CAMDEN, NJ—The Hottest Show on Earth landed in Camden, New Jersey, when iconic rockers KISS invaded the Susquehanna Bank Center. Rising high above the energized crowd during the opener “Modern Day Delilah,” they set the tone for a two-hour rock and roll party.
Frontman Paul Stanley owned the crowd, leading them in whatever direction he chose, assuring that each member of the audience became part of the show. While Stanley hammed it up, Gene Simmons growled to the enjoyment of his screaming fans. Flanked by the solid musicianship of lead guitarist Tommy Thayer and the bombastic drumming of Eric Singer, the KISS of 2010 is by far the most solid lineup the band has assembled.
They covered the entire KISS catalog with hits including “Deuce,” “Love Gun,” “Lick It Up,” “Black Diamond,” “Crazy Crazy Nights,” “I Love It Loud” and mixed in new songs from Sonic Boom, including “Say Yeah!” and “I’m An Animal.”
The combination of theatrics and ear-shattering rock is what has kept KISS at the top of the list of must-see concerts for decades, and they still do it better than anyone. From Simmons’ blood spitting and fire breathing to brand-new antics featuring Singer, Thayer and a bazooka, they continue to raise the bar living up to the moniker “The Hottest Show on Earth.”
The band, while hugely successful on their own merits, also took time to pay homage to some of their favorites. Stanley performed a good portion of the Led Zeppelin classic “Whole Lotta Love” during the intro to “Black Diamond,” while the entire band played a chunk of the Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again” during “Lick it Up.”
Perhaps the most electrifying moment of the night came when Eric Singer emerged from behind the drum kit and joined the rest of the band on stage to perform one of the band’s classic hits, “Beth.” Over the years, the band occasionally took some flack for using a tape when former drummer Peter Criss would perform the song. The new, super-powered lineup took it to the next level with a stunningly lovely acoustic version of the beloved ballad.
No KISS concert would be complete without staples such as “Detroit Rock City” and closer “Rock and Roll All Nite,” where the thousands of fans were doused in monstrous amounts of confetti. There wasn’t a person in the Susquehanna Bank Center that wasn’t singing along with rock’s National Anthem. Simmons, Stanley, Singer and Thayer proved to Camden that this Kiss is much more than just a kiss.
