As part of the “KISS Army Storms Vegas” 50th-anniversary celebration, Gene Simmons revealed to Greater Milwaukee Today details about Kiss‘s planned makeup-free performance at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. This three-day event, running from November 14-16, will feature an unmasked electric show with Simmons and Paul Stanley, Q&A sessions, a Bruce Kulick performance, tribute bands, and surprise appearances. The participation of Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer is yet to be confirmed.
“We will not do the makeup,” Gene said. “We will hold true to the promise [of never playing another KISS show in makeup]. There’s no stage show. There’s no crew. We won’t have 60 people levitating drum sets and all that stuff. This is more personal gathering of the tribes, where we meet them, greet them, maybe have a Q&A.”
Regarding additional attractions for “KISS Army Storms Vegas,” Simmons offered: “There might be some KISS tribute bands, almost like a convention, if you will. So it’s much more personal. And of course, we can’t get by without playing, so we’ll get up and do some tunes. What they are, how long, I don’t know.”
Kiss concluded their “End Of The Road” farewell tour with what was billed as their final concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City on December 2, 2023.
During a Rolling Stone interview in fall 2023, Simmons asserted that the “End Of The Road” tour’s concluding performance would be their definitive final show.
“My hand on the Bible,” he said. “And I should know because my people wrote that book. In fact, my people also wrote the follow-up book, the New Testament. And so I’ll say right here, right now, my hand on the Bible, it will be the final Kiss-in-makeup appearance.”
Regarding Kiss‘s choice to conclude their career now, Simmons stated: “It has nothing to do with ticket sales or anything. It has to do with Mother Nature. And at a certain point, you have to understand that it’s going to be a point of diminishing returns because of the kind of band we are. I wear seven-inch platform dragon boots, each weighs as much as a light bowling ball, armor, studs, leather, all that stuff, and that weighs about 40 pounds in total. And I got to spit fire, and fly through the air, and all that, and you got to do it for two hours.”
