Motley Crue and KISS – Concert Review, Toronto September 14 2012

KISS co-headline The Tour along with Motley Crue in Toronto – September 14 2012

September 17 2012 – Two of rock and roll’s biggest party bands rolled into Toronto for a tour named “The Tour”. Motley Crue and KISS on the same bill is not only a perfect pairing but also guaranteed to be a big draw. Tonight’s concert was fully sold out as even the lawns were packed to the legal limit.

KISS released their first album in 1974 and have sold 80 million albums worldwide since then. Motley Crue first rolled out a record in 1981 and they too have sold 80 million albums worldwide. Needless to say this is one concert where everyone knew what to expect going in – loud party rock with a barrage of lasers and pyrotechnics. On a very warm mid September night, the masses converged to the Molson Amphitheater to rock hard, read on to find out if they got what they came for.
 

Motley Crue co-headline The Tour along with KISS in Toronto – September 14 2012

First up was Motley Crue – certainly not an “opener” in the traditional sense in that this band has headlined the Molson Amphitheater many times and even as recently as last year with Poison and the New York Dolls. Having a band like Motley Crue warm up the crowd for KISS is a total treat for fans although there were as many Crue shirts as Kiss shirts being worn tonight. Motley Crue delivered a hard rocking set which included the dancing strippers on stage (yet again) as well as Tommy Lee‘s infamous roller coaster drum kit segment. An apparent contest winner was brought up and sat with Lee on his kit as they rolled around the roller coaster tracks while Lee drummed his solo and ending up totally upside down at one point.

Motley Crue in Toronto – September 14 2012

Singer Vince Neil had announced earlier in the day on Twitter that he had just broken his foot and he hobbled around all night but that did not slow him down much. Nikki Sixx and Mick Mars were in top form and the crowd got to hear the F bomb more than just a few times during their set. Tonight’s audience had a very surprisingly large number of little kids (most of them with KISS makeup), and I am sure that alot of them picked up a new word for their show and tell sessions at school on Monday. The band ensured that the audience was “wet” during their set and on a few occasions brought out liquids to make sure everyone in the front was dripping wet.

Motley Crue in Toronto – September 14 2012

KISS in Toronto – September 14 2012

The three frontline members of KISS descend to the stage from an elevated platform amidst fireballs, smoke machines and pyrotechnics. An entrance fitting for the kings of performance party rock. Oddly enough, KISS was one of the first rock bands I became aware of in the mid 70’s while in public school, but for some unexplained reason this was the first time I had ever seen them. I remember being scared shitless of Gene Simmons back then and all the kids in school would talk about how KISS stood for Knights In Satans Service. That was some real heavy stuff for a young kid to grasp, but the darkness did have a strange appeal. KISS was all over lunchboxes and comic books back then and the marketing genius of the band is one that very few other artists have ever copied successfully.  As an adult it is easy to see that KISS is as cheezy as can be for a music act (possibly even more so than Madonna) but believe me that did not stop anyone from PARTYING tonight!

Gene Simmons of KISS in Toronto September 14 2012

KISS these days features only 2 of the original members (Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley) with Ace Frehley and Peter Criss long gone but their KISS characters are still alive. Let me explain – KISS‘s four original members had personas as personified through their make up: Gene Simmons was the “The Demon”, Paul Stanley was “The Starchild”, Ace Frehley was “The Spaceman” and Peter Criss was “The Cat”. As mentioned before Frehley is out, Tommy Thayer is in, Criss is out Eric Singer is in. Thayer and Singer had the makeup of their predecessors and the personas of KISS outlive band members. Stanley even went to say in a recent interview that “… the philosophy of Kiss and those four iconic images that you see on everything – that doesn’t have to be me. There is someone out there who is well prepared, I’m sure, to take my place and do it terrifically. The band will outlive us and well should.” 

KISS during The Tour with Motley Crue in Toronto

After the dynamic opener of “Detroit Rock City“, the band continued with major fan favorites “Shout It Out Loud” and “I Love it Loud“. That set the tone for the night and NOBODY sat down for the whole set. Paul Stanley even worked up the crowd by saying “If you want to hear the show where they don’t really sing, that’s down the road. This is REAL rock and roll!” (the show down the road was Madonna and her lip syncing pop down at the ACC). The band delivered all the theatrics they are known for throughout the night. Both Simmons and Stanley flew up in the sky to elevated platforms (in Stanley’s case in the midst of the seats). Singer’s drum kit elevated way up high in the sky and Simmons performed his bass solo with blood spewing out of his mouth and getting elevated to the top of the stage as if he was flying. Classic KISS for sure!

It’s a bird, it’s a plane… no wait its The Starchild Paul Stanley high up above the audience in Toronto

The stage felt like it was in HD (massively sharp lasers and bright lights, with explosions at the precise moment). The backdrop featured a massive video screen with closeups of the various members throughout the night. One great video highlight was the KISS army video with thousands of marching knights with metal gear on and helmets being in the shape of one of the four KISS members makeup.

KISS – Toronto September 14 2012

The songs that got the largest response were the oldest songs and major highlights were Love Gun Lick It Up and Rock and Roll all Nite. Most in attendance did want to Rock N Roll all night but the night came to an end at 11pm on the dot (silly silly curfew at the Molson Amphitheater) with the following sign on the video board.

KISS in Toronto – September 14 2012