Kiss Delights Fans in Sioux City

On February 1st, KISS embarked on the fifth leg of their three-year End of the Road Tour in Manchester, New Hampshire. This past Friday night they played to a sell-out crowd of 10,000 at Tyson Events Center in Sioux City.

KISS added iconic Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth as the opener for this leg of the tour. KISS bassist Gene Simmons signed Van Halen in 1976 to his Man of 1,000 Faces production company. He released the band shortly thereafter when KISS went back out on tour. The rest they say is “KISStory”.

Friday night’s reunion saw David Lee Roth in his usual playful mood. Supported by a top-notch band, he strutted and swaggered his way through VH classics. He even included two songs from his solo releases. Self admittingly not having the same voice as years past, fans reacted enthusiastically to seeing a legend.

David LeeRoth’s 11 song setlist:

You Really Got Me
Beautiful Girls
Unchained
Panama
Jamie’s Crying
Tobacco Road
Running with the Devil
Just Like Paradise
Everybody Wants Some
Just a Gigolo
Jump

The Tyson Events crowd erupted when the PA sounded with “You Wanted the Best…You’ve got the Best…The Hottest band in the World…KISS!! Descending down from high above the stage, atop their individual pods, KISS opened with 'Detroit Rock City'. A song that’s been on every setlist since coming out on the album 'Destroyer' in 1975. Over the next two-plus hours KISS ventured through all the KISS classics and fan favorites.

Approximately half-way into their set, frontman, and original member, Paul Stanley asked the audience to raise a hand if this was their first KISS show. Surprisingly, almost a quarter of the crowd did. The first-timers got to see Gene Simmons spitting blood before 'God of Thunder'. Spewing fire from his mouth at the end of “War Machine”.

Eric Singer performed a lengthy drum solo during '100,000 Years'. Singer showed his playful side by sticking his tongue out to the camera in-midst of the solo. This elicited a hearty laugh from the faithful. Meanwhile, lead guitarist Tommy Thayer endured face-licking from Simmons during 'Cold Gin'. He then shot down three video pods at the end of a scintillating solo. Paul Stanley rode his trapeze out to a platform in the middle of the concert floor. Three mics were strategically positioned so everyone could see him perform 'Love Gun' and 'I Was Made for Loving You'.

One concert patron shared with us his reason for attending his second KISS show, “I knew no matter what, I was going to get a great show”. “Regardless of how they sound vocally, it’s going to be a blast”.

KISS Army soldiers have stayed with the band, many for 45 plus years, for the simplest of reasons: precision show production, personal fan interaction and TONS of pyro at each show. Friday night’s extravaganza ended with confetti flying everywhere, sonic booms erupting from the stage and screaming fans cheering their approval.

It’s the kind, faithful, loyal fans who keep bands like KISS on the road all these years. Nostalgia smiles warmly on them both.

KISS Setlist Sioux City, IA 2/21/20:
Detroit Rock City
Shout It Out Loud
Deuce
Say Yeah
I Love It Loud
Heaven’s On Fire
Tears Are Falling
War Machine
Lick It Up
Calling Dr. Love
100,00 Years
Cold Gin
God of Thunder
Psycho Circus
Parasite
Love Gun
I Was Made For Lovin’ You
Black Diamond
Encore:
Beth
Do You Love Me
Rock and Roll All Nite

Terry Christensen and Danny V