YOU DRIVE US WILD, WE’LL DRIVE YOU CRAZY
Many of the fist-pumping 8,000 fans in face paint and costumes
Gene Simmons, left, and Paul Stanley play to the crowd after a simply ‘awesome’ rock concert entrance at the Kiss show on Thursday night at the Canadian Tire Centre.
Kiss with Shinedown
Canadian Tire Centre Thursday
For couple of hours on Thursday, there were two giant spiders in Ottawa: Maman, the sculpture outside the National Gallery of Canada, and the futuristic monster that crawled into the Canadian Tire Centre with the rock band Kiss.
In full costume, the band members descended to the stage on the back of a massive metal arachnid that was lit up like a Christmas tree, crunching the chords to Psycho Circus as pyro blasted around them and the crowd roared. As far as rock-concert entrances go, it was awesome.
In fact, it may have been the highlight of an otherwise predictable show. After 40 years in the business, we know what to expect from the rock ‘n’ roll survivors: headbanging tunes played at eardrum-obliterating volume by grown men in ridiculous outfits, accompanied by more explosions than an electrical storm over a fireworks factory.
But just because it was predictable doesn’t mean it was dull — far from it. In their black-and-white makeup, platform boots and glam garb, original guitarist Paul Stanley and bassist Gene Simmons, along with longtime members Tommy Thayer on guitar and Eric Singer on drums, served up a crowdpleasing show that was loaded with old hits. Sure, they’re touring behind the 2012 album, Monster, but it did not dominate the setlist.
To the fist-pumping delight of the 8,000 fans in attendance, many of them rocking their own Kiss face paint and costumes, the band cranked out songs like Shout it Out Loud, I Love it Loud, War Machine, Lick it Up and Love Gun. There were the usual audience participation gimmicks to see which side of the building made the most noise, but also the surprising gesture of each band member signing a vinyl album that was passed up to them by an old-school fan.
Solos made up a significant chunk of the show, with what passed for a bass solo highlighted by the still-gross sight of Simmons flicking his freakish tongue and spitting fake blood. Yuck.
Musically, the best part was the final stretch, which consisted of an all-out tear through Detroit Rock City, I Was Made for Lovin’ You and Rock N Roll All Nite. As the band and its eight-legged pet lumber their way across Canada on an extensive tour this summer, those are the songs guaranteed to leave fans in every city in a party mood.
The opening act on this tour, Florida rockers Shinedown, provided an interesting contrast to the headliners by delivering a thoughtful and intense style of hard rock. Singer Brent Smith was largely responsible for the intensity, singing with lung-busting passion as he seemed to personally lock eyes with every fan in the building.
Behind him, his bandmates had to play hard to keep up to Smith, and they succeeded admirably, turning in a forceful set that ranged from the overwrought ballad I’ll Follow You to the anguished Sound of Madness, the emotional Second Chance and the in-your-face anthem, Bully. The band’s playing was loud and crisp, Smith’s stage presence was formidable and it was evident that he puts a lot of care and thought into his lyrics.