Legendary super hero originators Kiss bid farewell to London on Wednesday night (5th July 2023), as their End of the Road tour rolled into the city. Bowing out in an explosion of pyro, lights, greasepaint, and rock and roll, the icons vowed "we'll never forget you" in what was an emotional, but thrilling evening.
Photo: Adrian Hextall - MindHex Media.
With the stage flanked by giant statues of the four - the Starchild, Demon, Spaceman and Catman - it was clear from the off this this would be a larger than life spectacle like no other.
Kicking off with an explosive 'Detroit Rock City' complete with pyro that singed the arm hair, the New Yorkers were in ferocious form.
Tearing into earworm 'Shout it Out Loud', front man Paul Stanley was his usual a firebrand self, strutting, posing and preening as he sang.
"How are ya doing London?", he asked greeting the crowd. Going on to talk about the nature of the farewell trek, he added; "this is a sad thing but we're going to make the most of it. This is the last time we'll ever play London". Getting emotional for a moment, he continued; "London for us has always been the homeland. This is where the music we love came from!"
However this was without a doubt, a night of celebration, not lamentation. Featuring the Gene Simmons on lead vocals, 'Deuce' was powerful and tight while the incendiary 'War Machine' was accompanied by enough pyro to burn the house down.
Touching on their non make-up years for the first time, 'Heaven's on Fire' was infectious, and proof that not all of the band's best material was in the 1970s.
Ever the theatrical spectacle, Tommy Thayer shot rockets from his guitar during 'Cold Gin', Simmons flew to the rafters for his show-stopping demonic possession as the 'God of Thunder', and Stanley performed his highwire act, shooting over the crowd to perform across the arena for 'Love Gun'.
In forgivably nostalgic form, Stanley looked back on the band's previous appearances in the U.K. capital, saying; "This is our twentieth time playing here. I remember Hammersmith Odeon, I remember the Marquee, I remember it all!"
Seeing out the evening with the weepie 'Beth' featuring Eric Singer on piano and vocals, and disco classic 'I Was Made For Loving You', the band called time on not just the evening, but their time on the London stage.
Taking their bows following what else, but a celebratory 'Rock and Roll All Nite', as the tickertape and streamers fell on the crowd, the band can confidently put up their platform boots knowing they went out on a high, as one of the greatest rock and roll spectacles on earth.
Kicking off with an explosive 'Detroit Rock City' complete with pyro that singed the arm hair, the New Yorkers were in ferocious form.
Tearing into earworm 'Shout it Out Loud', front man Paul Stanley was his usual a firebrand self, strutting, posing and preening as he sang.
"How are ya doing London?", he asked greeting the crowd. Going on to talk about the nature of the farewell trek, he added; "this is a sad thing but we're going to make the most of it. This is the last time we'll ever play London". Getting emotional for a moment, he continued; "London for us has always been the homeland. This is where the music we love came from!"
However this was without a doubt, a night of celebration, not lamentation. Featuring the Gene Simmons on lead vocals, 'Deuce' was powerful and tight while the incendiary 'War Machine' was accompanied by enough pyro to burn the house down.
Touching on their non make-up years for the first time, 'Heaven's on Fire' was infectious, and proof that not all of the band's best material was in the 1970s.
Ever the theatrical spectacle, Tommy Thayer shot rockets from his guitar during 'Cold Gin', Simmons flew to the rafters for his show-stopping demonic possession as the 'God of Thunder', and Stanley performed his highwire act, shooting over the crowd to perform across the arena for 'Love Gun'.
In forgivably nostalgic form, Stanley looked back on the band's previous appearances in the U.K. capital, saying; "This is our twentieth time playing here. I remember Hammersmith Odeon, I remember the Marquee, I remember it all!"
Seeing out the evening with the weepie 'Beth' featuring Eric Singer on piano and vocals, and disco classic 'I Was Made For Loving You', the band called time on not just the evening, but their time on the London stage.
Taking their bows following what else, but a celebratory 'Rock and Roll All Nite', as the tickertape and streamers fell on the crowd, the band can confidently put up their platform boots knowing they went out on a high, as one of the greatest rock and roll spectacles on earth.
