kiss tour manager

KISS's Manager Says Ace Frehley Likely To 'Show Up' On Band's Farewell Tour

By Andrew Magnotta @AndrewMagnotta

May 13, 2021

KISS 's 'End of the Road' tour may yet feature a reunion with guitarist Ace Frehley .

Kiss's longtime manager Doc McGhee expressed more optimism than ever that Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons will come to an agreement with at least one of their fellow co-founders before they retire.

"All the things are possible," McGhee said during a conversation with Rob's School of Music . "We never say never about anything. We just know that we wanna give the people the best show in the world to go see. And my philosophy for all my bands [has] always been if you're the very, very best at what you do, people will come and see you."

He went on to compare Kiss to the Cracker Barrel restaurant chain , echoing Stanley and Simmons' assertions that it is such a strong brand that it could continue without any classic members .

"Will Ace ever show up? Sure, he'll show up," McGhee added. " Peter [Criss] hopefully will show up. Everybody's invited to the party of Kiss. We haven't had that many band members in Kiss. Since I've been there, there's been four — two different ones — and that's it. But Kiss is Kiss. So, whether you said, 'Oh, well, I don't think that there could be another 007 [besides] Sean Connery ?' Well, there is. There's been five of 'em. People wanna see 007. Mickey Mouse is f---ing 100 years old. I think Kiss will be one of those things that will go on forever."

While Criss retired in 2017 and has made no public indication that he's interested in a comeback, Frehley has repeatedly lobbied to return to Kiss .

Frehley's relationship with Simmons and Stanley has been a rollercoaster over the last several years. He's collaborated musically with both on his recent solo albums — he even toured with Simmons and briefly shared a solo band with the bassist. But in 2019, a few months after Kiss announced the 'End of the Road' tour, Frehley publicly lashed out at Simmons and Stanley for making "slanderous remarks" about him and repeatedly trying to "derail" his solo career, among other accusations.

During the pandemic shutdowns last spring, however, Frehley conceded that he had reconnected privately with Simmons, Stanley, Criss and current Kiss drummer Eric Singer .

Simmons and Stanley have maintained that if they can reach agreements with the Space Ace or the Catman, they would both be welcome to join Kiss onstage again before the band takes its final bows.

Kiss is set to resume its postponed 'End of the Road' tour this fall in Australia .

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KISS Manager Says Band's Last-Ever Concert Will Now Take Place At The End Of 2022

KISS 's longtime manager Doc McGhee says that he doesn't know exactly when the final concert of the band's "End Of The Road" tour will take place.

KISS launched its farewell trek in January 2019 but was forced to put it on hold last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"End Of The Road" was originally scheduled to conclude on July 17, 2021 in New York City but has since been extended to 2022. The trek was announced in September 2018 following a KISS performance of the band's classic song "Detroit Rock City" on "America's Got Talent" .

"We were supposed to end this year — actually, in July — but because of the COVID stopping us from doing the touring, it set us back a year and a half," McGhee told Talking Metal in a new interview (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET ). "So it looks like the last show of KISS as you know it, with Gene [ Simmons ] and Paul [ Stanley ], will be some time at the end of next year. We don't have a locked in date yet. Because of what's going on, it's very difficult for people to hold dates because we don't even know if we're gonna be able to play. So we're trying to hold dates. But it will be next year.

"We wanna get through what we said," Doc continued. "The guys wanted to play to everybody. It meant we'll go to your town, big or small. We're not the red-carpet band that you have to come out. We've always been the people's band in the sense that the KISS Army that supported us for all these years, we go to all the little towns to play."

KISS 's current lineup consists of original members Stanley and Simmons , alongside later band additions, guitarist Tommy Thayer (since 2002) and drummer Eric Singer (on and off since 1991).

Formed in 1973 by Stanley , Simmons , drummer Peter Criss and lead guitarist Ace Frehley , KISS staged its first "farewell" tour in 2000, the last to feature the group's original lineup.

Two years ago, McGhee said during a question-and-answer session on the ninth annual "Kiss Kruise" that KISS was open to reuniting with all former members at the final gig. "We want to include everybody that played with KISS to celebrate the 45 years of KISS ," he said. "And everybody — Vinnie Vincent and everybody else — that [has] played with KISS is part of this whole celebration of 45 years. So, we're still looking at what we're gonna do on the final show of KISS ."

According to McGhee , Frehley and Criss have both "been talked to" about participating in some form. But, he acknowledged, "It's pretty difficult. When people say, 'Oh, you should bring Ace and Peter up.' How do you do that when you have two Catmen and two Spacemen? So you say, 'Okay. You don't wear makeup and you wear makeup.' And then they [ Ace and Peter ] go, 'Well, that was my makeup.' I don't know. So it's real hard to do, but we'll figure it out because they're very much a part of the heritage of KISS . And they're acknowledged by Gene and Paul and everybody in this room as the founding members… So. it's important to you guys [and] it's important to us. It's just a matter of the balance and we can bring it where it works for everybody and everybody is having a great time."

In early 2019, Stanley told Australia's "Sunday Night" that "Rock And Roll All Nite" "has to be" the song that KISS performs as the last encore at the final concert of the "End Of The Road" tour. "That is the rock anthem that connects the world," he explained. "It was the start of other people coming up with anthems. They really didn't exist, per se. So, 'Rock And Roll All Nite And Party Every Day' , that's a song that just connects with people on all different levels."

Simmons concurred, telling BUILD Series : "How do you not end with 'Rock And Roll All Nite' ? We will have played that song, probably without exception, more than any other song we've ever been involved with. You might say, 'Aren't you sick and tired of hearing that?' But I will tell you the roar of the crowd, the smell of the grease paint, there ain't nothing like it. When you hear everybody getting jazzed about that and you get off the stage... [it's] like the fire in the belly. You're dog-tired; you've just done a big show; and you get up on that stage, when you see the joy in everybody's face... We've seen it all. We've been around for generations, but when you see a little 5-year-old kid in KISS makeup on his dad's shoulders who's wearing KISS makeup, next to his father... we're badass kind of guys — nothing affects us much — but that stuff will put a lump in your throat. You have to turn around for a second. It gets me. Yes, it's music, but it's generational, and it brings families together instead of separates [sic] them."

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Kiss Wrap Up 50-Year Live Career With Explosive New York City Tour Finale

In a perfect world, Kiss would have wrapped up the final show of their End of the World tour by inviting former members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss onto the stage for tearful hugs, an end to the bitterness that has consumed the group for decades, and one last rendition of "Rock and Roll All Nite," giving the inevitable biopic a perfect last scene.

In the world we actually live on, Criss and Frehley were nowhere in sight when Kiss played their (supposed) final show at Madison Square Garden on Saturday evening. They weren't acknowledged in any way throughout the night, which ended with a surprise announcement that Kiss will live on as digital avatars with help from Industrial Light & Magic.

"The end of the road is the beginning of another road," Paul Stanley told the crowd before the last bows. "We're not going anywhere. You'll see us in all different things all the time. We'll see you in your dreams."

