Well I didn't see this comin...

[RippingFleshFromBone]

I've mentioned before that a few folks in my workplace were goin to the B/ham show... a couple of them were off the day after so I didn't get to speak to them all until today. The verdict from all of them...'it was ok!'

OK!!!!! Jeez, and I thought I was hard to please...

One even said it 'wasn't as good as the DVD's!!!!'...c'mon now! How can a real live experience be outshone by a DVD!!!??? So, the 'curious fans' the ones who went just 'cos it was KISS and can't really claim to be followers of the band were pretty much unimpressed. A couple of them also commented on Paul's voice saying it wasnt as good as they were expecting and one went so far as to call it 'ropey'.

To say I'm stunned by the overall lack of enthusiasm is an understatement. Anyone else know any 'casual fans' who went to any of the shows and what was their impression?

Just as well they didn't tour the UK with ALIVE 35 show!!!...

[MoNsTeR]

I took my wife to the Birmingham show. She is only aware of about 3 KISS songs (CCN, GGRARTY & RARAN), so her expectations were pretty low.

Come 10.45pm however, she was blown away by them!

[grunge]

RFFB - over the years I've come to expect nothing less from ppl that just don't get it but, to have tham go to a KISS show and not be blown away is frankly beyond me!

KISSUCKS - change your avatar - we all know Tommy rocks mate!!

[magpie67]

Took my wife to Newcastle on Sunday, she's never seen Kiss before, i've only seen them once before on the no make-up tour lol, but she was totally blown away saying its the best concert she's ever been to and i quote " i hope they tour again".

Since then while she's at work she texts me random Kiss lyrics, sh'e absolutely besotted with the lads.

Even to the point of repeatedly doing Gene Simmons impressions around the house.

You gotta luv Kiss

[nicksmithworld]

I stopped trying to convert people a couple of decades ago- life is too short- F**K em'!is my attitude these days, save your energy -

KISSUCKS - change your avatar - we all know Tommy rocks mate!!

I have to agree, we all know Ace was the Original and Ace Rocks, but this 'Tommy knocking' is bollocks- he's delivered consistlanty and precisely- he shows up on time, he's great with the fans, signs and poses...Bruce had all this shit to put up with too(and VV and M st J)

It's childish, not fair to the man and not actually true is it? Tommy does actually rock...so get off your high horse..

[RippingFleshFromBone]

Praise KISS!!!!!

Good to hear that the 5 peeps at my work place are actually in the minority. Seeing as they all were unimpressed I was actually worried it was a true representation of the casual fans views. I couldn't even speak to them after they said it was 'ok'...I was that stunned. Seriously! I just went 'Really? Just ok?' and when they replied 'yes' I had to walk away!!!!!!

And I have to agree TT has earned his place. My only critisism isn't against him but GS & PS still getting him to play solos. But he does what he does extremely well and after what I thought was an overall poor last tour I'm now well chuffed he & ES are hangin in there cos without them we wouldn't have had a new album and this tour which is simply brilliant.

Can't say I really recall any/much critsism of Bruce tho when he joined the band as he kinda 'slipped in!' tbh!!! He just took his time to find his feet. IMO, anyway. VV got slayed tho!!!! Tho not by me! Other than after the Wolves none turn up event!!!! The bastard!!!! I always thought he really kicked the band into a new gear and helped write some classic songs.

[BDJ87]

I concur with the people saying that Tommy rocks, cos well, he does! I mean, don't get me wrong, I love Ace, but Tommys the man! He nails Aces solos tastefully, I didn't really see his solo as a rip off of Ace, I saw it as a tribute, cos Ace is one of his favourite guitarists! People need to lay off him, he's made his bones now with Sonic Boom, which was awesome, and he's prooving his worth every night on this tour! And has been for what? 7/8 years? Tommy rocks!

[Acebwfc66]

Our KISS world is full of 3 types:

The KISSARMY & people we drag along
The TA (Weekend rockers)
Civvies - last gig was Robbie Williams, take that hahaha

facts are that this tour is full of all 3 types......we need to accept/put up with, not like the fact that we are going to arenas because of the Civvies in the crowd. You know them. At my place of work quite a few went to liverpool and are going to Liverpool. Ive had to put up with cr@p like. 'I like the hits CCN & GGRARTY !!!!' But they thought the show was awesome.....durr what did you expect.

I dont want to miss out years of missed tours so I can live with civvies at the gigs.....just avoid em and if needed use CCN or GGRARTY as a pee break if needed.

What cheers me up is every time I see some arse with pauls star on the WRONG EYE, sad really but it makes me laff.

Did anyone see ADAM BOMB and his band at birmingham try (unsuccessfully ) to get back stage all way through the gig?

