Kiss concert review:
Flanders Expo Ghent (June 10, 1997)

First we had to wait 13 years to see them again, now they're here for the second time in six months: the New York hard rock band Kiss. On December 1 last year, the tour was called "Kiss Worldwide Alive 96/97" but they realized that, considering all those sold-out places, more money could be made by continuing the tour. This second leg was called the "Lost Cities Tour". The second Belgian concert was given the subtitle "Once just wasn't enough" but was eventually announced as "Rock of Nations". Not in Brussels' Vorst Nationaal but in a very hot Flanders Expo in Ghent. The Belgian and promising band Uncle Meat were the openers.

But first, let me discuss the afternoon. A couple of years back, when this renewed Kiss mania was still unthinkable, the business men that singer Paul Stanley and bass player Gene Simmons certainly are, had the idea of organizing "Konventions". These were some sort of exhibitions, especially meant for fans feeling homesick to the 70s and early 80s, when Kiss still hadn't wiped off the make-up "for good". You could see the old costumes, tribute bands, ex-members, Kiss themselves playing some acoustic songs ... The extremely faithful Kiss fans gladly paid 100 dollar to join. The Konventions never came to Belgium: we weren't important enough, which means not enough money could be made here.

But this would be made up for with a Kiss Kollektable Market which was supposed to be held in the Expo's restaurant in the afternoon. Not quite as big as the original Konventions and not organised by Kiss themselves, but anyway ... Unfortunately, the organiser doesn't get the permission from Kiss, something which also had happened at some other shows before. A large number of fans who were present from 01.00 PM, couldn't do anything but sit in the sun and wait for the evening.
It is quite remarkable really how much the old days and the success have come back: you no longer make a fool of yourself by wearing a Kiss shirt. The whole Kiss-merchandise sector is making big money: you could get broke by buying all those books, comics, beach towels, boxer shorts, caps, cd wallets, mouse pads, latex masks, dolls, watches, coins (2 000 BEF each), telephone cards and even Visa cards ... which are for sale or will be shortly. Only the Kiss pinball machine from the 70s hasn't been re-released yet. I think this made it quite clear: Kiss isn't simply a band, it's really big business, it's a way of life with unconditional die hard fans and unconditional opponents. The show part and the image are at least equally important as the music itself.

Let's switch to the show itself. As openers we could see the Belgian band Uncle Meat. Critics were quite positive about their new cd "Underneath". They're playing a modern type of metal, mixing Machine Head and Channel Zero with bands like Tool or Korn. All kinds of samples add a special effect to their music. But on stage their heavy music didn't come over too well: too much noise in which the instruments and details couldn't be distinguished. They started 10 minutes early and played a.o. "Turn Away" (great song on cd), "Sprawling", "Dig", "Rape This", "22" and "Underneath", plus a number of songs from their first cd. They left the stage at about 20.30 hours.

We had to wait for Kiss until 21.10 h. But then came the start of some rock 'n' roll party that would last for two hours. Considering the fact that this show was part of last year's tour, the set list had hardly changed. But I'll go through it anyway.