With the exception of the surprise announcement at the end about the avatars, the show was largely indistinguishable from the other 250 End of the Road shows they've done over the past four years. That doesn't mean it was anything less than a spectacular rock and roll extravaganza, the kind Kiss have perfected throughout the past 50 years.

There was pyro hot enough to feel on your skin from 50 yards away, explosions loud enough to hurt your head even with earplugs in, and the ritualistic moments where Gene Simmons breathes fire and Paul Stanley zip-lines across the floor of the arena. And it all felt extra special since Madison Square Garden is just a few blocks from the rehearsal hall where the band was born back in the early Seventies.

"Back when I was driving a taxi cab in New York, one night in 1972, I picked up a couple of people who were going to Madison Square Garden to see Elvis Presley," Stanley said. "They thought I was crazy because I said, ‘One of these days, people are going to come here to see me and my band.' And here we are."

The show kicked off with an explosive "Detroit Rock City" and stuck largely to tunes from the band's original makeup days like "Shout It Out Load," "Deuce," and "Cold Gin." They did dip their toes into the post-makeup era with 1983's "Lick It Up," 1984's "Heaven's on Fire," 1998's "Psycho Circus," and 2009's "Say Yeah." As always, Stanley did all the talking in his cornball preacher persona ("We better call the doctor! I'm not talking about just any doctor! I'm talking about our favorite doctor, Doctor Love!"), while Simmons remained silent, opening his mouth only to sing or spit fake blood.

Much has been written about the state of Stanley's voice over the past few years, and Kiss manager Doc McGhee has conceded that pre-recorded tracks are mixed in with live vocals, but the effect was seamless and never distracting. Drummer Eric Singer and guitarist Tommy Thayer recreate parts originated with Criss and Frehley with near note-perfect accuracy, even though some OG fans will never fully accept them into the Kiss family. (Their extended drum and guitar solos did test the patience of the audience.)

As the night started to wind down, and even silly songs like "Love Gun" started to feel poignant since the end was so near, Stanley grew reflective. "The first time we played Madison Square Garden was in 1977," he said. "That memory is so incredible. I can remember looking up there and seeing my mom and my dad. I can remember looking over there and seeing Gene's mom. Doesn't matter whether you're up here, down there. All you ever want is your parents' approval. You want them to love what you're doing. Our parents did that for us. Tonight you're doing it for us."

The main set ended with a killer "Black Diamond," which remains the single best song in the Kiss catalog. After a short break, a piano rose from the center of the stage with Singer behind it. This was the moment that the odds of Criss coming out went from .0001% to 0% since Singer was singing "Beth," Criss' signature song. Watching someone else deliver it felt a bit sacrilegious, but this has been the reality of Kiss world for quite a while.

They closed out the show with "Do You Love Me," an extended series of bows, a balloon drop, and "Rock and Roll All Nite." Anyone expecting Gene Simmons to break from his Demon character and express emotion during this solemn moment was disappointed. The lights simply dimmed at the end of the song to reveal the new Kiss digital avatars performing "God Gave Rock and Roll to You II." A New Era Begins" appeared on the screen along with a QR code that sent you to the Kiss website, and the announcement about the avatars.

Will fans really pay money to see digital avatars perform Kiss songs? And are the flesh and blood members of Kiss really done playing concerts? If so, they'll be just about the only band in rock history to say farewell and actually mean it. (They did another farewell tour back in 2000 that stuck for just a little over a year.) But Simmons and Stanley are both in their seventies at this point. Kiss shows are physically grueling, and they just did 251 of them. This could indeed be it. If that's the case, they went out in pretty amazing fashion. But if they ever decide to launch a third farewell tour, let's hope they find a way to make Criss and Frehley a part of it. That's the only possible way to top this one.

More from Rolling Stone

• Gene Simmons Swears Kiss Is Finished After Their Final Show in December - Really
• Kiss Guitar Tech's Widow Sues Band for Wrongful Death
• Dee Snider Insists He's Still an LGBT Ally, But Says Community 'Needs Moderates'

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KISS set to perform final concert as manager hints at potential reunion featuring 'all the former members'

Legendary band KISS is about to embark on the band's final concert tour ever. After 45 years, KISS is ready to say goodbye to the stage with their final world tour, with the final show being held in New York City on July 17, 2021.

Since their formation in 1973 with original members Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Peter Criss and Ace Frehley, KISS changed the game when they rocked up with the theatrical make-up and hair, comic-book style characters, and "shock rock" performances that would become their signature style.

The band has had unparalleled success and a run that most would be envious of. Nearly 50 years of performing — that's the dream for most musicians!

However, over the course of the band's run, it has also seen some major changes to the line-up - from the departure of founding members Criss and Frehley due to creative differences in 1982, to the 10 years the band performed without their signature makeup and costumes.

Fans were treated to a reunion performance in 1996 which included the original members in their original looks as part of the Alive/Worldwide Tour — their most successful tour to date.

So when KISS announced that they would embark on their final 'End of the Road' world tour that kicked off in 2019, fans were naturally left to wonder if we would get one last reunion performance as well, especially given all the recent interactions between current and former members.

Band manager Doc McGhee, who has managed KISS since 1995, seems to think a reunion is highly likely.

In November last year, McGhee confirmed that all the living former members of the band had been approached about participating in the final tour. The two-and-a-half-year gig will have covered 165 dates across multiple concert shows by the time it wraps up in 2021.

Speaking about the possibility of a reunion with the band's former members, McGhee said , "It's going to be great. It's going to be worthy of the end of the road. It will be worthy to the 45 years of KISS, the last month for sure."

He added, "We want to celebrate everybody and we might bring out all the former members. We'd like to. Nobody says we hate this guy; we hate that guy; we want everybody who wants to come out."

KISS Manager DOC McGHEE On End Of The Road Tour Finale - "We Might Bring Out All The Former Members"

February 18, 2020, 4 years ago

news hard rock doc mcghee kiss

Doc McGhee has managed KISS since 1995 and though he hasn’t seen it ALL, he’s seen a lot. As a kid, he was enamoured of R&B stars like James Brown and Isaac Hayes and in fact worked with both for a time but, considering he’s also managed KISS, Bon Jovi, Mötley Crüe , and Poison, among others, rock ‘n’ roll is his bread and butter.

As KISS prepares to wind down its touring apparatus, McGhee talks to Pollstar about his career and life with the band. An excerpt follows.

Pollstar: How did you come to manage KISS?

Doc McGhee: "I had Mötley Crüe open for KISS around 1983 and had Bon Jovi open for them in 1984 throughout Europe and kind of got to know them then. I didn’t really know them before that. I saw Paul at Studio 54 a few times in the late ‘70s and that’s it. Gene would always call, well maybe once or twice [during the band’s 1983-95 “Unmasked” period], and say, “I want to talk to you.” And I’d say, “Are you going to put the makeup back on?’” and he’d say, “No.”  And I’d say, “Call me when you put the makeup back on.” So around ‘95 he called and I asked, ‘Are you putting makeup back on?’ and he didn’t say anything and I said, “I’ll be right over.” They did real well with Revenge and all that but it wasn’t KISS! Their makeup was just such a big part of them."

Pollstar: Why are the characters and makeup so vital to KISS as a band?

