KISS’ End Of The Road Farewell Tour found them playing the second of two sold-out nights at the World’s Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden (MSG) in New York City on December 2. After 50 years of rock and roll music, KISS decided to go out where they started, at home in New York.
The New York natives announced back in March of 2023 on The Howard Stern Show that the band’s final show was to take place where it all started. KISS was able to sell out The Garden for the second straight night ahead of their final curtain call.
All around the arena leading up to the show, the energy was through the roof. People dressed as their favorite members of KISS past or present and were walking around, dining in the local restaurants, or being interviewed by members of the press outside. Other fans flocked to the giant screens outside MSG promoting the sold-out show to snap a photo.
Before KISS hit the stage, Amber Wild got the chilly New York crowd in the right mood for the rock and roll domination that was going to take place. Amber Wild consists of Jacob Massanari on bass, Marshall Via on guitar, Thomas Lowrey on drums and Evan Stanley on lead vocals and guitar. Stanley is the son of KISS frontman, Paul Stanley, who is also a founding member of KISS .
Amber Wild performed just six songs for the audience. Despite the short set, the band made sure that the New Yorkers didn’t forget them. From the moment that they jumped on stage, fans immediately took notice as the band jumped into one of their first singles called “Breakout.” From that moment until they left the stage, fans listened intently as the next wave of rock and roll music debuted before them.
After pre-recorded interviews with the band and other interviews with family and friends that were being broadcast on PPV.com were complete, the house lights dimmed and Led Zeppelin’s “Rock and Roll” off of Led Zeppelin IV blasted through the speakers signaling that it was time for KISS to take the stage. This version of KISS consists of founding member Paul Stanley on lead vocals and guitar, founding member Gene Simmons on bass and vocals, Eric Singer on drums, and Tommy Thayer on lead guitar
As KISS entered from the ceiling on platforms, the band blasted in “Detroit Rock City” off of Destroyer, and from there, they played 20 songs that spanned their entire catalog. From classic songs off their self-titled debut record to one of their most recent albums, 2009s Sonic Boom, every era of KISS was played. This is in part because KISS has become a generational band. Kids as young as three and people as old as their 70s attend this final show as the KISS Army joined and became one for one final time.
For the entire two-hour show, the entire arena did not sit down once. From the fans on the floor to the bleacher creatures up in the rafters, fans stood the entire time as they witnessed the final show from their beloved band. Throughout the entire show, the classic KISS theatrics took center stage. Before “God of Thunder,” Simmons spat out fake blood and breathed fire after “I Love It Loud,” Thayer shot rockets out of his guitar after “Cold Gin” and Stanley flew through the air to a mini stage in the middle of the crowd to sing “Love Gun” and “ I Was Made For Lovin’ You.” KISS did not miss a beat the entire show.
They looked and sounded like they were at the top of their game. If you put them up against any version of the band, it would be hard to pick a winner due to the band being at its peak of performing.
Stanley and Simmons were very thankful for all the fans who showed up to every one of their concerts as throughout the show, they kept saying “thank you” to the cameras as well as making hearts with their hands to show their appreciation. The band has cited throughout their career that the fans are the ones that got them there and that they will always be thankful to them for that.
As the show powered through into the night, the anticipation of former members jumping on stage hit an all-time high when Singer sang “Beth.” For the other two encore songs that ended with the KISS anthem of “Rock and Roll All Nite,” no former members of the band jumped on stage with the current lineup which didn’t sour anyone’s mood as the band went out with a bang.
As the band took their final bows and announced that a new era of KISS was coming (which ended up being digital Avatars of the band), fans excited MSG with commemorative 24 Karat Gold plated tickets. As fans spilled out onto 34th street in Manhattan, they knew that they helped write the final chapter of KISS-story that started in 1974 with their self-titled debut record and ended, where it all began, in New York.
Amber Wild setlist: Breakout, Constant Constellations, Struggle, Three Shakes, Silver, Lover
KISS Setlist: Detroit Rock City, Shout It Out Loud, Deuce, War Machine, Heaven’s on Fire, I Love It Loud, Say Yeah, Cold Gin, Lick It Up, Calling Dr. Love, Makin’ Love, Psycho Circus, 100,000 Years, God of Thunder, Love Gun, I Was Made for Lovin’ You, Black Diamond, Beth, Do You Love Me, Rock and Roll All Nite
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