• "Deuce" has been the opener for ages. In front of the the stage there's a huge curtain with the Kiss logo on it. Bass player (Demon) Gene Simmons makes the well known announcement: "Hello Ghent! You wanted the best, you've got the best! The hottest band in the world: KISS!!!" There are some deafening explosions, the curtain falls, the floor is trembling. Our painted foursome immediately starts doing at what they're so good at: interacting with the audience: running around over the large stage, encouraging the public to clap their hands and you can clearly see Gene say "Come on, motherfuckers" when some people hesitate. Well, "clearly", that is when you're only about 3 to 4 meters before the stage.
  The audience itself was much better than last year's. Kiss was also in a much better mood: more interaction and more fun on stage: Gene doing a little dance with drummer Peter Criss (the Cat), Ace Frehley questioningly looking on his watch when Paul Stanley (Starchild) holds a tone very, very, very long, Gene continuously trying to lick Ace's neck ... It's a nice thing for the audience to see that the band itself is having a good time.
• "Deuce" is followed by "King of the Night Time World": next to the drum kit a whole set of (fake) Marshall amplifiers is raised.
• Then comes "Let me go, rock 'n' roll", a very simple rock tune. Paul grabs the occasion to make the audience sing and shout. Meanwhile he's using his tongue like Gene does: hanging totally out of his mouth with a guitar pick on it which he spits in the audience.
• Time for "Do you love me", a sing along song combining hard and soft.
• "Firehouse" follows: Gene takes his time for his fire breathing act. All over the stage you can see flames coming out of the ground.
• "Watchin' you", Gene playing the main role.
• And then it's time for Ace Frehley, who up until then had been playing with an extremely passive face and only now seemed to come down to earth. Paul said: "Ace is a bit sick, he's having a little cold so he feels a bit Flemish". It certainly didn't restrain him from givin' it all: good singing, a lot of show elements including his smoking guitar with which he shot a spotlight from the ceiling. Plus the typical Ace solo: some Beethoven in it ("Roll over Beethoven", he says). Even the solo he played on Alive!, their first double live lp from 1976, was present.
• Next song is well known: "Shout it out loud", accompanied by tons of pyro, an element which is used all the time through the show. Meanwhile, Paul tries to excite the audience a little more: the three large video screens show the "audience response meter", which was said to measure the audience's reaction. Of course, it says "weak" but as the crows starts to shout louder and louder, it changes to "strong" and "very strong" until the meter goes in the red. All right, I admit, this is pure show, but "that's what rock 'n' roll is all about", to quote Paul.
• Another hit is coming up: "Love Gun" and this song too carries a new show element. Paul's asking whether he can come between the public and then "flies" over the crowd to some mini-stage in the middle of the hall. People go wild.
• Next one is "Cold Gin", followed by the biggest Kiss hit over here: "I was made for loving you", with an a capella introduction by Paul.
• The next song is totally different: no disco rock but a demonic rocksong, Gene Simmons' anthem "God of Thunder". Standing alone on stage, covered in red light and picking his bass, blood starts to seep from his mouth until it comes gushing out of it. Suddenly he's pulled up to another platform, above the lights and brings the rest of the song. Peter brings his drum solo, plays with the audience and feels great.
• This dark song is followed by the pleasant sounding "New York Groove", a song from Ace's first solo album. He brings it with his illuminated guitar. As always, the text is changed to where the venue is held: "we're back in the Belgian Groove" in stead of "we're back in the New York Groove".
• They go on with "100 000 years".
• After that, Paul thinks it's his turn to be in the spot lights and begins the heavy "Black Diamond" intro. A very long song during which Ace, Gene and Paul are lifted over the audience by means of two little hydraulic platforms. Peter's drum goes up in the air, showing the gold cat. Tons of pyro are used here. Some fans throw their banner on stage. Proudly, it is presented to the public. And Ace is quite happy to see another banner reading "Ace is God", shown in close-up on the screens.
• The end of the show is coming near. First comes the oath to Detroit: "Detroit Rock City".
• And then there's "Beth", Kiss' first small hit, a ballad. The music is on tape. Peter Criss is standing on stage all by himself, throwing some roses to the people and singing his sad song.
• So much for the romantic part of the evening. Last song is "Rock 'n' roll all nite", a real party song. And when you add some additional pyro, tons of confetti, another lighted guitar and Paul smashing his guitar, well, then you should know you just had the best evening of this year.

Paul ended by saying "We'll be back soon". But he also said that in '83 and it took them 13 years to return. Last year he repeated his statement and they kept their promise. What's it going to be now? Well, we'll see. If it takes another 13 years, I'll be 41. But that won't keep me from being there: once a fan, always a fan.