Doc McGhee: "They came out of Kabuki and comic books and things that allow them to be the person they wanted to but couldn’t be without the makeup. They own it and they believe it. Whether or not you do or don’t like KISS, you stand there at a show and you know they believe it. There’s not a lot of people who can own this stuff and people believe it. And KISS taking on all these characters, that are not even themselves, they are able to now do the things that they couldn’t do in blue jeans and T-shirts."

Pollstar: How will it come to an end? There’s rumours KISS may bring on all the original members.

"It’s going to be great. It’s going to be worthy of the end of the road. It will be worthy to the 45 years of KISS, the last month for sure. We want to celebrate everybody and we might bring out all the former members. We’d like to. Nobody says we hate this guy; we hate that guy; we want everybody who wants to come out."

Read more at Pollstar .

KISS perform tonight, February 18, at Springfield, MO at JQH Arena. Dates for the tour, which features David Lee Roth as direct support, can be found here .

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KISS manager says band's 'emotional' final show will definitely take place in 2023

They're saying goodbye this year

KISS manager Doc McGhee has confirmed that the band’s final show will definitely take place later this year.

Way back in November 2019, KISS frontman Paul Stanley revealed on the KISS Kruise that The End of the Road World Tour would conclude on 17th July 2021 in New York City, where they formed half a century ago.

Of course, the coronavirus pandemic thwarted these plans, and the End of the Road World Tour was paused for 17 months between March 2020 and August 2021.

After KISS headlined Download Festival last summer, many fans were surprised when, shortly before Christmas, they announced their final ever UK dates for this coming June and July.

The expansion of the tour has led some to question exactly when KISS would wrap up their multi-year swansong trek.

Commenting on their continued live shows, Paul Stanley told Ultimate Classic Rock last month: "We're far from done. I'd like to say that this is the end of the road, but they keep paving more road.

“The only people that seems to bother are the people who hate us. Quite honestly, they've never mattered, and they still don't.”

Now, in an interview with Podcast Rock City, long-term manager Doc McGhee says KISS will definitely say goodbye in 2023.

McGhee said: “The reason why we’re continuing doing this last (tour) is because obviously the pandemic has stopped us from finishing. And the fact that people just wanted to see us. But we had to end it at some time, which will be this year.”

Reflecting upon whether KISS will continue in some form after the final shows, McGhee commented: “There’s a lot of talk about everything. And nobody knows what’s gonna happen in the future.

“So what we’ve kind of put in our minds is let’s go through this like this is the end of KISS as we know it. And whatever comes our way, with technology and everything else, we’ll look at it.

“Will be Gene and Paul out there in makeup? No. I can tell you that. They’re hanging their hats up after the (final) show, which is gonna be very, very difficult and very emotional for them after 50 years of doing this. And they love it.”

He added: "To me, KISS is more like Marvel. There's all kinds of things that can happen with KISS, and probably will. So it's a whole new frontier out there starting in '24."

Yesterday, KISS announced that Skindred are joining them as special guests on their final UK shows this summer. Select tickets are still available from Planet Rock Tickets.

KISS’s final UK tour dates:

Plymouth Argyle Home Park – Sat 3rd

Birmingham Arena – Mon 5th

Newcastle Utilita Arena – Tue 6th

London The O2 – Wed 5th

Manchester AO Arena – Fri 7th

Glasgow OVO Hydro – Sat 8th

Buy KISS tickets

The hottest uk rock tours and festivals in 2023:.

Swedish rock icons Europe will embark on a 40th anniversary UK tour this autumn . The UK leg of The Time Capsule Tour opens at Cardiff St David's Hall on Tuesday 17th October and visits Glasgow, Gateshead, Wolverhampton, Salford and Leicester before culminating with two nights at London's world-famous Palladium. The shows will consist of a career retrospective "evening with" performance featuring all the hits together with deep cuts and fan favourites from all of their 11 studio albums. Buy tickets here

Suzi Quatro

Suzi Quatro will celebrate the 50th anniversary of her breakthrough single 'Can the Can' with a five-date UK tour in November 2023 . Visiting Cardiff St David's Hall, Brighton Dome, London Palladium, Wolverhampton The Halls at The Civic and Manchester Bridgewater Hall, Quatro will perform her hits, classics and more. Buy tickets here

The Who have announced a very special Hits Back! UK tour for July 2023 visiting outdoor venues and one arena. Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey and co. will be flanked by a full orchestra each night on the nine-date tour, which opens at Hull Sewell Group Craven Park on Thursday 6th July. The Who play two nights at Edinburgh Castle before visiting London's The O2, Derby The Incora County Ground, Bristol Badminton Estate, Durham Seat Unique Riverside, St Helens Totally Wicked Stadium and Brighton The 1st Central County Ground. Buy tickets here

Planet Rockstock 2023

When: Thursday 30th November - Sunday 3rd December 2023 Where: Trecco Bay, South Wales Headliners: Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons, Graham Bonnet Band, Michael Schenker Group and Glenn Hughes. Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, Planet Rockstock returns to Trecco Bay in south Wales from Thursday 30th November to Sunday 3rd December 2023. We'll bring you more details of the special event very soon!

Iron Maiden

Metal legends Iron Maiden are bringing a brand-new live show, The Future Past Tour , to UK arenas in June and July 2023. The Future Past Tour will feature previously unperformed songs from Iron Maiden's 2021 album 'Senjutsu' together with material from their seminal 1986 album 'Somewhere in Time', and classic tracks. The UK tour opens at Glasgow OVO Hydro and visits Leeds First Direct Arena, Manchester AO Arena, Nottingham Motorpoint Arena and Birmingham Utilita Arena before concluding at London's The O2 on Friday 7th and Saturday 8th July 2023. Buy tickets here

Elles Bailey

Planet Rock presenter and blues singer extraordinaire, Elles Bailey, is playing 15 shows in spring 2023 . Elles opens her trek at The Globe in Cardiff on Friday 3rd March and visits Exeter, Liverpool, Hull, Sunderland, Wolverhampton, York, Edinburgh, Leeds (co-headline with Chantel McGregor), Brighton, Cambridge, Southampton, London and Newbury before concluding at Bristol Trinity Centre on Saturday 15th April. Buy tickets here

Roger Waters

The Pink Floyd icon's This Is Not a Drill Tour opens at Birmingham Utilita Arena on 31st May and takes in two nights at Glasgow OVO Hydro and two shows at London The O2 before culminating at Manchester AO Arena on Saturday 10th June. Waters has described the trek as his "first farewell tour." Buy tickets here

Fast-ascending rockers Kira Mac will hit the road in May and June 2023 on The Downfall Tour. Named after their Planet Rock playlisted anthem 'Downfall', the UK tour opens at Chester Live Rooms on Wednesday 17th May and visits Blackpool, Glasgow, Sheffield, Southampton, Bristol, Birmingham and Stoke before culminating at London's The Garage on Sunday 4th June. Buy tickets here

Massive Wagons

Joined by special guests The Virginmarys, the mighty Massive Wagons play a 10-date headline tour in April 2023 . The Lancaster rockers bring their searing sounds to Portsmouth, Cambridge, Bristol, London, Manchester, Norwich, Birmingham, Buckley, Leeds and Edinburgh, and at least two dates are already sold out. The tour is in support of their latest album 'Triggered!' which stormed into the UK official album chart at Number 6. Buy tickets here