[RippingFleshFromBone]

I concur with the people saying that Tommy rocks, cos well, he does! I mean, don't get me wrong, I love Ace, but Tommys the man! He nails Aces solos tastefully, I didn't really see his solo as a rip off of Ace, I saw it as a tribute, cos Ace is one of his favourite guitarists! People need to lay off him, he's made his bones now with Sonic Boom, which was awesome, and he's prooving his worth every night on this tour! And has been for what? 7/8 years? Tommy rocks!

I have to admit...I am coming around to TT more on this tour. I think the realisation that he doesn't really have much say in what he plays in the songs has sunk in. I know he's going to play solos and it ain't a surprise anymore. And now having an album under his belt has helped solidify his place in the band to me. Before he was nothing more than a Ace tribute replacement guitarist...don't shoot me just my opinion!!!...now he has his place and he is stromin on this tour.

[RippingFleshFromBone]

Did anyone see ADAM BOMB and his band at birmingham try (unsuccessfully ) to get back stage all way through the gig?

No, but I did see Spike from the Quireboys

[BDJ87]

I concur with the people saying that Tommy rocks, cos well, he does! I mean, don't get me wrong, I love Ace, but Tommys the man! He nails Aces solos tastefully, I didn't really see his solo as a rip off of Ace, I saw it as a tribute, cos Ace is one of his favourite guitarists! People need to lay off him, he's made his bones now with Sonic Boom, which was awesome, and he's prooving his worth every night on this tour! And has been for what? 7/8 years? Tommy rocks!

I have to admit...I am coming around to TT more on this tour. I think the realisation that he doesn't really have much say in what he plays in the songs has sunk in. I know he's going to play solos and it ain't a surprise anymore. And now having an album under his belt has helped solidify his place in the band to me. Before he was nothing more than a Ace tribute replacement guitarist...don't shoot me just my opinion!!!...now he has his place and he is stromin on this tour.

Yeah man, I was the same. on RTN, Symphony etc, just an Ace 'replacement', but he's totally made his bones lately

[Marie]

I wonder if the same fans who now accept Tommy and Eric will accept replacements for Paul and Gene too.

[RippingFleshFromBone]

I wonder if the same fans who now accept Tommy and Eric will accept replacements for Paul and Gene too.

I don't see it as now accepting TT or ES. I've made my feelings on issues surrounding them clear many times and I stand by them. Personally, it's having the album under the belt that has done more for me than anything else. It's also the fact that on this this tour ES is not playing like Peter Criss so the songs sound better.

As for PS or GS replacements. NO. KISS is PS & GS. I would not not pay to see a band calling themselves KISS without either of them in the lin-up. When either of them leaves...that's it. Band over. Thank you, goodnight & don't forget to turn out the light.

[AxeBass]

I wonder if the same fans who now accept Tommy and Eric will accept replacements for Paul and Gene too.

It isnt a matter of people accepting TT and ES. The fact is that without them there would be no Kiss. Not anyone could come in and create the vibe that they have done. They should be given great credit for driving Kiss forward. On the other hand we must never forget that Ace and Peter do not care whether Kiss continue, succeed or fail. Between them they could have finished the band but fortunately they have been replaced by better and more accomplished musicians who are now putting them both far far back in peoples memories. Fortunately we are all enjoying the benefits of this at the moment in the UK and Europe. I doubt anybody seriously believes that the performances we have seen this week could have been achieved by the original 4.

[Marie]

Peter and Ace fans felt the same way.

Once upon a time, it wasn't the Paul and Gene show - there were four equal members of a band called Kiss.

After Peter was no longer in Kiss in 1980, I thought that there was no way Kiss would go on without him - they did.
After Ace left, I thought Kiss would cease - it didn't.

Later, when both were replaced by others in the makeup they designed themselves based on their own personalities/interests,[ just like Paul and Gene of course], without their blessing, I thought for sure that would kill the band - it didn't.

With a a whole new band on the horrizon, two others will be the Starchild and Demon, with Paul's and Gene's full blessings - who will still oversee the new Kiss and rake in more $ than the new guys themselves.

How will you feel when they are fully accepted by new fans and even some old fans ?
How will you feel when they say they are better [ younger, more energetic etc ] musicians and put on a better concert than Paul and Gene whom they replaced ?

The shoe will indeed then be on the other foot and those who favor Eric and Tommy over Peter and Ace will FINALLY know how we Peter and Ace fans have felt for years, but not entirely since the upcoming change will be with full permission from Paul and Gene who will openly support and promote the new Kiss - they will have to - they will have a lot invested in them for their own gain.

So be prepared for the future when fans say they prefer the new Paul and new Gene and tell you to get over it - that that was then, this is now and to stop living in the past even though they will look like classic 70s Kiss - that the four original founding members made so ultra famous world-wide.