milo Kerrigan singing, and you will know hat I mean  .. It would be hard to take kids to their show, as avery second word was the "F" word. Mick Mars is simply awesome. He carries the motley sound really well, and he was moving around the stage - but not as much as Nikki. They are a powerful band live, but their setlist was lacking "punch". Half way through the set you were left wondering whether they are a Metal band or not. There was a mass exodus at the start of "home Sweet Home" - and I don't blame anyone for leaving. don't these guys that play ballards realize that this type of rubbish is what killed the genre ? Anyway, they totally lost me to the beer queue when Tommy Lee played is "drum solo". It sounded like I was at a doof doof pill popping disco event. I have never seen so many people leave for the beer line or toilet.. I didn't watch the end of their set.

Dim the lights, and over the mike "You wanted the best, you got the best. Hot hottest band in the world - KISS"

- Seriously - There is no better set opener than "Detroit Rock City". They all descend from the roof amongst a massive amount of pyro and explosions going off everywhere. Not a single person was in their seat, it was a sonic and visual explosion - very powerful. The sound mix was incredible. They kept us on our feet for "shout it out loud", "Deuce" and "Firehouse". Then they played a new song off the latest album and everyone sat down and waited until it was over. Very painful to listen to their latest stuff after hearing the very old stuff. Makes me think that even though "Monster" was a top 10 album world wide, concert goers don't want to hear the newer songs. They got away with "Psycho circus", that was VERY cool. "Crazy Nights" sounded really strange. Tommy Thayer does not have the right "sound" or "feel" that Kulick had when they played this is the 80's. "Love gun" was a welcome return to the 70's sound and then I thought they played "Rock and Roll all nite" too early. Awesome Pyro at the end - this has to be the party song of the 70's. Encore was really good. "Lick it up" fits in real nice with the older stuff and "The Who" tribute in the middle of the song sounded very cool. Then Paul started playing a few bars of "Stairway to Heaven", and then they broke into the highlight for me - "Black Diamond". Absolutely powerful arena performance. The stage was absolutely massive, but they managed to blow up just about every square inch. I recorded the end on my phone, and I've watched it a few times.

I was disappointed they only played for 1 3/4 hours. Less talk and more of the older stuff. Get rid of the guitar solo, Ace was the master and there's no use in pretending to play his often improvised solos. I was pleased they didn't play 'I was made" or "Shandi". They would have blown me away if they played "She", "Watchin You" or "Nothin to Lose".

So where do KISS rate amongst their peers ? Hard to work that one out, as they don't have any peers based on that performance. They brought their "A grade" stage show to Australia, and no one was disappointed. I caught up with many old friends, and met a few other KISS nut jobs like me. Not one person I spoke to went to the first show. I think that fans don't embrace the new music, they are a nostalgia show, but a modern show with all the lighting, video and effects. They are today, EXACTLY what they were when I first saw them on TV in 1975 - just an awesome spectacle, and the absolute best live concert event for $125 in the world.

I feel that will be the last we will see of KISS in Australia. Pauls' voice was VERY good, but it will deteriorate over the tour. If that was the last show I will see, then I'm cool with that. I have been a "stick in mud" since Ace left, but this line up caries the legacy well. Ironic to see the only "sold out" T-shirt was the shirt with the KISS logo and no members !