Steelhouse Festival

Steelhouse Festival made its first big announcements for the 2023 line-up last year, revealing that Airbourne will headline the Saturday and Black Stone Cherry on the Sunday. Both headliners are performing UK exclusives and also their Steelhouse debuts. The line-up for the festival, which takes place from 28-30th July 2023 in Ebbw Vale, Wales, also includes Friday headliners the Kris Barras Band plus When Rivers Meet, The Karma Effect, Dead Man's Whiskey, The Answer, Blues Pills, Florence Black, The Vintage Caravan, The Damn Truth, Austin Gold, Kira Mac, Empyre, The Cruel Knives and Jordan Red. The Saturday night special guest slot will see the mighty Those Damn Crows, with t he festival announcing the final five acts in February. Buy tickets here

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band

The Boss and his legendary band will open their four-date trek at Edinburgh's BT Murrayfield Stadium on Tuesday 30th May 2023 before playing Birmingham Villa Park on Friday 16th June 2023. Following the two stadium concerts, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band headline American Express Presents BST Hyde Park on Thursday 6th and Saturday 8th July 2023. Tickets are all completely sold out.

Fresh from denting the UK album chart Top 20 with her 'A Tribute to Led Zeppelin' album last year, Beth Hart will play dates in Glasgow, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle, London (two nights at The Palladium) and Brighton in March 2023. Buy tickets here

W.A.S.P.'s rescheduled 40th Anniversary tour finally comes to the UK in March 2023. The tour will kick off at Manchester Academy and visit Wolverhampton, Nottingham, Glasgow, Newcastle, Bristol and London. Buy tickets here

KISS have announced their final UK tour dates for 2023 as part of their multi-year End of the Road World Tour. Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer will open their six-date swansong UK tour with an outdoor concert at Plymouth Argyle Home Park on Saturday 3rd June. KISS will then head indoors for arena shows in Birmingham, Newcastle, London and Manchester before saying goodbye to the UK for good at Glasgow OVO Hydro on Saturday 8th July. Skindred have been confirmed as the special guests on the trek. Buy tickets here

The Commoners and Troy Redfern

Canadian blues rockers The Commoners and British slide guitar maverick Troy Redfern are joining forces for a co-headline UK tour this spring. The 15-date tour opens at The Grace in London on Thursday 13th April 2023 and visits Sittingbourne, Southampton, Brighton, Sheffield, Oxford, Bristol, Birmingham, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, York and Chester before concluding at Nottingham Bodega on Saturday 29th April 2023. Buy tickets here

When Rivers Meet

Husband and wife blues rock duo When Rivers Meet are playing their biggest UK tour yet in spring 2023. Joined by special guest Arielle, Grace and Aaron Bond will play a total of 14 headline shows in April and May 2023 on the Breaker of Chains Tour. Opening at Colchester Arts Centre on Friday 28th April, the tour visits Norwich, Brighton, London, Bristol, Birmingham, Southampton, Tavistock, Barnard Castle, Glasgow, Newcastle, Nottingham and Bradford before concluding at Manchester Academy 3 on Saturday 27th May. Buy tickets here

Guns N’ Roses

Guns N' Roses are one of the big-name headliners of BST Hyde Park . Axl Rose, Slash, Duff McKagan, Dizzy Reed, Richard Fortus, Frank Ferrer and Melissa Reese will perform in London on Friday 30th June 2023 as part of BST Hyde Park's 10th anniversary celebrations. Buy tickets here

Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe

Having wowed stadiums across the UK last summer, Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe are bringing their co-headline tour to the UK in 2023. The UK leg kicks off with a very special homecoming show for Def Leppard at Sheffield Bramall Lane – home of Joe Elliott's beloved Sheffield United – on Monday 22nd May 2023. Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe then play a gargantuan concert at London's Wembley Stadium on Saturday 1st July 2023 before playing Lytham Festival in Lancashire (Sun 2nd July) and Glasgow Hampden Park Stadium (Thu 6th July). Buy tickets here

Chris Shiflett

Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett is coming to the UK & Ireland in March 2023 for a six-date solo tour. Shiflett kicks off his short run of shows at Whelan's in Dublin on Tuesday 21st March before he plays Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Bristol and London. "I am so excited to announce my upcoming tour of the UK & Ireland," says Chris Shiflett. "The gigs I did over there in 2019 were some of the wildest, most rocking solo shows I've ever done, and I expect this one will be even better. We've got a bunch of new tunes to play and we're fired up! See ya soon!!!" Buy tickets here

Tenacious D

Jack Black and Kyle Gass will bring their spectacular live show to London's The O2 on Friday 16th June 2023. It's the first time the comedy metal duo have graced our shores since they performed two sold-out concerts at The SSE Arena, Wembley back in early June 2019. Sadly, tickets for The O2 show are also sold out.

Download Festival

Metallica, Slipknot and Bring Me The Horizon headlined Download Festival's 20th anniversary event in 2023 . Taking place over four nights at Donington Park from Thursday 8th to Sunday 11th June, Metallica headlined both the Thursday and Saturday nights with two completely different sets. Other acts included Ghost, Within Temptation, Placebo, Disturbed, Evanescence, Parkway Drive, Pendulum, Architects, The Distillers, Skindred and many more . The District X line-up , occupying the late night entertainment area at the festival across five days and nights, saw UK rock and metal club nights including Voodoo, Face Down, Uprawr, Peep Show, Decade, Ultimate Power, Chop Suey, Fat Lip, Black Parade, Master Of Pop Hits, Girl Power Rock Club, Alternative Anthems and We Are Still Young.

Peter Gabriel

Genesis legend Peter Gabriel has announced a four-date UK arena tour for summer 2022. i/o - The Tour opens at Birmingham Utilita Arena on Saturday 17th June and visits London The O2, Glasgow OVO Hydro and Manchester AO Arena. It's the first time Peter Gabriel has toured the UK since the Back To Front Tour back in autumn 2014. Buy tickets here

FM, Dare and Tyketto

Tyketto, FM and Dare are joining forces for a major headline UK tour in May 2023. The aptly entitled Triple Headline Tour will see the three musical kindred spirits share the stage together for the very first time at venues in England, Scotland and Wales. The 12-date, two-week trek opens at Glasgow The Garage on Thursday 11th May 2023 and visits Newcastle, Nottingham, Barnsley, Hull, Buckley, Wolverhampton, Newport, Manchester, Southampton and Norwich before culminating at London O2 Academy Islington on Thursday 25th May 2023. Buy tickets here

The Winery Dogs

The Winery Dogs - Richie Kotzen, Billy Sheehan and Mike Portnoy - kick off their short run of shows at Wolverhampton KK's Steel Mill on Friday 16th June before playing Nottingham Rock City (Saturday 17th June) and London O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire (Sunday 18th June). The English shows follow the Friday 3rd February 2023 release of The Winery Dogs' third studio album 'III' via their own Three Dog Music label. Buy tickets here

