On Tuesday, April 14, Kiss founders Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons joined longtime manager Doc McGhee and Pophouse Entertainment CEO Jessica Koravos for a prominent panel discussion at the Pollstar Live! Conference in Los Angeles. Titled “Kiss Forever: How Pophouse Defines The Next Era Of Kiss in Vegas,” the session focused heavily on the band’s highly anticipated 2028 digital avatar launch and their strategic partnership with the Swedish music investment firm.
The upcoming virtual experience is slated to debut in a custom-built Las Vegas venue. According to Paul Stanley, the project completely abandons the standard concert format in favor of deep immersion.
“Kiss has always been interactive. As fit as we might be, we don’t get younger, but those iconic characters can last forever. The idea was to take that and transform [via] all the technology that has become available. What we’ve created and what we’re in the works of creating for the avatar show is going to be something that is dependent on you as an audience member and upon the iconic characters, the personas. It’s not going to be a concert, so to speak. Basically, we’re there as travel guides as Kiss goes through Kiss worlds, as opposed to being limited to this stage.” he explained (via Blabbermouth).
He described the planned facility as an all-encompassing environment where the event begins immediately upon entry. “Theater is almost an understatement. It’s more an arena of sorts, where every seat is a perfect-view seat. It’s being designed so that every seat is a great seat. That’s critical with the technology. With flat-screen TVs, you have a limited area where you get the whole experience. This arena is designed as the environment, and the whole experience will start when you first come through the door of the building. The whole building is a Kiss building, so you’ll experience the whole band, the museum, all the curios, all the artifacts. It’s ‘Kiss World’.”
During the discussion, the band explicitly ruled out hosting the production at the heavily publicized Las Vegas Sphere. Paul Stanley argued that the massive LED venue fundamentally diminishes the performers.
“Towards the end of the [‘End Of The Road‘ farewell] tour, people were saying, ‘Why don’t you play the Sphere?’ The truth of it is, the Sphere minimizes a band. It makes a band miniature. You’re not going there to see a band — you’re going to see screens. We wanted to incorporate the highest of technology, but we want to be the center of it. It’s a very, very different experience than going to see a postage stamp with a band on it. This is the antithesis of that — it’s 180 degrees from that. The show is going to be spectacular, but it’s only as good as what you put into it. The personas are there and acknowledge you, so it’s very different than anything that’s been out there. It’s hard to comprehend, but if you’ve seen the ABBA show [‘ABBA Voyage‘, also produced by Pophouse], everybody who’s there is having an amazing time. You become immersed in those four people on stage. This takes it even further.”
Gene Simmons emphasized that transitioning to an avatar format preserves the group’s visual and energetic legacy without risking physical decline. “We did this the right way, instead of staying on stage too long. There are some artists that should really call it quits. Get off stage while you still look good, while you can still stand up straight instead of [using] walkers. That’s not what you want to do. Quit while you’re on top. We’re so fortunate to have found Pophouse. Jessica and her team are here to take Kiss to levels we never imagined,” he said.
Both founders believe the production will draw attendees far beyond their core demographic. “I think the most important thing about this avatar show is Kiss fans will love it, but it’s not directed solely toward them. This is a show, an experience, that people who don’t like the band will come and see just because of the mind-boggling technology. It’s true to the band. It’s bombastic. People talk about technology, and that it loses heart. This doesn’t. This is a new representation of us, but it has the heart and soul of who we are… We’re not only the band — we’re fans of the band. We love the band, and we hold it in reverence. The show is about, what would the ultimate Kiss fan want to see?” noted Paul Stanley.
Gene Simmons echoed this sentiment, viewing the forthcoming attraction as a point of pride for long-time supporters. “When our experiential show opens, I want to take my kids, and I’m sure Paul is exactly the same. There’s a sense of pride when you do something well, you want your family first to experience it and love it. You want your kids to be proud of it, and then, the most important people, the fans — you want them to come in and gape and awe and tell everybody else, ‘You can’t believe it.’ That’s going to be our best public relations thing. When the fans see this, they’re going to be so proud — ‘I stuck by these guys for decades and decades. Look what they gave me back.’ It’s fan and band. It’s electric church.”
Pophouse Entertainment, co-founded by ABBA‘s Björn Ulvaeus, acquired the KISS catalog and likeness rights in 2024. Despite handing over the IP, the band confirmed they remain heavily integrated into the creative process and provide constant feedback. Looking ahead, Jessica Koravos revealed that a stationary Las Vegas residency is only the initial phase.
“The goal in this process is that eventually, we will crack the touring side of avatar shows, and when we launch in Las Vegas, we will eventually be able to take the show on the road and hopefully figure out a way to get into arenas,” she explained.
The panel also addressed the band’s ongoing fan-centric events and the origins of their now-digital personas. Due to a lack of ship availability, the annual fan cruise will continue on solid ground as “Kiss Kruise: Land-Locked In Vegas” this fall.
Reflecting on the creation of the Starchild and Demon characters, the founders recounted developing their looks in a rat-infested New York loft using cheap Woolworth’s makeup. Paul Stanley sought the larger-than-life glamour of vintage Hollywood stars like Cary Grant and Marilyn Monroe, while Gene Simmons drew inspiration from German expressionist cinema and silent films like “Phantom Of The Opera.”
“It was about finding a part of yourself and putting it out for people to see. It was never hollow. It stayed true to this day. Those figures at this point have become iconic to the point where who’s behind it is not as relevant as the image. The heart and soul of it is a human being, but what it represents is those four personas in Kiss,” Stanley concluded.
Pophouse CEO Jessica Koravos told Pollstar earlier that the technology and the vision have only grown since initial Madison Square Garden tease.
“What the crowd got to see at MSG was an early prototype of the Kiss avatar concept. A lot has evolved since then — both in terms of creative concept for the show and avatar technology. We are now deep in development with a top-flight creative team headed by Thierry Coup — the team was on set last week testing out pyro effects against a new generation of LED screens to make sure we max out the Kiss signature flame throwing. The show concept is a crazy 4D roller coaster ride through the hits, the comic book worlds and personas of Kiss.”
With this launch, Kiss is positioned to become the first major American act to fully transition into a virtual, touring avatar entity. According to previous statements from Simmons, roughly $200 million is being invested directly into the production of the show.