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Having released two studio albums last year – April's 'Unlimited Love' and October's 'Return of the Dream Canteen' – funk rock icons Red Hot Chili Peppers play two stadium shows this summer . The quartet play London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Friday 21st July and Glasgow Hampden Park on Sunday 23rd July. Buy tickets here

Steel Panther

Comedy glam metallers Steel Panther have lined up a headline UK tour for May 2023, which visits Glasgow, Newcastle, Manchester, Birmingham, London, Bristol and Leeds. The tour follows the Friday 24th February release of Steel Panther's sixth studio album 'On the Prowl', which is their first record without former bassist Lexxi Foxx, who departed after 21 years in July 2021. Buy tickets here

Samantha Fish

Always phenomenal in the live arena, Samantha Fish's nine-date tour opens at Sunderland's The Fire Station on Thursday 19th October and concludes at Birmingham O2 Institute on Saturday 28th October. The tour also calls in at Glasgow Barrowlands, Manchester Ritz, Bristol SWX, York Barbican, Cambridge Junction, Bournemouth O2 Academy and Bexhill De La Warr Pavilion. Buy tickets here

Stonedead Festival

Rock legends Blue Oyster Cult headline this year's one-day rock extravaganza. Also heading to Newark Showground on Saturday 26th August are the likes of Therapy?, The Answer, King King and Mason Hill. The Friday pre-party is headlined by Myke Gray's Skin with Kira Mac and The Karma Effect. Buy tickets here

Hollywood Vampires

Hollywood Vampires are coming to our shores for the first time in five years this summer. Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp, Joe Perry and Tommy Henriksen's tour kicks off in Scarborough on Wednesday 5th July 2023, before calling at Swansea (Fri 7th July), Manchester (Sat 8th July), London (Sun 9th July), Birmingham (Tue 11th July), and culminating in Glasgow (Wed 12th July). Support comes from South-African hard rockers Seether, and San Franciscan punk legends The Tubes. Buy tickets here

The Australian Pink Floyd Show

Phenomenally brilliant Pink Floyd tribute act The Australian Pink Floyd Show are coming to the UK in October, November and December 2023 for their Dark Side of The Moon 50 1973- 2023 Tour. Kicking off on Friday 27th October 2023 in Swansea, The Dark Side of The Moon tour takes in concerts across England, Scotland and Wales and culminates at Bournemouth on Saturday 9th December 2023. Buy tickets here

Those Damn Crows

Those Damn Crows have announced a headline UK tour for February 2023. Opening at Leeds Key Club, the quintet play Manchester, Newcastle, Glasgow, Bradford and London before concluding with a show at the 3,500-capacity Swansea Arena on Saturday 25th February. The shows support the release of Those Damn Crows' new studio album 'Inhale/Exhale'. Buy tickets here

Joe Bonamassa

Blues maverick Joe Bonamassa has announced a five-date headline tour for May 2023 . Taking in four arenas and one theatre, Joe Bonamassa will open his run of shows at Bournemouth International Centre on Tuesday 9th May. The feted guitarist and singer will then visit Blackpool Opera House, Leeds First Direct Arena, Newcastle Utilita Arena, and Birmingham Utilita Arena. Buy tickets here

Headlined by Killswitch Engage, Meshuggah and Megadeth, Bloodstock takes place at Catton Park, Derbyshire on 10th-13th August 2023. Other acts performing across the weekend are Triptykon, Helloween, In Flames, Devildriver, Biohazard, Sacred Reich, Heaven Shall Burn, Ugly Kid Joe, and many, many more. Buy tickets here

Muse's The Will Of The People 2023 UK Tour opens at Plymouth Home Park on Saturday 27th May and visits Huddersfield John Smith's Stadium (Tuesday 20th June) and Glasgow Bellahouston Park (Friday 23rd June) before concluding at Milton Keynes Bowl on Sunday 25th June. Matt Bellamy, Dominic Howard and Chris Wolstenholme will be joined by very special guests Royal Blood at all dates except Glasgow. Buy tickets here

Black Star Riders

Black Star Riders' 10th anniversary headline UK trek opens at Nottingham Rock City on Monday 13th February and calls in at Norwich, Ipswich, Manchester, Wolverhampton, Leeds, Cardiff, Bristol, Glasgow, Newcastle and London. Special guests on all dates are Michael Monroe and Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons. Frontman Ricky Warwick comments: "For the UK tour only, we will be bringing back the legendary Scott Gorham (guitar) and Jimmy DeGrasso (drums) for the dates to make them extra special!" Buy tickets here

Blackberry Smoke

Blackberry Smoke's quartet of UK shows take place 13 months later than planned, and they kick off at Birmingham O2 Academy on Sunday 26th March 2023 before calling in at Glasgow, London and Manchester. The band's seventh studio album 'You Hear Georgia' was released in May 2021 and it dented the UK album chart at no.17. Buy tickets here

Joe Satriani

Guitar icon Joe Satriani will grace the UK in May 2023 for a six-date trek. The Shapeshifting Tour will feature material from Satriani's seventeenth studio album, 'Shapeshifting', which was released in April 2020, alongside other gems from his sprawling back catalogue including 'Surfing With The Alien', 'Always with Me, Always with You' and 'Flying In A Blue Dream'. Buy tickets here

Swedish power metal titans Sabaton will be joined by special guests Babymetal and Lordi on their April 2023 UK arena tour. Supporting their chart-denting tenth studio album 'The War to End All Wars', The Tour To End All Tours opens at Leeds First Direct Arena on Friday 14th April 2023 and visits London OVO Arena Wembley (Sat 15th April), Cardiff Motorpoint Arena (Sun 16th April) and Glasgow OVO Hydro (Tue 18th April). Buy tickets here

Following their triumphant appearances at Planet Rock's Rocktober and Planet Rockstock last year, Scottish blues rockers King King play 18 headline shows across the UK in March 2023 . Opening with a homecoming show at Glasgow Barrowland on Thursday 2nd March, King King play concerts in Leeds, Newcastle, London, Norwich, Manchester, Nottingham, New Brighton, Cardiff, Wolverhampton, Oxford, Bexhill, Leamington Spa, Exeter, Frome, Bournemouth, Cambridge and Blackburn. Squeeze's Glenn Tilbrook is the very special guest at all dates. Buy tickets here

Stone Broken

Stone Broken hit the road in early 2023 playing 13 shows across England, Scotland and Wales. The Come Closer tour will offer fans a more intimate chance to experience Stone Broken perform the breadth of their fan-favourite repertoire, but with a more personal set-up to previous shows. Buy tickets here

Fresh off their March 2023 tour , which supported their first new album in seven years, 'Sundowners', The Answer announced they would be hitting the road once more for a November/December 2023 UK tour . Following their string of European festival performances across the summer, The Answer will play five headline shows - travelling through Manchester, London, Wolverhampton, Glasgow and Belfast. On the upcoming tour dates, Cormac Neeson said: "Our recent run of album showcases for the Sundowners release was the best time we've had on the road for many a decade! To get the reaction we did from fans in UK & Europe to the new material has been a shot in the arm for everyone. "We're so fired up to get back out again and go even further this time with our new live show. It's going to be awesome, and this band of brothers are chomping at the bit to see you down the front again soon!!" Buy tickets here

GUN frontman Dante Gizzi and his brother/band mate Jools Gizzi (guitars) will head out on an acoustic tour in April and May 2023. Taking in 13 shows in some of the UK's more intimate spaces, Dante and Jools will perform stripped-back versions of songs from GUN's back catalogue, and they will also be regaling stories about life on the road too. The tour opens at Dundee Beat Generator on Thursday 6th April 2023 and visits Bathgate, Stoke, Raynes Park, Dover, Gravesend, Manchester, Norwich, Brighton, Southend and Milton Keynes before culminating with a full band show at London's 100 Club on Friday 5th May 2023. Buy tickets here

Marcus King

Grammy nominated blues rock maverick Marcus King is coming to the UK in March 2023 for five headline shows. Supporting the 26-year-old's critically acclaimed second album 'Young Blood', the aptly entitled Young Blood Tour sees the South Carolina musician play London O2 Forum Kentish Town (Tue 21st), Bristol O2 Academy (Wed 22nd), ​Glasgow SWG3 Studio Warehouse (Thu 23rd), Leeds Beckett Students Union (Sat 25th) and Manchester O2 Ritz (Sun 26th). Special guests at all dates will be British purveyors of Americana, IDA MAE. Buy tickets here

Winter’s End 2023

Headlined by Elles Bailey (Friday) Von Hertzen Brothers (Saturday) and Kris Barras Band (Sunday), Planet Rock presents Winter's End 2023 took place at Trecco Bay in Porthcawl, Wales from Friday 3rd to Sunday 5th February 2023.

The Darkness and Black Stone Cherry

The Darkness and Black Stone Cherry kicked off 2023 in spectacular style with a co-headline UK arena tour .

British Lion

British Lion, the side-project of Iron Maiden founder/bassist Steve Harris, will be embarking on a 15-date European tour this summer - starting in June. Alongside two festival appearances (Hellfest, France and Sweden Rock), the band will play 13 standalone headline shows in Slovenia, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Poland, Germany, Ireland, England, The Netherlands, Italy and Spain. Buy tickets here

In 2023, Mr. Big singer Eric Martin teased the band's comeback , which was officially confirmed with the announcement of their expansive farewell world tour - The Big Finish . The tour will see the three remaining members of the band perform around the world - with the comeback announced five years on from the untimely death of their drummer, and co-founder Pat Torpey. The tour will kick off in Japan this July, before performing various dates around Asia. Following the Asian trek, Mr. Big will head to South America, Europe, the UK and the US in 2024.

The Damn Truth

As well as their appearance at Steelhouse Festival, Canadian rock n' rollers The Damn Truth will play seven headline UK shows starting in July. Their tour will see them perform at London O2 Islington Academy (21st July), Shoreham Ropetackle (22nd July), Leicester Musician (25th July), Buckley Tivoli (27th July), Leek Foxlowe Arts (28th July), Sheffield Greystones (30th July), and Milton Keynes Stables (1st August). Buy tickets here

Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons

From September, Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons will embark on their headline UK tour . Motörhead legend Phil Campbell, his sons Todd (guitar), Dane (drums) and Tyla (bass), and vocalist Joel Peters will play a total of 11 headline shows in support of their upcoming third album 'Kings of the Asylum'. Shows begin from 19th September in Brighton, continuing through to December - taking place alongside their headline appearance at Planet Rockstock 2023 .

Robert Jon & The Wreck

Robert Jon & The Wreck will be heading on tour again in 2023, bringing a stream of headline shows from September. Playing 10 headline shows, they open at Exeter The Phoenix on 13th September and will visit Nottingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Glasgow, Leeds, Bristol and Cambridge before finishing at Southampton The Brook on 23rd September. Buy tickets here

Black Stone Cherry

Celebrating the release of their eighth studio album 'Screamin' at the Sky', Black Stone Cherry are heading on an intimate headline UK & Ireland tour . Beginning on Tuesday 26th September, the band will play at eight small capacity venues up to Friday 6th October. Alongside the tour, the band will also hold a series of in-store signings. Buy tickets here

Sari Schorr and Matt Pearce & The Mutiny

Blues rockers Sari Schorr and Matt Pearce & The Mutiny will be embarking on a co-headline UK tour later this year. Joining forces for dates throughout October and November, shows begin from Wednesday 25th October 2023 at York Crescent. From there, they will play shows through Glasgow, Carlisle, Barnsley, Staffordshire, Newbury, London, Gloucester, and Birmingham before wrapping up in Grimsby on 4th November. Buy tickets here

Greta Van Fleet

Part of the European leg of Greta Van Fleet's Starcatcher World Tour, the band have lined up a four-date UK & Ireland arena tour . The dates take place in November, and will see performances at London OVO Arena Wembley, Dublin 3Arena, Manchester AO Hydro and Glasgow OVO Hydro. Playing support at all four shows will be Los Angeles indie rockers Mt. Joy. Buy tickets here

The Darkness

Celebrating the 20th anniversary of their debut album 'Permission to Land', The Darkness will be heading on a world tour. Performing all 11 tracks from the multi-million selling album - including legendary tracks like 'Growing On Me', 'Love Is Only A Feeling' and 'I Believe In A Thing Called Love' - the shows will also include a bonus 'Best Of The Rest' set, featuring gems from their subsequent six albums. The first wave of the 'Permission to Land' 20th anniversary tour dates take place in November 2023, on mainland Europe.

The Long Road Festival

The Long Road returns in 2023 to bring the fields of Stanford Hall, Leicestershire, the finest country, Americana and roots music. Taking place over the Bank Holiday weekend of Friday 25th to Sunday 27th August 2023, headliners include southern rock powerhouses Blackberry Smoke , and Californian country musician Jon Pardi - in what will be his UK debut. The Long Road have reveal 46 more acts that will be taking to the stage, which you can see on the line-up poster here. Buy tickets here

Boston rock icons Extreme will embark on their headline UK 'Thicker Than Blood Tour' through November and December 2023. The tour will mark almost six-years since the band last did a UK trek, and includes six dates - with special guests Living Colour. Opening the tour at Newcastle O2 City Hall on Monday 27th November, Extreme will then visit Glasgow, Manchester, Wolverhampton and Bristol before culminating at London O2 Forum Kentish Town on Monday 4th December. Buy tickets here

KK Priest with Iron Maiden's Paul Di'Anno

Judas Priest co-founder K.K. Downing announced that his spin-off band KK's Priest will tour the UK in October 2023. The heavy metal trailblazer's band will play five headline shows, with special guests Paul Di'Anno - early Iron Maiden vocalist, who will sing songs from the band's first two albums 'Iron Maiden' and 'Killers' - plus Swiss rockers Burning Witches. The Priests, Killers & Witches Tour opens at Birmingham O2 Institute on Saturday 7th October, then visiting Glasgow, Nottingham and Manchester before concluding at the 2,000 capacity London O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire on Thursday 12th. Buy tickets here

Sweet will bring 2023 to a triumphant close as they embark on The Full Circle Tour . Providing 13 headline shows in England, Scotland and Wales throughout December, it is thought this could be the rock icons' final UK tour. Opening at Wrexham William Aston Hall on Friday 1st December, Sweet will then play shows through Wolverhampton, Holmfirth, Glasgow, Sunderland, Bury St Edmunds, Manchester, Lytham, Cardiff, Nottingham, London and Poole before finishing at Frome Cheese & Grain on 23rd December. Buy tickets here

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Kiss Says Farewell at Madison Square Garden, Before Passing the Torch to Band’s Avatar Successors: Concert Review

By A.D. Amorosi

A.D. Amorosi

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To paraphrase David Mamet’s caustic sales pitch from “Glengarry Glen Ross,” KISS has always been closing.

Popular on Variety

“This is the end of the road,” yelled Stanley from center stage in a screechy cackle. “It seems sad. But there’s joy. And we couldn’t have done it without you.” Taking into account the band’s longtime fans, KISS went back to the vaults for first-album crunchers and deep, thudding rarities like the noisy, punkish “Deuce,” the chunky metallic boogie of “War Machine” from 1982’ “Creatures of the Night,” and the cowbell-filled “Heaven’s on Fire.”

And give credit to Stanley for the night’s most emotional moment, talking about KISS’ first MSG show in 1977, and seeing his parents on one side of the room with Simmons’ mom on the other. “Whether you’re up here or down there, all you ever want is your parents’ approval,” said the Starchild as the set-up to “Cold Gin,” with its tribute to New York boroughs like Coventry and Queens.

Soul and reminiscence aside, there were KISS’ usual less-than-sentimental antics, such as Gene blowing fire on “I Love It Loud,” spitting gobs of blood during a bass solo, and scarily lick-kissing Thayer without distracting the guitarist. The energetic Stanley dashed about quickly throughout the night, and, in his stacked heels, zip-lined from MSG’s B-stage to rejoin his KISS brethren during the set-closing classic, “Black Diamond.” Post-encore, with their putative closer, “Rock and Roll All Nite,” all finished, Stanley leaned into his mic, slyly, and prepped his sales pitch for an afterlife for the band.  “You know something? The end of this road is the beginning of another road – we’re not going anywhere. You’ll see us on all different things, all the time. See you in your dreams. We love you.” Engulfed in smoke and flashing lights, the flesh-and-blood KISS went out atop a set of risers, with the new KISS avatars emerging on a screen at the back of the stage with higher, more monster-y boots, youthful smooth faces behind the make-up, and dead laser eyes that eventually shot flames and moonbeams. Much scarier than Pophouse’s ABBA avatars by far, KISS’ menacing digital imagery will live on, with details TBD. This glimpse of the band’s avatar future was probably closer to a cinematic teaser than a true representation of the full-scale, high-tech show that ILM and Pophouse are putting together. But, of course, it didn’t play out like a mere short film, as it was accompanied by the attendant smoke, lights and FX you’d expect from a live gig, so to make the new avatars more at one with the usuals of a KISS concert set. All that really seemed missing was the live schvitzing and spitting. “Your power has made us immortal,” yelled Stanley’s avatar, as the smoke cleared and the faux band launched into a crushing cover of Argent’s “God Gave Rock and Roll to You,” leading into a final warning: “A new KISS era starts now. Oh yeah.” Ending with a film might seem anticlimactic, but inside the room, the KISS Army was enthralled with the idea that their heroes might rock and roll through a potentially endless series of nights, in some form.

See you in hell.

Missed the KISS farewell show? Watch a replay of the entire concert on-demand at PPV.com .

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KISS Is Saying Goodbye (For Real). Here’s Who You’ll See on the Farewell Tour.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame group, which began its final tour back all the way back in 2019, is calling it quits this December at Madison Square Garden.

The group—co-founded by guitarist and vocalist Paul Stanley and bassist Gene Simmons and originally featuring drummer Peter Criss and guitarist Ace Frehley—is known for its iconic black and white face paint and theatric live performances. Some of its most successful songs on the Billboard charts include “Beth,” “Rock And Roll All Nite,” “Shout It Out Loud,” and “Calling Dr. Love.”

“Yes, this is the end,” Stanley said Wednesday in an interview on SiriusXM’s Howard Stern Show . “When you come to see the show, it’s awesome. It’s the most high-tech show out there and yet is clearly a kick– rock ’n’ roll show. ...It’s everything KISS, just amped up and ramped up.”

Who Will Be On This Tour?

During the band’s tenure, several musicians have taken the KISS stage such as drummer Eric Carr and guitarist Bruce Kulick. The farewell tour will feature Stanley and Simmons, the only remaining original members of KISS, with drummer Eric Singer and guitarist Tommy Thayer completing the lineup .

After Carr died of cancer in 1991 at age 41 while the group was recording its Revenge album, Singer stepped in to complete it. In 2001, Singer again filled in , this time for Criss, and donned the band’s “Catman” persona on a tour through Japan and Australia. He returned to the drums in 2004 after Criss left the band for good.

Thayer made his first official appearance as the band’s guitarist in 2002 but had previously co-written songs for the group and oversaw return preparations for Frehley and Criss ahead of a 1996 reunion tour.

What Are the Tour Details?

After an extensive summer swing throughout Europe, with stops in the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Germany, and Italy, the group begins its North American leg in Austin, Texas, on October 29. Presale tickets will be available March 6, and general sales begin March 10.

The band will play 19 shows across the United States and Canada, including a performance at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on November 3. Other stops include Seattle, Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto, Indianapolis, and Knoxville, Tennessee.

The Madison Square Garden shows will bring the band’s touring career to a close, 50 years after its debut just down the road in Queens.

KISS Has Been Performing That Long?

KISS took the stage for the first time in New York City on January 30, 1973, at the Popcorn club, which later became known as The Coventry. In a 2023 interview posted to the band’s official site , Simmons said the group did two sets that evening for a crowd of around 10 people. He and his bandmates didn’t have an agent or a manager at the time, but Simmons succeeded in booking a three-night gig for a $150 paycheck total.

The band began its first North American tour in Edmonton, Alberta, on February 5, 1974, as an opening act. Its first national television appearance, on ABC’s In Concert , aired a few weeks later on March 29.

KISS would go on to perform all over the world , including stops in 26 countries during a reunion tour with Criss and Frehley that began in 1996. The band also performed at the pregame show for Super Bowl XXXIII in 1999 and the closing ceremony for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

Is This Really It?

It sounds like it. Simmons told Stern on Wednesday he’s sure he’ll “cry like a 9-year-old girl whose foot’s being stepped on” during the final performance.

The band actually kicked off this final tour in 2019 and, according to Rolling Stone , already tried to schedule one farewell show at Madison Square Garden on July 17, 2021. However, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the group to delay dates. Simmons and Stanley were diagnosed with breakthrough cases in August 2021. The band’s guitar tech, Francis Stueber, died of the virus weeks later in October.

“Some people have kind of snickered and said, ‘This End of the Road tour has gone on for years,’” Stanley added Wednesday . “Yeah, we lost two and a half years to COVID. We would have been done already.”

Tyler Piccotti first joined the Biography.com staff as an Associate News Editor in February 2023, and before that worked almost eight years as a newspaper reporter and copy editor. He is a graduate of Syracuse University. When he's not writing and researching his next story, you can find him at the nearest amusement park, catching the latest movie, or cheering on his favorite sports teams.

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Everything We Know So Far About the Upcoming KISS Biopic on Netflix

In a new interview, KISS manager Doc McGhee  said the band's in-the-works biopic film that reportedly landed at Netflix is a done deal and would be coming soon, signaling to next year for its release.

But what all do we know about the upcoming Netflix portrayal of the classic rock group's rise?

Watch the video down toward the bottom of this post.

The movie is expected to dramatically re-enact KISS’ story in a way similar to past rock biopics such as 2010’s The Runaways or the 2019 Motley Crue portrayal, The Dirt . It will focus on the early days of KISS’  Paul Stanley  and  Gene Simmons .

READ MORE: KISS Debunk Long-Rumored Satanic Acronym Stands for Their Band Name

KISS Biopic Release Date

The KISS biopic, called Shout It Out Loud after the band's 1976 Destroyer track, will be coming out in 2024, according to McGhee.

"We're just starting it now," he  said in March . "We've already sold it. It's already done. … So that's moving along. And that'll come in '24." (via Blabbermouth)

How KISS Made the Netflix Deal

Two years ago, Netflix was reported to be in a bidding war to release the KISS biopic. With McGee's latest confirmation, a Netflix release for Shout It Out Loud  appears to be set in stone.

In 2021, Deadline  revealed the movie deal and cited an anticipation for success that could equal Bohemian Rhapsody , the 2018 Queen biopic.

The KISS project was said to be getting the fast track as a co-production between Atmosphere Entertainment and Universal Music Group through film producers Mark Canton (Atmosphere), Leigh Ann Burton (Opus 7), Courtney Solomon, David Blackman and Jody Gerson (Universal Music), as well as McGhee, Stanley, Simmons and the director of Shout It Out Loud , Joachim Rønning ( Kon-Tiki , Maleficent: Mistress of Evil,   Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales ).

Dorothy Canton and David Hopwood signed on as executive producers to helm the Shout It Out Loud script composed by Ole Sanders, who worked with Simmons and Stanley after an early draft by William Blake Herron.

The Script for the KISS Biopic

"The script was really good," Stanley said that year  after confirming the film's production in a tweet. "We really waited until we felt comfortable,“ he added. "You get one chance to do it, and I would rather not do it than do it half-assed or poorly. Our director is the real deal. He did Maleficent 2 , and he's not some hack."

In a 2021 interview, McGhee explained, "Mark Canton, who is a very, very powerful producer and production company who has the TV series Power  and Ghost  and all that stuff, and he was a president of Sony and all that, he's done 300 films — a really, really great guy — his team and Universal Music and ourselves have partnered up with Joachim Rønning, who is a very sought-after director. … And the script is about the first four years of KISS . Basically, it's before they were famous."

KISS Netflix Movie Cast

We don't yet know what actors will portray the KISS members in the Netflix biopic. Various sources have floated their own fantasy cast lists. From what Stanley has said, we know they will choose young actors.

"To be accurate in terms of age," Stanley explained in 2021, "we are looking at actors in their early 20s."

He continued, "When people get asked these kinds of questions, they'll say, 'Oh, Brad Pitt ,' or this one or that one. Well, those guys are in their 50s or 60s, so you're talking about another generation of actors. And I'm the first to say I'm not up on a lot of them. But as the casting process goes on, I'll certainly be there."

Stanley added that it would be interesting to see how the "casting people or the director … view who I am and who they see doing that. I think I'll learn a lot about their perception of me by who they cast."

KISS at the End of the Road

KISS' "End of the Road World Tour" is scheduled to conclude in 2023 . First announced in 2018, it was at one point  scheduled to end in 2021 . See the upcoming dates under the video.  Get tickets here.

Click here  for a list of rock and metal bands touring in 2023. Sign up for  Loudwire's newsletter and get the  Loudwire app  to stay up to date.

KISS Manager Doc McGhee on Rock Experience w/ Mike Brunn  - March 22, 2023

Kiss 2023 tour dates.

April 12 – Manaus, Brazil @ Arena Amazonia April 15 – Bogota, Columbia @ Estadio Campin April 18 – Brasilia, Brazil @ Mane Garrincha April 20 – Belo Horizonte, Brazil @ Mineirao April 22 – Sao Paulo, Brazil @ Allianz Parque April 25 – Florianopolis, Brazil @ Hard Rock April 30 – Santiago, Chile @ Santa Lauro May 27 – Columbus, Ohio @ Sonic Temple June 3 – Plymouth, England @ Argyle Stadium June 5 – Birmingham, England @ Home Park June 6 – Newcastle, England @ Resorts World June 10 – Prague, Czech Republic @ O2 Arena June 12 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Ziggo Dome June 13 – Belgium, Brussels @ Palais 12 June 15 – Clisson, France @ Hellfest June 17 – Munchen, Germany @ Konigsplatz June 19 – Krakow, Poland @ Arena Krakow June 21 – Dresden, Germany @ Halle 1 June 22 – Berlin, Germany @ Schmeling Halle June 25 – Cartagena, Spain @ Rock Imperium June 27 – Lyon, France @ Halle Garnier June 29 – Tuscany, Italy @ Lucca Festival July 1 – Mannheim, Germany @ SAP Arena July 2 – Cologne, Germany @ Laxness Arena July 5 – London, England @ O2 Arena July 7 – Manchester, England @ AO Arena July 8 – Glasgow, Scotland @ OVO Hydro July 12 – Rattvik, Sweden @ Dalhalla Amp. July 13 – Rattvik, Sweden @ Dalhalla Amp. July 15 – Tonsberg, Norway @ Kaldnes Oct. 29 – Austin, Texas @ Moody Center Nov. 1 – Palm Springs, Calif. @ Acrisure Arena Nov. 3 – Los Angeles, Calif. @ Hollywood Bowl Nov. 6 – Seattle, Wash. @ Climate Pledge Arena Nov. 8 – Vancouver, British Columbia @ Rogers Arena Nov. 10 – Edmonton, Alberta @ Rogers Place Nov. 12 – Calgary, Alberta @ Saddledome Nov. 13 – Saskatoon, Saskatchewan @ SaskTel Ctr Nov. 15 – Winnipeg, Manitoba @ Canada Life Ctr Nov. 18 – Montreal, Quebec @ Centre Bell Nov. 19 – Quebec, Quebec @ Videotron Ctr Nov. 21 – Ottawa, Ontario @ Canadian Tire Ctr Nov. 22 – Toronto, Ontario @ Scotiabank Arena Nov. 24 – Knoxville, Tenn. @ Thompson-Boling Arena Nov. 25 – Indianapolis. Ind. @ Gainbridge Fieldhouse Nov. 27 – Rosemont, Ill. @ Allstate Arena Nov. 29 – Baltimore, Md. @ CFG Arena Dec. 1 – New York, N.Y. @ Madison Square Garden Dec. 2 – New York, N.Y. @ Madison Square Garden

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